Soz team briefs PM about visit to Narmada Valley

New Delhi, Apr 10 (UNI) A three-member ministerial team that toured Narmada Valley to study the situation over displacement due to work on the Sardar Sarovar Project today briefed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about its visit.

According to official sources, the team, comprising Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz, Social Welfare Minister Meira Kumar and Minister of State in the Prime Minister's office Prithviraj Chavan met the PM in the morning to brief him about its findings.

The Ministers, however, did not submit any report on the subject to the PM, as was earlier expected, the sources said.

The team had made a whistlestop tour to parts of the Valley in Madhya Pradesh last Friday following widespread public outcry over the fate of fasting Narmada Bachao Andolan leaders Medha Patkar, Jamsingh Nargave and Bhagwatibai.

Police had forcibly removed Ms Patkar and Mr Nargave to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on the 8th day of their hunger strike on April 5, but they continue to refuse food there as well.

The two are being given a cocktail of lemon and water at the hospital ever since.

The NBA, meanwhile, continues receiving letters of support from various organisations and individuals from across the country and abroad.

Former Foreign Secretary Muchkund Dubey, former Finance Secretary S P Shukla, eminent historians Romila Thapar, Bipan Chandra and Sumit Sarkar, Jamia Milia Islamia Vice-Chancellor Mushirul Hasan, economist Amit Bhaduri and Council for Social Development Director N J Kurien have written a letter to the Prime Minister asking him to deal sympathetically with the dam-displaced people and ensure that the law over their rehabilitation is implemented, economist Prabhat Patnaik said in a statement.

A statement was also released on behalf of nearly two dozen academics and rights activists by the organisation ANHAD, supporting the NBA's causes and seeking the Centre's immediate intervention to stop any further increase in the height of the Sardar Sarovar Dam.

Over 300 teachers of Delhi University also issued a statement stating that the NBA's demands be fulfilled.

UNI VN VD GC1935