Agency report
 
New Delhi, Apr 4: Turning down Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s request to end her indefinite hunger strike, Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar on Tuesday said her agitation would continue till the government makes public its report on the rehabilitation of the families affected by the Sardar Sarovar Project.

Deputed by the Prime Minister, Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz, who met Patkar twice on Tuesday at the Jantar Mantar, the spot where she has been fasting, and conveyed Singh’s request to call off her seven-day long strike.

There was concern among the activists about her health and a doctor from a nearby hospital was at hand in case of any emergency.

"The Prime Minister has reaffirmed the governments commitment that the rehabilitation of project affected families of the Sardar Sarovar Dam is done fully and satisfactorily in consonance with the Supreme Court order," Soz told her.

The Minister said he and his ministerial colleagues Meira Kumar and Prithviraj Chavan would visit the affected families in the project-affected areas and the relief and rehabilitation sites and particularly take note of the areas where rehabilitation has not been done as mentioned in the memorandum given by Patkar.

Patkar accepted a glass of salt water from Soz, but said her fast would continue.

Patkar, in a statement, said "The team visiting the affected areas in Madhya Pradesh, Maharshtra and Gujarat must make its report public immediately, latest by April 9, 2006. Till then, I and my colleagues shall continue our fast."