In Sonbhadra today police opened fire at a peaceful protest of adivasis and dalits in morning, followed by brutal lathi charge, which has left many, including women, gravely injured. Villagers were celebrating 'Save the Constitution Day' on Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti when this ruthless assault took place.
The protest, which saw participation of thousands of villagers, was a continuation of the struggle against land acquisition and large-scale displacement by the controversial Kanhar Dam. Without conducting any fresh cost benefit analysis and social and environmental impact assessments, and violating the order of the National Green Tribunal dated 24thDecember 2014 which mandated Environment Clearance and Forest Clearance for any construction to be done by the Irrigation Department of UP, the government is illegally going ahead with the construction.
As the resistance against land acquisition and struggle for land rights intensifies in every nook and corner of the country, this valiant battle lead by women in villages of Sonbhadra and the attempts to repress it by the state government brings out the double standards of the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) in UP, said NAPM in press release.
On one hand the SP has been opposing the Land Acquisition Ordinance brought out by the BJP-led Government at centre and on the other hand it attacks peaceful protesters who are demanding land rights in its own state. The denial of land rights, and gross violations of the right to life, livelihood and dignity of the marginalized, for mere political gains across political spectrum clearly hints towards moral degradation of the party politics in India on the one hand and the swelling corporate-builder-bureaucrat, said NAPM.
The National Alliance of People's Movements expressed its outrage at the incident and strongly condemned the police and administration for firing at the citizens.
"We are shocked at the growing number of instances of state violence, impunity of police and targeted attacks on the most marginalized people of this country," said NAPM.
NAPM demanded immediate disciplinary and legal action against the officials involved in this heinous act and compensation, medical relief to all affected persons and their families. An independent judicial probe must be initiated at the earliest to ensure the justice is rendered.
NAPM expressed solidarity with the struggle against Kanhar Dam and demanded that the illegal construction of dam be immediately stopped, a participatory review of the Project be initiated at the earliest, consultations be held with the Gram Sabhas and land and forest rights of the adivasis, as enshrined in the Constitution of India, be guaranteed.
Kanhar Irrigation Project was originally approved by the Central Water Commission in September, 1976. The project is located downstream of the confluence of River Pagan with Kanhar near village Sugawan in Tehsil Dudhi of District Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh. The project proposes a 3.003 km earthen dam having a maximum height of 39.90 m from deepest bed level which may be increased to 52.90 m if linked to Rihand reservoir.
The project envisages submergence of 4131.5 Ha land of 111 villages which includes parts of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. The project was completely abandoned since 1989 and construction work is started on 5th December, 2014. Information accessed under RTI shows that the project does not have a valid 'Environment Clearance' and 'Forest Clearance'.
Further, Kanhar dam will feed water to Rihand reservoir, the water from which is being used for nearly 25k-30k MW of electricity generation in Singrauli.
