The Congress has questioned the excess water from the Sardar Sarovar dam that was released into the Narmada River on September 17 instead of doing it in phases. The party, calling it a man-made disaster, demanded that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe the flood-like situation in three districts in Gujarat.
The BJP has countered the charges saying that the unexpected influx of water into the dam within 36 hours compelled the authorities to release 18 lakh cusecs of water downstream.
The Congress pointed out that the released water caused enormous damage to properties, including shopkeepers, fishermen, residents and farmers, living near the banks of the river in Narmada, Bharuch, and Vadodara districts.
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According to a report, Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil and their legislative party leader in the assembly, Amit Chavda, sought the intervention of Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat on the issue.
The opposition party has demanded that an SIT, headed by a retired High Court judge, investigate the matter and punish officials responsible for it.
The report has claimed that the Congress, through its memorandum, has alleged that the dam authorities intentionally held back water to ensure it filled up on September 17.
Further, it claimed that the ruling party released an excessive amount of 18 lakh cusecs of water downstream of the river by opening the gates soon after Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel reached the site on September 17 morning to celebrate the occasion of the dam’s achieving capacity and wish PM Narendra Modi on his birthday.
The ruling party, the Congress asserted, violated the laws in the dam’s operations. The Congress has said that measures recommended by the World Bank, Morse Commission, and researchers of the Vadodara-based MS University be implemented to prevent Act II of this situation.
Additionally, the party demanded that cattle-rearers, shopkeepers, farmers, and afflicted families be declared as impacted people, which makes them eligible for relief packages like Project Affection Persons (PAPs).
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