MP govt indicates it won't budge despite Jal Satyagraha

Even as the 'Jal Satyagraha' -- activists standing in the river water -- in Khandwa district entered the seventh day today, Madhya Pradesh government indicated it would not budge on raising of water level of Omkareshwar dam on Narmada from 189 metres to 191 metres.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh said in a press statement that his government would not obstruct water supply to needy farmers on account of the "protest by a handful of people".
On the other hand, state convener of AAP and Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Alok Agrawal said the agitation will continue until the government rehabilitated those displaced due to the dam.

As many as 27 people are taking part in the agitation.
Chouhan said the state had given Rs 153 crore in aid to 6,329 families affected by the dam, and additional Rs 225 crore were sanctioned in 2012.
However, Agrawal said the state government was running a misinformation campaign about the rehabilitation. Some of the displaced families hadn't got land as per the Central government's scheme, while some others were fobbed off with barren lands, or the lands which had been encroached upon.
The state has defended the raising of water level saying it would enhance irrigation and power generation capacities and benefit the farmers.