Lack of rehab of Narmada evacuees will fuel struggle:former HC judge

New Delhi, June 18 (UNI) Former Delhi High Court Chief Justice Rajinder Sachar today said as long as people displaced by Sardar Sarovar Dam were deprived of proper rehabilitation and resettlement, the struggle over the construction of the dam will continue to strengthen -- both in number and intensity.

Speaking at the people's convention on 'Myths, Lies and Narmada Betrayal', organised by the Delhi Solidarity Group of Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), Justice Sachar said the struggle of the poor against unjust displacement needed to be looked into.

Terming the continued construction of the dam as ''politics of deceit, loot and betrayal,'' NBA activist Medha Patkar said it was in violation of the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal Award and Supreme Court orders 2000 and 2005 and despite the Group of Ministers' report stating lack of adequate rehabilitation.

More than 300 people from the Narmada Valley participated in today's convention organised to express anguish at the ''callousness''of the Central government and State governments of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and the indifference of the judiciary to the plight of thousands of families that remain to be rehabilitated.

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