Over 90 Kilometres south-east of capital Ranchi towards the Chandil dam are 48 villages residing 50,000 people for whom the prevailing drought has turned out to be a boon.The dam is an ambitious World Bank project meant to irrigate fields in Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal.
These villages are declared ‘to-be submerged villages’. In order to store water up to 180 meters above sea level to fight drought, the state irrigation department has shut all 13 radial gates of the dam. If it pours, water level will rise submerging all the identified 48 villages. Another drought, on the contrary would mean preventing displacement of 50,000 people by another year.
In 1997 the dam water rose to 181 meter mark despite the radial gates being open which caused wide spread damage. The conditions are set to turn worse with the radial gates now shut. The Chandil dam superintending engineer says that the villagers are refusing to vacate despite being adequately compensated and assured of rehabilitation several years back. He even adds that the god may be favouring the villagers for the time being but they will have to vacate the area sooner or later.
The villagers, on the other hand are alleging fraud and cheating by the authorities. They have threatened to prefer drowning than turning refugees.
Ambiks Yadav, 49, resident of Ichhagarh village leads the anti-displacement agitation in the area. He says that when the papers were signed for giving up the land and shifting to rehabilitation centers, the villagers were promised third and fourth grade jobs, besides well planned rehabilitation colonies. All those assurances have fallen flat and the villagers feel cheated.
As per the norms, only those in possession of Vikas Pustika – an identity card given to those who carry valid birth certificate- would be eligible for the compensation of Rs. 1, 89,000. In neighbouring Orissa, the tribals displaced by irrigation projects get Rs. 5,85,000.