Dams “The Temples of Modern India”
„ Canals & Irrigation … water supply
The Narmada Diary:
Drowned Out
Part of the Documentary & Discussion Series
by the Association for India’s Development (AID)
www.indiana.edu/~aid aid@indiana.edu
The flip side: Environmental & Social Impact
of Dams
From International Rivers Network…
„ Flood control
„ Hydro-electricity
„ Economic development of region
„ Employment
„ Prestige of building massive engineering
structures & technology
The Sardar Sarovar Project on
River Narmada
„ Dam & canal network on river Narmada,
spread across 4 states
„ 30 large, 135 medium, 3000 small dams
„ The Sardar Sarovar in Gujarat is the 2nd
largest in the world (after 3-Gorges in China)
„ 40,000 hectares of land to be submerged
„ 250,000 indigenous people to be displaced
„ Estimated costs at $2.2 billion
1
 Images from Official Sardar Sarovar Dam Webpage
The Sardar Sarovar Project: A brief
history
1901 Construction of dam on Narmada River proposed.

1947 Investigations begun into Narmada's potential for irrigation and

electricity.
1961 Prime Minister Jawalarl Nehru lays foundation stone for Narmada
dams project.Includes plans for 3,165 small, medium and large dams.
1985 World Bank approves $450 million loan to India for Sardar Sarovar.
Construction begins in 1986. Narmada Bachao Andolan coalition
forms led by Medha Patkar & Baba Amte
1993 Citing project irregularities, World Bank withdraws from Sardar Sarovar.

A Narmada Diary (1994)

Since the documentary (1994)… AID & Narmada

1995 India's Supreme Court stops construction of dam while it reviews petition.
„ Jansahyog project
… linkfamilies in cities to the displaced Narmada valley
1999 Arundhati Roy, famous Booker Prize winning novelist, joins struggle
adivasi families
2000 Supreme Court allows building construction to continue up to 90 meters. „ Watershed programs in Mozda and surrounding
Narmada Control Authority formed to approve increase in height.
2003 Sardar Sarovar dam reaches 103 meters (338 ft.). In July, earthquake of
villages
4.3 magnitude shakes dam. „ Alternate energy work like the Bilgaon Micro-
hydro project (inspiration for Swades)
„ Activism & non-financial support to Narmada
Bachao Andolan

Points to Ponder…
„ Democracy & greatest good for the greatest number:
Resources
Involving local people in decision making
… Who owns the natural resources? Friends of Narmada www.narmada.org
„ Urbanization as a way of development vs. Int’l Rivers Network www.irn.org
Development using local resources www.worldwatercouncil.org
„ Effectiveness of Civil disobedience in current world… World Commission on Dams www.dams.org
peaceful struggle along Gandhian lines
Learning from Narmada, World Bank Report
„ Renewable sources of energy vs. sustainable sources
of energy The Greater Common Good, Arundathi Roy
„ Power of the Press and International scrutiny Drowned Out (2004) Documentary by Bull Frog
„ Politics: Government Spin, Hyped up advantages, “in productions
the name of the poor”, industrial lobby, votebank
politics, voice of indigenous people