| The proposed Upper Tapi Stage II on the
Tapi river in Maharashtra's Vidarbh region envisages the construction
of a 67.5 m. high, 10 km. long dam across the river Tapi. The
project will submerge 5,836 ha. of forest land. The project
will cost an estimated Rs. 907 crores. 244 ha. of the Melghat
Tiger Reserve is also in the stated submergence area. This project
will sever important wildlife corridors in the Satpura range,
which is probably the world's largest contiguous tiger habitat.
As with most large dams there will be large-scale displacement
of predominantly tribal people, with 72 villages (a population
of 54,132 according to the 1991 census) to be either partially
or completely submerged. The land that will be lost is also
some of the most fertile in the Vidarbh region. The Ukai dam
built further downstream is already heavily silted up and
is performing far below projections. There is no reason to
believe that a similar fate will not also befall Upper Tapi.
Contact:
Kishor Rithe,
"Pratishtha", Bharat Nagar,
Akoli Road, Near Sainagar,
Amravati. - 444605.
Maharashtra.
Tel.: 0721-510359.
E-mail: ncsa@bom3.vsnl.net.in and kishorrithe@yahoo.com
Ashish Fernandes,
Sanctuary Asia,
602, Maker Chambers V,
Nariman Point,
Mumbai 400 021.
Tel: 2830081/61
Fax: 287 4380
E-mail: sanctuary@vsnl.com
For more information, also see campaign
|
