LETTER TO THE WORLD BANK FROM ORISSA KRUSHAK MAHASANGH PRESIDENT

Letter to the World Bank from Orissa Krushak Mahasangh President, Banka Behary Das Expressing Great Discontent of Displace Persons of Indravati Project On March 15, 1992. To, Resident Dirictor, World Bank Mission 55, Lodi Estate, New Delhi, 110 003 Dear Sir, You have been funding the Indravati Multipurpose Project of Orissa, When thirty thousand tribals of Koraput district, the most backward tribal district of Orissa, are being displaced, it is every body’s concern and you cannot escape the responsibility. The Global Institutions including U.V.O. is committed to the problem of the displaced, who become refugee in their own homeland. But I am sorry to state that though cost of rehabilitation is a part of project expenditure, whether you are funding directly or not, no rehabilitation work has been done. After paying a paltry sum of compensation, the displaced tribals are being forced to vacate their hearth and home alongwith their agricultural land. No colony has been established for them, not has any facility been provided. A small are which was cle3aned for another project and the displaced persons there did not accept it is being shown as an area allotted for Indravati Project by them. It is far off and also does not suit to the living style and needs of the tribals. If rehabilitation programme is drawn up in comsultation with tribal leaders of the area and also the voluntary activists who are functioning with them. It may be possible to prepare such programme compensation is no substitute for rehabilitation. Alleviation of human misery should be the sine qua non of any rehabilitation programme. I am not going into details of matter as Government has not published their rehabilitation measurers for the informing of the public. People only know that when last year World Bank suspended payment of the loan, one of the reason stated was improper rehabilitation policy. Many villages which will be submerged in the reservoir have not been listed and many villages where agricultural land will be submerged rendering the inhabitants pauper are not being considered for rehabilitation. As President of the Orissa Krushak Mahasangh, I have toured a portion of that area and talked to thousands of displaced persons also. I feel the entire approach is faulty in human and smacks of heartlessness. I felt duty bound to inform you and am sending a copy of this letter to the state government also for their information. I am afraid the deteriorating situation may hamper the progress of the work, which is not desirable nor healthy. In fact since April, 3 last, progress of work has been greatly hampered due to intense agitation of displaced persons. I hope the World Bank officials and the State Government representatives will draw a proper rehabilitation programme, inform the displaced persons to get their cooperation and implement them faithfully before the dams are completed. Yours sincerely, BANKA BEHARY DAS PRESIDENT, ORISSA KRUSHAK MAHASANGH & FORMER REVENUE MINISTER. REPLY OF THE WORLD BANK TO ORISSA KRUSHAK MAHASANGH PRESIDENT SHRI BANKA BEHARY DAS. THE WORLD BANK,International Bank for Reconstruction & Devlopment. Resident Mission In India 55, Lodi Estat NEW DELHI – 110003. INDIA MAY 4th, 1992 Mr. B.B. Das President Orissa Krushak Mahasangh 14, Ashoknagar, Bhubaneswar – 9 Dear Mr. Das, Thank you for your letter and for sharing your concerns on the displacement of tribals in Orissa. Please be assured that this is an issue of which the Bank has been taking serious note and we share your concerns. The Bank is working closely with the Government of Orissa to ensure that the resettlement aspects of the project are properly taken care of. We are coping your letter to our specialists at headquarters to ensure that their views are considered by future supervision missions. We appreciate your interest in writing to the Bank, With best wishes. Yours sincerely MLA NANDA BISSELL Information Officer.