Osa Archivum Catalog

Dammed

Summary: The residents of Ghogal Village in the oustees of the Onkaershwar Dam- in Madhya Pradesh, India, started to protest when their lands were submerged as the level of water started rising in the catchment area of a dam that the government started to build without their autorization. In protest, the villagers and the activists of Narmada Bachao Andolan, submerged themselves in water on their submerged lands. For 16 days, constant exposure to water started wilting their flesh but they chose this silent fight against injustice being meted out to them. Finally, on the 17th day, victory was in sight as the state government moved and paid heed to them. The water in the area was eventually lowered and proper rehabilitation promised as and when their fertile lands will be finally submerged or the sake of the dam. A conservative estimate of the number of Indians forced from their homes by large dams since Independence is 11 million, another 4 million having been displaced by mines, industrial developments, and wildlife sanctuaries. Some authorities put the figure at 20 million or more. Three-quarters of these people were not "rehabilitated" - bureaucratese for returned to their previous standard of living. As a result, millions of poor but self-sufficient peasants have ended up as beggars in the slums of the nearest big city.

Item Type	Current Location	Call Number	Status	Shelving Location	Public Note
DVD-ROM	OSA Film Library	FL Record 3584	Available	-	-
Digital film	OSA Film Library	FL Record 3584 (HU_OSA_00005257.mp4)	Available		Access Copy, MP4 format