Dear friends of NBA,

You all have been witness to the long, long battle on issues related to

the Narmada dams and the Sardar Sarovar Project affected, in particular.

Lakhs and lakhs of people in the Valley to be thrown out of their

generations old habitations, environs - social, cultural, and economic,

based on natural resources have always received your support, your

solidarity - that has helped us carry on for over two full decades.

Your presence and participation, during the March to May 2006 struggle in

Delhi, was most valuable. While neither the Prime Minister, the Central

Government nor the Supreme Court played their role or used their authority

to stop devastation, protect Adivasis and farmers, and to question the

false reports and affidavits, the people had to remain firm and determined

to face come what may, assert their rights�at least to just and fair

rehabilitation as a precondition to dams and displacement.  That is

exactly what has happened since we went back to the Valley.

The monsoon, heavy enough, has brought in flooding.  If it is in more than

one river valley in Western India this year, it is the dams that have

contributed to the floods everywhere, as we all know by now.  In the

Narmada, the Sardar Sarovar, even though it has been stopped at 119 mts

instead of 122 mts, has caused flooding, destroying land and everything

associated with it, homes and hearths, trees and forests, gods and

graves, agriculture and forest produce.

It is certainly a killer wave that has tried to finish off the river

valley civilization which is the oldest in the world.  Can this be

acceptable?  Hundreds and thousands of Adivasis have become landless, many

homeless but they have shown the tenacity and perseverance to build their

own houses at a higher level�up in the mountains, with small patches of

farms left behind, all land drowned.  They are the ones who have to

continue with their struggle for survival.

The government is almost absent in this region�even today when the crisis

is of survival, there are no proper rationing shops when even the right to

food is at stake.  The age old habitations in Alirajpur (MP), Akkalkuva,

Akrani (Maharashtra) tehsils and some in Badwani (M.P.) are cut off from

each other and much more isolated from the rest of the world today than

they were before.  There is no public transport. Private transport by

machine boats is unaffordable.  There are no schools (but for the

Jeevanshalas of NBA), no dispensaries (except the honorary doctors put up

by Government of Maharashtra in a few villages on a temporary basis, and

the floating dispensary gifted by the European Commission to Maharashtra

government, which is more stationary than mobile!).  A few minimally

trained health supervisors are in some villages in Alirajpur tehsil since

the last few days, with meager medicine - not even any anti-snake venom.

Snake and scorpion bite cases have zoomed and locating snakes and

crocodiles which are yet to attack is becoming a full time occupation,

since both the flora and the fauna are totally disturbed.

There is no government service or government servant available except for

some boats in M.P., which carry food supplies for police and government

employees only.  In Maharashtra, there are a few police patrols and some

government employees and officials who move in barges, touch "satyagraha"

centres for dialogue on limited issues and they have made some promises.

The governments have no cultivable land to offer and hence thousands of

families � those who have already lost all their private holdings and much

of their common property resource base as also the others who are

threatened with immanent loss � have no place to go.  Still the

�Satyagraha� is on�. the Shunglu Committee Report has been criticized and

an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court on this and the governments

continue to be questioned, through one mass action after another.

You cannot remain silent at this critical point. You, along with others,

have helped us sustain the movement and spread our mission.  We expect you

to be with us in every way to challenge the system � this callous,

criminal onslaught on communities that is happening across the country,

the implementation of anti-people projects and plans, which benefit

corporates, the political vested interests, the global market�.what not,

by devastating the already poor and marginalizing them even further.

We appeal to you and all to come to the Valley at least once to

participate in our action, express support and solidarity -the immediate

dates are:

- August 25th at Jhabua Collectorate

- August 28th at the Nandurbar Collector�s office

- August 30th at Badwani Collector�s office

And then other actions and programmes will follow.  �Satyagraha� is on �on

the river bank in Chimalkhedi (Maharashtra), Bhitada (Jhabua District,

M.P.) and in Chikhalda (near Badwani, M.P.)

- To write - in periodicals and disseminate information, build an opinion

on displacement caused by development, by large dams and water policy,

democratic processes of planning�and other issues and challenges specific

to the Narmada valley.

- To raise funds, in cash ( cheque/ DD ) or kind, support and mobilize

supporters as "Janasahayogis" so as to guarantee atleast survival to the

struggling Adivasis, who have lost their lands/homes but not the spirit

nor the struggle.  (Please see our plans and the need, the Annexure given

below)  We would earnestly request you to come to the Valley yourself and

relate with those victimized - not just with your support but also your

love.

- to challenge the government - states and the centre, at whichever forum,

question the representatives, write letters, hold action programmes.

- do suggest what else you think of and can act on, of course at the

earliest, before more and more people - literally lakhs of them - all get

drowned and lost at the altar of "development".

Cheques/DDs can be made in the name of "Narmada Nav Nirman Abhiyan" and

send to :

Pervin Jehangir

261, Jupiter Apts,

41, New Cuffee Parade,

Mumbai 400 005

Ph: 022-22184779

80G IS AVAILABLE.

Please note that we do not accept foreign funding.

With regards and awaiting an early response,

Kailash Awasya, Kamala Yadav, Ashish Mandloi, Rohan Joshi, Yogini

Khanolkar, Chetan, Vijay, Siyaram, Devram Kanera, Umesh Patidar, and

others

Shashi Mehta , Arun Sawant, Pervin Jehangir, Vijaya Chauhan, Mohan

Patidar, Suniti S.R, Dipti Bhatnagar, Medha Patkar and many other like

minded supporters.

Annexure:

Our Plans: A request to extend your hand to the victims of development.

There are at least 1000 to 1500 families in the Adivasi communities who

have lost land, houses, trees, and forest access, including access to

potable water and ways of transport.  They are landless, many of them

shelterless, stranded in the 6� x 10� or 10� x 10� dark, damp, leaking tin

sheds on slippery slopes.

They need a hand of support, in every way.  Each of these families will need -

- Food grains adequate for six months at least:  costing Rs 6000/- per

family.  YOU CAN SPONSOR A FAMILY AND MOTIVATE OTHERS TO DO SO TOO.

- A tin boat and 3 kgs of fishing net to be shared by a group of 5 Adivasi

families - required not just for eating but also for asserting their right

to the reservoir. Rs 5000 per group, 30 groups in toto.  YOUR HELP CAN

PROVIDE THEM WITH A LIVELIHOOD.

- A small packet of fishing hooks and baits - 200 per family - can be

supplied to hundreds.

- We surely need more tin boats for transport across the river, at least

one per village - 70 villages, Rs 3500 per boat

- Plastic tarpaulins and tins are to be provided - as many as possible, up

to 1000, at the earliest, Rs 700 per tarpaulin sheet of 12" x 18".

- Community kitchens, where large communities are affected - For children,

aged, women and men - clothes, old and new, bed sheets and blankets,

"chatais".

- For schools - equipment, notebooks, and educational aids,

large vessels and food grains

- More plans to evolve later

- Our Jeevanshala children reached out to the Tapi flood-affected with

some teachers along with Vijay and Yogini.  They too need help!  At least

27 devastated villages in the Tapi basin have received no government aid

or relief. Our children rose above their own grief and suffering to

mobilize and collect donations from the surrounding communities to help

these victims.

We stand with the last, lost and left out!  Clothes, grain, children's

materials, housing material to the tune of atleast 4 lakh Rupees as per a

rough estimate, is most urgently required in this area as well.

In solidarity,

NBA Supporters