Narmada bachao "creatively" like Managers

This post by aadisht reminded me of “A beautiful mind” – John Nash whom we admired a lot in the college for his amazing thesis. There were two reasons for this –

1. ) He talks about ‘win win theory’ – the basis of Nash’s quest which ultimately won him the Nobel Prize.
2. ) He proposes an amazingly creative solution (to the Narmada Bachao Andolan issue)using very basic and simple concepts which are taught in the first term of an MBA course.

He proposes –

“What if you compensate the people whose land you are acquiring with call options on the land which benefits? The option can have an exercise price equal to the current price- or perhaps with a modest premium- and it can be exercised on a date after the development is expected to be complete.”

No doubt the solution is wrought with some inherent flaws. A few which I can think out of my hat are –

1.) The development of the dam has already taken 30 years and might take another 10-15 years or so. Majority of the people who are being displaced fall in the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category and require a relief package which can bring their life back on track as soon as possible. They will definitely benefit from the solution after 10 years in case they are able to survive under the current scenario.

2.) Who is going to take care of the disbursement of the call option and that too of a land which will really benefit from the new dam? Of course we will have a government body. But what is the guarantee that this disbursement would be free from the problems against which the complete ‘Andolan’ has been started. I am sure to see “NBA part II”.

3.) Poor people understand only give and take and a call option is beyond their comprehension which again leaves them completely vulnerable in the hands of government officials, real estate agents and other greedy hawks.

I am not saying that the solution is impossible to implement rather its one of the most creative solution to the problem I have seen by far.

Moreover no solution is ever perfect. Just take the example of a telephone invented a century back as a solution to our communication needs. But the improvements are still on.

And this is my small contribution to what Medha started and people like Aadisht are carrying forward.

Hats off to you Aadisht!!!