Bhumi Adhikaar Andolan Solidarity with People of Narmada Valley

This grim celebration entails the closing of the gates to fill the dam with water. This particular process will lay havoc on the villages and communities that reside in the valley, they haven’t been rehabilitated as promised by the government and as directed by the courts. Currently, the water level has risen more than to 128.96 meters and has submerged several villages including Rajghat and Nisarpur. The people residing in these villages have vowed to not leave their homes, ready to drown if it comes to that. Furthermore, the courts had directed the government to rehabilitate everyone by the end of July. Far from being rehabilitated, these communities are now at the risk of losing their lives, their dignity, their homes and their history. With a largely electoral propaganda behind this move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is celebrating his birthday at the cost of 40,000 families who now await their deaths. The fact that the Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra did not attend the celebration vindicates the position that the rehabilitation and resettlement has not been done and electoral considerations in Gujarat has led to hasty dedication of the project. Even benefits claimed for Gujarat farmers have been false.

Bhumi Adhikar Andolan discussed this horrific incident in a press conference and condemned this apathetic state of the country. It drew attention to the precarious situation in the Narmada valley.

The press conference was addressed Hannan Mollah, General Secretary, AIKS, Ashok Choudhary, AIUFWP, Soumya Dutta, Bharat Jan Vigyan Jattha, Annie Raja, Secretary, NFIW and Madhuresh Kumar, National Convener, NAPM. Vijoo Krishnan AIKS Joint Secretary, Sanjeev from Delhi Solidarity Group and Roma Malik, AIUFWP were also present.