In continuation to the first Public Hearing held in Nimad, at Chikhalda village on 13th July 2002, the eminent panel comprising of former Chief of Naval Staff, Shri.Vishnu Bhagavat, former Chairperson of National Commission for Women, Dr.Mohini Giri, Senior Supreme Court Advocate, Venkatramani and legal expert Adv. Usha Ramanathan held public hearings in the tribal belt of Madhya Pradesh (village Jalsindhi) and Maharashtra (village Nimgavan) on 14th and 15th July.

Callous underestimation of the population affected by the dam, absence of land to rehabilitate the thousands of people and without consulting the oustees, ex-party allocation of land to them in Gujarat (while they are entitled for land in Madhya Pradesh) were the most striking revelations of the public hearing in Jalsindhi village.

Denial of land rights to the people, additional over 1000 families affected by the present height of the dam (which was found by the Govt. constituted Task Force) who are not rehabilitated yet and the absence of land to provide before the eminent panel in these two days.

The monsoon Satyagaraha, which was started on the 30th June 2002 at villages Jalsindhi and Nimgavan continue to attract large number of people from village and many places around the country and abroad. The people were forced to go for this action, vowing to protect the lands and houses even if the water rises - staking their lives - as every pillars of democracy denied justice to them and as the dam height is being pushed ahead violating all laws of the land, international conventions and human norms.

Clifton D'Rozario
Geethanjali Chavan