MARGAO: Expressing her views on various environmental and ecological issues concerning different states in India, the Narmada Bachao activist Medha Patkar touched the issue of Mhadei and appealed to the Goans to join hands to save their lifeline.
Explaining the negative impacts of mega dam projects in India and worldwide and how they disrupt the social, economic, ecological and cultural lives of those who live on the banks of these rivers, Patkar who had an open dialogue with Goan environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar at the Srinivas Nayak Smruti Vyakhyan on the second day of 18th edition of Vichar Vedh Vyakhyanmaala-2018 organised by Gomant Vidya Niketan at Margao said, "If the people of Goa want to save their lifeline Mhadei, they have to make it a people's movement and fight their own battle."
Suggesting various measures that the people of Goa can adopt, Patkar advised to make a beginning by conducting ‘padayatras' along the river course and interact with the people who live on its banks and study their lives as well as the issue. "Don't give up. Save Mhadei," she appealed.
Recalling her entry in the Narmada Bachao movement and her own battle with the system, Patkar mentioned that the international financial institutions are too willing to offer loans for mega dam projects across the developing countries and divert the industrialisation in their valleys, thus saving the ecology of their own countries. Patkar pointed out that the World Bank had to withdraw its support to the Narmada dam when facts were placed before the officials by the activist organisations that were opposing the construction and fighting against it. It was brought to their notice that the papers were incomplete and studies were not done taking in consideration of all the angles. The World Bank was questioned as to how the loan was sanctioned without proper study of the pros and cons.
"We left no stone unturned. We spoke to the countries who were funding the World Bank and whose money was involved, convincing them about the mass destruction of plants and biodiversity, ecology and environment including the building of 30 big and 135 medium dams along the river cours, affecting the cultural and social lives of people who would be at a permanent loss. All these efforts went a long way in winning some, if not, the full battle," said Patkar.
Stating that her movement is not against development or industrialisation, Patkar asked however if industries are set up deforesting the land and drying up the rivers, is it not right that one must consider and rethink before undertaking these devastation and destruction? She observed that even countries like America, Japan and China are rethinking on the construction of big dams as they have now realised the ecological devastation they create and the social upheaval they bring in the lives of people who originally inhabit that land. "Development at what cost?", she questioned. Expressing concern for the GenNext Patkare asked, "What are we leaving for them?
Just like Mhadei, Narmada is also considered to be one of the most ancient rivers that flowed even before Ganga, said Rajendra Kerkar. In the Narmada valley lies the origin of civilization and there are hundreds of ancient temples in the vicinity which will go underwater. "Though the dam has been officially inaugurated, much of the work lies incomplete and only the channels are constructed," disclosed Patkar. She mentioned about the report of Romila Thapar that says, that if excavations are done in the Narmada valley, it would take 100 years to complete.
Asked about the recent Rally for Rivers, organised by the founder of Isha Foundation, Sadhguru, Patkar suggested that the underlying motives of the organisers should be studied before supporting such a campaign. She said that planting trees on the banks of rivers in one kilometer area is not enough, we must stop the wide scale deforestation first. She also mentioned that the trees planted in the Narmada valley on a mass scale are all dried up. "We have to turn to Gandhi's philosophy of Hind Swaraj and making the villages self-sufficient. With rivers flow our culture and identity and we must save these at any cost from the corporate lobby. The inter-river basin transfer projects have failed and many countries are now taking decisions to stop them and make them intra-river basin management or harnessing projects. Let's begin from the smallest unit and make it self-sustainable, then move to decentralization. If we follow Nehru's advice that ‘Large dams are disasters of gigantism', then we must put a ban on mega dam projects, not only in India but across the planet and focus on constructive development," She concluded.
Explaining the negative impacts of mega dam projects in India and worldwide and how they disrupt the social, economic, ecological and cultural lives of those who live on the banks of these rivers, Patkar who had an open dialogue with Goan environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar at the Srinivas Nayak Smruti Vyakhyan on the second day of 18th edition of Vichar Vedh Vyakhyanmaala-2018 organised by Gomant Vidya Niketan at Margao said, "If the people of Goa want to save their lifeline Mhadei, they have to make it a people's movement and fight their own battle."
Suggesting various measures that the people of Goa can adopt, Patkar advised to make a beginning by conducting ‘padayatras' along the river course and interact with the people who live on its banks and study their lives as well as the issue. "Don't give up. Save Mhadei," she appealed.
Recalling her entry in the Narmada Bachao movement and her own battle with the system, Patkar mentioned that the international financial institutions are too willing to offer loans for mega dam projects across the developing countries and divert the industrialisation in their valleys, thus saving the ecology of their own countries. Patkar pointed out that the World Bank had to withdraw its support to the Narmada dam when facts were placed before the officials by the activist organisations that were opposing the construction and fighting against it. It was brought to their notice that the papers were incomplete and studies were not done taking in consideration of all the angles. The World Bank was questioned as to how the loan was sanctioned without proper study of the pros and cons.
"We left no stone unturned. We spoke to the countries who were funding the World Bank and whose money was involved, convincing them about the mass destruction of plants and biodiversity, ecology and environment including the building of 30 big and 135 medium dams along the river cours, affecting the cultural and social lives of people who would be at a permanent loss. All these efforts went a long way in winning some, if not, the full battle," said Patkar.
Stating that her movement is not against development or industrialisation, Patkar asked however if industries are set up deforesting the land and drying up the rivers, is it not right that one must consider and rethink before undertaking these devastation and destruction? She observed that even countries like America, Japan and China are rethinking on the construction of big dams as they have now realised the ecological devastation they create and the social upheaval they bring in the lives of people who originally inhabit that land. "Development at what cost?", she questioned. Expressing concern for the GenNext Patkare asked, "What are we leaving for them?
Just like Mhadei, Narmada is also considered to be one of the most ancient rivers that flowed even before Ganga, said Rajendra Kerkar. In the Narmada valley lies the origin of civilization and there are hundreds of ancient temples in the vicinity which will go underwater. "Though the dam has been officially inaugurated, much of the work lies incomplete and only the channels are constructed," disclosed Patkar. She mentioned about the report of Romila Thapar that says, that if excavations are done in the Narmada valley, it would take 100 years to complete.
Asked about the recent Rally for Rivers, organised by the founder of Isha Foundation, Sadhguru, Patkar suggested that the underlying motives of the organisers should be studied before supporting such a campaign. She said that planting trees on the banks of rivers in one kilometer area is not enough, we must stop the wide scale deforestation first. She also mentioned that the trees planted in the Narmada valley on a mass scale are all dried up. "We have to turn to Gandhi's philosophy of Hind Swaraj and making the villages self-sufficient. With rivers flow our culture and identity and we must save these at any cost from the corporate lobby. The inter-river basin transfer projects have failed and many countries are now taking decisions to stop them and make them intra-river basin management or harnessing projects. Let's begin from the smallest unit and make it self-sustainable, then move to decentralization. If we follow Nehru's advice that ‘Large dams are disasters of gigantism', then we must put a ban on mega dam projects, not only in India but across the planet and focus on constructive development," She concluded.
