Press Note

Sardar Sarovar Dam Height Not to be Increased Untill Action is taken on the Jha Commission Enquiry Report

Jabalpur High Court issues notice to Centre and the State governments on the petition filed by Narmada Bachao Andolan: Next hearing on 25th July

Badwani / Jabalpur, July 9 : Narmada Bachao Andolan filed a petition  in the Jabalpur High Court on July 8, challenging the June 12^th order of the Narmada Control Authority to raise the height of the Sardar Sarovar Dam by 17 meters, citing the ongoing enquiry into 1000 Crores corruption in Rehabilitation of Sardar Sarovar affected families and the right to life and livelihood of two hundred fifty thousand still residing in the submergence area. The enquiry is being conducted by Justice S.S. Jha Commission, constituted by the Madhya Pradesh High Court in 2008. The High Court admitted the petition filed by NBA and issued notices to the Principal Secretary, Madhya Pradesh, Vice Chairman Narmada Valley Development Authority and the Chairman of the Narmada Control Authority.

It is to be noted that 2,500 fake registries have been unearthed in purchasing of land for the rehabilitation of the project affected families. This has resulted in nearly 1000 Cr corruption affecting thousands of families, who didn’t get their due. The statement of the affected families, those who sold their land and other interested parties has been recorded in last five years. The argument on the report prepared by an organisation called Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal authorised by the Commission, is still going on over the serious irregularities in the construction work of 88 rehabilitation sites. Infact, the enquiry by Jha Commission is at a critical stage. However, ignoring the ongoing processes, the order to increase the height of the dam is a gross violation of HC and SC orders. This is a conspiracy to protect the middlemen and government officials involved in the irregularities and corruption in the process of rehabilitation of project affected families.

While, accepting the petition of the NBA, Honourable High Court ordered that all the parties must respond by July 18th, 2014 and the next hearing date was fixed for July 25th, 2014. Medha Patkar pleaded on behalf of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, Advocate R N. Singh argued for the MP State Government and Advocate Sayyed Naqvi for the Union government.

NBA welcomes the directions of the Court in the matter. By accepting NBA’s petition HC set aside the earlier decision of inappropriately quashing the corruption related PIL in Feb. 2014. This has revived the original petition of NBA demanding investigation in the corruption in R&R, being heard for past Seven years.

Meera,                       Rahul Yadav,                         Bhagiram    

Phone: 09179148973

—