On oustee’s appeal, Information panel raps Damodar Valley Corp

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On oustee’s appeal, Information panel raps Damodar Valley Corp

As Reported by Krishnadas Rajagopal in Indian Express, Monday, July 14, 2008

New Delhi, July 13: Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), the country's first muti-purpose river valley project, is under fire from the topmost Right to Information (RTI) panel for its “disheartening” treatment of land oustees who have "sacrificed" their land for power infrastrusture.

The scathing observations against the DVC came in the light of its alleged denial of rehabilitation to a physically-disabled person whose 20-acre land was acquired on the promise of a Rs 3 lakh compensation and alternative employment.

Mohammed Rafique Ansari of Pakdih village in Jamtara district of Jharkhand appealed to the Central Information Commission (CIC) against “discrimination” shown by the corporation in not giving him the “promised” job as he was unable to pay a bribe to DVC officials.

Information Commissioner M M Ansari observed that Rafique’s case indicated that the DVC had “so far failed in the promotion of corporate social responsibility”.

The DVC which came into being on July 7, 1948 on the strength of a Constituent Assembly Act had its initial focus on flood control, irrigation, generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, eco-conservation and afforestation, as well as job creation for the socio-economic well-being of people residing in and around areas affected by its projects. However, over the past few decades, power generation had gained priority.

The Bench criticised the corporation for concentrating solely on development of infrastrusture, mainly power, without no regard for the welfare of land oustees, who are “marginalised or pushed to worse-off economic conditions”.

“While the DVC may have made significant contribution to the process of development of infrastructure, mainly power, it has also contributed to the marginalisation of displaced persons/land oustees, who have sacrificed their land for DVC's project,” the Bench said in a recent judgment.

The CIC has directed the DVC Chairman or his nominee to be personally present before the Bench on August 11 to explain why compensation was not paid to Rafique, who was allegedly harassed and denied information by the corporation for his refusal to pay a bribe.

The Bench has also ordered the chairman to submit a comprehensive report relating to the rehabilitation of displaced persons who were so far displaced by the corporation’s various projects.
Demanding an expla nation from the Public Information Officer of the DVC as to why he should not be made liable to pay Rs 25,000 as fine, the CIC made clear its disapproval that the corporation had not “adhered to the principles of equity and justice in pursuing its objectives of providing critical services, namely power.”

IndianExpress.com :: On oustee’s appeal, Information panel raps Damodar Valley Corp

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30 years ago, another project & still no relief
as reported by Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times

At the time when the West Bengal government is trying to save Tata's
Nano car project in Singur, an RTI application has exposed the state's
track record on rehabilitation of people displaced more than 30 years
ago due to the Damodar Valley project.

Rafique Ansari's Right to Information application exemplifies story of
thousands of oustees of abject poverty from being landlords and their
fight for their rightful claim. Their land was taken over by the
Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) in the 1950s for constructing a power
plant.

Once an owner of 23 acres of land acquired for the project in 1950s,
Ansari, a disabled, is now a below poverty line card-holder and does
not have money to send his son for higher education. The Central
Information Commission, which was hearing his plea for denial of
justice, estimated that he would have earned monthly income of Rs
48,000 from the land taken away for the project. His present monthly
income is less than Rs 2,000.

Ansari blamed DVC for his present state, claiming that proper
rehabilitation never took place and he did not get a job either — like
other disabled people in 1978. "I could not get the promised job as I
could not pay bribe to the officials of the corporation. Those below
me on the disability list were given jobs," Ansari told CIC. The DVC,
however, refuted his claim, saying he would not have got job as per
the eligibility criteria fixed.

Making a stinging observation on the rehabilitation package,
Information Commissioner MM Ansari said the corporation has failed in
its corporate social responsibility. "While DVC may have made
significant contributions to the process of development of
infrastructure, it has also contributed to marginalisation of the
displaced persons, who sacrificed their land for the project," he
said.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=11dff7a2-2278-4bba-b7fb-ff7ee541a26f&ParentID=4ba4d36f-2193-4e8f-a689-808b247b9835&&Headline=30+years+ago%2c+another+pro ject+%26amp%3b+still+no+relief