Modi opposes central review committee on Narmada

Union Environment Ministry has formed panel to monitor ecological safeguard measures in Sardar Sarovar project
AHMEDABAD MIRROR BUREAU


The state government has opposed the constitution of a review panel, being set up by the central government, to monitor the implementation of ecological safeguard measures in Sardar Sarovar project.
In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Chief Minister Narendra Modi sought to withdraw the environment and forest ministry order to form the review committee for the project.
“The decision of the union environment and the forest ministry taken on April 28 is not in accordance with the present provisions of Narmada Yojana and the Supreme Court order of Oct 20, 2000,” stated the letter handed over to the prime minister on Monday evening.
In the letter, Modi said the project has passed through many legal disputes and hurdles and a positive hand from the central government and the prime minister has helped it to set many benchmarks.
Construction of 458-km main canal has been completed in 2008, and has delivered drinking water to more than 2.2 crore people but to extract maximum benefits from this inter-state multipurpose project, it is imperative to take the dam’s height to the full reservoir level, he said.
The 48th meeting of environmental sub-group of the Narmada Control Authority presided over by the environment and forest secretary had approved a height of 138 metres for the Sardar Sarovar dam, he said. Formation of another high-level committee would work to the detriment of the project and would raise a question mark on the numerous decisions taken by other central bodies in the past, he added.
“The Narmada Control Authority has a complete monitoring setup and the environmental subgroup is empowered to take any decision related to the project, thus there is no need for any other independent body for the purpose,” he said.