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SC orders resumption of
work on Narmada dam

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

Delivering a death-blow to the sustained campaign conducted by the Narmada Bachao Andolan, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the resumption of work on the Sardar Sarovar Project.

The court has ruled that the height of the dam can go up to 90 metres with immediate effect, and higher if necessary.

The Rs 18,000 crore controversial project will benefit Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Following the judgment, the NBA announced that there was no option before it now but to take its campaign to the people, and to conduct a jal samarpan.

The landmark judgment was delivered by a three-judge bench consisting of Chief Justice A S Anand, and Justices B N Kripal and S P Bharucha. While Justices Anand and Kripal gave their ruling in favour of the dam, Justice Bharucha gave a dissenting order.

In his dissenting note, Justice Bharucha said, ''The environment studies have not been done properly, and the norms of environment have been flouted totally. No proper research was done and a new research needs to be done immediately.''

Gujarat Irrigation Minister Jainarayan Vyas welcomed the decision of the apex court and said they will be able to complete work on the dam within one and a half years.

NBA leader Medha Patkar was not present in court, but leading the NBA ranks was novelist Arundhati Roy.

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Interviews

The Rediff Interview/ Medha Patkar
The Rediff Interview/ Jayanarayan Vyas

Specials

Baba Amte, in an exclusive first person account

Columns

Dilip D'Souza on why the villagers in Domkhedi are opposing the Sardar Sarovar project
Ashwin Mahesh on the Water's Edge
Dilip D'Souza on the Sardar Sarovar Project
Darryl D'Monte on Thanks for small mercies
Dilip D'Souza on the victims of the Sardar Sarovar Dam
Dilip D'Souza on the Sardar Sarovar Project
Dilip D'Souza on the religionisation of politics
Dilip D'Souza on the politics behind the Sardar Sarovar project

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