Stop work on Maheshwar project, says NBA

Bhopal, Jan 22 (UNI) The Narmada Bachao Andolan today urged the Centre to immediately stop work on the Maheshwar project in Madhya Pradesh and cancel the conditional environmental clearance granted 13 years ago, alleging the project authority had failed to fulfill its obligation for rehabilitation and catchment area treatment.

The Andolan raised the fresh demand in view of the monitoring committee's report based on its four-day field visit in November last to the rehabilitation sites and affected villages of the 400 megawatt Maheshwar Hydro-electric project. The five-member committee is headed by Ms Nirmala Buch, former Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh.

Briefing reporters here today, Andolan spokesperson Alok Agarwal said the project authority had updated the rehabilitation and resettlement plan till 2006 and the number of project affected families had been identified at 9459 as against 4000 in 1998.

''The authority could not show land measuring 350 hectare as stated to have been purchased by the authority for rehabilitation nor they could furnish a list of farmers from whom this land is purchased. The action plan has become obsolete as it has not been implemented as per schedule'', the report said.

''The M P Forest Development Corporation, which had prepared the action plan for catchment area treatment, informed that a plan has been prepared for construction of bunds, gulliys and trenches.

The corporation official could not show the same when the committee wanted to see it'', the report added.

Pointing out that the CAG had pointed out serious financial irregularities in project implementation, Mr Agarwal demanded that the state government should withdraw the guarantee given to S Kumars group's Indus Enertech Company for implementing the project. He warned that the project affected people would launch an agitation if the government did not stop work and cancel the environmental clearance.

UNI