Sri Jairam Ramesh, Hon'ble Union Minister for Rural Development, GOI is reported to have stated on 7 th August 2011 in Hyderabad that the "modern face of Naxalism was reflected in the industrial projects which flout the environmental norms" Also added that major projects such as the Vedanta, Sompeta, Posco and Bauxite Mining in Araku--all had an environmental dimension which can acquire the Naxalite overtone, unless handled effectively, favoring a completely different approach to the administration in Tribal Areas.
Sri V. Kishore Chandra Deo has been airing his concerns and core objections for the last 2 years, against the very concept of Bauxite Mining in Visakhapatnam Tribal Areas, as it pertains to fundamental issues regarding well being of forest dwellers & tribals and protection of their basic rights apart from the associated environmental issues.
Why Inaction at the Highest Level?
Apart from bringing the matter to the notice of Chief Minister of AP, Union Ministers of Environment & Forest and Mining since 2010, Sri Kishore Chandra Deo had written letters to The Chairperson of UPA and The Prime Minister in July 2010, requesting their intervention to stop Bauxite Mining in Scheduled Tribal areas of Vishakhapatnam district.
In his letters to The Chairperson UPA and The PM, it is categorically stated that he could sense and see the seething resentment among the forest dwellers and tribals who would be the most affected by the proposed Bauxite Mining. He was also constrained to state with concern that continued deprivation of Tribals, may compel them to take recourse to extra constitutional means to highlight their anger. He urged that all out efforts need to be made to address the basic needs and aspirations of Tribals, before the sensitive situation that already exists, is allowed to aggravate further.
As a last resort, in desperation, Sri Kishore Chandra Deo is reported to have written to the AP Governor, urging him to initiate action to prevent Bauxite Mining, so as to protect the welfare and advancement of the Tribals in the Scheduled area of Visakhapatnam, after due process.
From the information available, it can be inferred without much of a doubt, that AP State Administration and MOEF, GOI, colluded with the project proponents of Coal based Thermal Power Projects (TPPs) at Sompeta and Bhavanapadu in Srikakulam district, for allocation of land in ecologically sensitive Wetlands and for according the Environmental Clearances, respectively. Same is the case in respect of Bauxite Mining in Araku and Chintapalle Forests in Scheduled Areas of Visakhapatnam district and for setting up the associated Refineries and Power plants.
Will AP Learn a Lesson?
The AP State Administration used uncalled for and massive police force to protect the vested interests of the Project Proponents of TPPs at Sompeta and Bhavanapadu and to suppress the peaceful movement of the project affected people against the TPPs. In unprovoked Police Firings, the lives of five innocent people were lost and false criminal cases were foisted against many villagers who took part in the agitation. Will there be a change in handling sensitive issues like Bauxite Mining, Thermal Power Plants, Nuclear Power Plants etc., unilaterally depriving the people what little they have and adversely affecting their livelihoods, before something like in Chhattisgarh and Odisha happens?
Fight Root Causes & Forces that Create them!
Mr. Klaus Toepfer, the former Executive Director of the UNEP said that "It is the forces of poverty, environmental degradation and hatred that give birth to the intolerance that can lead to fundamentalism and terrorist acts"
He also said that while fighting against terrorism, we must also expose the forces that create poverty, intolerance, hatred and environmental degradation that can lead to an unstable world.
Disparity and Denial
When there is glaring disparity between the rich and the poor and the people are denied the right to their land and livelihoods and the State Administration becomes a passive on looker or still worse when it becomes an abettor, we see the rise of a sense of deprivation, hopelessness and intolerance. The desperate people can resort to desperate solutions. As a result they may care little about themselves and the people they hurt.
Conclusion
What do we expect, the denied, deprived, desperate and discriminated people to do, when there is no Rule of Law (Environmental)? Why no action on the Forces, that have easy access to the policy and decision makers and create poverty and environmental degradation, which are the root causes?
Both the AP State Govt and MOEF, GOI, failed so far, to enforce the "Rule of Law" by not taking action against the Project Proponents and the Officials concerned, in accordance with Sections 15, 17 & 19 of Environment (Protection) Act 1986, for the reasons best known to them.
People of AP have the right to know the reasons for inaction/collusion and the forces behind them, in spite of early warnings by two prominent persons who are now the Union Ministers in UPA II Govt.
Please wake up, before abduction takes place in the State, as the security environment today is impacted by a large number of external factors, which are not really within state control, as admitted by the PM.!
____________________________________________________________
.
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment