Protesters demand Indira Sagar Dam water level be kept below 260 metres The Jal Satyagraha or sit-in-water agitation by villagers affected by the Indira Sagar Dam entered its tenth day on Tuesday despite curfew and arrests. The agitation is currently in progress in six villages in the districts of Dewas, Khandwa and Harda. The protesters are demanding land in exchange for the land submerged and keeping the water level below 260 metres. At 4 pm on Tuesday, water level stood at 261.93 metres. In Khandwa’s Malud village, 14 women were admitted to hospital after they contracted water-borne infections. Narmada Bachao Andolan activist Chittaroopa Palit, who had been arrested for violating curfew orders last week, met Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj here on Tuesday and requested her to intercede with the State Government to ensure rehabilitation of the affected villagers. The Government has so far maintained its stand of sticking to court orders on the rehabilitation of dam oustees. Minister in-charge of Dewas district, Jagdish Devda, said on Tuesday that in view of the sincerity of the agitation he would press the Government for a solution. “Many of their demands are valid. I will ask the Chief Minister to take steps to find a solution soon,” he said. Earlier, Harda BJP MLA Kamal Patel had threatened to join the agitation after the local Congress leaders joined the protesters. Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee president Kantilal Bhuria has also come out in support of the satyagraha, which so far had included only the local Congress activists. In a release issued on Monday, he urged the State Government to give up its “stubborn stand” and grant the “just demands” of the villagers. “In Harda, small children are suffering from serious skin infections after participating in the satyagraha...People risk their lives only when they can’t bear injustice and humiliation any more,” Mr. Bhuria said.