A Lecture on

Polavaram Dam: Displacement &invitesStories

by

Satish Nainala

Lecture followed by Screening of the short docu drama film on Polavarm Project titled "MANYAM." Q & A

About the topic:

The Polavaram dam project, whose supposed benefits include increased irrigation and water supplies to big cities, is expected to displace around 150,000 tribals across three states. But the population of these villages according to the Census 2001 is much higher —236,834. State officials find it hard to explain the difference of 59,559 while estimating the number of people who will be displaced. Further, in the past 10 years, the population of these villages would have increased. If one takes into account 15,105 households (60,118 persons) that would be displaced by the two canals, then one arrives at the figure of 317,150 persons affected. The tribal populations in the going to be submerged areas are articulating their concerns in different forms to thwart such artificial disaster. The resistance of tribal populations against the construction of Polavaram dam, entangled in very complex political circumstances. The main feature of this resistance is the involvement of various People’s Organizations cutting across various political parties and supporting several forms of protest of the tribal population to build up resistance against the construction of the dam.

Brief note about Satish:

Satish Nainala is a full time research scholar from English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. He is also the General Secretary of the Student Association. He had worked a lot in the area of displacement of adivasis due to development projects by the government.

Synopsis of the movie:

Manyam Manyam is a short film directed by Rushi Krishna. The film tries to capture the life and lifestyle of adivasis living in the Godavari basin and how the Polavaram Dam project impacts and affects the tribal population, displacement and their livelihood.