Medha Patkar Leads 'Jal Satyagraha' Against Sardar Sarovar Dam Backwaters Crisis

Medha Patkar, leader of Narmada Bachao Andolan, has initiated a 'jal satyagraha' in Barwani district, Madhya Pradesh, in protest against the rising water levels of Sardar Sarovar Dam. The agitation highlights the illegal increase in water levels causing destruction in villages, and calls for immediate action to regulate the dam.

Medha Patkar, the prominent leader of Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), commenced a 'jal satyagraha' in Barwani district, Madhya Pradesh, on Saturday. She alleged that the rising backwaters due to the increased water level of the Sardar Sarovar Dam have inundated villages.

Addressing participants at the 'jal satyagraha' site in Chhota Kasrawad, Patkar accused authorities of illegally elevating the dam's water level, violating Central Water Commission regulations. Asserting that representatives from various villages, particularly women from Barwani and Dhar districts, had gathered in solidarity, she stressed the need for immediate redressal.

Patkar blamed the destruction of thousands of homes on the untimely regulation of the dam's gates and mishandled water releases from upstream dams, with farmlands also submerged without proper land acquisition or rehabilitation plans. The activist declared that the protest would persist until the crises exacerbated by the surging backwaters are resolved.

(With inputs from agencies.)