PULSES-Not for the People

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All this has highlighted another pro- Mem, The people of these villages were to be moved to an area in Taloda which is to be cleared of some 2,769 hectares of prime forests. This would have jeopardised the livelihood of soipc 40 villages which depend on the forest. Recently, on a case filed by the Narmada Dharna Grast Samiti the district court has granted a stay on the felling of the forests. It may be recalled that the clearing of the forests by the Maharashtra government was frowned upon both by the environment ministry as well as the World Bank. What is most piquant about the current situation is that the clearing of these forests in the catchment area of the Ukai dam on Tapi river, apart from damaging the livelihood of villagers around, will also lead to increased siltation in the dam. Siltation, which is already very high in this dam, drastically reduces the holding capacity of the dam, thus making a mockery of the cost-benefit analysis