Narmada Authority no to raising dam height

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: medha@narmada.org
Date: Aug 28, 2008 11:52 AM
Subject: [narmada_andolan] SSP: Narmada Authority No to Raising Dam Height
To: narmadaandolan@lists.riseup.net

For your information.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/28/stories/2008082850230100.htm

Narmada Authority no to raising dam height
Gargi Parsai

NEW DELHI: The Narmada Control Authority (NCA) has declined to give permission
to the Gujarat government to install piers and gates in the Narmada dam, which
would take the height of the dam to the final 138.68 meters from 121.92 meters.

The NCA in its meeting, chaired by Water Resources Secretary U.N. Panjiyar,
decided that no permission would be given until the Rehabilitation and
Resettlement sub-group and the Environmental sub-group were consulted.

The NCA overruled the submissions of the Narmada Valley Development Authority
(NVDA) for construction of the piers and the gates even while project affected
families in the basin States are yet to be rehabilitated ATRs on rehabilitation

The State governments of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra were asked to submit
Action Taken Reports (ATRs)on the rehabilitation and resettlement of dam
affected people. They were also advised to consult the Grievance Redressal
Agency in each State. Ex-judge to head panel

In a related move, the Jabalpur High Court last week ordered appointment of a
high-level Commission of Inquiry last week into the charges of corruption in
the resettlement and rehabilitation of project affected families in Madhya
Pradesh.

The Commission, headed by a former High Court judge, would look into
allegations of fake registries in the name of those displaced and whether the
quality of construction at the rehabilitation sites was sub-standard. Earlier,
the environment sub-group, under the NCA appointed an independent panel of
experts to inquire whether the Gujarat government had formulated action plans
and followed the norms to fulfil the conditions required for permission to
construct the dam.


--
Mukta Srivastava
National Alliance of People's Movements