NBA PROTEST: Day 8: Medha Patkar's health deteriorates

NBA PROTEST: Day 8: Medha Patkar's health deteriorates
The Times of India
Wednesday April 05, 2006
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NEW DELHI: Unrelenting in her demand that work on the Sardar Sarovar
Dam should be halted immediately, Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha
Patkar's indefinite fast entered the eighth day on Wednesday.

Left weak by seven days of fasting, Patkar has difficulty in
speaking and NBA activists standing with her at the Jantar Mantar
expressed concern over her deteriorating condition. She is having
water only and was vomiting since morning.

NBA activists were on an indefinite fast for eighth day in the
national capital demanding stoppage of work on increasing the height
of the dam to 121.92 metres from the current 113 metres till the
project affected people are rehabilitated.

Patkar had a stream of visitors from the civil society, including
noted Gandhian Nirmala Deshpande and academician Prof Yashpal,
expressing solidarity with the protest.

NBA activists were taking their turn in joining Patkar's in her fast
as three of them -- Dheeraj Kumar, Avdesh and Nakhreen Behn --
started their protest.

Yesterday, Patkar turned down Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's request
to end her indefinite hunger strike saying that her agitation would
continue till the government makes public its report on the
rehabilitation of the families affected by the Sardar Sarovar
Project.

Deputed by the Prime Minister, Union Water Resources Minister
Saifuddin Soz, who met Patkar twice yesterday conveyed Singh's
request to call off her seven-day long strike.

Online available at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1478696.cms