KOELKARO DAM, SCMI, BIHAR
In Bihar displacement is occurring in the Jharkhand region for various reasons e.g. coalfields, big industries, dams, the Netarhat firing range, army camps (there are big camps, but even small ones are causing displacement). The Icchha Khadkai dam has already been constructed and as we were not involved there, I will not say much about that. Women did not participate in that struggle, but men did oppose it very strongly. We lost the struggle, people were displaced and rehabilitation has still not taken place. I will now speak about the Koelkaro dam. This dam, it was claimed, would produce 710 megawatts of electricity. Many different organisations got together to form the Koelkaro Jan Andolan and opposed the dam. In 1986-87 when the issue of displacement came up, a compromise was reached between the sarkar and the jan andolan/ people’s movement: the andolan would scrutinise the resettlement sites, only then the project could be given the green signal. After that, the jan andolan and vidyarthi parishad got together and worked on it. All political parties also helped us in this. We worked together to oppose the dam; there were no internal differences in the group. We did not allow the project to take off…the option of resettlement is not for us. We don’t consider it even for a moment… even if the sarkar says that it will give land for land. We cannot think of it. The padaha system operates in our area i.e. 12 gotras have one raja. It is through this that administrative decisions are taken. Every village has a padaha raja. Any outsider entering the village be it a journalist, an official or political leader cannot do so without the raja’s permission. And only if the raja or others in the village feel that there is no harm in allowing him/her to enter, permission is given. Our first struggle was lost. But we can now say with pride that we have won the Koelkaro struggle. Our future programme continues to be the same. I have joined this movement as a student and do not have much experience. I have come here to learn from all of you as to how you have sustained your movement. In future I want to continue the struggle. As a student. As a woman.