- This petition addresses the latest developments in the Narmada situation, where the Supreme Court has postponed the decision until May 1st. The Centre.s stand in the Court was an attempt to escape the reality of the rehabilitation situation.
- Both individual and Organizational endorsements are also sought for this letter. You can also send organizational endorsements to Narmada-alert@aidindia.org
- An earlier petition to the PM got 3400 signatures, and multiples copies have been sent to PM, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and other Ministers. This current letter will also be sent to all of them.
Mr. Prime Minister, Put People Above Politics!
April 19, 2006
To
Dr. Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister of India,
New Delhi 110001
Dear Manmohan Singhji,
Indians across the country and abroad were watching your actions in the recent crisis over the Narmada rehabilitation. You took one good step, though belated, of sending 3 Union Ministers to personally visit the rehabilitation sites in Narmada valley and report to you the true situation of rehabilitation. And they gave a commendably honest report that has now been read around the world [1]. However, what you did with that report has truly disappointed millions of people who expected sincere action from you! Instead of presenting the report's conclusions in the Supreme Court, your government undermined your own Ministers' work, and instead proposed 'a mechanism. to ensure rehabilitation by August'[2]. This is not just wishful thinking but constitutes willful misleading of the Court and the nation. The rehabilitation situation is so bad that in a site where the Madhya Pradesh government's status report shows 18,965 families rehabilitated already, only 80 dwellings can be seen, and no drinking water, roads or electricity![1] Completing the rehabilitation in 3 months is simply impossible, and you know that. Your actions indicate to millions around the world that:
(a) Your government will set up an eye-wash committee which will assure the Court of completing the rehabilitation by August. If the Court allows it, then the dam height of 121.9 meters will become a fait accompli. And 35,000 families will get submerged without resettlement!
(b) The monsoon in the Narmada valley arrives between June 10-15 (per India Meteorological Dept. [3]) and in 2005, Sardar Sarovar dam was overflowing in the last week of June [4]. So, the adivasis and Nimad farmers will be driven out of their lands even before August.
(c) This will be a violation of the Supreme Court order in letter and spirit, but it would be too late for the 35,000 families anyway. IF this is NOT your intention, then we demand the following:
1) Suspend the construction of the dam until the Supreme Court hearing on May 1st.
2) In the Court, file a truthful and complete affidavit on the rehabilitation status based on the GoM report, and assert that the rehabilitation cannot possibly be completed before the monsoon submergence.
3) Set up a mechanism for monitoring the rehabilitation situation that is truly independent, includes the Project Affected Families, and empowers the village panchayats in the affected villages. Dear Prime Minister, you are elected by the people of India in good faith. This faith is most solemn coming from those communities that are displaced by projects which you decide are in national interest. You need to put these people above party politics. If you don't take the right decision today, you will be personally responsible for making tens of thousands of families destitute. Most sincerely, Citizens of Conscience around India and the World. References:
[1] Report of Group of Ministers, April 9, 2006. http://www.hindu.com/2006/04/17/stories/2006041705231100.htm
[2] 'The Centre informed the court that the oustees would be completely rehabilitated before August, 2006, the period of onset of monsoon.' http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1494150.cms
[3] Normal dates for Onset of Southwest Monsoons in different regions of India: For Narmada region . June 10-15. Indian Meteriological Dept. http://www.imd.gov.in/section/climate/monsoon-onset.htm
[4] Narmada overflowing Sardar Sarovar dam, July 1, 2005. http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/full_story.php?content_id=73721
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