The Narmada Bachao Movement: An In-Depth Look at the Struggle

Narmada Bachao Movement (February 1985 – Present)

The 1985-founded Narmada Bachao Andolan, or “Save the Narmada Movement,” is a social movement. The Narmada Bachao Andolan year saw several people coming together in protests. It was one of India’s most prominent nonviolent movements after independence.

The Narmada Bachao Movement protested large hydroelectric projects on the Narmada River, which flows through Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. Keep reading to know more about what Narmada Bachao Movement.

Background of the Narmada Bachao Movement

As part of the Narmada Valley Development Project, the Indian government constructed 30 large, 135 medium, and 3,000 small dams across the Narmada River and its tributaries in 1979. The ambitious project aimed to produce hydroelectric power, drinking water, and river irrigation.

Nonetheless, the project would submerge 37,000 hectares of pristine forests and agricultural land, displacing over 200,000 people, including tribal communities in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat 

What is Narmada Bachao Andolan?

The Narmada Bachao Andolan year of 1985 was when Medha Patkar and her colleagues protested against the building of the Narmada dam. She, along with the dam-affected tribal groups, founded the NBA movement. Before construction, the NBA demanded fair compensation, displaced people rehabilitation, and cost-benefit analysis and clearance.

The Narmada Bachao movement involved tribal groups and garnered national and international attention. The Narmada valley in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat saw decades of protests. Although the NBA stopped controlled dam construction, uncontrolled development continues even today.

Community Leadership

Farmers, environmentalists, tribal leaders, and human rights activists led the movement. Baba Amte and Medha Patkar led the NBA. The projects would displace many tribal communities and rural residents without rehabilitation plans, they said. Large-scale damming could disrupt the region’s delicate ecology.

Area and Location

The movement primarily occurred in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat’s Narmada river valley. The agitation was centered in Madhya Pradesh’s hilly tribal areas, where indigenous communities were most affected.

Duration

Since Narmada Bachao Andolan’s year, environmental concerns and displacement have been the movement’s driving forces. Different forms of the movement continued over time. NBA priority Sardar Sarovar Dam construction resumed in 1999 after protests and controversies. The dam was completed and officially inaugurated in 2017. The NBA has not officially ended the movement, which peaked in the late 1980s and 1990s.

Narmada River: Lifeline of Central India

The Narmada River, carving its path westward across the Indian peninsula, is the longest river flowing in that direction. It nourishes the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and even brushes the borders of Rajasthan.

Flowing for 1,312 kilometers, the Narmada’s journey is a tapestry of diverse landscapes. It winds through rocky gorges, fertile agricultural plains, and dense forests before meeting its destiny in the Arabian Sea.

Encompassed on three sides by the Maikal, Vindhya, and Satpura mountain ranges, the Narmada collects the waters of 41 tributaries before emptying into the Arabian Sea. These tributaries form a vital river system that sustains the region.

The Narmada River is not just a geographical wonder; it’s the lifeblood of the surrounding region. Over 81% of the area is rural, with tribal communities like the Baigas, Gonds, and Bhils depending on the river for their agricultural livelihoods. It’s a testament to the deep connection between the Narmada and the people who call its valley home.

Feature	Details
Length	1,312 kilometers
Direction	Flows westward across the Indian peninsula
States Nourished	Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and borders of Rajasthan
End Point	Arabian Sea
Geographical Highlights	Rocky gorges, fertile agricultural plains, dense forests
Surrounding Mountain Ranges	Maikal, Vindhya, and Satpura ranges
Number of Tributaries	41 tributaries
Significance	Lifeblood for rural and tribal communities (Baigas, Gonds, Bhils) in the region
Percentage of Rural Area	Over 81%
Primary Use	Agricultural livelihoods for surrounding communities

What is Narmada Bachao Andolan?

The NBA means “Save Narmada Movement” in English. The Narmada bachao andolan date is 1985 under the nonviolent leadership of activist Medha Patkar and tribal communities.

The movement began as a protest against central Indian authorities building large Narmada dams. The ambitious river valley development project in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra sought to build over 3,000 dams of various sizes across the Narmada and its tributaries.

The construction of dams was justified for irrigation, drinking water, and hydropower, but dams’ massive ecological and social costs were ignored. The displacement of hundreds of thousands of indigenous tribal people whose lands and livelihoods would be submerged by reservoir waters

Medha Patkar rallied Narmada natives to demand fair rehabilitation, compensation, and redress before building dams that would uproot their lives after seeing human suffering in her investigations.

The Narmada Bachao movement’s rallies, hunger strikes, marches, and protests demanded cost-benefit analyses of social, environmental, and commercial impacts. They defended the rights of marginalized tribal communities with no say in development policies.

Nearly four decades of peaceful activism in the Narmada Valley have exposed uncontrolled river development and forced dam building and rehabilitation policies to be held accountable. Indigenous tribal leaders continue to fight for human rights and ecology.

Who Started Narmada Bachao Andolan?

Medha Patkar and dam-affected tribal peoples led Narmada Bachao Andolan in 1985.

Medha Patkar visited the Narmada Valley in 1985 to study the social impact of dam projects on indigenous residents. She conducted extensive grassroots research and door-to-door surveys to document local issues. Her investigations revealed that tribal communities were unaware of the plans, and their displacement concerns were ignored.

These findings and the scale of human suffering they would cause prompted Patkar to help the Narmada natives. She founded Narmada Bachao Andolan with tribal people to advocate for fair rehabilitation of displaced people and government accountability.

Highlight of Issues

In this section, we will learn more on what is Narmada Bachao Andolan and the essential highlights of the issue. The Narmada Bachao movement raised several issues with government dam construction plans:

• 200,000 residents displacement, and severe farmer and tribe livelihood loss.
• Preserved forests, ecosystems, and biodiversity submerged in reservoir waters.
• Dam costs, benefits, and rehabilitation are opaque.
• Corruption, human rights abuses, and police repression of protesters.
• A cost-benefit analysis should consider environmental impacts.
• Not consulting indigenous communities and addressing their complaints.

Who Led Narmada Bachao Andolan?

Narmada bachao andolan was led by native Narmada valley tribes—Bhilala, Bhil, Bhil, and Adivasis— after being displaced by the planned dams and reservoirs.

Name	Description
Baba Amte	Famous social activist who founded the Anandwan community for disabled people. He was vital to the NBA movement.
Lal Bihari Mukati	Madhya Pradesh farmer leader affected by Maheshwar dam. He helped boost local participation.
Mohan Bhai	Led the struggle against the Bargi dam, participating in hunger strikes and rallies.
Yogini Bai	Tribal woman activist who led local women in Man Dam protests.
Urmila Devi	Tribal leader of Indira Sagar dam protests.
Kamla Devi	Local Adivasi woman who led the Omkareshwar dam fight.

Long-term activism by these grassroots leaders rallied affected communities and challenged indifferent authorities.

Narmada Bachao Andolan Date and Year

The Narmada bachao andolan started in 1985. The movement went on for four decades, starting from 1985. Major NBA protests, marches, and civil disobedience campaigns occurred in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, and throughout the 2000s.

Some key events include:

• 1989: NBA activists clashed with police during the first anti-dam rally at Harsud, involving 20,000 tribes.
• 1990: A significant march in Harsud against land acquisition for dams marked growing momentum.
• 1991: Patkar led a protest march of 6,000 people against the Tawa dam in Chhota Barda.
• 1993: 56-day hunger strike by Patkar and activists against raising dam height.
• 2002: Protesters achieve a stop work order for Maheshwar dam from the Ministry.

The Narmada Bachao movement stopped or delayed dam projects and rehabilitated displaced families. However, new dam plans keep the fight going. 

The Narmada Bachao movement highlights indigenous communities’ sacrifices to protect local ecology and way of life from government-backed commercial interests. India’s iconic environmental and human rights movement continues. 

What is the Impact of the Save Narmada Movement?

The Save Narmada movement raised awareness of displacement and human rights issues surrounding large dam projects. The critical effects and outcomes include:

• Increased Visibility of Tribal Rights Issues
• The NBA movement raised awareness of indigenous tribes’ land rights violations by development projects.
• It showed how tribals were not consulted, compensated, or rehabilitated after displacement. The activism forced the government and companies to face this.

Environmental Activism Growth

Medha Patkar and tribal activists’ long fight inspired grassroots environmental activism across India. It demonstrated how nonviolent resistance could challenge powerful commercial interests through people’s power. This improved local participation in ecological and livelihood development.

Policy Discourse on Dams

Due to their high social and ecological costs, NBA advocacy sparked policy debates on whether large dams were the best solution. Net benefits trumped aspirational development goals in decision-making. Cost-benefit analyses and rehabilitation policies were discussed.

Legal Victories

Public interest litigations challenging dam construction helped the Narmada Bachao Andolan win some critical cases. This included orders to stop work, rehabilitate displaced people, gradually raise dam heights, and improve family entitlements.

Height Reduction for Sardar Sarovar Dam 

After Patkar’s hunger strike, the NBA convinced authorities to lower the Sardar Sarovar dam’s height from 152 to 138 meters, a significant victory. This significantly reduced submersion, saving downstream villages.

Delayed Projects and Budget Overruns

The decades-long protests delayed and disrupted dam projects. Frequent stalling caused project budget and time overruns. Some were halted halfway, resulting in suboptimal outcomes.

Forced Accountability and Transparency

Dam authorities had to be more accountable and transparent about rehabilitation due to Andolan pressure. Activists challenged corruption and exclusion. Authorities had to demonstrate progress by rehabilitating affected families before further construction could proceed.

Peaceful Democratic Dissent

The Narmada Bachao movement symbolized nonviolent people’s movements in Indian democracy. Innovating to demand justice and participation without extremism showed grassroots empowerment.

Even though many NBA dams continued, protests reduced their harms, ensured fairer rehabilitation, built tribal agency, and brought accountability. It showed how uncontrolled, cost-benefit development projects harm people and the environment. New dam proposals inspire activists to continue the Narmada struggle.

Challenges Towards Narmada Bachao Andolan

1. The NBA has experienced legal harassment, police brutality, and arrests as a result of state repression. Because of her opposition to the dam, Medha Patkar was detained and faced sedition charges in 1991. After a few months, authorities released her on bond, but they never withdrew the accusations against her.
2. The state’s authority, which is supporting the dams’ construction, stands in opposition to the NBA. If it so chooses, the government has the power to put an end to the movement.
3. The NBA has to tackle the arguments put forth by the dam supporters.
4. The political will to address the NBA’s concerns is lacking. Even in the face of the movement’s strong opposition, the government has been hesitant to alter the dam project.
5. Over time, the NBA has become more divided. While some members prefer more moderate approaches, others favor more radical tactics. This division has weakened the movement, making the achievement of its objectives more challenging.

Role Of World Bank in Narmada Bachao Andolan

1. After receiving approval from the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal, the World Bank started work on the Narmada Project.
2. The World Bank committed to providing $450 million in funding for the Sardar Sarovar Dam in 1985, without first consulting the native populations that would be affected by the project.
3. In 1989, protesters Medha Patkar and others gave testimony about the Bank’s involvement in Washington, D.C. As a result, pressure mounted on the Bank to appoint an impartial review panel to evaluate the current state of affairs. After this, the project lost a great deal of support.
4. The project’s funding organization, the World Bank, declared it would launch an Independent Review of the Narmada Dam Project.
5. In 1991, authorities established the Morse Commission to investigate the construction of the dam, its environmental impact, and the resulting displacement of people. In their report, they made it quite evident that they were breaking the Bank’s environmental and resettlement policies.
6. In 1993, the World Bank withdrawn its support for these projects.

Also Read:-

Indian National Movement – In Brief

What is the Chipko Movement in India?

Quit India Movement – August 8, 1942

Hirakud Dam: A Marvel of Engineering and Its Impact on Odisha

Exploring the Largest Dam in India: Tehri Dam

Bhakra Nangal Dam: Its History, Location, Facts and Uses

NBA Foundation                                      

What is the NBA Foundation?

The NBA Foundation is a non-profit organization affiliated with the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the United States, not the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) in India. The NBA and its Board of Governors founded it. Social justice movements brought to light the increasing awareness of socioeconomic and racial disparities, prompting the establishment of the NBA Foundation in reaction to the disparate effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on minority populations.

Offering Black communities high school seniors, college students, job-seekers, and mid-career workers access to educational and occupational opportunities. To promote the black community’s economic empowerment through job creation and professional advancement. Facilitating Black men’s and women’s access to meaningful professional experiences through mentoring and networking. Giving money to groups that fight for social justice causes, such as those that demand gun control and equal voting rights.

Established on and by whom

With the support of its Board of Governors, the National Basketball Association (NBA) created the NBA Foundation. On August 6, 2020, it was formally released. The NBA launched this program to show its support for social justice and combat racial inequality, which have received a lot of attention since 2020.

Reasons and objective of the foundation

A primary focus of the NBA Foundation’s inception has been alleviating social and racial disparities, especially within Black communities across the USA. The main goals and rationale behind the foundation are as follows:

Reasons for Establishment:

• Resolving Racial Inequality: In reaction to the increased consciousness of racial injustices, especially those that impact the African American community.
• Social Justice Movements: As the social justice movements and the global dialogue have shown, more coordinated efforts are necessary to address racial inequality.
• Influence of COVID-19: The pandemic’s disproportionate effects on communities of color highlighted pre-existing inequities and the necessity of focused financial assistance.

Objectives of the Foundation:

• Economic Empowerment: To promote job and career advancement opportunities to promote economic empowerment within the Black community.
• Education and Career Development: Giving Black communities high school graduates, college students, prepared for the workforce, and middle-aged adults access education and training.
• Mentoring and networking: Providing opportunities for mentorship and networking to assist Black men and women in gaining important professional experiences and relationships.
• Organizations That Help: Collaborating with groups on a local, state, and national level that emphasize mentoring, coaching, and workforce development, particularly in areas served by the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the United States and Canada.
• Long-term Commitment: By committing $300 million over the next ten years to finance these initiatives, the NBA Foundation has demonstrated a long-term commitment to these goals. 

The establishment of the NBA Foundation reflects the NBA’s broader commitment to social justice and racial equality, aiming to create meaningful change and opportunities within Black communities.

Narmada Bachao Andolan’s Successes:

• Raising Awareness: The NBA highlighted the environmental and rehabilitation issues related to Narmada projects.
• Pressuring the World Bank: The NBA succeeded in pressuring the World Bank to stop funding the Sardar Sarovar Dam project in 1993, marking a significant human rights victory.
• Halting Dam Construction: Due to advocacy efforts, there was a temporary halt in dam construction from 1994 to 1999.
• Discouraging Foreign Investment: The NBA played a key role in discouraging foreign investment in the Maheshwar Dam project between 1999 and 2001.
• Rehabilitation: The NBA was instrumental in securing rehabilitation for displaced people due to the dam projects.
• Supreme Court Ruling: The Supreme Court directed states to complete the rehabilitation process, supporting the NBA’s cause.
• Right Livelihood Award: The NBA was recognized with the Right Livelihood Award for its non-violent struggle for social justice and human rights.
• National Issues Raised: The NBA brought national attention to issues such as land resettlement, rehabilitation policies, and development without displacement.
• Multi-Level Strategy: The NBA effectively targeted the executive, legislative, and judicial levels to push for change.

Conclusion

The Narmada Bachao Andolan, echoing the Chipko movement before it, stands as a powerful testament to grassroots activism. It championed the cause of environmental protection and the well-being of communities threatened by large-scale development projects. Led by inspiring figures like Medha Patkar, Baba Amte, and indigenous peoples, the movement persevered despite facing repression.

The Narmada Bachao Andolan’s legacy extends far beyond its immediate goals. It sparked a crucial conversation about responsible development and the importance of safeguarding ecological balance. The movement’s influence continues to be felt in environmental struggles across India and beyond.

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