The calm looking duck above the water is in reality a constantly pedaling creature under it. Life is like that...
Ranjan Panda
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
India to add 9th mission to climate change action plan
India to add 9th mission to climate change action plan
Thursday, May 26, 2011, 22:43
New Delhi: India is set to expand its domestic action plan to limit the growth of greenhouse gases by adding clean carbon initiatives to its eight-pronged response to tackle climate change.
"We will soon add a ninth mission -- clean coal or clean carbon initiatives -- to our National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) that was launched in 2008," Principal Scientific Adviser R Chidambaram said here.
He said the driving force behind the mission would be to reduced carbon emissions per every megawatt power generated in the country.
Initiatives to develop next generation coal-fired power plants using advanced super-critical boilers and integrated gasification combined cycle technologies would be part of the mission.
The NAPCC, launched as part of India's domestic action in limiting growth of climate changing greenhouse gases, has eight missions - on solar power, energy efficiency, water, sustainable habitat, Himalayas, afforestation, agriculture and strategic knowledge.
Chidambaram said nuclear power was an inevitable option to meet the energy needs of the country and the world. He said India has already embarked on enhancing safety measures at its nuclear power plants in the wake of the Fukushima accident.
The focus is on improving post-shutdown cooling systems at nuclear plants, said Chidambaram, who was also the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.
PTI
Source: http://zeenews.india.com/news/sci-tech/india-to-add-9th-mission-to-climate-change-action-plan_708952.html
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Thought of the day - 18th June 2011
Product advertisements best represent the character of the current generation human beings. They only boast of themselves and discard everything else…
Ranjan Panda
Message on World Day To Combat Desertification - 17th June 2011
Dear Friends/Co-travelers,
Today is World Day to Combat Desertification. In 2006, we at Water Initiatives Odisha(WIO) warned that Odisha is turning out to be a desert in 150 years. (For details, please see the pasted article below) In fact we were very conservative in our estimate and took only simple analysis of statistics available in govt. records. The reality, which was further confirmed by scientific organisations like the Space Application Center, is much more grave and needs urgent attention.
Odisha is on a fast track of industrialization and going to be the green house gas emitting hub of the country soon. The industrialization drive of the state, which is happening at the cost of exploiting the mineral and natural resources including forests, water and land is taking a heavy toll on the people and the environment. More and more land is turning out barren owing to this blind growth path.
WIO has been raising this issue regularly and we are trying to knock the conscience doors of both the govt. and the people of the state to wake up before its too late. Our latest estimate shows how only the ambitious thermal power generation plan of the state would make at least 58000 hectare of the state 'barren' taking Odisha further close to the path of being a DESERT.
Can we really stay a mute spectator to this any further. No, we cant. We have to wake of from the Kumbhakarna sleep and ACT FAST.
Lets join hands. Please support WIO in this mission.
Looking forward to listen from you.
Thanks and regards,
Yours,
Ranjan Panda
Convenor, Water Initiatives Odisha
Fighting water woes, combating climate change... more than two decades now!
================
Today is World Day to Combat Desertification. In 2006, we at Water Initiatives Odisha(WIO) warned that Odisha is turning out to be a desert in 150 years. (For details, please see the pasted article below) In fact we were very conservative in our estimate and took only simple analysis of statistics available in govt. records. The reality, which was further confirmed by scientific organisations like the Space Application Center, is much more grave and needs urgent attention.
Odisha is on a fast track of industrialization and going to be the green house gas emitting hub of the country soon. The industrialization drive of the state, which is happening at the cost of exploiting the mineral and natural resources including forests, water and land is taking a heavy toll on the people and the environment. More and more land is turning out barren owing to this blind growth path.
WIO has been raising this issue regularly and we are trying to knock the conscience doors of both the govt. and the people of the state to wake up before its too late. Our latest estimate shows how only the ambitious thermal power generation plan of the state would make at least 58000 hectare of the state 'barren' taking Odisha further close to the path of being a DESERT.
Can we really stay a mute spectator to this any further. No, we cant. We have to wake of from the Kumbhakarna sleep and ACT FAST.
Lets join hands. Please support WIO in this mission.
Looking forward to listen from you.
Thanks and regards,
Yours,
Ranjan Panda
Convenor, Water Initiatives Odisha
Fighting water woes, combating climate change... more than two decades now!
================
In 150 years, Orissa will be a desert |
In just 13 years, severely degraded land in Orissa increased by 136%, barren land by 69% and land converted to non-agricultural use by 34% Water Initiatives Orissa (WIO), a civil society campaign, offers a stern warning in the latest issue of its bi-monthly newsletter Panira Dagara (Water Messenger). It says that India's poorest state Orissa will turn into a barren desert in just 150 years. Desertification is a process of loss of land productivity. In most severe cases it can cause permanent damage to the land. Many parts of Orissa, specifically the western and southern uplands, are already displaying symptoms of desertification. They have degraded from drought-prone regions to desert-prone areas, states the report. "We have arrived at this conclusion by analysing various sets of government data, and we have substantiated it through a public perception survey conducted by the Sambalpur-based NGO Manav Adhikar Seva Samiti (MASS)," says Bimal Pandia of WIO. The report claims that in just 13 years, from 1991-92 to 2004-05, severely degraded land in the state increased by 136%, barren land by 69% and land converted to non-agricultural use by 34%. This constitutes around 7% of Orissa's total geographical area. By 2004-05, as much as 17.5% of Orissa has turned barren, or been deemed unsuitable for agriculture. The report warns that the rate at which mineral and water-guzzling heavy industries are being pushed in the state, forest cover is thinning, climate is changing and soil degradation increasing, Orissa could soon turn into a desert. In mining and industrial districts like Raygada and Jharsuguda, agricultural land is shrinking. In Raygada district, the percentage of unproductive land is nearly 174 points higher than cultivable land. Such land amounts to as much as two-thirds of Jharsuguda's total cultivable area. "The way land is rapidly becoming barren and degraded, desertification is a (definite) reality now," says WIO. Desertification will impact the livelihoods of millions of people, as dependence on agriculture in the state is extremely high, the report continues. It is estimated that 29 lakh hectares of land have already become barren. According to state agriculture department statistics, around 4.33 million hectares of Orissa's 6.56 million hectares of agricultural land suffer severe erosion and declining fertility. That's as high as 66% of the state's total agricultural land. Also extremely worrying is the rate at which Orissa's climate is changing. A study by meteorologist Professor U C Mohanty shows that the number of rainfall days in the state has been dropping by one day, every five years. Rainfall patterns too have altered. Information gathered from government records show that rainfall in the coastal districts of Baleshwar, Puri and Ganjam has increased, while in western and southern parts of Orissa it has decreased drastically. Recent rainfall averages in Balangir and Nuapada districts hover around threatening levels of 1,000 mm. Weather department statistics indicate that while global mean temperatures rose by 0.5 degree Celsius over the past 50 years, in Orissa it rose by 1 degree Celsius. The weather here is becoming alarmingly extreme. In 10 years, the highest recorded temperature average has increased by 4.4-6.6 degrees Celsius, and the average of lowest recorded temperatures has decreased by 3-5.1 degrees Celsius in various parts of the state. "The development emphasis of the state government has been narrowed down to industrialisation only, without any attention given to land and agriculture that sustains close to 90% of the rural population," the WIO report concludes. The concentration of polluting and water- and mineral-consuming industries will further aggravate land degradation in the state. Conservative estimates show that if all the proposed steel plants were to begin functioning they would emit 392 million tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2010. Further, these industrial units would require at least 527 million litres of clean water, which will later be released as pollutants. The Washington-based Institute of Policy Studies has warned that by 2010 Orissa alone will emit 7-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Two major rivers in the state, the Mahanadi and the Brahmani, are already water-stressed as far as irrigation and riparian use is concerned. Although the government claims to have created irrigation potential for 41% of cultivable land, the fact that agricultural production still fluctuates wildly, in line with rainfall, and that agriculture sector growth in the state has plummeted, are cause for serious concern. Water-guzzling industries will only make the situation worse, the report warns. According to 'State of Forests Reports', published by the forest and environment department, between 1986 and 2003 actual forest cover shrank by 4,797 sq km, although areas classified as forestland by the state government increased by 2,351 sq km in the same period. Soil erosion due to forest degradation is a serious issue in 52% of the state's total geographical area. -- Ranjan K Panda InfoChange News & Features, December 2006 |
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Thought of the day - 16th June 2011
To appreciate someone’s good act you neither need good acting nor strong vocabulary, but a truthful instinct and true intent…
Ranjan Panda
Thought of the day - 15th June 2011
There is nothing called a ‘lost opportunity’. We missed something because we had to and may be because we have a better opportunity coming our way…
Ranjan Panda
Monday, June 13, 2011
Thought of the day - 14th June 2011
In a discussion, when one person is already in a presumptive mode, better avoid responding because the other person is already judgmental with all learning doors closed…
Ranjan Panda
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Thought for World No Child Labour Day 2011
Being born to a poor family does not deprive a child from childhood, being born to a country with poor and corrupt leadership does…
Ranjan Panda
Thought for World No Child Labour Day (12 June), posted on 13th June
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Thought of the day - 12th June 2011
Ghosts are more reliable than human beings. At least in their case you know that they look scary and will scare you. Humans are hypocrites by design…
Ranjan Panda
Unsustainable Urbanization
At outskirts of Sambalpur, there is no electricity since independence.
A kid, innocent as he is, does not know that his village is just at the outskirts of Sambalpur and does not have electricity yet even as Sambalpur is famous for the Hirakud Dam which displaced thousands and destroyed the local ecology all in the name of development. The dam which has been generating electricity is now more infamous for encroachment by industries and urbanites.
Thus I said, we have to de-urbanise and de-industrialize if we really want India to grow...
Ranjan Panda
Thought of the day - 11th June 2011
Love and respect are not negotiations and hence cannot be bargained…
Ranjan Panda
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Thought of the day - 10th June 2011
In a close friendship or relationship, there is nothing called ‘settling of scores’…
Ranjan Panda
Pray a Kalinga Nagar is not repeated in Govindpur.
Pray a Kalinga Nagar is not repeated in Govindpur
Ranjan K Panda
After India’s environment minister Jairam Ramesh gave the final clearance to the largest FDI of the nation to produce steel at the cost of poor people, their livelihoods and one of most fragile ecosystems of the nation, all through a process of faith – bypassing environment legislations of the nation, the state government has engaged all its energy to acquire land for POSCO. Contradictory as it is visible to everyone, the so called ‘peaceful land acquisition’ is being done with help of 27 platoons of police. At the opposition of these armed policemen are about two thousand poor villagers including women and children, who have been virtually fasting as they are spending sleepless nights in apprehension of the police to barge in anytime and snatch away their land, livelihood, society and culture forever. Severely marooned by the Super Cyclone 1999, a lot of money was spent by the state government, NGOs, UN agencies and other donor organisations to rehabilitate them here. Rich in betel farming, these people had never thought they have to see a day in their lives when their own government would be their enemy. And ironic is the fact that the academia, civil society and other so called educated people of the state, who have been very vocal in support of Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev, don’t realise that thousands of poor villagers in the proposed POSCO affected villages are fasting by a design of the state.
All efforts of the affected populace to lodge logical, ethical and legal battle seem to have gone into waste in this country where government and corporates have a perfect poisonous nexus to uproot democracy and violate all possible norms. Technically, as the opposition BJP has just raised (after the water has galloped the neck), the government cannot acquire the land because the MoU between it and POSCO is not in force for about a year now. But, violating norms by the rulers has become a norm in this state where nobody simply cares about the poor. Happenings on the ground have come down to a conclusive phase, one can make out from the aggression of the state in swallowing the people and their lands for profit of a company. The more than half decade long protest by the people seems to be heading to some sort of a conclusion for sure as the final battle grounds are being prepared between an armed state and empty bellied unarmed children, women, aged and a few youths.
Reports from the ground at the moment, as on June 9, put it that the 2000 people, including 400 school children, have formed a human barricade since one week and are sitting in front of the Govindpur village border, day and night, to face any imminent attack from Police forces which is camping outside their village and readying to forcefully enter. But not bereft of their last hope, even as the police and govt. are busy preparing their blue print to enter into the villages, the people are trying to invoke all possible ways to urge upon the government to resort to the constitution, the environmental and land legislations, and to respect fundamental rights of them as citizens of this nation. As all other means have perhaps been exhausted, to do this, they have taken a new route to attract govt. and media attention as their last ditch to garner support for their democratic movement, and against the oppressive moves of the government.
In a just issued release, in the late evening of June 9, villagers of Dhinkia, Patana, Noliasahi Gadakujanka and Govindpur have urged upon the Odisha Chief Minister to ensure that UN treaties and guidelines are respected. They have reminded the CM that they are the victims of the 1999 super cyclone and have put together their broken lives and livelihoods with lot of difficulties in the last ten years; and that the government should not dislocate them all over again.
Even though cyclones affect them quite regularly, the super cyclone caused large scale destruction. As the 25 feet high tidal waves swept through the area submerging three blocks of Jagatsinghpur district and wind with a velocity of 300kms/hr hit them with all its might, thousands were killed and more than 20 lakh houses were fully or partially damaged, much of the land was rendered useless for cultivation because of salinity. About 3.7 lakh cattle, 29,000 fishing boats were lost. “Our lives & livelihood, in short, were paralyzed”, rue the villagers.
“It took us years to pick up pieces and rebuild our lives with the enormous help and generous efforts of the people of India and the relentless work by several government departments and international agencies. It would be grossly inhuman to now displace us all over again for the highly controversial and illegal POSCO project, and force us go through the agony of further displacement and dislocation. Thus, making all efforts in rehabilitating after the cyclone would go waste. Besides, we would be forced into a very harsh reality of losing our livelihoods and fundamental rights if you do not reconsider your decision to establish the massive POSCO integrated steel plant at the eco-sensitive zone like Jagatsinghpur district. This time though, the disaster would be human-made or rather government-made under your stewardship”, have said the villagers.
What the villagers have reminded the Odisha CM is that this dislocation of communities ravaged by natural disasters is not only disastrous but also a fundamental violation of the UN International treaties. There are many international guidelines and principles of the United Nations that India has ratified which advocate a humane consideration of rights of people ravaged by natural disasters, particularly if this has been occurring repeatedly to them in a generation or two. In particular regard to communities, which have been physically displaced by natural disasters, the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement is eminently applicable. Further, Principle 6 of the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement states that “[e]very human being shall have the right to be protected against being arbitrarily displaced from his or her home or place of habitual residence.” Principle 21 states that no displaced person shall be arbitrarily deprived of property and possessions.
The villagers have also said that, “in our case, decisions to dislocate and displace us are arbitrary and illegal as per the Rights to Life, Livelihoods and to a Clean Environment guaranteed to us by the Indian Constitution. In addition, it is an act of violence considering the widespread and blatant abuse of police force liberally used against us over the past six years merely because we have peacefully and staunchly resisted our displacement for the POSCO project”.
Time now is to see what happens tomorrow. If the government forcefully enters through its armed police platoons, there is every chance that the protesting people would resist and, going by records, we would presume that the police will opt for violent ways to crush the protest. ‘Will the government listen to its people or dance to the tune of corporates?’ would once again be evident in this battle. The only wish that one could make and pray for is that “let the Kalinga Nagar incident not repeat”. Or else, we are sure, the police will have all justifications to make for its action and the nation will forget the brutality in a few months since in this largest democracy people don’t count, corporates and their investments do.
Written on 9th June 2011
Revoke Illegal Mining - Press Release
Press Release
9th June, 2011
REVOKE THE ILLEGAL LEASE GRANTED IN THE KANNEDHARA HILLS:
120 TRIBALS ARRESTED, PREVENTED FROM MEETING A.P. CM
120 TRIBALS ARRESTED, PREVENTED FROM MEETING A.P. CM
Brief Background:
Who We Are:
- We, who are protesting against this destructive mining of our hills, are from theSavara and Jatapu tribes.
- We are culturally, socially and economically bound to the glorious Kannedhara Hills in the Pulliputti panchayat, Seethampeta mandal, Srikakulam Dist. where no quarrying is allowed.
- We worship the Kannedhara Konda as our deity and temples dedicated to Lord Anjaneya and local deity Polamma have existed here for centuries .
- Apart from being rich in various medicinal herbs, Kannedhara is a precious water-source, filling 14 tanks that help raise 2,000 acres of paddy.
What We’re Protesting Against:
- 1980 acres in the Pulliputti panchayat, Seethampeta Mandal have been surveyed as containing granite worth Rs. 1000 crores.
- Out of this, 10 hectares worth Rs. 100 crores have been leased to Virgin Rock Pvt. Ltd.
- This company is owned by Ram Manohar Naidu, son of Roads and Buildings Minister, Dharmana Prasad Rao.
- The lease was given on the basis of a fraudulent NOC issued by the Revenue Dept., when Dharmana Prasad Rao was the Revenue Minister for the State. This is a brazen case of conflict of interest.
- Moreover, many tribals had been allocated land in Survey No.289 where mining lease was granted.
Present Situation
Our group of 120 girijans was arrested this morning, while we were on our way to discuss our situation with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister (CM)Kiran Kumar Reddy in Srikakulam.
We had undertaken a 3-day padayatra (protest march on foot) from our villages in the Kannedhara Hills, to protest against the mining lease granted to Ram Manohar Naidu, son of State Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasad Rao.
We had undertaken a 3-day padayatra (protest march on foot) from our villages in the Kannedhara Hills, to protest against the mining lease granted to Ram Manohar Naidu, son of State Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasad Rao.
Finally reaching the city, after covering a gruelling 65 km by foot, we were confronted by new obstacles. First, the police barred our entry into the city, only to let us go after we sat down in the middle of the road and refused to budge. Then, herded by 3 police jeeps and 1 truck full of constables, we were prevented from meeting the minister and made to wait another night.
We were finally given an appointment to meet the CM at 9 am this morning. As we made our way to the RIMS hospital at 8:30 am, where Mr. Reddy was fielding members of the media, the police moved in and arrested our entire group.
We strongly condemn the arbitrary arrests made by the police, especially since it was senior officers who had conveyed the time appointment time in the first place. Why were we prevented from exercising our right to express our grievances non-violently?
We condemn the apathy of the state. When members of a vulnerable community have endured severe hardship, walked for three days across the forest and tar roads in the blazing heat, many of us falling sick along the way, isn't it the responsibility of the state to at least listen us and find out why we've decided to take such a difficult journey?
With no mention of why we were arrested and what we'd done wrong, the only justice that we got to see was in the back of a police truck. We were taken to a facility 40 km from our destination, where we were later released and told to go back to where we came from.
We see this as an affront to democracy and an act of extreme callousness on the part of state officials. We call for a serious enquiry into the its granting of mining leases in Kannedhara hills and a redressal of issues directly affecting us.
We are determined to protest till our Kannedhara konda is saved, and request you to join our fight.
On behalf of Kannedhara Porardha Samiti,
Thotasavara MukhalingamSarpanch, Pulliputti Panchayat
Seethampeta Mandal, Srikakulam
Andhra Pradesh.
Local contact:
Mr. BSanjeeva Rao, President, VELUGU: 9440283837
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Fwd: [samukhya] Nation's conscience must be awakened to anti-POSCO struggle
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sukla Sen <sukla.sen@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Jun 8, 2011 at 10:19 PM
Subject: [samukhya] Nation's conscience must be awakened to anti-POSCO struggle
To: IHRO <ihro@yahoogroups.com>, issueonline <issuesonline_worldwide@yahoogroups.com>, arkitectindia@yahoogroups.com, bahujan <Bahujan@yahoogroups.com>, mahajanapada <Mahajanapada@yahoogroups.com>, invitesplus@yahoogroups.com, national-forum-of-india@yahoogroups.co.in, humanrightsactivist <humanrightsactivist@yahoogroups.com>, the-moderates@googlegroups.com, bharat-chintan@googlegroups.com, Indian <indianfirst@yahoogroups.com>, Janshakti <Janshakti@yahoogroups.com>, samukhya@yahoogroups.com
The brutal police action unleashed by the UPA Government on Baba Ramdev's fasting camp in Delhi has shocked the nation's conscience; even the Hon'ble Supreme Court has taken suo moto cognisance of the blatant disregard for fundamental rights, and questioned the Government raison de d'etre to so quell dissent. Most mainstream political parties have jostled with each other to gain attention in condemning the incident; and this has by far been the only issue covered and debated non-stop by the electronic and print media for some days now.
However, little or nothing is being said or done about a far more serious situation that is developing in Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha, where villagers of Dhinkia, Gobindpur, Patana, etc., are resolutely and peacefully opposing the forcible acquisition of their private and forest lands by the Odisha Government for the benefit of South Korean steel major POSCO. Over the past few days, at least 26 platoons of riot police (over 1,000 police personnel) have been deployed to ruthlessly beat down women, children, the aged, and men who have kept a day/night vigil and not allowed any State functionary, police or company official to enter these villages; thus continuing a phenomenal act of peaceful resistance to POSCO venture, sustained for six years now under the leadership of POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samithi.
Brutal police tactics, criminal intimidation and illegal methods are being employed here to wrest from these peacefully protesting villagers 4000 acres of extraordinarily fertile agricultural and forest land to establish the single largest industrial foreign investment conceived in recent times. The project involves the establishment of a mega steel plant (12 MTPA), backed by a massive coal-fired thermal power plant (400 MW expandable to 1,100 MW), and a major captive port for handling the world's largest cargo ships (Capesize, usually more than a quarter km. in length).1 The project involves further land acquisition for a captive iron ore mine requiring 6,100 acres of predominantly forest land in Khandadhar Hills of Sundergarh district and at least 2,000 acres more for a massive gated township to house POSCO employees. In addition, there would be dedicated water, road and rail linkages that will further exacerbate the displacement and environmental destruction caused by the project.
POSCO: A scandal far bigger than 2G scam
It is high time the nation's conscience is affected by what the project affected communities are suffering under the hands of the Navin Patnaik regime in Odisha. It is time to appreciate the fact that the POSCO project is perhaps the most shocking example of corrupt practices legitimised by State support. This is because the project is nothing short of a legalised loot of our natural resources – iron ore in this case. In an unprecedented deal, Indian and Odisha Governments have supported POSCO's demands to mine 600 million tonnes of the finest iron in India on a 30-year lease. Of this, 30% can be exported for processing in POSCO's Korean plants and thus endorsing profiteering abroad! With current fine iron ore rates crossing Rs. 8,000/tonne, it is simple arithmetic to note that POSCO can recover its capital investment of Rs. 52,000 crores in less than eight years, an unthinkable proposition in any industrial venture! Truly, the POSCO venture is a scandal far worse than those involving 2G and Commonwealth Games.
In fact, A. Raja, principal accused in the 2G scam, may have facilitated POSCO's entry when as Indian Environment Minister in 2007 he accorded the first major statutory clearance by approving the captive port component, one day before he transited to the Telecom Ministry. This was done without any review and also in response to severe pressure from then Union Finance Minister Chidambaram. Various key environmental and forest clearances quickly followed, all by subverting laws and breaking down the massive industrial/mining venture into little parts to hide their true environmental, social and economic consequences.
Three years later when Jairam Ramesh, the sitting Environment Minister, ordered a comprehensive review of these clearances by setting up two independent investigations, both committees confirmed that the clearances had been secured by fraud and subterfuge, and strongly recommended withdrawal of these illegal approvals. The appropriate action that the Minister should have taken was to cancel these fraudulent clearances and initiate criminal action against all involved in the POSCO decisions. Such action would have been true evidence of the oft-made claim by the UPA Government that it is serious about tackling corruption.
Instead, Jairam Ramesh claimed he was working towards "cooperative federalism" and on the basis of his "faith and trust" in the Odisha Government approved the project's environment and CRZ clearances on 31 January 2011 and subsequently the forest clearance on 2nd May. This was despite absolute evidence that the Forest Rights Act had been fundamentally violated by deliberately overlooking Gram Sabha resolutions (convened by the constitutionally empowered Panchayats in the project affected villages) that clearly rejected the project. Ramesh, thus, became a party to the fraud in environmental decision-making and also directly responsible for the dangerous situation that is developing in the POSCO affected villages today.
We fear that the exigent State police action that is now underway in these villages may result in another Kalinganagar or Nandigram type of situation. The scant attention paid by mainstream political parties, the media and the public is only strengthening the Navin Patnaik Government to disregard Constitution norms and act ruthlessly to secure lands for the advantage of POSCO.
In an effort to prevent such a carnage from taking place, various eminent people in the country have intervened and appealed to the Prime Minister of India to "immediately ask the Odisha government to halt this illegal attack, to withdraw all clearances given in violation of law, and to take an impartial position in the court cases filed by the people. Failure to stop this attack will show that the UPA government's much vaunted concern over issues of displacement, forest rights and "inclusive growth" is simply an eyewash." A copy of this appeal is enclosed.
While endorsing these demands, we additionally urge that:
--
Peace Is Doable![]()
From: Sukla Sen <sukla.sen@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Jun 8, 2011 at 10:19 PM
Subject: [samukhya] Nation's conscience must be awakened to anti-POSCO struggle
To: IHRO <ihro@yahoogroups.com>, issueonline <issuesonline_worldwide@yahoogroups.com>, arkitectindia@yahoogroups.com, bahujan <Bahujan@yahoogroups.com>, mahajanapada <Mahajanapada@yahoogroups.com>, invitesplus@yahoogroups.com, national-forum-of-india@yahoogroups.co.in, humanrightsactivist <humanrightsactivist@yahoogroups.com>, the-moderates@googlegroups.com, bharat-chintan@googlegroups.com, Indian <indianfirst@yahoogroups.com>, Janshakti <Janshakti@yahoogroups.com>, samukhya@yahoogroups.com
PRESS RELEASE: New Delhi : 07 June 2011
Nation's conscience must be awakened to anti-POSCO struggle
Tackling corruption must begin by scrapping the scandalous POSCO project
The brutal police action unleashed by the UPA Government on Baba Ramdev's fasting camp in Delhi has shocked the nation's conscience; even the Hon'ble Supreme Court has taken suo moto cognisance of the blatant disregard for fundamental rights, and questioned the Government raison de d'etre to so quell dissent. Most mainstream political parties have jostled with each other to gain attention in condemning the incident; and this has by far been the only issue covered and debated non-stop by the electronic and print media for some days now.
However, little or nothing is being said or done about a far more serious situation that is developing in Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha, where villagers of Dhinkia, Gobindpur, Patana, etc., are resolutely and peacefully opposing the forcible acquisition of their private and forest lands by the Odisha Government for the benefit of South Korean steel major POSCO. Over the past few days, at least 26 platoons of riot police (over 1,000 police personnel) have been deployed to ruthlessly beat down women, children, the aged, and men who have kept a day/night vigil and not allowed any State functionary, police or company official to enter these villages; thus continuing a phenomenal act of peaceful resistance to POSCO venture, sustained for six years now under the leadership of POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samithi.
Brutal police tactics, criminal intimidation and illegal methods are being employed here to wrest from these peacefully protesting villagers 4000 acres of extraordinarily fertile agricultural and forest land to establish the single largest industrial foreign investment conceived in recent times. The project involves the establishment of a mega steel plant (12 MTPA), backed by a massive coal-fired thermal power plant (400 MW expandable to 1,100 MW), and a major captive port for handling the world's largest cargo ships (Capesize, usually more than a quarter km. in length).1 The project involves further land acquisition for a captive iron ore mine requiring 6,100 acres of predominantly forest land in Khandadhar Hills of Sundergarh district and at least 2,000 acres more for a massive gated township to house POSCO employees. In addition, there would be dedicated water, road and rail linkages that will further exacerbate the displacement and environmental destruction caused by the project.
POSCO: A scandal far bigger than 2G scam
It is high time the nation's conscience is affected by what the project affected communities are suffering under the hands of the Navin Patnaik regime in Odisha. It is time to appreciate the fact that the POSCO project is perhaps the most shocking example of corrupt practices legitimised by State support. This is because the project is nothing short of a legalised loot of our natural resources – iron ore in this case. In an unprecedented deal, Indian and Odisha Governments have supported POSCO's demands to mine 600 million tonnes of the finest iron in India on a 30-year lease. Of this, 30% can be exported for processing in POSCO's Korean plants and thus endorsing profiteering abroad! With current fine iron ore rates crossing Rs. 8,000/tonne, it is simple arithmetic to note that POSCO can recover its capital investment of Rs. 52,000 crores in less than eight years, an unthinkable proposition in any industrial venture! Truly, the POSCO venture is a scandal far worse than those involving 2G and Commonwealth Games.
In fact, A. Raja, principal accused in the 2G scam, may have facilitated POSCO's entry when as Indian Environment Minister in 2007 he accorded the first major statutory clearance by approving the captive port component, one day before he transited to the Telecom Ministry. This was done without any review and also in response to severe pressure from then Union Finance Minister Chidambaram. Various key environmental and forest clearances quickly followed, all by subverting laws and breaking down the massive industrial/mining venture into little parts to hide their true environmental, social and economic consequences.
Three years later when Jairam Ramesh, the sitting Environment Minister, ordered a comprehensive review of these clearances by setting up two independent investigations, both committees confirmed that the clearances had been secured by fraud and subterfuge, and strongly recommended withdrawal of these illegal approvals. The appropriate action that the Minister should have taken was to cancel these fraudulent clearances and initiate criminal action against all involved in the POSCO decisions. Such action would have been true evidence of the oft-made claim by the UPA Government that it is serious about tackling corruption.
Instead, Jairam Ramesh claimed he was working towards "cooperative federalism" and on the basis of his "faith and trust" in the Odisha Government approved the project's environment and CRZ clearances on 31 January 2011 and subsequently the forest clearance on 2nd May. This was despite absolute evidence that the Forest Rights Act had been fundamentally violated by deliberately overlooking Gram Sabha resolutions (convened by the constitutionally empowered Panchayats in the project affected villages) that clearly rejected the project. Ramesh, thus, became a party to the fraud in environmental decision-making and also directly responsible for the dangerous situation that is developing in the POSCO affected villages today.
We fear that the exigent State police action that is now underway in these villages may result in another Kalinganagar or Nandigram type of situation. The scant attention paid by mainstream political parties, the media and the public is only strengthening the Navin Patnaik Government to disregard Constitution norms and act ruthlessly to secure lands for the advantage of POSCO.
In an effort to prevent such a carnage from taking place, various eminent people in the country have intervened and appealed to the Prime Minister of India to "immediately ask the Odisha government to halt this illegal attack, to withdraw all clearances given in violation of law, and to take an impartial position in the court cases filed by the people. Failure to stop this attack will show that the UPA government's much vaunted concern over issues of displacement, forest rights and "inclusive growth" is simply an eyewash." A copy of this appeal is enclosed.
While endorsing these demands, we additionally urge that:
- The Odisha Government must immediately withdraw its police operations and forcible acquisition of land for POSCO.
- The Central Bureau of Investigation must immediately expand the scope of its ongoing investigations against A Raja by reviewing his role in the POSCO clearances, and that of all those who have been involved in illegally promoting this scandalous project, possibly including then Finance Minister and presently Home Minister, Chidambaram.
- The scandalous POSCO project must be scrapped as its benefits will be accrued mainly by major American financiers (including Warren Buffet) who are major stockholders of this South Korean company.
Issued by: Environment Support Group (Bangalore), Campaign for Survival and Dignity, National Forum of Forest People andForest Workers (NFFPFW), National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), Delhi Solidarity Group, All India Progressive Women's Association (AIPWA) and All India Students' Association (AISA)
Contact numbers: 9560756628, 9868337493, 9868259836
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Peace Is Doable
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Ranjan K Panda
BASERA
R-3/A-4, J. M. Colony, Budharaja
Sambalpur 768 004, Odisha, INDIA
Mobile: +919437050103
Email: ranjanpanda@gmail.com, ranjanpanda@yahoo.com
Skype: ranjan.climatecrusader
Mobile: +919437050103
Email: ranjanpanda@gmail.com, ranjanpanda@yahoo.com
Skype: ranjan.climatecrusader
Blog: http://www.climatecrusaders.blogspot.com/
A TRULY EVOLVED BEING IS ONE THAT VALUES OTHERS MORE THAN IT VALUES ITSELF....
A TRULY EVOLVED BEING IS ONE THAT VALUES OTHERS MORE THAN IT VALUES ITSELF....
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Thought of the day - 8th June 2011
Sometimes when people deliberately make simple things complex, a good trick is to show your ignorance and avoid them altogether…
Ranjan Panda
Monday, June 6, 2011
Thought of the day - 7th June 2011 - Sital Sasthi Wishes!
The elderly hold it that Sital Sasthi brought the first monsoon drops to our region. These sacred rain drops showered the much needed cool on the earth, brought relief to the people from the summer heat. Lord Shiva and Parvathi solemnized their marriage on this date and hence it’s believed if it pours during anyone's marriage, the couple is lucky. Monsoon now arrives late as the climate is changing rapidly...
Happy Sitalsasthi!
Ranjan Panda
Sunday, June 5, 2011
My statement on World Environment Day 2011.
"To control water resources for the benefit of polluting industries, extracting mining, corporates and urban elites, I apprehend, the govt. will moot a Special Water Police Force in line with the Special Police Force to control maoists, in about a decade's time"...
Ranjan Panda
as spoken in a public function organised by Orissa Sanskrutik Samaj on World Environment Day, to which I was invited as the Chief Speaker.
Ranjan Panda
as spoken in a public function organised by Orissa Sanskrutik Samaj on World Environment Day, to which I was invited as the Chief Speaker.
Thought on World Environment Day 2011
If we are serious about environment conservation, we must start de-urbanizing and de-industrializing the current models of growth…
Happy Environment Day!
Ranjan Panda
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