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