Medha Patkar sits on indefinite fast in Barwani over compensation for relocation

Medha Patkar of the Narmada Bachao Andolan along with 12 others have refused to move from Chikalda in Barwani district even as the district administration stares at the July 31 deadline set by the Supreme Court for clearing the entire area of all inhabitants.

Chikalda along with 57 other villages of district Barwani and 134 villages from Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have to be vacated before the height of the Sardar Sarovar dam is raised to 138.68 meters.

According to the Madhya Pradesh government, all oustees have been compensated as per court directives and also alternative rehabilitation sites have been built.

"Most oustees have filed affidavits that confirm government claims of adequate compensation and rehabilitation but still people are not leaving their houses hoping that the back water won't reach their villages. This again is based on the fact that the water level in the Narmada river is not rising because the rains have been moderate," a government official involved with the rehabilitation process told India Today.

A small town Nisarpur in district Dhar of Madhya Pradesh with a population of around 12000 people too has to be vacated before July 31 but the government has so far just appealed to the residents to shift to the alternative sites that have been offered to them.

The opposition Congress party has raised questions over the way compensation has been distributed and has held rallies in support of the oustees in Nisarpur.

Medha Patkar and the Narmada Bachoa Andolan has alleged that compensation has not been given to all the people who are being forced to move out of their homes.Patkar and 12 others have threatened to continue with their indefinite fast and take just water till the government agrees to their demands.