[sacw] From 'Free the Narmada Campaign' (18 June 99)

[Harsh Kapoor]

June 18, 1999
FYI
(South Asia Citizens Web)
====================

::Free the Narmada Campaign::

INSIST ON HOPE

by Arundhati Roy

For over half a century we've believed that Big Dams would deliver the
people of India from hunger and poverty. The opposite has happened. Big
Dams have pushed the country to the brink of a political and ecological
emergency. They have uprooted 40 million people, most of them Tribal and
Dalit, from their forests and rivers, from lands and homes where they and
their forefathers have lived for thousands of years. They have lost
everything. Everything. It is their children that you see begging on the
streets. It is they and their children who pay our food and electricity
bills.

Not a single Big Dam in India has delivered what it promised. Not the
power, not the irrigation, not the flood-control, not the drought-proofing.
Instead, they have converted huge tracts of agricultural land into
water-logged salt deserts, submerged hundreds of thousands of hectares of
prime forest, and pushed the country deep into debt.

The era of Big Dams is over. All over the world they are being recognized
as technological disasters. As Big Mistakes. Yet in India, our Government
refuses to review the situation.

In February 1999, after a four year stay, the Supreme Court allowed the
construction of the Sardar Sarovar Dam to continue. They did this even
though every single one of its claimed benefits is scientifically
questionable. It's true Rs. 7,500 crores has been spent on the project
already. However, studies say that to complete it as planned would cost the
Indian Public an additional Rs. 35,000 crores. If it is completed,
according to the Narmada Bachao Andolan, it will uproot almost half a
million people. As of now, only 25% of the submergence has taken place. If
we act now, we can still save 300,000 people from certain destitution. We
can still save Rs. 35, 000 crores of Public money and put it to better use.
(It could probably finance far more effective local water harvesting
schemes for every single village in India).
This monsoon, when the reservoir of the Sardar Sarovar Dam fills, 12,000
tribal people from 60 villages will lose their lands and homes permanently.
Despite everything the Project Authorities say, the truth is that these
people have nowhere to go.
Can we, as citizens look away while people are being driven from their homes?

As the century comes to a close, it's time to own up to our mistakes. Time
to say 'No' to these massive, obsolete, human-crunching, money-guzzling,
technological disasters. Time to learn to step lightly on the earth. Time
to insist on Hope. For our own sake, for the sake of our children, for the
sake of the planet we live on, let's begin by saying 'No' to the Sardar
Sarovar Dam. 'No' to the dams on the Narmada.

************************************************

RALLY FOR THE VALLEY

On the 29th of July a contingent of people from all over the world,
Citizens of the Earth, will leave Delhi for the Narmada Valley, to convey a
message of support to the people in the valley. Join it, or come and flag
it off. Bring your own message, or flag or banner. Hand it over to those
who are going or jump on the train yourself. We'll get you there.
You can change the world if you try.
If you are coming from other parts of India (or the World) meet us at
INDORE on the 30th of July. Look out for the FREE THE NARMADA campaign
booths at the Indore railway station.

THE TRAVEL PLAN:

29th July -5th August.
The Delhi contingent will leave from Hazrat Nizammuddin railway station at
10 p.m on Thursday, July 29th on the Inter-city Express to INDORE in the
State of Madhya Pradesh.

We will arrive in INDORE at noon the next day (Friday, 30th July), the same
evening a public function with the citizens of Indore will be held. On the
morning of Saturday July 31st ,we will leave in a convoy of buses for the
town of MAHESHWAR on the river. The convoy will be joined by local
supporters and activists in tractors and trucks.

We'll spend the 31st night at MAHESHWAR, a medieval town slated to be
submerged by the Sardar Sarovar reservoir (only if we lose our fight
against the dam).

On the morning of Sunday August 1st, we leave for a four day journey by
road and by boat through tribal villages such as Bhavaria, Kakrana slated
to be submerged. We will spend time there listening to the people,
exchanging stories and sorrows, music and dance. JALSINDHI, the last stop,
is a tribal hamlet which has become a nerve-centre of the resistance
movement.
We will return to INDORE on August 4th and catch the overnight train to Delhi

The journey will not be easy. We will be travelling at a difficult (though
beautiful) time of the year i.e. the monsoon. Shelter will be very basic.
There will be no electricity or running water (except in the river!). We
will try to carry adequate supplies of drinking water, but it would be
sensible if you carried your own when we leave the last town. The same is
true of medicines. Bring your rainwear, bedding, torches? and anything else
you think you may need. Bring a flag or a banner that you've designed
yourself ? (a personal flag, a RALLY FOR THE VALLEY flag, not a national
flag). If the waters start rising suddenly, be prepared for a fair amount
of chaos, possibly even police action.

If you want to come with us please fill in the attached form and send it
back to us so that we can make arrangements.

OUR CONTACT ADDRESS:

JHARANA JHAVERI, FREE THE NARMADA CAMPAIGN,
MD-4, SAH VIKAS, 68 I.P. EXTENSION, DELHI 110092
e-mail: janmadhyam@v... Phone: 91-11-221-7084 / 221-1851

FILL THIS IN AND SEND IT BACK TO US
(E-mail / Mail / Fax)

I would like to enlist in the campaign to Free the Narmada

Name :

Postal Address :

E-mail / Phone :

I would like to come for the Rally in the Valley. I will travel with the
contingent from Delhi.

I will travel independently and join the contingent in Indore.

I can't come for the rally, but I would like to order a copy of The Greater
Common Good by Arundhati Roy.
I love Big Dams and don't want to hear from you again.

NOTE:

FOR LOGISTICAL REASONS OUR CONTINGENT CANNOT BE A VERY LARGE ONE. PLEASE
LET US KNOW YOUR PLANS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE OURS.

1. Travel from Delhi and back, plus food (6 days and 7 nights) will
cost Rs. 2,100/- per head. For those joining us at Indore it will cost Rs.
1,450/-. Payments by cheque or demand draft, payable at New Delhi in favour
of Free The Narmada Campaign. Students and those who cannot afford this
amount but still wish to come, let us know in advance, and we'll try and
find a way out.

2. Payment for the book in India should be made by a demand draft for
Rs.45/- payable at New Delhi in favour of Free The Narmada Campaign. All
the Author's royalties have been made over to the Narmada Bachao Andolan.

3. All correspondence, cheques and drafts to be sent to the contact
address in Delhi.

4. The Campaign will not be responsible for any damage to/loss of
property, illness or accidents.

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