New Delhi: The Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) activists led by Medha Patkar staged a dharna outside the Social Justice Ministry on Tuesday, saying Gujarat government's move to raise the height of the Sardar Sarovar Dam went against the Supreme Court (SC) directions.
Medha asserted that the apex court had directed that the height of the dam can be raised to 122 metres only if there was proper rehabilitation of the affected people, which had failed to happen.
Police stopped around 200 people led by Medha at the gates of the Shastri Bhawan that houses the Social Justice Ministry as they tried to meet the Minister Meira Kumar.
Later a delegation led by Medha comprising social activists Praful Bidwai and Swami Agnivesh met the minister but we left unsatisfied.
The demonstrators refused to leave the premises till they got a "final answer".
"We want a final answer. Meira Kumar says the ministry's secretary heads the working group on relief and rehabilitation. We want the Secretary to meet us and answer our questions," PTI quoted Medha as saying.
She added that there should be vigilance inquiry into the manner in which the land was distributed. The land mafia gained, while the real sufferers failed to benefit.
Addressing the gathering, Agnivesh called on the UPA government to ensure justice to the affected people.
"It was the Prime Minister who assured that the rehabilitation would be done in a proper way. Now the height of the dam has reached 122 metres, but rehabilitation remains a distant dream," PTI quoted Agnivesh as saying.
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