Police firing on Kanhar anti dam protestors on Ambedkar Jayanti
Police fired on anti land acquisition protesters at Kanhar
dam early morning today when the nation celebrates 124th birth
anniversary of Bhimrao Ambedkar popularly known as popularly known as
Babasaheb. The tribal leader Akku Kharwar from Sundari village and around
8 people have been grivieously injured in the firing and lathi charge by the
police. Thousands of men and women assembled at the site to intensify the
protest against illegal acquisition of land for Kanhar dam on Ambedkar jayanti.
The protesters were carrying the photo of Baba Saheb to mark the day as "
Save the Constitution Day". Akhilesh government fired arbitrarily on the
protesters among whom women are in the forefront. Most of the women have
injured. The firing is being done by the Inspector of Amwar police station
Duddhi Tehsil, Sonbhdara, UP. Condemning this act, the All India Union of Forest Working
People calls for joining in this struggle of the people who are fighting
against the illegal land acquisition and constructing illegal Dam on the river
Kanhar.
Kanhar dam project which was originally conceived in
1976 to provide irrigational facilities to Dudhi and Robertsganj tehsils of
Sonebhadra,has been hanging in balance. NGT had stayed construction of
this dam in 2014 since it began without new Cost-benefit analysis (CBA),
environment impact assessment (EIA) or Social Impact Assessment (SIA) .
It has been argued that environment and forest clearance to this dam
project first envisaged in 1976 was not valid after 38 years.
Why was the project conceived?
The dam
project was originally conceived in the year 1976 for providing irrigational
facilities to Dudhi and Robertsganj tehsils of Sonebhadra. It was
left abandoned for almost 30 years due to non-availability of funds (as per the
official records).
Why is the project being opposed?
It will
cause destruction to around 2,500 hectares of dense forests.
It would
have an immense negative impact on river Son which is in ‘Critically Modified
Stage F’ with just 5% of Mean Annual Runoff (as per CIFRI 2014).
The
project submergence area consists of tribal population who have not been
informed about the environmental and social impacts of the projects.
Who took the project to Allahabad High Court and the
National Green Tribunal?
Gram
Sabhas of all the affected villages are against the project and have also filed
a petition in the High Court of Allahabad with respect to discrepancies in the
land acquisition process.
Petition
has been filed by Debadiyo Sinha before the National Green Tribunal on 24th
December 2014 claiming that the abandoned project cannot be revived based on
clearances obtained in the 1980’s since the same requires to undergo a fresh
assessment taking into account the significant environmental changes occurred
in past 30 years since the project was originally conceived by Central Water
Commission.
Uttar
Pradesh government ignored the NGT order and went ahead with the construction.
What is the status in 2015?
Jan 2015-
Petitioner approached the court in Jan 2015 with a contempt application against
the state.
Feb 4,
2015- NGT sought a reply from the state government but it failed to comply
within the stipulated 10-day period.
Feb 21,
2015 - The National Green Tribunal has sought a report from the union
environment ministry within one week, failing which a Rs 25,000 fine would be
slapped as it listed the final hearing for March 4, 2015
See also
