WCD issue takes on edge

GANDHINAGAR, Sept 10: The controversy over the proposed visit of the World Commission on Dams WCD acquired a sharper edge on Thursday, ...

GANDHINAGAR, Sept 10: The controversy over the proposed visit of the World Commission on Dams WCD acquired a sharper edge on Thursday, with Gujarat8217;s Narmada Development Minister Jaynarayan Vyas alleging that the WCD is going to hold one session exclusively on the Narmada valley during its proposed public hearing at Bhopal, contrary to an assurance of WCD Chairman Kader Asmal.

Vyas said that a representative of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, whose leader Medha Patkar is a member of the commission, would be making a presentation at the session. He pointed out that the Narmada Bachao Andolan was also a party to the dispute over the Sardar Sarovar project on the Narmada river, which was pending before the Supreme Court.

The minister said that the commission would, in all, hold eight sessions during its hearing on large dams in South Asia, which is scheduled for September 21 and 22. While seven hearings would be of a general nature, one would focus on 8220;Large dams and alternatives in India8217;s Narmada River Valley8221;, he said.

The government, which has been opposing the WCD visit, regards the session on Narmada as further evidence of its suspicion that anti-dam activists have hijacked the commission. Vyas today wrote another letter to the WCD Chairman, requesting him to cancel the public hearing and the visit to India, 8220;which has already developed into an unfortunate controversy8221;.

Vyas drew Kader Asmal8217;s attention to his letter to the Chief Minister on September 4 in which he had said that the commission 8220;would not 8212; under any circumstances 8212; seek to adjudicate on specific projects8221;, as its primary purpose was 8220;to facilitate a review of lessons learnt with existing dams, in general8221;.

The decision to hold a session exclusively on the Narmada showed that this assurance had been violated, Vyas said, adding, 8220;perhaps this programme was fixed up relying upon the advice of your members from India who seem to have succeeded in bringing this controversial subject under a sharp focus at the most inappropriate time8221;.

Vyas also questioned WCD Secretary General Achim Steiner8217;s claim that the commission8217;s visit had been planned in 8220;full consultation8221; with the Indian authorities, and had the 8220;approval8221; of the Indian High Commission in South Africa, the Planning Commission and the Madhya Pradesh Government.

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According to Vyas, the commission never obtained the approval of the Government of India, which alone could allow such visits. The commission did write to the Planning Commission, which wrote back that the matter fell in the purview of the Ministries of Water Resources and Power.

Vyas also wrote to Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Jaswant Singh, requesting him to communicate the Government of India8217;s views on the proposed WCD visit to Kader Asmal 8220;at the earliest8221;. He told Jaswant Singh that a delegation, led by Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel, had briefed Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee about all aspects of the matter yesterday.

The delegation was told that since the communication from Kader Asmal was addressed to the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, it would be appropriate that a reply was sent by the Planning Commission, 8220;indicating our view that this is not the appropriate time8221; for the visit. 8220;I am sure, by now, you must have received the necessary communication from the PMO8221;, he said.

Government sources clarified that earlier reports of the Ministry of Water Resources having sent a letter to the WCD, asking it to cancel the visit, arose from a 8220;communication gap8221;. All that happened was that the ministry had sent the draft of a letter to the PMO for approval, sources said.