Fields, houses submerged without rehabilitation

Bhopal, Sept 21: The Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) has alleged rising water level of the Indira Sagar Dam has pushed several ''unslated'' houses and fields in Madhya Pradesh's Khandwa and Harda districts into submergence zone.

''These houses and fields had been neither acquired nor compensated and concerned families had not been rehabilitated or re-settled,'' NBA's Chittaroopa Palit told reporters here today.

Following the High Court order permitting to raise the water level from 255 m to 260 m on September 8, the state government and the NHDC started raising the water level.

The state government had stated in an affidavit that all relief and rehabilitation up to full reservoir level (FRL) 262. 13 m was complete.

''However, the reservoir had begun rising, engulfing many fields and houses not slated for submergence even at FRL 262.13 m'' Ms Palit said.

She alleged gross underestimation of the extent of submergence coupled with illegal and large-scale exclusions had led to the scenario placing lives of oustees at risk.

Ms Palit said affected villagers in these districts would launch ''satyagraha'' at the rims of the reservoir on the lands that had been submerged or were submerging without acquisition.

She demanded the water level of the dam be reduced to 255 m and the lands and houses that had been submerged without acquisition be emptied of submergence and restored to the villagers.

Besides, the NBA demanded the water level not be raised beyond 255 m until all acquisition and rehabilitation was completed and the villagers be compensated for loss to their crops and houses.

She said action must be taken against the officers responsible for faulty surveys.

UNI