Gujarat war cry: Panel on world be damned

AHMEDABAD, SEPT 10: In recent memory, never before has anything united the people and politicians of Gujarat like the proposed public hea...

AHMEDABAD, SEPT 10: In recent memory, never before has anything united the people and politicians of Gujarat like the proposed public hearing of the World Commission on Dams WCD in Bhopal later this month. Setting aside their squabbles, Gujaratis are one in demanding that the commission not be allowed to enter the country.

Gujarati newspapers are carrying angry editorials denouncing the 8220;fraud commission8221;, political leaders like Rashtriya Janata Party leader Shankersinh Vaghela have demanded that its members be arrested if they enter Gujarat. Even non-political organisations like the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry have offered to do all they can 8220;to protect the State8217;s interest8221;.

Headed by Kader Asmal, South Africa8217;s Minister of Water Resources and Forestry, the WCD is a 12-member panel, which wants to study big dams and lay down guidelines for the future. For this, it proposes to hold a public hearing on the dams in South Africa in Bhopal on September 21 and 22.

But the Governmentbelieves the WCD has 8220;a hidden agenda8221; 8212; to torpedo the vital Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada river. What has given credence to the suspicions is the inclusion of Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patakar and India8217;s High Commissioner to South Africa L C Jain both of whom, according to Narmada Development Minister Jaynarayan Vyas, are 8220;known for their anti-SSP views8221;.

8220;Why is that the only Indians on the commission are anti-SSP activists? The commission claims that it wants to hold a hearing on South Asia? Why has it chosen Bhopal?8221; asks Vyas, and points out that Bhopal has been the Centre of anti-SSP activities and the MP Government is also opposed to it.

The Gujarat Government believes that Patkar and Jain want to create 8220;a fresh controversy8221; over SSP to influence the Supreme Court, which is adjudicating on the dispute over the inter-state project. Three years ago, the court had stayed construction and given certain directions regarding settlement of displaced persons. Last month, theGovernment told the court that it had carried out its directions. 8220;They know we are going to request the court to vacate the stay, so they want to create a fresh controversy,8221; said a senior officer.

Although the commission claims it is an independent body and it would not adjudicate on specific issues, few are convinced. Even NGOs look at the WCD with suspicion. Said Hasmukh Patel, convener of Sardar Sarovar Visthapit Punarvas Samiti, 8220;We have been fighting for rehabilitation of displaced persons. But we also want that the dam should be completed; our future is linked with it. But Medha Patkar is against the dam. Therefore, we are against the commission.8221;

Story continues below this ad

Another activist pointed out that Medha Patkar8217;s NBA was a party in the dispute before the Supreme Court. Yet, she would be sitting in judgment on the SSP as a commission member. 8220;How can anyone be his own prosecutor and judge?8221; he wondered.

The project is an extremely sensitive issue for the people of Gujarat as the State is woefully deficientin water. Even now during the peak of monsoons, Ahmedabad city gets drinking water only in the morning and towns like Rajkot make do with alternate day supply. Besides, future development of agriculture, industry and urbanisation is heavily dependent on completion of the dam.

Bowing to Gujarat8217;s objections, the commission has dropped a visit to the Narmada valley from its itinerary. But Gujaratis aren8217;t satisfied. Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel led a delegation to Delhi on Wednesday to appeal to the Prime Minister that the commission8217;s entry in India should be banned 8212; a demand backed by all political parties, which rarely agree on anything.

The origins of the commission can be traced to a workshop on 8220;Large Dams: Learning from the past and looking at the future8221;, which was held at Glend in Switzerland on April 11 and 12, 1997. It was sponsored by the World Bank and the World Conservation Union. The participants decided to set up a World Commission on Dams to study related issues.

Story continues below this ad

It is not clear howthe 12 members were selected, but the commission claims they represent a balance of various stakeholders in the debate on large dams. The commission is being financed by the governments of Norway, Japan, South Africa, Germany, China and Switzerland.

Patel in Delhi

NEW DELHI: Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel urged Prime Minister Vajpayee to prevent the 8220;biased8221; World Commission on Dams from visiting India to study the Narmada Dam project and hold public hearings. 8220;Our perception is that the WCD planned its programme in India with the objective of putting hurdles in projects like Narmada in Gujarat, Indira Sagar in MP and Tehri in UP,8221; Patel said on Wednesday.