11. INTRO

Economic development raises the quality and standard of living of the people of a country. Developmental projects are planned to bring benefits to the society. However, in the process of development, very often there is over-exploitation of natural resources and degradation of the environment. Besides this, quite often, the native people of the project site are directly affected. These native people are generally the poorest of the poor, underprivileged tribal people. Various types of projects result in the displacement of the native people who undergo tremendous economic and psychological distress, as the socioeconomic and ecological base of the local community is disturbed.

Economic development aims to improve people's lives, but often it unintentionally causes harm to those living in affected areas. When projects are created, they can lead to overuse of resources and environmental damage. The most affected are typically the underprivileged tribal communities, who lose their homes and livelihoods due to displacement. This situation results in significant hardship and emotional strain for these communities.

Imagine a family that has lived in the same house for generations. They depend on the forest nearby for food, medicine, and their way of life. Now, if a new road or dam is built through their land, they must leave everything behind. This is like uprooting a tree from the forest; it not only dies but also affects the entire ecosystem around it.

The big river valley projects have one of the most serious socio-economic impacts due to large scale displacement of local people from their ancestral home and loss of their traditional profession or occupation. India is one of the countries in the world leading in big dam construction and in the last 50 years more than 20 million people are estimated to have directly or indirectly affected by these dams e.g. Hirakum Dam, Bhakra Nangal Dam, Tehri Dam are the examples where many people and their villages in the vicinity got affected.

Large dam projects often lead to the displacement of local communities. When such dams are constructed, people are forced to leave their ancestral homes and lose their jobs that are usually tied to their local environment, such as farming or fishing. In India, these projects have displaced millions over the past 50 years, with specific dams like Hirakum, Bhakra Nangal, and Tehri affecting many villages.

Consider a popular lake where families fish and children swim. If the government decides to build a dam to provide water for cities, this lake may disappear, and families will have to relocate. Just like moving away from a beloved playground impacts children's growth, this dislocation can have lasting effects on the families affected.

Mining is another developmental activity, which causes displacement of the native people. Several thousands of hectares of land area is covered in mining operation and the native people are displaced. Sometimes displacement of local people is due to accidents occurring in mined areas like subsidence of land that often leads to shifting people e.g. various mines are predominant in Jharkhand, these mines had displaced many people.

Mining not only takes up large areas of land, displacing communities, but it can also create unsafe environments. People may need to leave their homes due to accidents related to mining activities, like land sinking. Areas like Jharkhand in India have seen significant displacement because of these mining operations.

Imagine a village built on a hill where people farm and build their homes. If a mining company comes in and the ground starts to give way, people will be forced to leave. It’s similar to a family losing their home due to an earthquake; the ground simply cannot support them anymore.

When some forests are covered under a National Park, it is a welcome step for conservation of the natural resources. However, it also has a social aspect associated with it which is often neglected. A major portion of the forest is declared as core-area, where the entry of local dwellers or tribals is prohibited. When these villagers are deprived of their ancestral right or access to forests, they usually retaliate by starting destructive activities.

Creating National Parks is important for preserving nature, but it often displaces local tribes who depend on these lands for their livelihood. When these individuals are prohibited access to their traditional lands, it can lead to resentment and sometimes destructive behavior as they may try to reclaim their rights and resources.

Think about a family that has raised livestock on a piece of land for generations. If that land becomes a wildlife sanctuary where they can no longer go, they may feel pushed to the brink. It’s akin to someone taking away your favorite toys; you might react out of frustration.

The United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights has declared that right to housing is a basic human right. In India, most of the displacements have resulted due to land acquisition by the government for various reasons. For this purpose, the government has the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 which empowers it to serve notice to the people to vacate their lands if there is a need as per government planning. Provision of cash compensation in lieu of the land vacated exists in the Act.

Displaced individuals have a right to housing and support, as recognized by international laws. The Indian government has laws in place that allow it to acquire land for development, but this often comes with obligatory compensation. However, the compensation may not always cover the full loss, leaving many people in difficult positions.

Consider a person who receives a check for clearing out their home but it isn't enough to buy a new one or afford a new place to live. It is similar to being given a ticket for a concert, but it wouldn't cover the entire cost for travel and accommodation—people still struggle after the initial incentive.

The major issues related to displacement and rehabilitation are as follows: a) Tribals are usually the most affected amongst the displaced who are already poor. Displacement further increases their poverty due to loss of land, home, jobs, food insecurity, loss of access to common property assets, increased morbidity and mortality and social isolation.

Among displaced communities, tribal populations suffer the most. Losing their land and homes leads to heightened poverty, making it harder to secure jobs and food. These losses also increase their health risks and make it difficult for them to be socially connected, leading to isolation.

Imagine how a family living off their small farm would crumble if that land is taken away for development. Without resources, they would struggle to put food on the table, similar to trying to keep a balloon afloat without air—it simply can't survive.

Kinship systems, marriages, social and cultural functions, their folk-songs, dances and activities vanish with their displacement; even when they are resettled, it is individual-based resettlement, which totally ignores communal settlement. Loss of identity and loss of the intimate link between the people and the environment is one of the biggest loss. The age-long indigenous knowledge, which has been inherited and experienced by them about the flora, fauna, their uses etc. gets lost.

When people are displaced and resettled without consideration for their communal ways, they lose not just their homes but their cultural practices and identities. The connection they had with their land and its history vanishes, along with invaluable knowledge passed down through generations.

Think of a tree that has grown tall and strong, its branches providing shade and shelter. If that tree were chopped down and replanted in a different soil, it may survive, but it will never regain the life it had in its original location, just like people losing their sense of home and identity.

There is a need for a comprehensive National Rehabilitation Policy. Different states are following different practices in this regard.

To effectively address the challenges of displacement, there is a clear need for a national policy that provides standardized rehabilitation procedures. Currently, different states have varying practices, which can create discrepancies in how displaced individuals are treated.

Imagine if different schools had different rules for students moving between grades; chaos would arise. A unified policy for rehabilitation would provide clarity and ensure everyone is treated fairly, just like having a standard rulebook makes a game easier to play.

In case of sardar sarovar project Gujarat Government is formulating its policy through various government resolutions. It has decided that each landed outstee shall be entitled to allotment of irrigable land in the state which he chooses for his resettlement. The area of the land would be equal to that owned by his earlier and the minimum land given to an outstee would be 2 hectares.

As part of the Sardar Sarovar Project, the Gujarat Government is addressing displacement issues by providing those affected with land for resettlement. Each person will receive an area equal to what they lost, at least 2 hectares, which aims to help restore some of the livelihoods lost during the project.

Think of it like a homeowner getting a new house that is just as big as their old one if their neighborhood is taken for a highway. It’s an effort to ensure they can still maintain their lifestyle, just like trying to keep the same number of players on a sports team when some are swapped out.

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