| The Tata Motors have been taking possession of a | | | | Renovation project. It will cover a stretch of 6.10 |
| whole river for their car factory in Singur. As a result, | | | | Kilometers. The target year is 2007-2008. From the |
| the big question that comes up for the farmers with | | | | start point to the end-point of this stretch twelve |
| land outside the Tata factory area is – how | | | | R.C. sluice are being constructed on both the sides of |
| and from what source will they get the necessary | | | | Julkia. The estimated expense for each will be 10 |
| water for their cultivation. | | | | lakhs. So the total expense for the sluice will be 120 |
| It seems possible that owing to water scarcity jute | | | | lakhs. In all the estimated budget for this project for |
| cultivation in Singur may go the way of permanent | | | | ‘renovation’ of Julkia river is 991 Lakhs. |
| extinction . Under the excuse of repair and | | | | The blue print of this project has been drafted by |
| maintenance the state government itself has been | | | | Superintending Engineer of damodar Irrigation Circle |
| handing over the canal to the Tatas. The iirigation | | | | under the State Irrigation Department, the Executive |
| Minister Subhas Naskar says, it will be seen that the | | | | Engineer of the Lower Damodar[1] Section, and the |
| farmers Are not adversely affected in any manner. | | | | Sub-Divisional Officer of Singur. … |
| But this assurance cannot at all help the panicked | | | | [Author: Arnab Aich; Translation: Rama Kundu, from |
| farmers to get over their anxiety. | | | | the original Bengali article published in the Dainik |
| The small river Julkia flows through Bajemelia, | | | | Statesman, 10 June 2007] |
| Joymollah and Berabari of Singur. Though called a | | | | [2] |
| river, actually it is but a wide canal. After flowing | | | | [Author: Samir Saha; Translation: Rama Kundu , from |
| several kilometers it ends in the river called Gheea. | | | | the original Bengali article published in the Dainik |
| During the monsoon this Julkia river swells to the | | | | Statesman, 11 June 2007] |
| brink with rain water. The water flows into the | | | | If Julkia is hijacked, and the farmers are deprived of |
| Gheea river. So Gheea too becomes full. It is by using | | | | its water, from 5 to 6 thousands of farmers in Singur |
| the water of this river, which comes under the DVC | | | | and Haripal block will be ruined. For the purpose of |
| irrigation system, that the farmers grow their crops | | | | providing the Tatas’ car factory with |
| on the land. Thus the farmers have to depend mainly | | | | adequate water supply a long stretch of Julkia river |
| upon Julkia and Gheea for their cultivation. But | | | | (more than 6 Kilometers ) is being usurped in the |
| recently, the bulk area of the river Julkia – 6.10 | | | | false name of ‘renovation’ ; by setting |
| kilometers – has been appropriated by the | | | | upo lockgates on either end of the stretch and |
| Tatas. | | | | setting up 12 R.C. sluice gates in between the river |
| It has been known that for producing every | | | | water is actually being handed over to the Tatas. |
| one-million-wallah car of Tata the requirement will be | | | | The farmers of Singur and Haripal are seething in |
| 24 cusec water. The only way to harness this water | | | | anger and panic. |
| is to occupy the river. Therefore, without once | | | | Years ago a canal had been constructed to connect |
| considering the need of the farmers, the State | | | | Singur with Damodar which flows far off in the west, |
| Government too has handed over this river to the | | | | with the target of providing adequate water to |
| Tata group. The land acquired by Tata spreads | | | | farmlands by means of improved irrigation system. |
| across both the banks of the river. Apart from the | | | | The name of this canal is |
| land, a portion of the river has also been seized by | | | | ‘KÄnÄ’. The Kana flows |
| Tata. A gate has been installed at the zero chain | | | | round the various ends of Singur, and provides the |
| point of Julkia, near the junction of the two rivers. At | | | | farmer irrigation for cultivation work. Later on another |
| the interval of 6.10 kilometers, another gate has been | | | | river basin was created by further extending Kana; |
| built at Julkia chain number 200, near the railroad. In | | | | this is locally known as Julkia. Julkia flows through as |
| between these two points there are lockgates. A | | | | many as 13 moujas, including 8 in Singur, and 5 in |
| moat is being made encircling the boundary walls of | | | | Haripal. This canal was opened with the main target |
| the Tata area. This moat is planned to hold rain | | | | of releasing the excess water from Kana during the |
| water. That water will flow down into Julkia. Now the | | | | monsoon. Though some claim it to be a drainage |
| Tata executives will control the water of Julkis, | | | | canal, actually its water has been used since long for |
| retaining or releasing it through the lockgates | | | | cultivation by farmers of various segments of Singur |
| according to their own convenience. According to the | | | | including Chak Kalikapur, Dobandi, Talabhomra, |
| local farmers, if Julkia water is withheld, the other | | | | Doarpota, Singhalpathan, Chowkhandipota, |
| river, i.e., Gheea, too will dry up. The consequent | | | | Dewanbheri, Baburbheri, and Natunbheri. But as a long |
| water scarcity will have serious adverse impact on | | | | stretch of this Julkia river falls within the area |
| cultivation over a vast area. The Singur jute farmers | | | | appropriated for the Tatas’ project, the |
| used the Julkia river for their crop, at different | | | | farmers are threatened with ruin. Under the false |
| stages of cultivation, wetting, extraction, etc. But | | | | excuse of renovation the State Irrigation |
| now that this river has been hijacked by the Tatas | | | | Department, that is the government have been |
| eventually jute cultivation will be abolished in Singur. | | | | spending billions to create such a provision that the |
| This is the apprehension of the farmers. | | | | Tatas get the entire quantity of requisite water for |
| Besides this, the Tatas have already sunk not less | | | | their car production from Julkia itself. |
| than ten deep tubewells . According to scientists, if | | | | Towards the east of Singur and Haripal Julkia |
| the Tatas pump out this quantity of water , before | | | | connects with another canal, called Gheea. The Julkia |
| long the water level of the entire area will sink | | | | water flows into Gheea. But in the name of canal |
| considerably lower. There will be a vacuum at the | | | | renovation, -- while actually for providing the Tatas , |
| underground layers. This will further affect the | | | | an elaborate plan has been undertaken by means of |
| farmers and residents of the Singur villages ; even | | | | erecting lockgates, sluice gates. This is actually an |
| the possibility of arsenic seeping into their daily used | | | | anti-irrigation plan, as a result of which farmers who |
| water cannot be ruled out. | | | | cultivate on either of the two bans of Gheea, will |
| The State Irrigation Department (Govt of West | | | | also be deprived of water. |
| Bengal) has undertaken two projects in Singur for | | | | [Reader, please ‘consider, consider, ask’ |
| the benefit of the Tatas’ car factory. One is | | | | ( à la Stephen Spender). If this is not |
| constructing the drainage system around the factory | | | | anti-people then what is! Ruining the best fertile land |
| boundaries; and the other id | | | | of the state, pushing the large numbers directly |
| ‘renovation’ of the Julkia canal that | | | | related to the farming to starvation and slow death, |
| flows through the area taken over for the car | | | | turning the golden-emerald land into bleak barren |
| factory. The proposed budget of the State Irrigation | | | | desert! And all this to please a few nastily rich |
| Department on this account is 17.69 million rupees. | | | | owners, unconditionally, shamelessly, throwing the last |
| The State Irrigation Department and State Water | | | | façade of socialist-humanitarian values to the |
| Resources Department together have finalized a | | | | wind. And who knows what other horrible schemes |
| project of Rs. 7,77,99,227/- towards constructing a | | | | are up the sleeves of these anti-people forces? Is it |
| drainage system encircling the boundary walls of the | | | | possible that they too have been playing at the |
| factory. All the expenses towards digging the canal, | | | | hands of some other more dangerous, extraterritorial |
| cementing , filling up the dug up grounds, meeting the | | | | forces ? And finally what is the mystery behind our |
| cost of chips and morram, transport and wage of | | | | government’s abject surrender to these evil |
| construction labours, will be borne by the State | | | | forces! A time has come when we cannot and should |
| Irrigation Department. An amount of Rs 22, 44,208/- | | | | not ignore such questions any more! WE cannot |
| has been earmarked for meeting contingency | | | | afford to be indifferent because the danger is now |
| expenses. | | | | too close and has been knocking on our own very |
| The second proposed project is Julkia Canal | | | | door…-- Translator. |