Building Environmental Jurisprudence to Reclaim Lakes as Commons for Posterity: Compilation of ESG Lake Work

Collated here are petitions, affidavits, memos and notes filed by ESG to protect lakes of Karnataka before Karnataka High Court (WP 817/2008 & WP 38401/2014) and Supreme Court of India (Civil Appeal 17166/2013). You will also find here judicial orders, reports and laws that are an outcome of this ongoing effort. This section will be updated frequently.

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Public Statement Demanding Strict Action Against Communal Elements Threatening with Dire Consequences Those Working to Protect Begur Lake

The undersigned unequivocally, and in a single, strong, and clear voice absolutely condemn this assault on the honour of the High Court of Karnataka, on the rule of law,  and on those who are working tirelessly to protect lakes as commons for the sake of present and future generations. At a time when the world is grappling with the critical importance of saving such biodiversity-rich wetlands as a means of tackling the adverse consequences of climate change

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Dalit families targeted in Demolition Drive Undertaken by Bangalore Development Authority in Doddabettahalli (Yelahanka Hobli, Bangalore North)

In a most shocking development, officials of the Bangalore Development Authority, backed by Bangalore Police, destroyed about 10 houses of villagers of Doddabettahalli. Each and every one of the families affected were from Dalit communities. In a similar drive, about 22 houses had been demolished at Somashettahalli, Meda Agrahara and Lakshmipura villages of the same region a few days ago, which resulted in widespread protests.

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A Landfill is no place to “dispose” of our dead. BBMP needs to reconsider its decision to set up an open crematorium at the Mavallipura landfill.

The entire world has been afflicted with COVID. But nowhere has a landfill been used to cremate loved ones. We must all work together to ensure there is dignity and grace in conducting final rites of the unfortunate departed, and in a place appropriate for such terribly sad occasions. It has to be a place worthy of a sacred ritual.

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BBMP Must Drop its Plan to Set Up an Open Crematorium at Mavallipura Landfill Site

On the afternoon of 28th April 2021, Mavallipura was paid a visit by police and revenue officials. The intent of the visit was to set up an open crematorium atop the landfill. The thought of cremating the dead in a landfill is shocking. At a time when the nation grieves for those who lost their lives to the pandemic, the least we can do is to ensure that their untimely loss is respectfully and reverentially treated. A landfill cannot be the place to cremate or bury our dead.

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Let the Chamoli disaster be the final wake up call for our government

The Chamoli avalanche flood is starkly reminiscent of the Uttarakhand flood of 2013 and is a strong indicator of the impending high risks associated with reckless development of such fragile mountainous regions. This event highlights the harsh truth of how little the Government of India and various regional Himalayan states are focussing attention on appreciating the fragility of this range. There will be wide-ranging political arguments claiming it to be a natural disaster, but it is anything but that.

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Changing Lives and Livelihoods of Challakere: First impressions of the Unscientific Science City

By Ashwin Lobo, Research Associate, ESG. In January 2021, the ESG team visited these villages to understand the futuristic Science City means to the local communities. The stories we heard left us grasping for reason, as we struggled to fully comprehend just how much they have lost; We also were amazed by their resilience, particularly their feisty spirit to struggle on and protect the last remaining patches of these once pristine grasslands.

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Karnataka High Court directs Revenue Secretary to demonstrate compliance in ESG Lakes PIL

For almost two years now, Chief Justice Mr. Abhay Oka of the High Court of Karnataka has systematically developed jurisprudence to protect lakes as our commons, and for posterity. This is being achieved by his orders in a PIL filed by Citizens Action Group (CAG) PIL (WP 38401/2014). The jurisprudence reaffirms a schema for protecting and rehabilitating lakes based on their ground up monitoring, and for their rehabilitation through public involvement while ensuring regulatory oversight is transparent and accountable.

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Futures Forum Seminar on Preparedness: 12-13 January 2021

ESG is participating in one effort – a 23 country comparative study to learn lessons for the future from COVID-19, a study led by Prof. Sheila Jasanoff of Harvard Kennedy School and Prof. Stephen Hilgartner of Cornell University which will be featured in Futures Forum seminar on Preparedness, 12-13 Jan 2021.

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Webinar Series: ‘Better Bus Bengaluru’

The final webinar as part of the “Better Bus Bengaluru” campaign with #BengaluruMoving is on Friday, 28th August 2020 (4-6 pm on Zoom and Facebook) when we will address the theme: “Streamlining and calming traffic, and making cities inclusive for all”.

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CEJI demands withdrawal of anti-Constitution, anti-Environment and anti-Democracy Draft Environmental Impact Assessment Notification 2020

Statement of the Coalition for Environmental Justice in India Demand a Comprehensive New Substantive Environmental Law to Regulate Development in

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