'India: risk of forced displacement of 35'000 Adivasis families

Case IND 040603. ESCR
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Risk of Forced Displacement of Adivasis Communities/Threats and Intimidation


The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in India.

Brief description of the situation

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Indian Centre for Human Rights and Law, a member of the OMCT network, of the risk of eviction of around 15'000 families as a result of a decision to increase the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River from 95 metres to 100 metres.

According to the information received, on May 14th 2003, the Narmada Control Authority (an Indian inter-state committee) has given the clearance to increase the water level in the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River from 95 metres to 100 metres. This approval would reportedly enlarge the area covered by the water and increase the number of dwellings that will be submerged during the monsoon season, resulting in flooding several Adivasis communities living near the reservoir. According to the information received, around 3000 families in Maharashtra and around 12’000 families in Madhya Pradesh will be in danger of having their homes submerged as a result of the heightening water level, while no proper resettlement has been planned for them. It is reported that there is simply no arable land available where they could be resettled.

It is also reported that the police has intimidated and threatened the Adivasis communities, mentioning that they will be forced to leave their villages because the houses located on the banks of the Narmada will be destroyed. The police also reportedly issued notices warning the Adivasis communities to vacate the villages prior to the raising of the water margin.

Medha Paktar, the leading activist for the Narmada Bachao Abndolan organisation who is fighting for the rights of the Adivasis communities affected by the construction of the Sardar Sarovar Dam, started an indefinite hunger strike on May 30th 2003 to protest the government’s refusal to provide adequate rehabilitation for the Adivasis families who are in danger of having their homes submerged. It is reported that on June 4th 2003, 5 days after the beginning of her hunger strike, Medha Paktar’s health is worsening considerably, giving rise to fears for her personal integrity.


Background Information

On October 18 2000, the Supreme Court of India upheld the Narmada Tribunal Award, stipulating that those displaced by the project must be resettled and rehabilitated land-for-land six months prior to any rise in the dam’s height. As such, the decision of the Narmada Control Authority appears to be in clear violation of the orders of the Supreme Court of India.

Due to the implementation of the Sardar Sarovar Dam project, thousands of Adivasis victims of previous raisings of the dam’s water levels are still waiting for rehabilitation. In Madhya Pradesh, the majority of the 35’000 families that have been ousted have yet to received rehabilitation. In Maharashtra, at least 3’600 families, or tens of thousands of men, women and children, have yet to be given their rightful land-for-land rehabilitation.

Reality has shown that previous victims of the dams in the Narmada Valley are now living on the streets and in the slums of major cities such as Mumbai, facing disease, malnutrition, inadequate or no housing, and even death.

OMCT is deeply concerned over the continued blatant apathy expressed by government officials on this matter, especially in light of the indefinite hunger strike begun by Medha Patkar.


Action requested

Please write to the authorities in India urging them to:

i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the 15’000 Adivasis families and of Medha Paktar;

ii. put a stop to the rising of the Sardar Sarovar Dam until affected communities can challenge this decision in a court of law and until the affected persons are properly resettled and rehabilitated;

iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance international human rights standards ;


Addresses

Mr. H.E. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister of India, South Block, Raisina Hill, New Delhi 110 011 India; Fax: +91 11 3016857/3019545 (O), +91 11 3019334 (R); E-mail: vajpayee@sansad.nic.in or http://pmindia.nic.in/writetous.htm

H.E. President Abdul Kalam, Office of the President, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi 110 004, INDIA Fax: 91-11-301 7290 / 7824; E-mail: Pressecy@Sansad.nic.in

Justice Adarsh Sein Anand., Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission (NHR), Sardar Patel Bhavan, Sansad Marg, New Delhi 11001, India, Fax: 91-11-334 0016; E-mail: chairnhrc@nic.in

Shri Dilip Singh Bhuria, Chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Schedules Tribes, Floor 5, Lok Nayak Bhavan, Khan Market, New Delhi-110003, INDIA, Tel: 91-11-4623959, Fax: 91-11-4625378

Shri Dilip Singh Judev, Minister of Environment and Forests, Paryavaran Bhavan, C.G.O.Complex, Lodhi Road Institutional Area, New Delhi, India; Tel: +91-11-4361748 or +91 4361727; E-mail: secy@menf.delhi.nic.in

Chief Minister of the State of Maharashtra, Shri Sushilkumar Shinde, Mantralaya, Mumbai, Maharashtra - 400 023
Fax: +91-22-23633272, +91-22-22029214

Chief Minister of the State of Madhya Pradhesh, Shri Digvijay Singh,Vallabh Bhavan
Madhya Pradesh, Fax: +91-755-540 501; +91-755-551781

Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) subgroup of the Narmada Control Authority (NCA)
C. Gopal Reddy, Chairman, R&R Sub-Group of NCA,


Please also write to the embassies of India in your respective country.

Geneva, June 4, 2003

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.