For PAPs` sake
IN A dramatic volte face, the Action Research in Community Health and Development (ARCH) Vahini, a well- known Gujarat NGo, has backtracked on its support to the Sardar Sarpvar Project (isp). Citing the poor rehavilitation measures for project affected persons (PAps), Anil Patel, ARCH Vahini's head said that the ssp authorities "had made it impossible for us to continue our work in the samcotyle" as they had done for the past 5 years.
Having earlier enlisted over 100 NGOS in support of the controversial project, the group is now mobilising them to formulate an action plan for countering the ineffective rehabilitation work undertaken by the Sardar Sarovar Punafwasat Agency (ssPA). The Vahini alleges that the participatory process between the SSPA - which it charges of corruption - and its own organisation for resettling the PAps was no longeWviable. The PAPs faced problems likAack of drinking water and approach toads, drainage inadequacies, abysmal qulality of roof tiles and malfundoning electric poles.