13. Managing Human Issues Involved in Water Resources Development – A Case Study of Sardar Sarovar (Narmada) Project

The Sardar Sarovar (Narmada) Project (SSP) is an inter-state multi-purpose joint venture of four Indian States namely: Madhya Pradesh (MP), Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. The project envisages construction of 125 m high concrete gravity dam with FRL 138.68 m across river Narmada near Navagam village in Narmada district of Gujarat State. The present effective height of the dam is El 100.0 m and it is now proposed to be completed by June 2005. The construction of storage dam will submerge 37,533 ha of land and will result in displacement of 40,963 families from 244 villages in the States of MP (192 villages), Gujarat (19 villages) and Maharashtra (33 villages). The positive impacts intended from the project are: generation of 1450 MW power; irrigation in 75,000 ha arid area in Barmer and Jalore districts of Rajasthan and 1.8 million ha mostly drought prone area in Gujarat; drinking water to about 36 million people covering 135 urban centres and 8215 villages in Gujarat and 124 villages in arid and drought prone areas of Rajasthan; flood control in 210 villages and Bharuch city; water supply to industries; provision for fisheries development; employment generation to about one million people; environmental improvements like recharge of ground water; micro-climatic changes; protection against advancement of little Runn and Kutchh and Rajasthan desert; benefits to wildlife sanctuaries/National Parks and other nature reserves, etc. The paper highlights in detail the impact of project on social environment and its management. It deals with policies and strategies evolved first time in the country for human Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R). The R&R policies is over and above Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal (NWDT) Award which resolved water sharing problems between four party States. The assessment indicate that the Rehabilitation of the Project Affected Families (PAFs) is being carried out keeping in view the protection of their economical, ecological, ethnological and sociocultural environment to which these families are accustomed. The implementation of R&R policies and programmes have resulted in resettlement of 21,997 PAFs in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra by 31st January, 2004. The Grievance Redressal Authorities (GRAs) in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra headed by Hon'ble Judges are playing an important role in providing a forum to the PAFs for getting redressed their grievances related to R&R. The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of R&R programmes implementation have been ensured by Review Committee chaired by Union Water Resources Minister, Narmada Control Authority (NCA) Chaired by Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Water Resources, R&R Sub-group and Committee chaired by Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and independent Social Science Agencies. The participation of Non-Gov-ernmental Organisations (NGOs), local people and affected persons especially women and youths have also been ensured in implementation of rehabilitation programmes for ensuring environmentally sustainable development in the Narmada basin.