Maharashtra
,
Atit
,
Satara
Published :
Sep 2016
|
Updated :
25 Years on, Urmodi Dam Outsees in Maharashtra Continue Fight for Rehabilitation
Reported by
Prerna Chaurashe
Legal Review by
Anmol Gupta
Edited by
Anupa Kujur
Households affected
16972
People affected
2015
Year started
1528
Land area affected
Households affected
16972
People Affected
2015
Year started
1528
Land area affected
Key Insights
Sector
Infrastructure
Reason/Cause of conflict
Irrigation Dam
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Rural
Ended
Sector
Infrastructure
Reason/Cause of conflict
Irrigation Dam
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Rural
Ended
1
Summary

The Maharashtra government had sanctioned the Urmodi Irrigation Dam near Parali village in Satara district. The decision was approved by state government in 1981. For the project, land measuring 1,528 hectares from 23 villages was estimated to be affected. In 1994, the capacity of the dam was increased and nine more villages were included in the affected zone, taking the total number of estimated affected people to 3,898 families. Over the years, the state government has ignored the rehabilitation of the displaced farmers from the 23 villages. A 2013 academic study by Sapkale and Suryavanshi on the displaced people found that athough 70 per cent of the affected households were rehabilitated, their other demands, such as agricultural facilities, were disregarded. Moreover, most of the rehabilitated farmers were given noncultivable and barren land as a replacement to their fertile land. In 2015, the plight of rehabilitation of the displaced families gained limelight when members of Parliament asked the minister of water resources about the assessment of families affected by various irrigation projects in India and the number of people who are yet to be rehabilitated. In response, the minister answered with a spreadsheet of people displaced. Maharashtra topped the list, with 7,13,136 displaced people. In an outrage over this data, the projectaffected people started a protest march in Sangli, Satara and Kolhapur districts in August 2015 and also sent a memorandum to Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis. The protests were led by the Shramik Mukti Dal, an organisation fighting for the rights of displaced people. In 2016, the state government decided to reconstitute the Maharashtra State Rehabilitation Authority to address the rehabilitation of at least 30 lakh people displaced in the state. In a local report ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election, it was reported that many people were rehabilitated in Man and Khatav tehsils, which is a famineaffected region. The villagers continue to demand fertile land.

2
Fact Sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for rehabilitation

Demand for promised land

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Region Classification

Rural

Type of Land

Private

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

Total investment involved (in Crores):

19

Type of investment:

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

4
Additional Information

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

Satara district administration, Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation

PSUs Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?

No

Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached

Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

Shramik Mukti Dal

5
Information on the use of criminal law

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Legal Supporting Documents

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Author
Reported by
Prerna Chaurashe


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Fact sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for rehabilitation

Demand for promised land

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

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