Villagers`woes
LOCAL groups in Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh, have recently complained to the World Bank against the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) for not rehabilitating villagers displaced by the latter's projects. The NTPC is the Bank's largest beneficiary in the world, having received over $4 billion since 1975. It was alleged that the Bank has failed to adhere to its policies regarding resettlement of the local tribals and conducting an environmental assessment. The Bank has said that the matter would be first examined to decide whether the complaint should be investigated. The villagers have alleged that they are not being allowed to participate in decisions which affect their lives.