Huge demonstration of Maheshwar dam oustees

Several thousand people affected by the Maheshwar dam demonstrated yesterday against the destructive Maheshwar Project. Over ten thousand oustees took out a rally through all the main roads of Mandleshwar, and gathered on the banks of the Narmada to resolve to save Nimad and Madhya Pradesh and to oppose the Maheshwar Project that threatens to destroy both. Representatives of affected people from Indira Sagar, Man, Upper Beda and Sardar Sarovar dams as well as many other people^Òs organizations came to Mandleshwar to express their solidarity with the Maheshwar struggle.

Shri Alok Agarwal, senior activist of the Narmada Bachao Andolan said that the Maheshwar Project was part of the attempt by the multinationals and the forces of globalization to privatize the electricity sector, make electricity prohibitively expensive for the people and take it away from their hands. The Maheshwar Project will submerge the rich and prosperous Nimad area but will not deliver electricity but will cripple the financial situation of the state of Madhya Pradesh just like the Dabhol Project made by Enron in Maharashtra. That is why it is imperative to save Nimad and Madhya Pradesh by immediately stopping this destructive project.

Senior activist of the movement Ms. Chittaroopa Palit said that it is surprising that the S.Kumars are being allowed to proceed with work on the Maheshwar Project even after the movable and immovable properties of the Project have been attached, and the Court of the Tehsildar have taken objection to it. She said that all over the Narmada valley large dams are being built and people^Òs survival is being threatened, and the State government have completely failed to replace the livelihoods of the people. Shri Vimalbhai of Matu Jan Sangathan related the story of the Tehri dam where thousands of people have been evicted. He said that just like Narmada, on the Tehri too, 6 dams re eing made threatening the very survival of the river. Sunilbhai of Samajwadi Jan Parishad said that people are not being affected by dams, peasants and the rural populace are also threatened by the agricultural crisis. Asia Development Bank, World Bank and WTO are all determined to finish off Indian agriculture so that they can gain control over our markets.

Senior advocate of the Indore High Court Shri Anil Trivedi said that the Indian people were no longer prepared to endure destruction in the name of development. He said that not only the displaced people but every aware person was part of the struggle. Ms. Pratibha Shinde working in the tribal areas of Maharashtra and Gujarat said that while one one hand large dams were displacing tribals and uprooting rich forests, one the other hand, the State was making new laws to uproot the adivasis. This has to be resisted. Shri Vinit Tiwari of Sandarbh, Indore congratulated the people on their strength and said that it will be the struggle of the common people which will give us freedom. Shri Vijay Bhai of Adivasi Mukti Sangathan and Jan Sangharsh Morcha- the forum of the 17 organizations of Madhya Pradesh expressed solidarity with the struggle. The members of Jagrut Adivasi Dalit Sangathan, Badwani also attended the meeting to express their solidarity with the Maheshwar struggle.

Shri Kalusingh Mandloi, Shri Jagdish Patidar, Shri Mangat Verma, Sushilabai, Sarpanch Mardana and others that the people of the Maheshwar area would not allow either the S.Kumars or the Power Finance Corporation to build this destructive project at any cost. The people of this area were prepared for a hard and determined struggle.

Shri Tulsiram, affected by the gigantic Indira Sagar dam, Shri Govind bhai affected by the Man dam in Dhar district, Banabai affected by the Upper Beda dam and Shri Mansharam Jat affected by the Sardar Sarovar dam said that they are determined to stop the destruction in the Narmada valley and that they would not let their rights be abrogated. Shri Jagdish Morania, ex-MLA, Barwah constitutency, Shri Narayan Patel, Sanawad, and others also addressed the public meeting. The meeting was conducted by Shri Sanjay Nigam.

After the public meeting, the people assembled at the office of the SDM, where the people protested against the illegal work and gave a memorandum in the name of the Chief Minister. They demanded that the Maheshwar dam be immediately scrapped in the interest of the state and said that if the above is not done, the affected people would themselves stop this destructive project.