ABSTRACT
In the national and international arenas, "Narmada" has also become a symbol for the struggle for local autonomy against forced displacement associated with state-directed and internationally funded development. A detailed illustration of a major paradigm shift in process, the Narmada controversy represents a working out, through conflict and struggle, of the nature of sustainable development and social justice that concerns communities the world over. The Narmada case is no different: local people had no voice in the policymaking process. However, they have made their voices heard in resistance to these policies through transnational alliances that include local grassroots groups, nongovernmental advocacy groups, support organizations, and international nongovernmental organizations. Although the Jan Vikas Sangharsh Yatra, or the "long march," as it came to be known, failed to achieve its immediate objective, it further galvanized opposition to the dam within the Narmada valley. The chapter also presents some concepts discussed in this book.
