Combat Climate Change Network, India
(CCCNI) Occasional Update: 8th November 2014
India’s freshest move
towards giant push for biofuels and its probable consequences
More
impoverishment of tribal communities and destruction of good forests sure to happen
if India targets to reach the 1.2 million tonne potential production of
biofuels
Dear Friends/Co-sailors,
Greetings from CCCNI!
Speaking at the Conference on Biofuel 2014 on 5th November,
Nitin Gadkari, India’s Minister for Road Transport & Highways, has said
that the Govt. of India would take all efforts to remove hurdles in the
increased production and usage of biofuels in the country.
He has pointed out that India has a large potential for
production of biofuels. Present estimates put the potential at 1.2 million
tonnes. However, only 60,000 tonnes is being produced, out of which 80 per cent
is exported.
In keeping with the broad objective of “Make in India” of
the PM, Gadkari said, the production of non-edible oilseeds leading to biofuel
production needs to be encouraged. His
Ministry is all set to promote alternative fuels and hybrid engines.
Ordinarily, the above statements would give a layman the
perception that something good is going to happen in this country. However, experience in the country and
elsewhere says that good forests have been cleared and poor farmers and forest
dwellers have lost lives and livelihood for promotion of bio-fuel
production.
This huge push may therefore be analysed in its real sense
and we must urge upon the government to discuss this plan with the communities
and others concerned. Blind push without
a proper understanding of the various socio-economic and ecological
consequences must not be promoted.
Gadkari has already hinted at heavy promotion of Jatropha in
jungles and tribal areas and says this will help the farmers and tribal
communities with higher income and employment.
He has also proposed to use wastelands extensively for cultivation of
oilseeds.
Some issues that need are urgent attention:
In the name of promoting bio-fuels, tribal communities
have been alienated from their lands by private companies. We have seen mass scale impoverishment of
rural and tribal communities due to bio-fuel production.
Most of the times common property land including
degraded forest areas (that have potential to grow as good forests) and grazing
lands have been termed ‘wastelands’ to promote Jatropha and other commercial
plantations.
The so called ‘bio fuel’ therefore has a lot of
socio-economic and ecological consequences that need to be considered by the
new government while moving towards this giant push for bio-fuels.
Look forward to your suggestions and feedback on this note,
and to work together on this issue.
For further information, please contact:
Ranjan Panda
Convenor, Water Initiatives Odisha
Convenor, Combat Climate Change Network, INDIA*
Mahanadi River Waterkeeper (Member, Global Waterkeeper Alliance)
Mobile: +91-9437050103/9937561700
Email: ranjanpanda@gmail.com, waterinodisha@gmail.com
Tweet @ranjanpanda
Skype: ranjan.climatecrusader
You can also see this update on my blog @
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Manifesto on Water Sanitation and Climate Change)
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online network that organises discussions, advocacy and other needed
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