The Diggy-Roy Epistolary Exchange

From Digvijay Singh to Arundhati Roy

DIGVIJAY SINGH

Government of Madhya Pradesh
Chief Minister BHOPAL - 462004
Camp: M.P. Bhavan, New Delhi

No. 2??/MPC/CM/2002

June 13, 2002

Dear Arundhatiji,

I am in receipt of the appeal issued by the Delhi Support Group NBA about the settlement of tribalsdisplaced by the construction of the Man dam. I also read with interest your article published in the HindustanTimes, Bhopal. As always your prose and your ability to succinctly analyze the situation is outstanding. Iam aware that a group of oustees of the Man dam are sitting in dharna at Bhopal and if you will bear with me Iwould like to bring some facts to your notice.

Man dam, which is being constructed on Man tributary of Narmada in Dhar district. It has been completedupto the crust level and will therefore fill up during the rainy season, submerging about eight hundredhectare of land. About 993 families will be affected by the partial submergence. Out of these 448 families areeligible for allotment of agricultural land. Only those families, which are losing 25 percent or more land,are eligible for allotment of alternative land.

According to the policy of the Govt. of Madhya Pradesh, suchpersons can either opt for the allotment of alternative land in lieu of the submerged land or accept fullcompensation in cash. There is a provision in the policy that in case of persons belonging to scheduledtribes, the Collector of the district should make inquiries to ensure that the oustee is not being compelledor influenced by anyone to accept full compensation in cash. This due process was follow when compensation incash for purchasing land. In fact, 121 oustees have given exemption from paying stamp duty on the registrationof land. I would request you to accept the Govt. policy which does not allow the State Govt. to purchase landand give it to the tribals.

I would also like to inform you that we have recently introduced a liberalized compensation package inwhich the amount of compensation for the land has nearly been increased by three times compared to thecompensation offered earlier. For your information I would like to give the main rate alongwith the additionalrates sanctioned in both Gandhvani and Dhar tehsils.

So far compensation under this package amounting to Rs. 1.00 crore has been disbursed to 54 families. Someof the oustees have expressed their interest in purchasing land in which local administration is giving themfull support and cooperation. I have asked the Collector of Dhar district to review all the cases in whichcompensation was paid in cash in order to see whether due process was followed at the time of givingcompensation. The Govt. has also set up a Grievance Redressal Agency to listen to the grievances of ousteesand pass appropriate orders for their redressal. I would urge you to represent your grievance before thisAgency.

You, alongwith the activists of Narmada Bachao Andolan, have been protesting against the felling of thetrees and demolition of the Govt. buildings in the area, which will come under submergence. It is necessary toremove the trees for which compensation has already been paid so that the timber can be used elsewhere andalso to ensure that fishermen's boats are not entangled in the trees when the reservoir is filled up. Thematerials from the public buildings like door and window frame etc. is also used elsewhere. I am sure you willagree with the logic of the action required to be taken in this case.

I have appealed to the agitators to maintain peace and not to resort to agitation, which would harm theinterests of the tribal population. I also take this opportunity to personally appeal to you to understand theGovt's. stand and help us to de-escalate tension in the region. I hope my clarifying the above given factswill urge you to see our point of view.

I look forward to meeting you.

Yours sincerely,

(Digvijay Singh)