Thanks to the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) and Medha Patkar personally, big dams are back in the headlines. While the issue of Narmada dam has now morphed into full-fledged political confrontation, the larger issue of whether the idea of big dams in general still holds good as a development engine or not has been relegated to the background.

In the case of Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) or Narmada Dam in common parlance, the NBA has now essentially climbed down from its earlier demand for total scrapping of the project to that of paying of adequate compensations and rehabilitation to those who are going to be displaced by the project.

This is simply because the Andolan is being pushed into a tight corner, what with all institutions of the state, including all political parties and the Supreme Court, gunning for the continuing and completion of the project. Interestingly though, almost all those to be rendered homeless by the mammoth project and for whom nothing has so far been done are Dalits. And the biggest beneficiaries will, of course, be the rich farmers and city-dwellers of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

In Manipur too, a seemingly strong opposition is building up against Tipaimukh Dam. There are rallies being taken out in opposition to the dam and more such mass protests are planned for the future. Outer Manipur MP Mani Cheranemai has spoken out against the dam in Parliament.

As for Khuga Dam too, a steady stream of protests came, perhaps, in equal proportion to the pace of construction. The death of 3 persons on the night of December 14 last year when the IRB fired upon a crowd gathered to voice their grievances to the Manipur CM at the dam site added further impetus to the opposition.

I am inclined to believe that the Nehruvian model of development through big dams and huge steel plants has crossed its sell-by date for much of India’s flat lands. What we learn in high school geography about dams-how much land they irrigate, how much drinking and irrigation water they provide and electricity generated- consciously tells us only the positive aspect.

Now, the increasing awareness and concern about environment and ecology preservation, the ever increasing pressure on living space and agriculture land, and that big dams have now become a byword for corporatisation will make it near impossible for new projects to be executed in the future.

That brings us, finally, to the question: Is construction of Tipaimukh dam a good or bad thing for the region? Is completion of Khuga Dam in the interest of Lamka? Frankly, one tends to be at a loss. Headline-hogging mass protests at the cities don’t mean much. The government’s own bright projections on the one hand and dark predictions of the anti-dam groups failed to give us enlightened opinion on it too.

Big projects like Tipaimukh Dam will obviously bring some benefits. Needless to say, there will be a price to be paid for them. This is true of virtually every undertaking. There are no absolutes, only relative. The trick is to weight the likely advantages and disadvantages, and come to an informed decision. And while doing that, one will have to take into account the nature and shape of topography and soil, level of economic development in the region and ecological factors.

Look at Tipaimukh. Much of the area is yet to see what we understand in modern day as civilization. At least the Manipur side of the area to be affected, I was told, is made up of rugged relief and much of the landscape barren due to jhumming cultivation. Mode of transportation is primitive. If the project is to be abandoned, the area will languish in that blighted condition for the foreseeable future.

Now, if there is going to be a dam, roads connecting the area will have necessarily be improved. There will at least be some employment avenues for the local population. Some irrigation can be done and some electricity generated. Some fishes will be reared in the water, some drinking water harnessed and some tourists will come visit the place.

I don’t think it is realistic to claim that the local population will not share in any of these benefits. As for other factors like earthquake, the entire Himalayan region is classified as earthquake prone. The gravity of the threat is debatable, and other projects like Tehri are in the same belt.

Forgive me if I sound simplistic. But I want to ask the anti-dam lobby if they have a viable alternative model of development for the region to offer. Presently, they are seen as negativists who will pick holes and oppose every major initiatives coming from the government.

It is nice and easy for those in Imphal or Delhi to care so much about for the flora and fauna in the region. But for the gaunt and illiterate cultivators who inhabit the land, two square meals a day and piped drinking water may be more of a priority.

As for the Khuga Project, which is far smaller than Tipaimukh, it is a reality. It was supposed to have been finished twenty years ago!! As I understand, most of the land acquisition process has been completed and compensations paid.

The undue delays and disruptions have caused multiple cost overruns, and corruption is so rampant that it provoked someone to say that the project is becoming a new cement factory for Lamka town. A look at the palatial buildings in which those associated with the project tells its own story. But, having gone thus far, it is impracticable to demand now that the project be scrapped.

Instead, all should cooperate with the present government which is at least sincere about this project (I have lost count the number of times the Chief Minister inspected the dam site and throw tantrums at officials) and ensure that it is completed at the earliest. That is in our interest.

We are in a democracy. We have every right to be heard and get our grievances redressed. We should demand and stop not until all genuine project-affected parties are relocated and compensated, local labour employed in all possible ways, safety measures incorporated to take care of dam-burst fears and earthquakes and the overall benefits accrue to those living in the area.

But we should also guard against those who seek to hijack public anxiety and ignorance to serve their vested interests and blackmail governments through rent-a-crowd agitations.

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: "Never pay attention to what critics say. ...A statue has never been set up in honour of a critic". — Jean Sibelius.