Yesterday thousands of people who would are getting affected due to rising water levels in Omkareshwar & Indira Sagar Dam along with activist groups from Bhopal demonstrated at the State’s capital. They are calling urgent attention to the demands of 'Jal Satyagrahis' are protesting by sitting inside neck deep water for the 15th day. The protest march in form of rally went from the Yadhgar Shehzani Park till the Lilly Talkies in Bhopal to express their solidarity with the Jal Satyagrahis.
Protest at Bhopal
Jal Satygrah at Gongol
Jal Satyagrahis, around 50 people from Omkareshwar Dam affected village of Gongol are sitting inside water along with activist of Narmada Bachao Andolan Chitaroopa Palit for the past 15 days condemning the increase of water in dams causing submergence which is indeed a serious violation of human rights as well as honorable Supreme court’s directions.
Demands of the Omkareshwar dam affected villagers who are sitting for Jal Satyagraha are reducing the water level from 190.5 to 189 meters, complete rehabilitation of the oustees by providing land for land to the farmers, house plots for certain people and other facilities. The demands also include an amount of Rs. 2.5 Lakh for the landless poor and also complete rehabilitation of the 5 villages.
On the other hand the demands of the Indira Sagar dam affected oustees who are also sitting for Jal Satyagrahis are to reduce the water level to 260 meters as per the Judicial directions for complete rehabilitation of the villages which are affected by the Dam. The villages which got submerged include Raiyath, Joonapani, Karanpura.