Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar ended her nine-day-long hunger strike after discussions with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath's emissary S.C. Behar in Barwani district of the state.
After discussions, Behar offered Patkar lemon juice to end her hunger strike in support of the Sardar Sarovar Dam affected persons.
Apart from her, six other persons, including four women, also ended their fast after the talks, a senior official of the state's public relations department said.
Behar, besides conveying Nath's concern to Patkar, also informed her about efforts made by the Madhya Pradesh government for lowering of the water level in the Sardar Sarovar dam whose backwaters have inundated various parts in Madhya Pradesh.
The health of Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) activist Medha Patkar had started to deteriorate as her indefinite hunger strike under the 'Narmada Chunauti Satyagraha' entered the seventh day.
Patkar started the indefinite hunger strike on August 25 at Chhota Barda in Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh to protest "illegal drowning of people in the Sardar Sarovar dam affected area, without rehabilitation". Ten other affected villagers joined the indefinite hunger strike on August 29 in solidarity with Patkar's agitation.
The NBA's main demand at this point is that the gates of the dam be kept open until rehabilitation of 32,000 affected people is completed in the submergence area. Until then the water level of Sardar Sarovar should be kept constant, at 122 meters.
Due to the indifference of the central and Gujarat government, thousands of families in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat are at the verge of submergence without adequate rehabilitation. By not taking adequate measures to control the water level, the Narmada Control Authority (NCA), the agency of the Central government is deliberately trying to destroy the people of the valley, including peasant-tribal, Kewat-Kahar, cattle herders, potters and landless labourers, the NBA has said.
-Inputs from PTI and Sravani Sarkar
