Another tug-of-war has begun over the height of the Sardar Sarovar dam
with Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh requesting the
Gujarat government to lower it and Union water resources minister V C Shukla
ruling out any reduction. Shukla's statement followed a plea by a
delegation of
Madhya Pradesh MPs, who were acting on a consensus reached by leaders
Of all political parties in the state to reduce the height of the dam
from 138.7 metres to 132.9 metres.
Singh pointed out that 6,242 ha of land would be saved and 38,000 people would escape displacement if the dam height is reduced. Ajit Jogi,
Congress MP from Madhya Pradesh, said that unless the height is reduced,
the dam would submerge fertile tracts of land in Nimar. The town of
Harsud would also escape submergence, he added.
Madhya Pradesh had renewed its demand in the wake of
Gujarat chief minister Chimanbhai Patel's death, hoping that "the new
administration will pay heed to our cries". However, Gujarat MPs have
lashed back with the argument that the dam would be the lifeline of
western India.
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