A People s Dam

Anant R S Phadke The recently-inaugurated dam at Balawadi in Sangli district is the first success of a broad-based people's movement for an . ecologically sound policy for preventing drought THE inauguration of the first gate of the 'Baliraja Smriti Dharan' (Baliraja Memorial Dam) at Balawadi, Sangli district (Maharashtra), on March 5 marks the victorious culmination of the novel, unique struggle of the people in the drought-stricken villages of the Khanapur taluk. Hundreds of people in the surrounding villages and representatives from neighbouring taluks and different people's organisations had gathered at Balawadi to witness the function of the returning of the loans taken from sympathisers and the felicitation of the representatives of different organisations who helped the successful movement to build this 'people's dam'..