04-22-2006, 06:33 AM
<!--emo&:argue--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/argue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='argue.gif' /><!--endemo--> Change name of Narmada project: ModiAdd to Clippings
[ Friday, April 21, 2006 07:35:28 pmIANS ]
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AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Friday alleged the central government was creating "hurdles" in the way of the Narmada dam's construction only because it was not named after a member of the Nehru-Gandhi family.
Alleging that the United Progressive Alliance government was hindering the project as it was named after Sardar Vallabbhai Patel, Modi said, "I am surprised that the project, whose foundation stone was laid by former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, is not complete even after 30 years.
"I am willing to go to the extent of changing the name of the project and attributing it to either Rajiv Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi.
"I don't mind changing the name but the dam has to be completed. I strongly feel that the hurdles are being created because of Sardar Patel's name in the project," he said. Patel, India's first home minister, hailed from Gujarat and one of the controversial dams being built on the Narmada is called the Sardar Sarovar dam.
Modi was speaking at the inauguration of what is said to be India's first solar thermal air-conditioning system in Santej village on the city outskirts.
He criticised union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz for his initial announcement that construction work on the dam would be stalled.
Soz had objected to the Narmada Control Authority's decision to allow the dam height to be increased from 110.64 to 121.92 metres. Anti-dam activists say raising the dam height will submerge many villages and make thousands homeless without being rehabilitated.
Modi had announced a token fast on Sunday but called it off following a Supreme Court decision allowing construction on the dam to continue in central Gujarat.
[ Friday, April 21, 2006 07:35:28 pmIANS ]
RSS Feeds| SMS NEWS to 8888 for latest updates
AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Friday alleged the central government was creating "hurdles" in the way of the Narmada dam's construction only because it was not named after a member of the Nehru-Gandhi family.
Alleging that the United Progressive Alliance government was hindering the project as it was named after Sardar Vallabbhai Patel, Modi said, "I am surprised that the project, whose foundation stone was laid by former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, is not complete even after 30 years.
"I am willing to go to the extent of changing the name of the project and attributing it to either Rajiv Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi.
"I don't mind changing the name but the dam has to be completed. I strongly feel that the hurdles are being created because of Sardar Patel's name in the project," he said. Patel, India's first home minister, hailed from Gujarat and one of the controversial dams being built on the Narmada is called the Sardar Sarovar dam.
Modi was speaking at the inauguration of what is said to be India's first solar thermal air-conditioning system in Santej village on the city outskirts.
He criticised union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz for his initial announcement that construction work on the dam would be stalled.
Soz had objected to the Narmada Control Authority's decision to allow the dam height to be increased from 110.64 to 121.92 metres. Anti-dam activists say raising the dam height will submerge many villages and make thousands homeless without being rehabilitated.
Modi had announced a token fast on Sunday but called it off following a Supreme Court decision allowing construction on the dam to continue in central Gujarat.