Medha Patkar calls for suspension of March 13 unveiling of Musi project plan

Prominent social activist Medha Patkar has addressed a letter to the Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy requesting him to champion the betterment of Musi river along with the riverine communities, but not at the expense of each other. She urged him to shun any violence against people in Mahatma Gandhi’s name.

Ms. Patkar, representing the All India Rivers Forum and National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), has called for the immediate suspension of the proposed unveiling of the Detailed Project Plans for Phase-1 of Musi River Rejuvenation scheduled for March 13, to which she is one among the official invitees.

The present framework excludes the voices of the directly affected families, environmental experts and social activists, and in a democracy grounded in participatory governance, such omissions render the proceedings antithetical to true partnership, she mentioned.

Musi Riverfront Development is one among over 100 similar riverfront initiatives planned predominantly in states governed by BJP and its allies, many of which have raised profound social and environmental apprehensions, she said citing the example of Sabarmati project which received several directives and corrective measures from the Gujarat High Court.

Listing the history of the Musi project since the late 1990s, Ms. Patkar noted that it is likely to displace thousands of households while endangering heritage structures. Recent demolitions have already affected approximately 300 homes, with the provided alternative tenements falling short of residents’ needs and disrupting livelihoods.

Highlighting the exemption of social impact assessment for the project, she expressed concern that instead of repealing the amendment to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 by the previous government, the Congress government has invoked this very provision for the exemption.

Ms.Patkar also found problematic the piecemeal approach to the Detailed Project Report devoid of cumulative impact assessment, and said for a project of this scale, advancing without deliberations with the affected families and appropriate legal and clearance processes would inflict irreversible harm on the ecosystem and socio-economic fabric of the state.

She sought public release of detailed project plan for the entire project in English, Telugu and Urdu, with a minimum 60 day period fo submission of suggestions and objections. Detailed dialogue with the affected communities, public hearings in the affected areas, constitution of an independent committee for comprehensive review of the project from a river basin approach, immediate withdrawal of all land acquisition notices, and passage of a legislation in the Telangana State Assembly to repeal the amendments to the land acquisition legislation to restore it to its original form were other demands made by the activist.