1. 29th
June, 2013
Decision to raise height of SSP illegal and political conspiracy
Central Authorities cannot permit drowning
of 2 lakh population without rehabilitation
The decision to permit raising of the height of the Sardar Sarovar Dam from the
present height of 122 mts to the final height of 138.68 mts, as per the news
published in the Times of India, has been taken by the Resettlement and
Rehabilitation Sub Group of the Narmada Control Authority (NCA) on 26th
June.
This is supposed to have been done on the basis of the reports by the 4 states,
including Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra, confirming, that
‘rehabilitation is complete’. All this is absolutely unbelievable and unacceptable
since there are more than 40,000 families in the 245 villages in the
submergence area spread across three states, but the maximum (193) are in
Madhya Pradesh alone.
There are at least 4,000 families in M.P. and about 1,000 in Maharashtra who are
yet to receive alternative agricultural land as per the eligibility. Thousands of
landless including agricultural labourers, fish workers, potters and other artisans
are yet to get an alternative source of livelihood as per the state policy and Action
Plan, endorsed by the Supreme Court. Those at the resettlement site in Gujarat or
Maharashtra or at a very small percentage in M.P. are certainly not rehabilitated,
till date, as there are hundreds of families without full land, as per entitlement or
amenities, yet to be attained.
When huge corruption through a massive scandal of about 5,00 to 1,000 crores,
misappropriated by officials and agents in rehabilitation is under inquiry, by
Justice Jha Commission, appointed by the High Court for the past 5 years, there is
no way that M.P. can approve the fake rehabilitation. M.P. has allotted land only
21 families till date, that too in the past two months, while 4,000 + remain to attain
their due, many of whom are cheated through fake land registries. These include
hilly adivasis habited in the Satpuda and Vindhya ranges, who are to be taken
special care of as per the policy and judgements. Maharashtra too is still searching
and locating land to establish R&R sites, more and Gujarat’s oustees are also
awaiting declaration, allotment of land and / or amenities in the original villages as
well as resettlement sites.

2. The Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal Award and all the Supreme Court’s
judgements, (1991, 2000, 2002, 2005) and the last interim order that has clearly
directed full and fair implementation of the NWDTA, are to be violated once
again, is there is any raise, in the dam height, at this stage. Flooding the villages,
where life is on with pucca houses, shops, markets, schools, temples and mosques
and lakhs of trees will be a gross injustice, against law and contempt of court. The
Prime Minister himself had given a written commitment to the Apex Court on 17th
April, 2006 i.e. on the 21st
day of fast in New Delhi, that all the families upto 122
mts were not rehabilitated while that height was sanctioned and that rehabilitation
would be complete within 3 months i.e. by June, 2006. The same has not yet
happened and hence there could be no permission granted for further work at the
dam.
Moreover, not one, but many committees of MoEF and the latest chaired by Shri
Devendra Pandey have clearly concluded based on the documents and data that
almost all the conditions in the environmental clearance are not fulfilled, but
violated. Be it Gujarat on the non-compliance of CAD Plans, or Maharashtra and
M.P. with targets and plans on protective / preventive measures, compensatory
afforestation, health measures for all the three states.
It is, therefore, obvious that any clearance granted is only a result of political
expediency. Mr. Narendra Modi since, last few months had been raising SSP
issues publicly to blame or challenge the UPA Govt, which is succumbing to these
pressures unnecessarily and unjustifiably. When Gujarat doesn’t have its canal
network ready and not built beyond 25-30% over the last 30 years, what is the
need to raise the height and fill more water to drown the valley? Why can’t the
MoEF and the Narmada Control Authority under the Ministry of Water Resources
compel Gujarat to complete execution of all environmental measures and building
of canal network phase-wise and thereby utilize the already ponded waters?
The issue is politicized with nearing of 2014 elections, no doubt but people’s lives
and livelihoods being at stake, we can’t allow such a heinous crime to be
committed by flooding houses, communities, fields, and forests any more, not till
all legal pre-conditions are fulfilled. We warn the NCA not to clear the raising of
the dam height and also warn R&R Sub – Group to withdraw its decision. The
people of the valley will compel these authorities to comply with law and are
prepared to fight it tooth and nail.
Surbhan Bhilala Devram Kanera Kamla Yadav Kailash Awasya
Ghokru Ranveer Tomar Shannobehan Madu Machuara Medha Patkar
Phone: 09179148973 / 09423965153

3. Shri Manmohan Singh,
Prime Minister,
Government of India
South Block, Raisina Hills,
New Delhi 110 101
Fax: 011-23019545, 23016857
E-mail: manmohan@sansad.nic.i
n
Kumari Selja,
Minister,
Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment,
Government of India
Shastri Bhawan, Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Marg, New Delhi
Ph: 011- 23381001 and 011-23381390
Fax: 011-23014432, 011-23012117
E-mail: min-sje@sb.nic.in and
psmsje@gmail.com ;
Shri Harish Rawat,
Minister,
Ministry of Water Resources,
Sharam Shakti Bhawan
Rafi marg
New Delhi-110001
Office: 11-23714200 , 11-23714663 and
11-23711780
Residence: 11-23791352
Fax: 11-23710804 (O) and 11-23793184 (
R)
E-mail: minister-mowr@nic.in
Ms. Sonia Gandhi
President, United Progressive
Alliance
10, Janpath
Fax: 011-23794616 / 23014481
E-mail: soniagandhi@sansad.nic.i
n
Shri Afroz Ahmed
Director,
(Rehabilitation and Impact
Assessment),
Narmada Control Authority,
Narmada Sadan, Vijay Nagar, Indore.
Fax: 0731-2554333
E-mail: dir.rehab.nca@nic.in
afrozahmad@hotmail.com
Shri Sudhir Bhargav,
Chairman, Resettlement and
Rehabilitation Sub Group (SSP) and
Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment
Government of India
Shastri Bhawan, Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Marg, New Delhi
Ph: 011- 23389184 ; Fax:011-23385180
Email: secywel@sb.nic.in ,
secywel@nic.in
Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan
Chief Minister,
Government of Madhya Pradesh,
Vallabh Bhawan,
Bhopal, M.P
Fax: 011-2441781
E-mail: cm@mp.nic.in
Shri Prithviraj Chavan,
Chief Minister, Maharashtra
Phone +91-22-22025151,22025222
Fax: 022-22029214,
Dr. Patangrao Shripatrao Kadam
Minister for Forests, Rehabilitation and
Relief Works, Earthquake Rehabilitation,
E-mail: Min_Forest@maharashtra.gov.in
Office Ph: 91 22 22025398 and

4. 23633272, 23631446
Email:
chiefminister@maharashtra.gov.in
+91 22 22024751
Residence Ph: +91 22 23635688 and
+91 22 23632748
Mantralaya, Mumbai.
Shri Milind Mhaiskar, IAS
Secretary, Relief Commissioner,
Project Director
Relief & Rehabilitation
NAB
14th Floor
Ph: 22025274
sec_r&r@maharashtra.gov.in
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