'Bandobast' in Guj; NBA rules out Medha's visit

Vadodara, May 28: Heavy police banbdobast along the Gujarat's border with Madhya Pradesh remained intact for the second consecutive day today, even as Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) activists dubbed the reports about Medha Patkar's proposed visit to Gujarat as a ''rumour.'' Besides promulgating prohibitory orders under section 144 against holding of rallies and public meetings in Vadodara's Kawant taluka and Narmada district, the authorities have made security bandobast at all entry points including in bordering Madhya Pradesh. Security had also been tightened at the Kevadiya colony, the main dam site of the Sardar Sarovar Project, police said.

Talking to sources, NBA acitivist Rohit Prajapati categorically denied that Ms Patkar had any plans to enter Gujarat with her ''Pol-Khol Yatra'' at this juncture as all the NBA leaders, including Medha, were busy in preparing the counter affidavit to be filed before the Supreme Court on the hearing of the controversial dam case.

Describing the reports about possibility of Medha's visit to Gujarat as a ''rumour'', Mr Prajapati said, ''The two-day Pol-Khol yatra undertaken in and around the project-affected villages in Madhya Pradesh has concluded yesterday. We are not underground. All the NBA leaders are now in Madhya Pradesh preparing separate counters for Gujarat, MP and Maharashtra since the next court hearing is slated for May 1.'' When contacted Narmada District Superintendent of Police Nirupama Torwani said even as the chances of Medha Patkar's visit to the border villages and Narmada Dam site in Gujarat had diminished, bar on public rallies and police 'bandobast' at sensitive places and entry points still continued as a precautionary measure.

In the Kawant taluka in Vadodara district, police sources said, rallies had been banned without prior permission and security personnel were deployed at Hapeswar, Redda and Kheledra villages in bordering Madhya Pradesh.

UNI