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Journalism of Courage
For tribals scattered over the Satpura ranges on Maharashtra’s northernmost tip, fishing in Narmada waters means trouble now, as the dam on the river has not only displaced people but crocodiles too.
‘‘Now we go in groups for fishing, armed with sticks and stones,’’ says Udaysingh Pavra, a resident of Chikhli village whose brother Khetrya was recently killed in a crocodile attack. ‘‘We first drive away the reptiles and then start fishing,’’ he adds.
‘‘You are in grave danger if you come face-to-face with a crocodile in water, as it can move with great speed,’’ says another tribal Bhikya Bilje Pavra. ‘‘But on land, the reptile is not quick enough to chase you.’’
The crocodiles used to lay eggs in rock cavities along the Narmada, but over the past few months, the sludge in the river has increased manifold due to the rise in the dam height, blocking these cavities, Bhikya says. The sludge has also brought down the number of aquatic animals that the crocodiles preyed on, forcing them to attack livestock and human beings.
Pratibha Shinde, the leader of the Punarvasan Sangharsh Samiti — an organisation involved in the rehabilitation of those displaced by the Narmada dam — blamed the crocodile attacks on the rise in the height of the dam to 110 metres. This has increased the catchment area of the river, bringing the crocodiles closer to tribal hamlets, she said.
Shinde also said that the water has submerged several hillocks and is flowing in a direction opposite to the Narmada tributaries.
