WCD cancels visit to SSP

The commission, set up to lay down guidelines for the future on the basis of the past experience of “existing dams”, had been told that the SSP was not yet complete. Also, any information and data that the commission might require was available with the Planning Commission and the Water Resources Ministry in Delhi, the sources said.

It is learnt that the Ministry had faxed its communication to WCD “a few days” ago, but had still not received a reply. However, the State Government last evening received a letter from WCD Chairman Kader Asmal, who is South Africa’s Minister of Water Resources and Forestry, in reponse to Chief Secretary L S N Mukundan’s communication, objecting to the visit.

Asmal said he was “deeply troubled” by the issues raised in Mukundan’s letter and “it is most regrettable that we have not been in a position to address the valid concerns” of the Gujarat Government. The visit was being cancelled to avoid a controversy, and also because the government might not welcome it “at this point of time”, he said.

However, Asmal also tried to dispel the State Government misgivings and requested the Chief Minister “to consider nominating a representative of the Government of Gujarat who would represent your views” at the public hearing. He said he would try to speak to the Chief Minister over telephone during the weekend.

But the Government remains unconvinced and Narmada Development Minister Jaynarayan Vyas shot off a letter to WCD, reiterating the State Government objections and demanding cancellation of the public hearing at Bhopal.

A top-level delegation is going to Delhi tomorrow to apprise Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee of the State’s concerns. The Government is also going ahead with the Assembly session on September 11.

The delegation, which will be headed by the Chief Minister, will include Vyas, Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Chairman Bhupendrasinh Chudasma, State BJP president Rajendrasinh Rana and Mukundan. Union Home Minister L K Advani, who is Gandhinagar MP, Union Textiles Minister Kanshiram Rana and other party MPs would accompany the delegation when it calls on Vajpayee, who also hold the water resources portfolio.

The State Government feels the commission has no locus standi to examine the SSP, had fixed hearing without showing the elementary courtesy of consulting the Centre or the State Government, its Indian members – Medha Patkar and L C Jain – were known for their anti-SSP stand and could misuse the hearing for advancing their own agenda despite the fact that the SSP dispute was before the Apex court.

In his letter, Asmal said he had “full sympathy” for the questions raised by Mukundan. “I am acutely aware of the implications of any international body stepping into a sensitive subject”, as South Africa’s Lesotho Highlands Waters Scheme had been subjected to a review by the World Bank “on grounds that I find difficult to justify.”

He said the WCD, on his insistence, had decided that it would “not adjudicate on specific issues”, but facilitate a review of “lessons learnt with existing dams, in general”. The composition of the commission reflected “a very carefully balanced representation”, and it was a coincidence that the two members from India “are not known for their strong support of dams”, he said.

However, the commission was committed to listening to all sides “without being held hostage by any”. The format of the hearings envisaged “panels composed of presenters from all sides”, Asmal said, adding he had asked the WCD secretariat to ensure that each panel would include “at least one government representative as well as a civil society representative”.