Kolkata, April 17: The issue of rehabilitation of those evicted due to the barrage of hydroelectrical projects in the country is of paramount importance. But neither the states nor the concerned authorities seem interested to look into the wellbeing of the people, most of whom are from the agricultural community and are illiterate.

A panel of environment specialists made an effort to drive home this point in a press conference today. Their main focus was on the Narmada Bachao Andolan. The construction towards increasing the height of the Sardar Sarovar dam on river Narmada in Gujarat has not only created a stir among environmentalists like Medha Patkar, but it has also earned aspersions from celebrities like Aamir Khan. However, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh does not find it too grave an issue.

�When the government can spend Rs 21,000 crore on a hydroelectrical project, why can�t they spend Rs 201 crore to rehabilitate those evicted by the building of the dams?� said Sujoy Basu, former director, school of energy studies, University of Calcutta.

Medha Patkar had been on a hunger strike to protest against the heightening of the Sardar Sarovar dam, but the Gujarat government has declined to respond on the issue. Protesting along with her are personalities like Aamir Khan, Arundhati Roy, and so on. Joining Patkar towards her cause is the National Alliance of People�s Movement (NAPM). The organisation has been conducting regular dharnas at College Street in Kolkata to raise awareness among the people of the city.

�We want to attract the West Bengal government to the movement. We have sent a letter of request to Gopal Krishna Gandhi, the governor of the West Bengal, to request Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to get involved in the issue and give the much needed impetus to the drive against the project,� said Sukhendu Bhattacharya of NAPM. The members of NAPM want the Prime Minister to intervene so that the construction is stalled.

However, while the Narmada Bachao Andolan has celebrities making a beeline for it, important names in Bengal have stayed away from the cause. But Maitreyee Chatterjee, convenor of nari nirjatan protirodh mancha, feels that the inclusion of celebrities in such movements is unnecessary. �Such movements gain ground when the masses get involved. Hence they are called mass movements. Celebrities are there but for a day or two. Even in Gujarat, the general people have joined Patkar in the strike. The College Street dharna too has the general masses involved in them,� said Chatterjee.

Another point that was raised was the misuse of electricity. �Electricity needs to be saved. 15 per cent of electricity will be saved, if it is not squandered away. There will not be any reason then to evict the innocent tribals staying near the riverside,� Basu said.