Dam and Displacement: A socio-economic condition of Wang Marathwadi Dam, Satara, Maharashtra

ABSTRACT

The paper focuses on the Wang Marathwadi Project, an unresolved issue of resettlement and rehabilitation from the last 15 years, and problems the people face by this project. Displacement is a major problem across the world. Dams have been built for thousands of years – to manage floodwaters, to harness water as hydropower, to supply drinking water, to supply water for industry, to irrigate fields. The belief that dams, by increasing irrigation and hydroelectricity production, can cause development and reduced poverty led developing countries and international agencies such as the World Bank to undertake major investments in dam construction. The second side creates lots of destruction in society as well as hampers the ecosystem. Dams had displaced millions of people from their ancestral habitat, where they played and grew up, and got emotionally attached to, will undergo unbearable pain and mental agony when they have to permanently depart with their house, lands, culture, livelihoods, and the environment. This paper is based on qualitative and quantitative research methods. The data analysis deals with primary sources collected from the fields. The key finding is people suffering lots of problems and going to impoverish and suffering from unresettlement and un rehabilitation till now that hampering their socio-economic impact. The study narrates the horrific condition of affected people. This study deals with the issues of dam and displacement and their impact on the social and economic condition of the people affected by the project Wang Marathwada in the Satara district of Maharashtra.

KEYWORDS: Displacement, rehabilitation, resettlement

INTRODUCTION

Development must be redefined as an attack on the evil of the world today: malnutrition, disease, illiteracy, unemployment, and inequality. But measured in terms of jobs, justice, and the elimination of poverty, it has been a failure or only a partial success. Dams in recent history are considered as part of developmental projects. In the tenth century they

were a source of abundant water resources and energy for humankind. Throughout the whole world, a large number of people don’t have access to water, a large area of land lacks irrigation and most of the houses till today do not have electricity. Developmental projects of large dams are fulfilling all the things mentioned. The construction of large dams was seen as a symbol of development since it was considered having a multi-purpose utility like a collection of a large number of water resources in a particular area and distribution for various purposes; Hydroelectric production through dams provides one-quarter of the world’s electricity today. Dam building is viewed as a symbol of modernization and humanity’s ability to control and use nature’s resources.

Large water storage is found necessary for the society in response to the needs of the growing urban and industrial centers, energy generation, and also for agriculture production. Dams are useful in regional development such as regional job creation, fostering an industry, triggering of economic growth and change was typical of other large-scale public infrastructure projects.

Literature Review

Developmental projects such as Dams, Railways, Ports, and Industries played an important role in the socio-economic upliftment of humankind. Developmental projects take a huge amount of area to grow thus displacing a lot of people from their homes. After independence Nehru regime impoverished Indian Society by constructing big dams and heavy industries, calling it the ‘Modern Temple’ which would contribute to national growth. The main aim was development through distributive justice. Several projects started after Independence such as heavy Industries, power, and mining sector for creating productive resources. Dams and reservoirs were built for boosting agriculture and most of these projects started between the 1960s and 1970s for irrigation projects, some of them being: Hirakud Dam in Orissa; Koyna Dam in Maharashtra; Damodar Valley Project in Bihar now in Jharkhand,

Many other projects such as minor irrigation projects, mining, Defense also displaced thousands of people. Land Acquisition Act (LAA), 1894. LAA is a mechanism made by the Britishers that allows the government to acquire private land for a public purpose by a government agency from individual landowners. After independence, most of the development projects acquired land from private landowners through this Act. According to the act, the term ‘public purpose’ cannot be challenged by the community or person.

Indigenous people or the Tribals are the most vulnerable and have suffered the most due to such kinds of displacement. The sources of livelihood, fodder, fuel, fiber are all closely links to the forests and also several activities including fishing, hunting, gathering, and shifting cultivation. It is very difficult to sustain and convert their forest economy to a non-forest economy.

The gender aspect is an important way of understanding the impact of involuntary displacement. It is not just related to losses in goods and services but also important in altering the lives of people and the social fabric.

Draft of LARR bill defines “public purpose” Land for strategic purpose relating to armed forces of the Union, National security or defense, police, the safety of the people; Land for railways, Highways. Ports, Power, and irrigation purposes for use by Government and public sector companies or corporations; Land for the project affected people; Land for planned development or improvement of the village or urban sites or residential purpose to weaker sections in rural or urban areas; Land for Government administrated educational, agricultural, health and research schemes or institutions; Land for persons residing in areas affected by natural calamities; Land for private companies for the production of public goods or provision of public services; land PPP projects, public sector companies.

In R&R policy there is a provision for BPL families to get one-time financial assistance equivalent to 625 days of the minimum agricultural wages. BPL families are generally landless, casual laborers, sharecroppers, and sometimes asset-less. In case of displacement of a family getting monthly subsistence allowance equivalent to 20 days of minimum agriculture wages per month for a period of one year up to 250 days of minimum agriculture wage. An estimate of minimum agriculture wage at the rate of 86.62 per day would add up to Rs 37,500 or Rs 15,000 depending on the category to which they belong.

Displacement violates economic and social rights, political rights, loss of one’s political voice. Displacement carries not only the risk of human rights violations but also it is the risk of communal violence when new settlers move in amongst existing populations. Balakrishnan Rajagopala (from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology) pointed out 5 kinds of ‘Human rights Challenges’

Research Methodology

The research aims to study the socio-economic impact and changes of livelihood and the resettlement and rehabilitation issues of affected people in Wang Marathwadi Dam Research is an explanatory base. The objectives are to assess the socio-economic impact of the dam in the study of the two villages of the Wang Marathwadi dam in the submergence area and To evaluate resettlement and rehabilitation issues and the problem of the affected population and recommend improvement. For the study, the research area was the Satara district of Maharashtra state which is famous for the Koyna dam. In the Satara district, Mendh and Kekatwadi were the study area.

The methodology is adopted for the study of mixed research. Mixed methods deal with both types of collection of data is quantitative and qualitative. These two methods i.e. qualitative and quantitative are useful to answer a broad and more complex range of research questions. The questionnaire used both types of methods such as qualitative and quantitative. The questionnaire was made based on both open and close-ended.

Primary data in the form of a questionnaire was developed based on seeking information on displacement, livelihood, income, occupations, and compensation. The compensation condition formed based on criteria resettlement issues, rehabilitation issues, civil amenities, the land quality given in the compensation, rehabilitation policy of authority. The research was adopted to understand the situation of how social and economic life of the affected people have been due to displacement of dam construction.

There are 40 semi-interviews were conducted with individuals in the village of Mende and Kekatwadi. There were old age people, women, and a few youth members. Old age people and women are more in number in the village because most of the youth migrated to Mumbai and other important cities in Maharashtra for their livelihood. These people understand the intensity of dam-induced displacement and socio-economic impacts.

The secondary data have been collected from NGO Kruti Samiti members (NAPM led). NGO provided vital information about the Dam project details, the process of displacement, rehabilitation issues. Data were collected through various newspapers, journals, and articles also. The sampling method is snowball sampling. First collected information NGO name Kruti Samiti working on dam displacement issue for a referral. Find initial respondents with the help of Kruti Samiti and ask for others interested in giving information. A maximum of 40 households have been taken of two selected village names, Mendh, and Kekatwadi. The sample is included the household and individual data. 20-20 samples in each household. All respondents who come under either have less land or a landless group. The interview conducted was informed us it was aimed to have all relevant information from the individuals, which include the women, old age people, students, and the government officials. Unstructured interviews do not follow a system of pre-determined questions. The interview is allowed to have a wide range of freedom to ask any question whether it is related to the topic or not related. This type of interview creates a sense of comfortableness between the interviewer and the interview.

DATA ANALYSIS

The study consists of the frequency and percentage of family strength, education status, their livelihood practices of displacing people and discusses the rehabilitation centers and the facilities provided by it.

Family Size                                                

Table 1: No. of members in a family

This table category the families with their size (no. of persons in a family). It is found 31 (77.5%) of family size is between 1-5 members. In the process of displacement, there are cases where families got separated. In the case of widows, women without children, or abandonment are found to live alone.

Another set of the groups is families having between 6 – 10 members. From this study it is analyzed, 15% comes under this category.  Here 1-2 generation people live together.  The next category is 5% of families consisting of 11-15 members, which is termed as a large family. And in one case, it is found one family has about 20 members. And it is also informed that there are few as such cases in other villages. Hence it is assumed to have 2.5 %.

Education Status of Head of the Household

Table2: Education status of HOH

The education status of the HOH of the respondent’s family is very important because that shows how far they are aware of understanding government schemes, market information, banking, compensation details, and other alternative livelihood opportunities, etc. A spate interview is conducted on the education of HOH.

Out of 40 interviewed, it is understood 25, (62.5%) are illiterate, 12(30%) completed their primary education. About, 7.5% passed SSC and none of them completed graduation. passed and none of them is graduate. With this data, it is understood there is a high rate of illiteracy due to a lack of educational infrastructure.

Age of the respondents

Table 3: Age groups of respondents

The above-given table shows that there is a high number of either young people or the middle age group. Out of 40 individuals, five respondents occupying 5%, were from the age group of 20-30. Ten (25%) of them are between the age group of 31-40. A maximum of 21 (52.5%) respondents are from the age group of 40-51. And none of them are above 61 years of age.  This shows that there are most experienced people in the community.

 Category Groups

Table 4: category groups

Mainly two category groups are living in both villages- General, and other  OBC. General category people are the one who dominates in both the villages, they have political power, a well-established physical property, and OBCs are mostly backward.  There is an equal share of 20 (50%) population coming under OBC and general category. In resistance against the project (dam construction) it is seen that a large group of general category people is involved.  Because they are the one who loses their land and also as per the R&R policy, these groups do not get any compensation.

Livelihood

Table 5: Livelihood mapping

After the project, these were the livelihoods of displaced people. Till now 42% of people depend on agriculture. Though agricultural lands were taken away, they still cultivate in those lands.  About 5% of the population do private jobs, during the process of displacement, there were many cases where people got migrated to Mumbai in search of their bread.   Wage laborers constitute 22.5%, they are landless poor and work in other’s lands.

Before displacement agriculture was the single largest option of livelihood, people used to rarely shift to Mumbai for private jobs. But after displacement, most of the youth people shifted to Mumbai and settled as construction workers. Aged people continue to stay in villages by protecting their ancestral homes and few agriculture activities.

Job Cards

Table 6: Job cards

Among the interviewed, none of them have job cards. There is a lack of government’s provision of wage employment schemes.

Resettlement and Rehabilitation

This Section deals with Rehabilitation and Resettlement packages and provisions.

Rehabilitation village

Table 7: Rehabilitation villages/centers

These are the rehabilitation centers for displaced families. To date, 4 places are selected for rehabilitation. Many are voluntarily moved to the Sangali district of Maharashtra. Sangali is approx. 80 Km away from Satara. Many shifted to Sangali because thinking that the waters of the wang Marathwada dam provide irrigation facilities. About 45% of displaced people shifted to Shivaji Nagar Sangali. Only 5% of people were rehabilitated within a 10 KM radius of the project.      

Compensation of Land-based on Family size

Table 8: compensation of land

This Table describes details of land compensation given according to family size. According to R&R policy, there is a provision to provide land compensation based on family size and for the amount of land they lost in submergence. 

It is claimed that landless people, having a family size of 1-5 didn’t get any type of compensation for home till now. Those who are having between 1-5 members in a family, among them, 7 households got 185 ghunta and 16 households got 370 Ghunta. There is a provision to provide a minimum of 370 ghanta as compensation of home to every household. With a family size of 6-10 members, 1 household got 185 ghunta, 3 households got 370 ghunta, 1 household got 570 Ghunta, and 1 household got 740 Ghunta as a compensation package.

Compensation of Agriculture Land

Table 9: Compensation  on agricultural land

This table describes according to the R&R policy, how much land has been compensated to displaced people. Around 70% of households were compensated with 0-2.5 acres of land. Whereas 2.5 to 5 acres of land was awarded to 5% of households.

Here the quality of agricultural land compensated is a major problem, it is seen that most of the land is barren and cannot afford the cultivation of crops. With this constraint, 15% of households didn’t accept agricultural land and still demand good quality agricultural land. Out of 40, 6 households didn’t get any such kind of agricultural land.

The government has promised to provide 1-2 acres of land pattas for the landless. But till now it is not implemented. Hence they are the one who ends up in acute poverty, the most vulnerable group among PDFs. these landless people are usually wage laborers.

Individuals are allowed to visit their new homes

Table 10: No of individuals given opportunity to visit their rehabilitation centers

60% of households selected their rehabilitation centers according to their choices. The government set a place for resettlement to these PAPs in Sangali district which is 80 K.M from Satara. The facilities of these R&R centers are provided based on “ first come and first serve”. So, most of the people got adjusted to whatever they provided.  Apart from 60%, 22.5% of households didn’t get an opportunity to visit their new homes. 

Individuals are allowed to visit their compensated agricultural land

Table 11: No of individuals given opportunity to visit their compensated agricultural land

Here 70% of households didn’t see agricultural land before the resettlement. Land which is given for compensation is not suitable for agriculture. As claimed, the land is rocky and also lacks a water facility. Out of 40, 4(10%) households have seen the land and selected good quality land. Moreover, till now  8(20%) households did not get any of such kind of land.

Before providing compensation for agricultural land, it is informed by the R&R department that the land is given based on first-come, first serves. Those who first forwarded their recommendation got good quality of land and agreed to resettle. 10% of households come under this category.

Distance of Agriculture Land from Rehabilitated land

Table 12: Distance of Agriculture Land from Rehabilitated home

It is clearly understood that agricultural lands are away from R&R centers. PDFs claim that their lands are away from home and as there is no proper road facility, it takes a lot of time to reach the farm. 57.5% of households said that their agricultural land is far away from 1 to 5 km. 9 households (22.5%) got cultivable land which is far away from 5-10 km.

Transfer  of legal document

Table 13: No of individuals having legal notifications/ documents for compensations

Till now, only 25% of people have legal notifications and documents of the project, and the remaining 75% do not. It is informed, even though they are compensated, there are no proper legal documents with all the details mentioned clearly.

Compensation of crop loss

Table 14: No of individuals got compensation for crop loss

82.5% of farmers did not get the compensation for loss of crops in submergence  17.5%  being landless they didn’t get any compensation.

Mendh and Kekatwadi have a rich source of agriculture, other than that over a year sugarcane, wheat, groundnut, etc are also major crops. Project implementation first started in the sugarcane field, till now sugarcane farmers are not yet compensated. 

Awareness about R&R project

It gives a brief idea, out of 40 – how many are aware of the project before its implementation.

Table 15: No of individuals aware of the project before its implementation

Awareness about R&R policy before displacement – 5 (12.5%) respondents knew the R&R policy of the government authority.  35 (87.5%) respondents said that they did not have any information about R&R policy. This clearly shows that there is a lack of awareness about policies and displacement processes.

The information relating to the project and compensations were verbally informed to these villagers. But according to the policy, before 6 months of displacement, the notifications have to be given to gram sabha by the R&R department and should be informed in the regional newspaper. It is sad to put forth that, from 15 years of implementation of the project, none of these activities has been performed.

Poverty

Table 22: poverty line

The above table shows the category of households based on poverty. 16 (40%) respondents said they come under APL whereas 24 (60%) respondents said they belong to BPL. They are getting proper quality grains from PDS shops.

Suggestions

⦿ The partially constructed dam can be stopped right now and it could be shifted into the deep of the hills where two small check dams can be constructed instead of this big dam.

⦿ If the construction of the dam is so necessary for this area then first the entire rehabilitation should be done.

⦿ The demands of the people should be reconsidered in terms of compensation for the loss of food grains.

⦿ If the dam is constructed in the proposed area then the rehabilitation can be done in the foothill of that same area where there are plenty of places for housing and as well as for agriculture and here there will not be any effect of dam come to existences.

⦿ The compensation money which was given to the villagers for R&R and as well as house building in 10 to 12 years ago and as the process is stagnant so, that amount should be reconsidered in terms of the present market prices.

⦿ For those people who are ready to shift to the new area, all the civil amenities need to be taken care of by the authority.

⦿ The social acceptance with the people who are rehabilitating and those who are living in that area from the past need to be taken care of. There should be some formal sitting with all of them in presence of state authority is necessary.

⦿ Until and unless the rehabilitation is not taking place the panchayat or block-level help needs to be there for the people who are staying in those areas.

⦿ The state government should ensure the minimum suffering of the people and they should be shifted to a place which is near to their present area and where the agricultural land is the same in terms of its quality and quantity.

⦿ In the path of R&R, the joined family should be placed in the same area as it has been observed here that with the process of R&R two brothers or any joined family is being placed in separate areas or in separate villages which is not acceptable at all.

⦿ The whole process of R&R needs to be executed with the participation of the affected people and with their consent.

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