1999: Ms. Medha Padkar
Ms.Medha Padkar
came into contact with the tribal people facing displacement under the Narmada
Valley Project when visited their remote families as a researcher. Some well-meaning groups were already working
among them. She noticed that the history
of every major river valley project contained one dark chapter that few cared
to read it told a tale of broken promises of relief and rehabilitation. She realized that the tribal population under
threat of eviction in the Narmada Project area would not get justice under the
proposed resettlement scheme. She
questioned the very rationale of mega projects that destroyed the physical and
social environment of the people in their vicinity.
Ms.Medha Padkar
put her heart and soul into a campaign to help the poor. Illiterate tribal people stand up and fight -
not for doles but for the right to live.
It was a campaign to save the people, the land and the river. It changed the very temples of the
environmental movement in the country from a mere wild life and forest
conservation movement, to a matured tough human rights, social justice and
resource management effort. Her vigorous
championship of the cause of the project victims prompted international funding
agencies to rethink on social costs of development.
Human rights
campaign calls for strong conviction, extreme deviation and deep sense of
commitment. Ms.Medha Padkar has
displayed these qualities in measure in successive campaign organized under the
banner of the Narmada Bachao Andolan.
In recognition
of her sterling contribution to the cause of protection and promotion of human
rights, the Board of Vigil India Movement conferred on Ms. Medha Patkar the
M.A.Thomas National Human Rights Award 1999.