Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Vyas said NBA had asked all anti-Narmada activists to opposite the project by writing to Sumitomo, the Japanese firm, or the Japanese Embassy. The firm is to supply turbines and generators on loan to the SSP.

Vyas says the NBA's stand amounts to interference in a matter pending in the Supreme Court, which is slated to begin hearing the issue on Thursday. Vyas said the NBA's stand amounted to doublespeak: on the one hand, it opposed SSP as detrimental to the environment, while on the other, it was creating hurdles for an environment-friendly hydel project.

NBA's letter to the Embassy says, ``We are shocked that the Government of Japan is permitting the Sumitomo company to supply equipment to SSNL, where it is clear that enormous social andenvironmental impacts are going to take place. Even though only a small percentage of total oustees have been displaced so far, even these have not been resettled properly. The people displaced about 8-10 years ago are abandoning their resettlement site and returning to their original village because of the bad conditions at the sites. The environmental impact has not been studied completely. Under these circumstances how can the Japanese Government agree to the export of these turbines to SSP. We hope that the Japan Government does not become a party to the project and its serious human rights violations.''

However, Vyas said the rehabilitation was almost complete and met the SC specifications. Meanwhile, he said that after a seven-year stalemate, the Japanese company had agreed to provide a 2.85 billion Yen loan to SSNNL in part-finance for the turbine-generator sets.

Vyas expressed confidence that the SC would soon complete its hearing on the issue of resettlement and rehabilitation of theproject-affected persons. He added the Gujarat Government had already said in its affidavit it would fulfill all the directives of the Narmada Tribunal or the SC.