Fw: Narmada action

[Lilia Patterson]

----------
> From: Keith Hyams <keith.hyams at linacre.oxford.ac.uk>
> To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
> Subject: Narmada action
> Date: 30 October 2000 14:05
> 
> The situation in the Narmada Valley is more urgent than ever before now,
> with construction of the dam due to restart tommorrow. Please take twenty
> seconds to SEND AN INSTANT EMAIL to the Indian Government from the
website
> mentioned at the top of the forwarded email below
> (http://www.narmada.org/action-alerts/oct26.2000.letters.html). And come
to
> the demo at the High Commission in London tommorrow! (meet at Ilisu
rally,
> 12-2 in Parliament square). More info and the latest news from the valley
at
> http://www.narmada.org/ (also watch out for a New Internationalist issue
> about the Narmada dams in April). Please forward this email to others who
> might be interested.
> 
> The UK Campaign Against Big Dams is a new initiative to spread
information
> about the destructive effects of big dams and to oppose the involvement
of
> the global North, through dam builders, the world bank, and the effects
of
> globalisation, in propagating these disasters particularly in the South.
All
> decisions are made by consensus and meetings are open to all. There is
> currently a group meeting in Oxford (email nobigdam at email.com if you
would
> like to be kept informed of future meeting times) and we would be keen to
> hear from anyone interested in setting up a group in other parts of the
> country.
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: International Rivers Network
> Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2000 7:53 PM
> Subject: TAKE ACTION: Denounce Supreme Court Ruling on SSP!!
> 
> 
> > **To send an instant email to the Indian government, go to
> > http://www.narmada.org/action-alerts/oct26.2000.letters.html.
> >
> > ACTION ALERT - October 26, 2000
> >
> > DEMAND JUSTICE FOR PEOPLE AFFECTED BY SARDAR SAROVAR PROJECT!
> > Denounce Recent Supreme Court Ruling!
> > -------------------------------------------------------------------
> > "I think it is a very sad moment in the history of democracy. There is
no
> > other word to describe the judgment than to call it absolutely
> > disgraceful." -- writer Arundhati Roy
> >
> > "The fight has to go on. Human justice will come. People's faith in our
> > fight gives us strength. Be with us, spare time for us." -- activist
Medha
> > Patkar, Narmada Bachao Andolan
> > -------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > On October 18, the Indian Supreme Court dealt a huge blow to the
Narmada
> > valley and to people everywhere fighting for control of their resources
> and
> > lives when it ruled 2 to 1 to allow construction of the Sardar Sarovar
> > Project to proceed. This illogical decision comes despite overwhelming
> > evidence that claimed project benefits will not materialize, better
> > alternatives are available and rehabilitation of the half a million
people
> > affected by the project is impossible.
> >
> > The Sardar Sarovar Project would flood 400,000 people from their homes
to
> > make way for the project's reservoir and affect the livelihoods of
> hundreds
> > of thousands more due to construction of the extensive irrigation
system,
> > compensatory wildlife sanctuary and associated infrastructure.
Villagers
> > and activists with the Narmada Bachao Andolan (Save the Narmada
Movement)
> > have waged an intense battle vowing to remain on their lands even as
> > floodwaters rising behind the partly built dam have threatened to
submerge
> > their lands.
> >
> > The majority ruling allows the dam to be raised an additional 5 meters
> > immediately and then in further five meter stages based on approval
from
> > government committees which have shown themselves to be controlled by
> > pro-dam interests. Construction is expected to resume within two weeks.
> > Most work on the project had been suspended since 1994.
> >
> > Contrary to all available evidence, the ruling declares that large dams
do
> > not cause environmental damage and actually lead to improvements in the
> > lives of those displaced. "A properly drafted [resettlement and
> > rehabilitation] plan would improve living standards of displaced
persons
> > after displacement...Experience does not show that the construction of
a
> > large dam is not cost-effective or leads to ecological or environmental
> > degradation. On the contrary there has been ecological upgradation with
> the
> > construction of large dams."
> >
> > We urge you to send letters to the Indian President and Madhya Pradesh
> > Chief Minister denouncing the ruling and urging them to take steps to
> > protect the rights of people in the Narmada Valley. Sample letters are
> > provided below. For more info, go to www.narmada.org or www.irn.org.
> >
> > In solidarity,
> >
> > International Rivers Network
> > Friends of the Narmada
> >
> > -----------------------------
> > TAKE ACTION  WRITE TO THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT!
> > -----------------------------
> > **To instantly send emails to the Indian government, go to
> > http://www.narmada.org/action-alerts/oct26.2000.letters.html.
> >
> > 1. WRITE TO INDIAN PRESIDENT K.R. NARAYANAN
> > ----------------------------
> > Write to President Narayanan asking him to use his constitutional
powers
> to
> > intervene to protect the rights of the adivasi (tribal people) of the
> > Narmada. Schedule V of the Indian Constitution authorizes the President
to
> > declare any law or government order inapplicable in tribal areas.
> >
> > Dr. K.R. Narayanan,
> > The Honorable President of India
> > Rashtrapati Bhavan
> > New Delhi 110 001
> > India
> > Fax +91 11 3019545, 91 11 3014570, +91 11 3017290
> > Email: pressecy at alpha.nic.in
> >
> > ---------------
> > SAMPLE LETTER
> > ---------------
> > **We encourage you to write your own letter, however short, or at least
> > tailor the following sample letters for more impact!
> >
> > Dear President K.R. Narayanan,
> >
> > I am writing to denounce the recent Indian Supreme Court decision
> > authorizing the completion of the Sardar Sarovar Project and to express
my
> > full solidarity with the Narmada Bachao Andolan (Save the Narmada
> > Movement). This ruling flies in the face of logic and overwhelming
> evidence
> > that the claimed project benefits will not materialize; equitable,
> > effective and sustainable alternatives are available; and
rehabilitation o
> f
> > the hundreds of thousands of people affected by the project is
impossible.
> >
> > The court has given project authorities four weeks to draft a plan for
the
> > resettlement and rehabilitation of the 200,000 people to be displaced
by
> > the Sardar Sarovar reservoir. Resettlement planned for the Sardar
Sarovar
> > Project was supposed to have been completed in 1981. If authorities
were
> > not able to produce a credible plan in nearly two decades, how can they
> > write one in a month? This absurd ruling jeopardizes the economic,
social
> > and physical well being of hundreds of thousands of people.
> >
> > In your address to the nation on Republic Day (Jan 26, 2000), you said:
> "..
> > and dams over rivers will rise to prevent floods, generate electricity
and
> > irrigate dry lands for cultivation. But that should not cause
ecological
> > and environmental devastation, and the uprooting of human settlements,
> > especially of tribals and the poor."
> >
> > I urge you to act on this sentiment and immediately intervene and
protect
> > the rights of the adivasi (tribal people) using your powers under
Schedule
> > V of the Constitution of India.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> >
> > NAME
> > ADDRESS
> >
> > 2. WRITE TO THE MADHYA PRADESH CHIEF MINISTER
> > -------------------------
> > Write to the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh state urging him to
> challenge
> > the recent ruling and push for an immediate halt to construction on
Sardar
> > Sarovar Project. It is important to put pressure on the Chief Minister
> > since he admits that his state has no land available to resettle people
> > whose lands will be submerged. He has argued for lowering the dam
height
> to
> > reduce the number of people displaced.
> >
> > Shri Digvijay Singh
> > Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh
> > Office of the Chief Minister
> > Vallabh Bhavan
> > Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
> > India
> > Fax: +91 755 540 501
> > Email: chiefminister at madhyapradesh-india.org
> >
> > ---------------
> > SAMPLE LETTER
> > ---------------
> > **We encourage you to write your own letter, however short, or at least
> > tailor the following sample letters for more impact!
> >
> > Dear Mr. Digvijay Singh,
> >
> > I am writing to urge you to push for an immediate stop to construction
of
> > the Sardar Sarovar Project.
> >
> > In your October 20th interview with Tehelka.com you reiterated that the
> > state of Madhya Pradesh does not have any arable land to give to the
> > oustees. As you know, the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal states that
> > people must be given land for resettlement one year prior to
submergence.
> > Further construction would be a blatant violation of the Tribunal
award.
> >
> > I urge you to take a strong stand to stop construction of Sardar
Sarovar
> > Project and protect the lives and livelihoods of people in the Narmada
> valley.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> >
> > NAME
> > ADDRESS
> >
> > -----------------
> > FOR MORE INFO:
> > -----------------
> >
> > Friends of the Narmada
> > www.narmada.org
> >
> > International Rivers Network
> > 1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94703 USA
> > tel: 510-848-1155       fax: 510-848-1008
> > web: www.irn.org
> > email: swong at irn.org
> >
> >
> >
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