Author: Report
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: April 20, 2006
Narmada report biased, Chauhan writes to PM
After the Centre-State spat in the courtroom
over the rehabilitation of those displaced by the Narmada Valley Project,
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan in a letter to Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh has alleged that the Central ministerial team "lacked
the objectivity" that is expected from ministers of the Indian Government.
Expressing shock over the report, Mr Chauhan
alleged that "the tenor of the report reflects pre-judgement on the efforts
being made regarding R&R of displaced families in Madhya Pradesh. "Not
only does the report not reflect the ground reality, it is full of inaccuracies
and factual errors," he alleged.
"The visit was clearly allowed to be
stage-managed by the Narmada Bachao Andolan activists, who ensured that the
committee saw what they wanted the GoM to see and heard what they wanted them
to hear," Mr Chauhan said on Wednesday. The Chief Minister sent a point
by point rebuttal to the GoM report:-
* The GoM mentioned Kalaghat. The fact is
there are no rehabilitation sites at Kalaghat, but at Khal Buzurg. It is incorrect
to say that State Government has offered land to 407 families in Kalaghat.
This is the total number of families offered land all over the State. The
State offered land to 4,286 project-affected people, but only 407 have asked
for land and the rest have opted for special rehabilitation package.
* One Mohanlal Sharma spoke on behalf of the
displaced. In fact, he is not even an oustee himself
* GoM said oustees are made to pay income
tax on the compensation in excess of Rs one lakh. The issue was raised by
the State Government, but the Centre has not granted the exemption.
* Dharampuri was shown to be under-developed
by the GoM. The fact is that the State does not exhibit this site as a success
story. The State has reported that house sites have been allotted and development
of the site is taking place and will be completed before monsoon
* In Lakhangaon, GoM saw some construction
by way of hospitals, primary schools and installation of hand-pumps, but noted
that the building were not functional. The CM retorted that building become
functional only when people settle in these sites
* In Borlai 1 -3, the GoM saw no semblance
of infrastructure facilities. Fact: the place where the GoM visited at R-site
Borlai 3 was in front of the newly-completed Panchayat Bhawan
* In Piplud, 43 families have been allotted
land but they have not accepted because they want to buy land of their choice
elsewhere and instead availed of cash compensation
* Almost 90 per cent of those entitled for
land-for-land compensation have availed of special rehabilitation package.
It is inconceivable that more than 3,800 families can be forced to accept
cash compensation
* In Nisarpur, the group arrived late in the
evening when it was already dark. The fact-finding here was more of the nature
of public meeting that was addressed by several people. The meeting, however,
was conducted in one of the buildings constructed at the rehabilitation site.
