Medha Patkar

An Indian Environmentalist

1. MEDHA PATKAR
An Indian Environmentalist

2. ABOUT HER
Born to socially active parents on 1 December 1954
Indian social activist and social reformer turned
politician
Founder member of Narmada BachaoAndolan
National Convener of National alliance of people’s
Movement
Representative to the World Commission on Dams

3. NarmadaValleyDevelopmentProjectwasproposedin1979
In1979theNVDP—whichproposedtheconstructionofthousandsofdams
ontheNarmadaanditstributaries—wasgrantedapproval.
In1985Patkarvisitedvillagesthatweresupposedtobeaffected
intheNarmadavalleythatweretobesubmergedafterthecompletionof
theSardarSarovarDaminsoutheasternGujarat,oneofthelargestofthe
plannedprojects.
Thereshebecameawareofinsufficientknowledgegiventothe
villagersbythelocalgovernmentofficials.Narmada Valley Development Project
(NVDP)

4. Herstrugglebegan
withthedemandof
informationaboutthe
developmentplansof
theNarmadaValley.

5. Thequestionbecamethemovement!!
”How can the government
make plans to bulldoze a
culture, a way of life
steeped in history without
consulting the people who
would be affected??”
she asked

6. “Iamnotanti-technology,Iamallforit:beautiful,
harmonious,equitable,sustainable,egalitarian,non-
destructivetechnology,notthisgigantictechnologywhich
isdestroyingthousandsofhomes,hearts,habitats,
ecology,geography,history,andfinally,benefitingsofew,
andatsuchgreatcost.”

7. In1985sheandhersupportersorganizedmarchesandprotests
againstthelocalgovernmententitythatwasseekingfinancialgrantsfromthe
WorldBankfortheSardarSarovarproject.
PatkarestablishedtheNarmadaBachaoAndolan
NBA’smajoraimwastoprovideprojectinformationtotheconcerned
residents.
Helpforthosepeoplewhobecamehomelessandwithoutlivelihoods
ThroughtheNBA,Patkarsoughthelpforthosewhowereaffectedbecauseof
theconstructionoftheSardarSarovarandotherlargedamsalongthe
Narmada.
STRUGGLE

8. Since 1985,
Shemobilizedmassive
peacefulmarchesand
ralliesagainsttheproject
thoughrepeatedlybeaten
andarrestedbythepolice.
Joinedthetribalsin
resistingevacuationand
resigningthemselvesto
drownintherisingwaters.
Workedtoobtainjust
compensation for
peopleaffectedby
damswhichhave
alreadybeenbuilton
theNarmadaaswell
asopposingother
damsintheNarmada
Valley.

9. In1990Patkarleda
marchwithNBA
membersandsome
3,000 people
displacedbydam
projects from
northern Madhya
Pradeshtowardthe
SardarSarovardam
site,buttheywere
stoppedatthe
Gujaratborderby
policeandpro-dam
activists.

10. However, after further protest and opposition,
including hunger strikes, Patkar and the NBA
achieved a breakthrough in 1993 when the World
Bank withdrew from the project.FINALLY

11. And finally…
The actual people displaced

12. According to the Government, the
Sardar Sarovar Project, when
completed had affected approximately
245 40,000
villages families
in 3 STATES

13. As an outgrowth of her work to stop dam construction, helped
establish a network of activists across the country-
THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF
PEOPLE’S MOVEMENTS

14. Received numerous awards:
Deena Nath Mangeshkar Award
Mahatma Phule Award
Goldman Environment Prize
Green Ribbon Award for Best International Political Campaigner
by BBC
Human Rights Defender’s Award from Amnesty International

15. Thank You