Action Alert 13-5-2002

For Old Tehri town

Demonstration in Dehradun on 10-5-2002

On 10^th of May, 2002 hundreds of old Tehri town oustees were on the way to Uttranchal Assembly, under the banner of TEHRI BHOOMIDHAR VISTHPIT SANGTHAN’ TEHRI BANDH VISTHPIT BEROJGAR MORCHA. People reached Dehradun by buses from old tehri town AND gathered from nearby rehabilitation sites. In very hot summer hilly people were shouted slogan on Hridwar Marg (road) in Dehradun

DESH KO BIJALI: HAME JAL SAMADHI KANYO? (ELECTRICITY FOR THE COUNTRY BUT WHY SUBMERGEC FOR US?) MANVA ADHIKARO KA HANAN BAND KARO (STOP HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION), SHASHNADESH LAGOO KARO (IMPILIMENT GOVERNMENT ORDERS) and other.

In Tehri town thousand of people are still waiting of house construction assistance. Monsoon is on head, water level will be high and lower part of town will be under water. And thousands of families did not get educate compensation to built a new house in new tehri town or else where.

• Govt. of Uttranchal (GOU) had appointed a committed to finalise eviction of old tehri town. This high power committee declared by the Chief minister last month on 7-4-2002, but notification of the said committee issued by the secretary of power ministry on 3-5-2002. In between committee had visited old town, many member of the committee also visited and listened people’s problem but no sign decision. Last week GOU issued one advertisement saying GOU giving a new package to the tehri town oustees, infect this is old package made by old govt. which people already rejected.

• One final survey has been done by the GOU between 15^th to 20^th April 2002 to find out rest of the families (for the rehab) and rest of the assets of the oustees. They find more then 800 families are without shelter. This survey was not properly done, people blamed and number of families is bigger then this. GOU commit more then 1660 families in their affidavit filed in Supreme Court. Even then, whatever will be the number, after any survey cost valuation required, and it needs time. After submerge of the town how GOU will evaluate the cost?

Police stopped rally by putting barricade and antiriot vehicles. People wants to give a memorandum to the Chief Minister, they jumped upon the barricade. Women were on the forefront. No women police were in the cops. After 30 minutes women police had come. Police puts every one in there vehicles as arrested them. After an hour State minister attached with C.M. and also the MLA of Tehri, Shri Kishor Upadhyay reached at the demonstration site and listened people. He declare if without fulfilling the peoples demand, water level will be made high by his own Govt., he will be the first person who will get effected. He asked people to give him a place at the lowest level in the city. He assured people that he has already raised the issue with the CM. After this meeting a delegation met with energy secretary Shri Keshav Desiraju and submitted their demands.

• One memorandum from TEHRI Bhoomidhar Visthapit Sangthan about mainly Tehri town oustees’ demands and implementing Govt. orders,

• Two from Tehri Bandh Jankalyan Samiti (Tehri Dam oustees welfare committee which is working in Banjarawala, Dehradun) which talked about oustees problem those who have displace more then 15 years

• And one from MATU regarding rural, has been given to the sec. for CM.

Sec. of Energy Ministry listened very carefully and feel that a delegation should meet directly with CM. He will also try to do best for this meeting. He feels that CM does not have the ground realty facts.

Demonstration in New Tehri Town on 13-5-2002

More then 200 men and women locked District Magistrate office in New Tehri Town today morning at 10 o’clock. People demanded---------

1. To open diversion tunnel no. 1 (which Govt. already declare that they had opened that tunnel)
2. Stoppages of District Hospital till people are in town.
3. Open the road for old Tehri Town residents.
4. Continue the water supply.

DM. was not there but S.D.M., who is looking after town rehabilitation work, accepted these demands and assured that this will implement with in a day.

People also win to stoppage of Telegram office in old Tehri town.

Dear friends in this situation we are requesting you to join and support the DHARNA. By reaching old Tehri Town or send solidarity letter. Tehri Bhomidhar Visthapit Sangthan is continuing its Dharna in old Tehri town at INDRIA CHOWK. Every day ten to fifteen man and women took fast against Human rights violation and for justifiable rehabilitation.

Please spend your valuable time and little money to send letter, fax to Shri N.D. Tiwari, Chief Minister of Uttranchal and to Shri Suresh Prabhu, Central Minister of Power. This is the time to put some pressure on the Govt. May be with in some days CM will meet a delegation of oustees.

• Asking them to give sufficient amount for house construction to the Tehri town oustees. To build a two room set in New Tehri Town. And it is only 5 lakh. /or give them a two room set house. (Where Govt. had spent 47 lakh for D.M.’s house in New Tehri Town.) The region why they are asking this amount because now it is very difficult to build a house in NTT. Send is very costly due to reservoir; one brick cost is now 4.80 Rs. People have to buy send and brick from Rishikesh.

• One Govt. Order is laying in rehabilitation Department says “Govt. have to build house for oustees” G.O. Nor. 45514-61201-73, Dated-2-12-1973

• Where people will go? Water level will be high in coming monsoon. Govt. making their arrangement to shift the people in tin shade at NTT. NTT is facing serious water scarcity. What will happen when number of population will increase 10,000 more? It is better to give shelter in old Tehri town it self. Town has many big building and grounds. In fact GOU is running training camp for new police carder in the said areas.

In Solidarity

Vimalbhai

(Forgive Grammar mistakes)

Shri N.D. Tiwari, Chief Minister, Secretariat, Dehradun

Ph. 0135-677090,677100 Fax. 0135-678722

Shri Suresh Prabhu,Central Minister of Power, 202, Shram Shakti Bhwan,

Rafi Marg, New Delhi Fax. 3385206 Email-sprabhu@sansad.nic.in