Jal Satyagrahis win 16-days water battle in MP

The villagers of Ghogalaon on Tuesday finally won the 16-days long battle against government as the state government Monday despite the green signal of Supreme Court, became ready to lo lower down the water level of Omkarehswar dam to protect their villages.

Supreme Court earlier had allowed the government to increase the water level of dam to 196.5 metres.

Confirming the news of lowering down the water level to 189 metres and compensating the farmers, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, "We have agreed to bring down the water level of dam to 189 metres and to compensate the farmers' land. It will, however, affect irrigation in 20,000 hectares of land and generation of 120 megawatts electricity."

"The Supreme Court had given the go ahead to increase the water level to 196.5 metres, but we have reduced it for the time bring," he added.

The Madhya Pradesh Government has also formed a three-member ministerial panel to look into the matter.

Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh earlier today lashed out at the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP Government in the state over not been able to finalise the rehabilitation and provide relief to the villagers.

"I think the state government is responsible to solve this issue. And there are two three things involved. Number one at what level the rehabilitation and resettlement has taken place. Number two if the rehabilitation, resettlement has not taken place at a level where the water is at just now, I think the government should immediately finalise the rehabilitation and provide relief to the land oustees," Singh told mediapersons in New Delhi.

"Number three is the issue: what is the full reservoir level, if the full reservoir level has been reached then they should try to reduce the levels by opening the gates and they will be generating power through that," he said.

"So, it is a very complex issue, but the foremost is the misery which these villages have been subjected to and this should be settled as soon as possible," he added.

The Jal Satyagraha, under the aegis of Narmada Bachao Andolan, was launched to demand proper rehabilitation and reduction in the water level of dam at Indira Sagar Project on river Narmada.

--With ANI Inputs--