Skip to main content

Giving voice to marginalised online: Oral history and Sardar Sarovar Project

Often the struggles of rural communities challenge mainstream notions of development; however these are barely mentioned in mainstream history, if at all. Nandini Oza, Independent Researcher, explains how she has created a digital archive of the mass resistance against the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) on the River Narmada in Western India through the oral histories of those who have been directly involved in the powerful people’s movement, the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA):

Oral history is an old tradition in India where knowledge and history are passed to the next generation orally. This is particularly true among the communities with languages that do not have a written script or in areas where the literacy rates are low, or where rural, tribal and ethnic communities adopt the practice of passing history and knowledge orally.
Oral history as a discipline is also a useful method for recording the struggles of indigenous and tribal communities who are dependent on natural resources that are at risk. The power of oral history and the opportunities it offers for cataloguing, magnifying and amplifying the voices of the marginalised and of the unheard to record and study history can be seen in my new online project.

Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP)

The River Narmada is India’s longest westerly flowing river, running through the three western states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) is the terminal dam on the river in Gujarat and is a part of the Narmada Valley Development Plan (NVDP) which includes 30 big, 135 medium and 3,000 small dams on the river and its tributaries.
The SSP alone is to submerge 245 villages with a population of 250,000, many of who are tribal and natural resource-dependent communities. Another 250,000 people are estimated to be adversely impacted due to the project’s infrastructure. If all the other dams on the River Narmada are taken together then over 1,000,000 people are to be displaced or lose their livelihoods.Apart from the impact on people, the project is also having devastating impacts on the ecology and environment. It is these project-affected people that form the backbone of the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), the powerful people’s movement against the SSP.
The SSP is also projected to provide irrigation to eighteen lakh hectares of cultivable land in Gujarat and generate power and supply drinking water to 13,000 villages. It has been claimed by the Government that there is no alternative to this project to address the water problems of Gujarat. This claim has been strongly challenged by the NBA and other experts.

The Narmada struggle

Over the last half a century, the SSP has been the target of intense struggles by the affected people of the Narmada valley, which began in 1961 when the foundation stone of the project/dam was laid. A series of resistance movements in the Narmada valley eventually culminated into the powerful people’s movement popularly known as the NBA.
While the NBA began with the issue of the displacement and resettlement of the affected people, it went on to raise many broader issues, ultimately questioning the very paradigm of development represented by the SSP.
The NBA raised issues of the ecological impacts of the project, the issue of displacement of people by the project, the adverse cost-benefits, issues of equity, the question of who really benefits from such projects and most importantly, the fact that there were several alternatives available which could deliver benefits without such massive impacts, and that such alternatives were not examined in the project decision making process. The NBA also raised the need for affected people to participate in the decision making, and for transparency in all aspects of the project.

Oral histories of the Narmada struggle

With important contributions to the development discourse, the struggle in the Narmada valley has been considered an important case of mass resistance in the history of independent India. According to Ashish Kothari, a well-known environmentalist, “this movement helped raise critiques of ‘development’ to a national and global level, inspired many more such movements, and galvanised along with others the search for radical alternatives.”
And yet, the voices of the people who form the backbone of this struggle are mostly absent from the pages of history. This is mainly because, like the dominant development paradigm, there is also a dominant history of a Nation State where people’s history, voices and resistance are absent. It is mostly the dominant history of a nation and development which is written and promoted. People’s struggles, such as the NBA that have challenged the main stream notions of development, find only cursory references in the dominant, mainstream history if at all.
The absence of the voices of the people who are victims of development is also because unlike other forms of displacements, development-induced displacement is considered essential for national interest and growth. Lately, however, there is a growing interest in knowing the impact ‘development’ has had on people and environment and a growing interest in the study of people’s resistance around development projects especially in developing countries.
Considering all of the above, I have recorded the oral histories of the people who have been at the forefront of the Narmada struggle. Parts of these oral histories have been put up on this website.
These oral histories help understand the people’s resistance to the SSP, the reasons behind it, the role of common people in the movement and its history. The oral histories offer insights into issues like challenging dams as development models, the environment impacts of large dams, the life of those displaced and the flaws in rehabilitation plans and its execution.
These oral histories also help understand the relationship natural resource-dependent communities have with the River Narmada, their culture, traditions, languages, socio-economic practices, sustainable livelihoods and challenges therein. The oral histories bring to the fore the Narmada valley as one of the oldest river valley civilisations and its historical and archaeological significance.
Importantly, the oral histories presented through the website help understand how the people of the Narmada valley fought to preserve their way of life, their worldview, their lands, homes, forests and the River Narmada from the onslaught of “development”.
The oral histories presented contain records of one the most important social and environmental movements of independent India. The website shares the experiences and insights of the struggle as seen from within by its most active members. It contains voices of those who are rarely heard. And finally, the oral histories of the struggle around the SSP help understand the profound influences people’s struggle have had on the large dams and development debate the world over and the push for sustainable development.

*Independent researcher, formerly with Narmada Bachao Andolan, on board of Manthan Adhyayan Kendra, on the advisory board of Sambhaavnaa Institute of Public Policy and Politics, and Green Peace, India. Access the digital archive here https://oralhistorynarmada.in/
Source: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/southasia/

Comments

TRENDING

Abrogation of Art 370: Increasing alienation, relentless repression, simmering conflict

One year after the abrogation by the Central Government of Art. 370 in Kashmir, what is the situation in the Valley. Have the promises of peace, normalcy and development been realised? What is the current status in the Valley? Here is a detailed note by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties , “Jammu & Kashmir: One Year after Abrogation of Art. 370: Increasing Alienation, Relentless Repression, Simmering Conflict”:

Repeated failure to appoint Chief, other commissioners undermining RTI Act

By Anjali Bhardwaj, Amrita Johri* The post of the Chief Information Commissioner of the Central Information Commission (CIC) has fallen vacant with the retirement of Bimal Julka with effect from August 27, 2020. This is the fifth time in the last six years that the Commission has been rendered headless. Four posts of information commissioners are also vacant in the CIC. Currently more than 35,000 appeals and complaints are pending in the commission resulting in citizens having to wait for months, even years for their cases to be disposed, thereby frustrating peoples’ right to know. Since May 2014, not a single commissioner of the CIC has been appointed without citizens having to approach courts. The failure of the government to make timely appointments of commissioners is a flagrant violation of the directions of the Supreme Court. In its February 2019 judgment, the apex court had categorically stated that if the CIC does not have a Chief Information Commissioner or required strength

Sunil Gavaskar, G Viswanath rated Andy Roberts best fast bowler they ever faced

By Harsh Thakor  The West Indies pace quartet or battery of the 1970’s and 1980’s truck terror to deliver a knockout punch, like never in cricket history. One was reminded of bomber raiding an airbase or a combing operation. Andy Roberts was the pioneer in orchestrating or propelling the most fiery and lethal pace bowling attack ever in the history of the game. Simply the godfather of Modern West Indies fast bowlers. He spearheaded the pack from the mid 1970’s .Without Andy the talent of Michael Holding, Joel Garner and Colin Croft would never have blossomed.Michael Holding credits Andy for shaping his great bowling career, by infusing vital elements.

Adivasi land rights question in Telugu states: Digitization process without transparency?

By Dr Palla Trinadha Rao  This paper examines whether the Land Records Modernization Program initiated by the successive governments in Telugu States is beneficial to tribals in the Scheduled Areas in the light of special protective Land laws that are in force there. Digitization process or regularization of land records or land surveys without transparency will result in disempowerment of Adivasis. This can be tested in the case of Adivasis in the Scheduled Areas of Telugu States. British colonialism, through its land revenue policy and elaborate exploitative bureaucratic structure, made land alienable on a large scale especially in tribal areas. 1 Land and the forest produce remain the main source of tribals’ livelihood; but availability of land is restricted by forest reservation on the one hand, and non-tribal encroachment on the other. 2 In the Andhra Area, there were certain laws including the Agency Tracts Interest and Land Transfer Act, 1917 that existed before the inaugurati

Ultimate champion in crisis, arguably best ever skipper: Created history in Aussie cricket

By Harsh Thakor  In the history of cricket few cricketers knit and propelled a cricket team or had such profound influence on the game as Ian Chappell. Ian Chappell was responsible for converting a bunch of talented individuals into a world beating side, giving a dramatic turn to Australian cricket. Few cricketers ever led such a renaissance.

Largest democracy in world has become weakest at hands of fascist Hindutva forces

Note on “The Nazification of India”, a report released By Justice For All: *** This report, the Nazification of India, compares how Hindutva ideology not only is inspired by Nazis and Fascists of Europe, but their treatment of the Muslim minority closely follows developments that resulted in pushing Jews to the gas chambers. Situation is indeed quite alarming. The report says that the largest democracy in the world has become the weakest at the hands of the fascist Hindutva ideology. India today is ruled not just by a political party the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but its mother organization the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Because the BJP’s government policies are linked to extra-legal enforcement by RSS paramilitary street power, this report has coined the term “The BJP-RSS regime” to reflect their intrinsic links and collaborative relationship. The Nazification of India report marks the anniversary of the Gujarat pogroms of 2002 against Muslims which propelled the BJP-RSS

BSF's unconstitutional, whimsical order violates life, livelihood of Dalits, minorities

Kirity Roy, Secretary, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), writes to the Chairman, National Human Rights Commission: *** I want to attract your attention towards the illegitimate restrictions on the life and livelihood of the villagers of Paschim Sahebganj village under Dinhata - II Block and Sahebganj police station in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal by the Border Security Force personnel attached with Dharala Border Out Post under 138 Battalion BSF. The population of Paschim Sahebganj village is around 1480, where almost 75 percent of the villagers belong from Hindu Scheduled Caste (Dalit) and 25 percent from minority Muslim backgrounds.The main occupation of the villagers is agriculture. About 260 acres of cultivable land in the village that belongs to the villagers is located outside the border fencing, which is heavily guarded by the Border Security Force (BSF). The BSF regulates the ingress and egress of the villagers to their fields through the fencing gates that a

Varanasi social worker who has devoted her life for the ultra-poor and the marginalized

Passion Vista and its partners profile Founder and Managing Trustee Shruti Nagvanshi as  someone whom women leaders look up to: *** Shruti Nagvanshi, a social worker and human rights activist based in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, has devoted her life to reaching out to the ultra-poor and marginalized communities in India. Born in Dashashwmedh, Varanasi on 2 January 1974, she married Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi on 22 February 1992 and has a son, Kabeer Karunik, a Business management Graduate who is also a national level snooker player.

An approach to lake/pond restoration by Ramveer Tanvar, Pond Man of India

By Monami Bhattacharya*, Mansee Bal Bhargava**  Lakes/ ponds are often referred to as an elixir of life, a living ecosystem that adds incremental value to the larger biota. Across the tropical landscape of the country lakes/ ponds are a common sight. Lakes/ponds have always shaped the life and livelihood of those dwelling in and around it. The dependence of the local population on these natural resources of water is noticeable since time immemorial. However, they are fading fast in both rural and urbanscapes from the popular parlance with the advance of humanity. It has been a popular notion to value land more than the waterscape and hence these nurturers of life are under stress in several areas. In many instances, these once beautiful waterscapes referred as the ‘Eye of the Earth’ are mostly now only dilapidated garbage dump yards emitting foul smell with no sign of a healthy ecosystem.

Urban crisis: Impact of erosion of democratic framework on Indian cities

By IMPRI Team  On 13th February, 2023, IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute, New Delhi in collaboration with ActionAid Association India arranged a book launch followed by lecture series under the title “India’s G20 Presidency & the Urban Agenda for the Developing Countries”. The event was held in Indian International Centre (IIC) Annex, New Delhi. The event began with the book inauguration session, under the honorary presence of Mr Sitaram Yechury, former Rajya Sabha member and General Secretary, CPI (M), accompanied by Mr Sandeep Chachra, executive director, ActionAid Association India. Session 1 | Book Launch: ‘Cities in Transition’ by Mr Tikender Singh Panwar The book launched was “Cities in Transition”, written by Mr Tikender Singh Panwar, former Deputy Mayor, Shimla and a Senior Fellow at IMPRI. Beginning with brief remarks on his book, Mr Panwar outlined the basic subject matter and the purpose behind writing the book, which he considers as a by-product of his experien