Police arrest NBA activists for violating Sec 144 near Planning Comm

New Delhi, Mar 22 (UNI) More than 65 activists of the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), including their leader Medha Patkar, were arrested this afternoon for violating Section 144 in the prohibited Parliament Street area.

The NBA activists, numbering 60, were detained while they were trying to meet officials of the Planning Commission, according to the police.

''They were later arrested for violating Section 144 which is in place in the area.'' However, the NBA later said 67 of its activists, including 38 women, were arrested.

The activists, agitating on the World Water Day, wanted to submit a memorandum, listing their demands, to the officials in the Planning Commission office at Yojana Bhawan here.

Police detained them just before all of them could enter the building.

The demands include no privatisation of water resources, moratorium on construction of dams, dropping of interlinking of rivers and pro-people water policies.

UNI