MP CM sends mediators to convince Patkar to end fast

 A three-member team of independent mediators is on its way to Badwani with proposals suggested by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath to persuade social activist Medha Patkar and her colleagues to end their indefinite hunger strike demanding proper rehabilitation of people in the flood-affected districts of Alirajpur, Dhar and Barwani in the state.

They are also demanding opening of the gates of the Sardar Sarovar Dam in neighbouring Gujarat. Six others are sitting with them on a chain hunger strike.

The Chief Minister has assured to accept two major demands of the agitators - of opening of sluice gates to keep the reservoir level in check and expediting the rehabilitation process with the help of Patkar and her nominees. If the agitators accept the proposals she and her colleagues might be persuaded to call off the strike.

The team of mediators includes former Chief Secretary to the state government Sharad Chandra Behar, senior journalist Rakesh Dewan and social activist Rajendra Kothari. The team is expected to meet the agitators on Monday night.

There have been complaints of officials stalling rehabilitation and making arbitrary changes in the lists of project-affected people.

In August 2017, a similar fast had been held to force the government of then Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to prevent large number of villages getting submerged. 

The government then was accused of misleading the Supreme Court on the rehabilitation efforts, suggesting that all affected families could be relocated before the reservoir was filled to capacity. Many families that have not been listed for relocation are living in islands formed by the submergence of a larger area than the government had anticipated.

Patkar's health had started deteriorating and she had vomited on Sunday, eight days into her strike to demand rehabilitation on war-footing of the thousands of families affected by floods in areas surrounding the Sardar Sarovar Dam.

Patkar launched the agitation -- called the "Narmada Chunauti Satyagraha" -- at Chhota Barda in Madhya Pradesh's Barwani district on August 25, and 10 more villagers joined her four days later. 

State minister Vijaylakshmi Sadho, who the Chief Minister had nominated to interact with the protestors and persuade Patkar to accept the government's proposals, had returned with the protesters' reservations over the government's policy for rehabilitation of the project-affected families (PAF).

The government has not been able to persuade her to call off the agitation. State Home Minister Bala Bachchan met her on August 29, and after that Chief Minister Nath himself spoke to her on the phone in an attempt to convince her to withdraw the protest.

In a statement on Monday, the Narmada Chunauti Satyagraha said it would soon respond to the reply from the Narmada Valley Development Authority on the 33 demands.

Patkar has demanded the sluice gates of the dam be opened since rising backwater has flooded areas around Barwani. She has also sought rehabilitation of people displaced because of the reservoir's construction.

The Narmada Bachao Andolan also wants the government to halt the Narmada Control Authority's directive to fill the dam to its optimum level of 138.68 metres, and instead maintain it at 122 metres.

District authorities did not confirm Patkar's health status.

"I cannot comment on her health condition as she was not allowing doctors and medical team at the site to examine her," District Collector Amit Tomar said, adding "I have been sending doctors daily to examine her but she has been refusing."IANS