Who Gets To Drink?

As we go to press, water resources minister Saifuddin Soz, who had earlier visited Medha in a bid to get her to abandon the fast, was leaving to assess the impact of rehabilitation work in the affected areas. He is to be joined by Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan. Earlier, concerned at the deteriorating health of Medha and the three other activists on fast, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi had been contacted to get some kind of commitment.

She apparently promised to pass on their concern to the PM. The dam has already been built to the height of 111 metres causing the displacement of 50,000 people. Raising the height to 122 metres will render another 1,50,000 homeless. "The success in saving 1,50,000 people from displacement as well as saving sites of archeological importance will be the true success of the agitation," says a supporter.