Narmada Bachao Andolan activists take out funeral procession to mark beginning of another Jal Satyagraha

BARWANI: Hundreds of Chhota Barda villagers and Narmada Bachao Andolan activists took out funeral procession of an alive person and performed the rite of ‘mundan’ to mark the beginning of their another Jal Satyagraha near the village in Barwani district on Friday.
The protesters led by NBA leader Medha Patkar also took out a rally at Anjad and started Jal Satyagrah in Narmada river.They said that if the submergence due to Sardar Sarovar dam project will not be stopped till Saturday evening, they would go for Jal Samadhi.
NBA has demanded to stop the submergence till the rehabilitation gets completed as per the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal Award (NWDTA), state policy and courts’ judgements. The leaders said that Madhya Pradesh government coercive measures will result in drowning of more than 40,000 families living in the submergence area of Sardar Sarovar dam.
Since Thursday, water level in Narmada was continuously rising and reached to 128.50 metres on Friday, which is five metres above than the danger mark. It has resulted in submergence of old Rajghat bridge in Barwani, Nisarpur and other villages.
Lashing out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the NBA leaders alleged, it is nothing but a shameless show of ‘personal obsession’ by PM Modi and ‘disastrous submission’ by Shivraj Singh Chouhan to the dirty politics supported by Gujarat and Maharashtra government.
They alleged that thousands of applications are still unheard before the Grievance Redressal Authority (GRA), leaving no options to villagers, but to protest on streets.
They alleged that in Gujarat, the Narmada canals is also incomplete and construction of nearly 30% of the total length of canal network has only been done exposing the tall claims of government to bring water to Kutch and other districts of Gujarat.
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Nimaris bid adieu to their native places
As Narmada river water level went up, the sentiments of typical ‘Nimari’ families of SSP affected villages also grew thick and the pain of leaving their native places clearly appeared on their faces.
After water spread near her house, Annapurna Devi of Kukra village in Barwani district said, “I don’t want to leave my native place.”
Mangla Devi Giri, director of ‘Annapurna Devi Ashram’at Kukra village, performed puja at the last time at the ashram before leaving for a disciple’s house.
Nanu Ram Kewat, famous for his tasty ‘kachouri’ at Kukra also closed his hotel and left the place as it was not safe.
Jitendra his brother Sukhlal, Suresh and Kanti Bai told that they also had to leave the village. Harish, Raidas, Suresh, Saroj and Seema Bai told that they are constructing houses on the allocated plots. To reach Kukra now one will have to use boat.
Nodal officer BL Kalesh told TOI that out of 2392 families, only 500 are left to shift and they will also be shifted to 29 rehabilitation centres within a week. He said that most of the SSP affected villagers chose cash amount offered by the government and refused to take temporary teen shades made for them.