Gandhinagar: Opposition Congress party today organized a rally of tribals in State capital Gandhinagar based ground, protesting proposed Pat – Tapi – Narmada river linking project. The party leaders in their speeches claimed that the government wanted to snatch their land in garb of this project. Opposition Congress is already leading an agitation over the same issue in the tribal pockets of Southern Gujarat for last few days. As the State assembly session is underway, the party organized a public meeting in Gandhinagar and later attempted to hold a march to State assembly which was not permitted.

Meanwhile the State minister of Tribal Development department, Naresh Patel told media persons that Par – Tapi – Narmada river linking project was conceived during the Congress government. He said the BJP government in Gujarat has decided to not to go ahead with any project that may create problems for tribals. He said the State government has just proposed Rs. 500 crore check dam construction works in the span of next five years so that river waters flowing to sea can be stopped and conserve. He gave example of the hilly district of the Dangs, where water shortage can be addressed only if check dams are built and rain water flowing to sea is conserved sufficiently.

Congress party has started agitation over proposed river linking project which is nowhere in sight on the ground as there’s no mutual agreement between Gujarat and Maharshtra. Both States had signed MoU, several years ago but lately differences had emerged over water sharing. Union Finance Minister had in her last budget speech stated, ‘Draft DPRs of five river links, namely Damanganga-Pinjal, Par-Tapi- Narmada, Godavari-Krishna, Krishna-Pennar and Pennar-Cauvery have been 7 finalized. Once a consensus is reached among the beneficiary states, the Centre will provide support for implementation.’ This announcement was interpreted by local newspapers and opposition Congress party as signal of start of the project works. As Congress high-command has directed party’s State unit to fill the surface of the State with multiple agitation, Congress has started agitation over this. While Congress is claiming that lot of tribal area will get submerged and land will be acquired for the project, the fact is , there’s no agreement over water sharing issue between Gujarat and Maharashtra and therefore the project is nowhere appears near to materialization anytime soon. DeshGujarat