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As you may be aware, the Supreme Court of India has passed an adverse interim order regarding the Sardar Sarovar Project allowing for the Narmada dam to be raised. By claiming to restrict itself to the issue of resettlement, the court is being obfuscatory with regard to the rights of individuals in our society.

The interim order was passed, based partly on the basis of sworn affidavits from the Govt. of Maharashtra which have recently been negated by the very officials who filed the affidavits. The affidavits had initially claimed that land was available for resettling people. However, when challenged by the affected communities, the concerned official "went on leave since his mum got real sick" and was subsequently transferred away. The unfortunate minion under this official accompanied the people to the purported resettlment site and finally agreed that there really was no land available.

Such details aside, the interim order is a significant challenge to what is arguably the most significant social movement in independent India. Our ability to press for a more just and equitable social order in India significantly hinges on the outcome of the struggle for the just rights of the inhabitants of the Narmada valley. Hence the onus is on all of us to lend a helping hand to furthering this cause.

As you will read on, you would note that the NBA plans a massive mobilisation of people. While political parties do this on a routine basis to establish sham popularity, an eternally impoverished movement like the Narmada Bachao Andolan is going to very hard pressed to raise the resources for such an event. Any financial help will go a long way in helping out. In this context, please note that NBA does not accept foreign contributions. So if you want to help out, you will have to mobilise funds within India. I would urge you as strongly as I possibly can, to talk to as many like-minded, progressive people you know in India and urge them to contribute. If you can contribute in Indian funds, please do so.

The recent Supreme Court interim order on February 18, in the matter of Narmada, has yet again stirred up a discussion among the concerned on the judiciary's role in protecting the interests of the deprived and the marginalised, in probing the 'public purpose' of large projects, and in paving the way for sustainable, equitable alternatives. The interim order, confined only to the rehabilitation aspect, allowing the states to raise the height of the dam from the present 80.3 meters to 85 meters, will result in irreparable damages. A large part of the tribal villages - in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat - will be affected in the coming monsoon. This is at a time when the states have not done enough to rehabilitate those affected at present, nor have any readiness for it in the coming months and years.

This is also at a time when hundreds of families who have returned from the rehabilitation sites - because of the abysmal, uninhabitable conditions there. The fact that the Government has no land to offer for resettlement, despite the misleading information given in the Supreme Court, by the states and Union of India, has been proved through mass rallies and open discussions held with government authorities, demanding a joint inspection of land and sites. You might have already received press notes/reports on those actions and results (this is also well documented - audio and video). While permitting the states to raise the height of dam, the Court has simultaneously ordered the proper rehabilitation of all under 85 metres. and a submission by the governments detailing the rehabilitation plans for the families under 90 metres.

The people of Narmada Valley, after struggling for last 14 years are left to face this sheer injustice at the hands of the system at large. The State has been trying to displace the people through fraud and repression. The tribal and farmer families are deprived of their lives and livelihood. The people's movement in the Narmada valley thus has reached a critical stage, the outcome of which will be decisive for millions of people fighting against displacement, unsustainable and unjust policies and projects. The time has come, therefore, for the people of the valley to rise up with full support and participation of thousands all over the country, not only in the river valleys but wherever the struggle on development issues and displacement is on.

Affected families take their pleas to the seat of government

The men, women and children from hundreds of villages on the banks of Narmada are determined to take the battle to the streets, once again. They shall come out to convey to the civil society, not just to the callous, repressive State but to the common people, the imposed destitution and sealed fate of theirs. They have to fight this battle of life and death.

People from the Satpuda and Vindhya ranges - tribal villages in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, the "relocated" but not "rehabilitated" oustees from Gujarat and the farmers-labourers from Nimad (Madhya Pradesh) will march on the streets, crossing the towns and cities of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra to Delhi.

The people coming from different points will meet at Shahada on April 1st to form a huge rally. They will go through the towns of Dhule, Malegaon, Nasik and Thane (all in Maharashtra - by road) and will reach Mumbai to challenge the Government of Maharashtra on their misleading affidavits, claims and information given to the Court. The yatra will then head towards Delhi (by trains), where at the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment the people will confront the officials who reported to the Court that the states have rehabilitated all under 85 mts.- with land and other amenities - and are ready for the ones coming under 90 mts. (A tentative schedule of yatra is enclosed).

Affected people of other dams in Narmada Valley - Bargi, Narmada Sagar Project, Maheshwar etc. - and some of the other people's organisations will be reaching Delhi straight, supporting the action and raising the issues of displacement and destitution, at large. Other representatives of people's organisations, especially from Maharashtra, will be with the yatra throughout.

Inspite of ill-health, Baba Amte will be reaching Delhi, after a few years gap, to guide the agitation. He will reach Delhi through Madhya Pradesh, by road, holding meetings at many places.

The programmes on the way will include public/street corner meetings, photo exhibition, film show, press conference etc. The songs and slogans - a part and parcel of the struggle - through out the yatra, will, of course, empower the people.

You can reach Badwani on March 31st or Dhule on April 1st. If you are coming by road, Badwani is 40 kms off Bombay-Agra highway (11-13 hours from Bombay). Please get down at Julwania and you will get buses to reach Badwani. If by train, please reach Baroda, Khandwa or Indore. From these places, it is 4-6 hours of bus journey. At Badwani you will not find difficult to locate our office [62, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Badwani - Tel: (07290) 22464]. If you plan to reach Dhule, by road, it is on the Bombay-Agra highway (9-10 hours from Bombay). If by train, you can get down at Chalisgaon and take bus (2 hrs journey - train service between Chalisgaon and Dhule is not frequent). At Dhule, Prof.Shyam Patil will be the contact person [26, Ashok Nagar, Near Water Tank, Dhule. Tel. (02562) 34519]. From Badwani, you can join the yatra. At Dhule, either you can proceed towards Shahada (which is 2 hrs. far) and join the public meeting at 6 pm or wait for the rally to reach Dhule at 9 pm.

We appeal to you to come and join the thousands in the yatra - from the beginning to the end. Your participation in the yatra will not only strengthen the movement but will also pave way for the State to know the intensity by which we all uphold the Right to Life and Livelihood. We also appeal you to muster financial help for us. The huge expenses for the programme can be met only through the help of others. However small an amount it may be for you, it will be a great relief for Andolan. In kind too, you can help us. Food materials, grains, office stationary etc. will be the most useful.

Volunteers, sparing a month or few weeks for Andolan, before and during the yatra, will be of great help. They can support us in mobilisation and planning and participate in the yatra - sharing the responsibilities.

For the people of Narmada valley, time has come again to fight with their only weapon - their lives - to save and protect life and not to succumb to the immoral pressures of the system.

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, the architect of Indian Constitution, has emphasised the need to "educate, organise and struggle". He stressed the right to equality for the downtrodden and depressed classes as the sure way for democracy. This is Justice. To deny this right is contempt of Justice as envisaged by Dr. Ambedkar and other architects, including Gandhiji, of Freedom Movement.

We trust that you will be a part of this action, to strengthen the hands of your tribal-farmer brethren, who are also part of this nation and whose resources are part of the national wealth.

Once again the song echoes the valley - Narmada ki ghati me ab ladai jaari hai, chalo utho, chalo utho rokna vinash hai (Struggle is on in the Narmada valley. Rise up, destruction has to be stopped...)

In solidarity,

Prabhubahi Tadvi
Noorji Padvi
Jaganath Patidar
Nandini Oza
Shripad Dharmadhikari
Alok Agarwal
Sanjay Sangvai
Medha Patkar

Draft Schedule of Yatra

People from Badwani will start on April 1st morning to reach Shahada (the route will be Badwani-Anjad-Rajpur-Niwali-Khetia-Shahada). While oustees from Gujarat resettlement sites will start on March 31st evening, oustees from Maharashtra resettlement site will start on 1st morning. People from Maharashtra villages will also start on 1st morning via Dhadgaon. All these rallies will merge into yatra at Shahada.

Date	Place	Time
April 1st	Shahada	6 pm
April 1st	Dhule	9 pm
Stay at Dhule or Malegaon
April 2nd	Malegaon & nearby places
Stay at Malegaon or Nasik
April 3rd	Nasik
April 4th	Thane	Morning
April 4th	Dadar	Evening
Stay at Dadar
April 5th	Bombay (Mantralaya)
Catching trains on 5th evening/night and 6th morning to Delhi
April 7th onwards	Dharna at Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and other programmes.