Vol 3. Issue 1

Upcoming Event

On the occasion of Republic Day (26 Jan, Wednesday), ESG invites you to an online discussion with the author of  India’s Undeclared Emergency:Constitutionalism and the Politics of Resistance by Arvind Narrain . Joining the discussion: Shri. Ramachandra Guha, Smt. Madhu Bhushan and Prof. Babu Mathew.

Registration and Details

‘Analytically sharp and empirically robust, Arvind Narrain’s Undeclared Emergency … throws a sharp focus on the punitive nature of the legal regime, the criminalisation of dissent and the power exercised by the mob in contemporary India. All those who care for the future of our Republic should read this book.’

—Ramachandra Guha, Historian

Food & Health

ESG  submitted objections and comments to the Draft Notification on Food Safety & Standards (Genetically Modified or Genetically Engineered Foods) Regulations, 2021 dated 17 Nov 2021, proposed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). We consider these regulations are blatantly violative of the federated governance of India as they side step Constitutionally guaranteed due role of State Governments in being involved in formulating such regulations; pose a grave risk to sovereign  control of food and foodstuff; promotes corporatised control of food production and consumption; dangerously centralises control of regulatory standards of food production and consumption, and that without any oversight by State Governments and the wide public; dismisses diverse food cultures of India, and promotes an homogenous interpretation of food standards; and most disturbingly promotes Genetically Modified Foods and their widespread dissemination into the market exposing farmers, food producers and consumers to unfathomable risks. We have demanded that these regulations must be withdrawn immediately.  See the detailed representation here.

Biodiversity 

A bill to amend the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 was introduced in Parliament in the Winter Session on December 16, 2021. It is now before a Joint Parliamentary Committee, which on 16 January called for comments on the bill within 15 days. The proposed amendments are one of the most blatant attacks till date on the sovereignty of both the country and local communities over biological resources, and will severely dilute protections for biodiversity in India. The amendments will open the way for further commercial exploitation of traditional knowledge and biological resources. The regulatory process – currently in the hands of the local Biodiversity Management Committees, the State Biodiversity Boards, and the National Biodiversity Authority- will also be severely diluted as most criminal sanctions under the BDA will be done away with. The implications of the proposed changes become even clearer keeping in mind the simultaneous effort to virtually deregulate GM foods on part of the FSSAI. 

It is imperative for all of us to make it known to the Joint Parliamentary Committee in the strongest possible terms that these amendments will be a death knell to the protective framework under the Biological Diversity Act and to the biological diversity of the country, and will have grave consequences for social and economic securities intertwined with them.

Water 

The sharing of Cauvery’s waters has  been a long standing dispute between the riparian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, in particular, and also Kerala and Puducherry. While the Supreme Court of India sought to settle this dispute through its detailed order of 16 February  2018 in which it forestaged the importance of supporting drinking water needs of riparian residents, the proposal by the Government of Karnataka to build a mega dam on Cauvery at Mekedatu, just before the river enters Tamilnadu, resulted in Tamilnadu Government approaching the Supreme Court stating its rights would be affected.  In this August 2021 appeal the Tamilnadu Government has complained that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in its June 2021 order had expressed satisfaction over Karnataka’s claim that it would receive requisite environmental and forest clearances before building the dam, but that the order was issued without according to Tamilnadu, the lower riparian State, due opportunity of a hearing.  

Karnataka’s plan of building the Rs. 9000 Crore reservoir and drinking water project at Mekedatu has been caught in a tense political situation with over 20000 members from Opposition parties participating in Padayatra from Mekedatu to Bangalore demanding the project be implemented immediately.  The Opposition led by Congress State President D. K Shivakumar and former Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah have accused the ruling BJP government of dithering, as it is keen to accommodate the party’s interests in Tamilnadu. The Government has responded by charging the protests with violation of Covid-19 curfew restrictions. 

Meanwhile, the Mekedatu dam is being vehemently opposed by environmentalists. Recently,  Medha Patkar of Narmada Bachao Andolan, social activist and former Minister B. T. Lalitha Naik and veteran journalist Nagesh Hegde joined renowned actor Ahimsa Chetan in calling attention to the massive ecological and social damage that the dam can cause: over about 8000 acres of Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary and 4500 acres of adjoining reserve forest which forms a critical wildlife corridor, especially for elephants, will be submerged along with a dozen villages. This has raised questions if such irreversible losses are justifiable to support the drinking water needs of Bengaluru. 

This has also raised questions about why Bengaluru needs to be supported by multiple dams across Netravathi, Hemavathy, Sharavathi, etc. to support its insatiable water demands, resulting in the destruction of forests, farms, villages and rivers across the Western Ghats forever.  It is ironic that while countries world over are decommissioning dams to restore the ecological health of its rivers, the latest example coming from Norway, India is stridently rushing ahead with mega dam projects which have time and again proven to not be solutions for supporting drinking or farming or industrial water demands.  . 

The Mekedatu issue has drawn attention to the continuing neglect of ancient water storage systems such as irrigation tanks, ponds, kuntes, kalyanis, wells and rajakaluves, which have sustained drinking water and industrial needs of Bengaluru and several other urban areas. 

The 9 ‘K’ (ವೊಂಬತ್ಕೆರೆ) Movement 

ESG  with its work over two decades for reviving lake systems and as a method of avoiding destructive investment in mega dams, calls for a drastic rethink amongst the political and bureaucratic classes backed as they are by engineering corporations, contractors and financiers, who are keen on building dams even though their utility is short lived and the projects are unsustainable.  

Following on the orders of the Karnataka HIgh Court in response to ESG’s PIL directing State and Local Government agencies to prioritise protection of local water systems, several local communities are taking initiative to revive several such lake systems, as is the case with Anekal, Karnataka, where judges and lawyers came together to rejuvenate an old Kalyani in Anekal. Such small steps everywhere can help secure water and soil, and help rebuild healthy biodiversity rich wetlands zones. 

In supporting such community effort, ESG welcomes participation of everyone across Karnataka to engage with minimalist and ecologically sound interventions to build water, food and ecological security. We call this the ವೊಂಬತ್ಕೆರೆ or 9 ‘K’ movement:  to protected Kere (Lake), Katte (Bund), Kunte (Pond), Kalyani (Sacred step wells), Kaluve (Canal), Kesaru (Wetland/Soil), Kaavalu (Pastures), Kaadu (Forest) and sustainable Kayaka (Livelihoods)! Thus 9 K! Or ವೊಂಬತ್ಕೆರೆ! (Vombatkere in Kannada).

Together we can revive the remaining 39000 lakes and thousands of kilometres of their raja kaluves across Karnataka, ensure water and socio-ecological security for all, without having to destroy rivers and forests and villages with mega-dams. Fill out this form and express your intent to be a part of the 9 ‘K’ Movement.

Accessibility & Affordability Survey of Bengaluru Metro 

Link to Survey in Kannada

They successfully resisted the destructive POSCO project for a decade. And now are forced to resist equally destructive Jindal Steel Plant

Villagers of Dhinkia, Nuagaon, Gobindpur, Noliyasahi etc. in the coastal Jagatsinghpur village of Odisha valiantly struggled for a decade from 2005 to successfully resist the largest industrial and infrastructure development conceived in history – the POSCO steel plant-port-pipeline-mine.  The villagers suffered massive human rights violations and saw their economy being brutalised when they exposed how the Odisha Government had systematically misrepresented the benefits of the project. Three successive committees established by the Union Government supported the contentions of the villagers led by Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samithi – that the POSCO project was an economic and socio-ecological disaster of epic proportions, and called on the Union and State Governments to drop the project.  Then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh pushed for the project claiming it was in the ‘strategic interest’ of India.  

A decade later the investor has changed – it is now JSW Steel of the Jindal industrial conglomerate. The project remains the same – by and large.  And most of the villagers continue to resist this proposal, intricately bonded as they are to this ecologically rich, yet fragile, land on which they raise ‘paan kethis’ (betel leaf plantations) and without any external input. When the Prime Minister of India claims he is in support of ‘Zero Budget Natural Farming’, it is ironic that the Union Government is supporting the Odisha Government’s proposal to destroy this ancient farming practice, which protects coastal forests.  The beaches are critical habitats for Olive Ridley Turtles and Horse Shoe Crabs, and various other life forms, and also act as a protective barrier against tidal surges that are frequent here with cyclones .  ESG has analysed how irreversible the damage would be from POSCO (now JSW) project in  “Tearing Through the Water Landscape”. 

The New Year has wrought brutal police action to snatch forest lands from  villagers intent on protecting it and who are peacefully resisting the JSW project.  This has deeply troubled students of Jindal Global University, who in their letter to Mr. Sajjan Jindal, Chairman of JSW Steel, state that they “feel a personal stake in upholding the values of justice, equality, and fairness”,  are deeply troubled by ongoing police brutalities, and invite him to “engage in a dialogue with us, the local population and other concerned stakeholders over the issues raised in this letter” so as to ”peacefully resolve the conflict with the best interests of all considered”.        

State Repression 

Sudha Bharadwaj finally walked out on bail from jail.  One of 16 accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, she epitomises the struggle of human rights activists, environmental defenders, political dissenters, trade unionists, etc, who are being victimised and frame with unbelievable charges.  The pandemic and judicial delays have affected their rights fundamentally. In an interview to Article 14 on her release, Sudha Bharadwaj says “that our legal aid is in an absolutely miserable condition. For a lot of these prisoners it was like going into a black hole”. 

In a shocking attempt to prevent the All Nyishi Youth Association from organising a bandh, the Arunachal Pradesh Government banned all internet providers in its capital city Itanagar for 48 hours. This move caused severe disruptions in the daily life of the residents as COVID resource information was unavailable, students lost two days of online classes, and the economy was hampered as digital payments were halted. 

Internet disruptions have been used as an easy tool by administrators for policing and State repression to put down any dissenting voices. Although Internet suspension is governed by Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017 and can be used only to protect ‘public safety’ and ‘public emergency’, the terms are not defined, leaving a gray area supporting repressive tendencies of State agencies. The SFLC reports that in the last 9 years, there have been 550 internet shutdowns in India, and over 50 percent of them were imposed after 2017! 

Internet shutdowns on the rise in India, via internetshutdowns.in

Meanwhile, ‘The Wire’ conducted a two year long investigation and alleges the existence of a highly sophisticated and secret app ‘Teg Fok’ which it claims is used as a tool by the ruling party to amplify right wing propaganda and hate messages. The app is supposedly used to hijack social media, compromise WhatsApp to send unauthorised messages, use a vast citizen database for targeted harassment and more. However, commentators have pointed out that the investigation contains glaring holes that required further probing. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs has written to the Union Home Secretary to provide information on the Tek Fog app. The letter describes  the dangers of manipulative technologies as a threat to national and citizens’ security, a violation of our Fundamental Rights to Privacy and Free Speech,  and a defilement of the country’s democracy and security

Former Governor, Margaret Alva, expresses her deep concerns in an open letter to the Prime Minister where she states that the Prime Minister’s silence over hate speeches, including calls for genocide of minorities, is being read as tacit approval and encouragement of the ever-increasing violence and intimidation India’s minorities are being subjected to. She also expressed her concerns on the Anti Conversion Bill which was adopted by the Karnataka Legislative Assembly which cloaks minorities under a cloud of suspicion as also of their activities, including educational institutions, hospitals, services, charities, etc., and exposed them to lumpen violence.

People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) in a special statement over CBI raids against human rights organisation Peoples Watch, has called for a stop to “Weaponizing FCRA!”

In Memoriam

Leading environmentalist, rationalist, educator and philosopher from Kerala, Prof. M K Prasad, lost his battle with COVID on 17th January 2022.   Prof. Prasad was the inspirational force behind the successful Save Silent Valley Movement, which forced former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to stop the dam that would have destroyed the rainforest. As a key leader of the Kerala Shastra Sahitya Parishat (a people’s science movement), Prof. Prasad inspired thousands into environmental and social justice action.  Even days before he passed on, Prof. Prasad joined dozens of leading intellectuals from across Kerala in appealing to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for dropping of the most controversial ‘Silverline’ project which is widely considered to be one of the most environmentally and socially destructive rail projects conceived.  Prof. Prasad’s life and work will always be an inspiration to dissenters, rationalists, and those working for the advancement of environmental and social justice.  

 

---

Kannada

Water

ದೊಡ್ಡ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಡ್ಯಾಮ್ ಗಳ ಪರಿಕಲ್ಪನೆಯು ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜನರ ಜೀವನವನ್ನು ಅಸ್ತವ್ಯಸ್ತ ಮಾಡುತ್ತವೆ. ಇದರ ಜೊತೆ  ಪರಿಸರಕ್ಕೂ ಕೂಡ ಹಾನಿಕರ. ಅದು ಸರ್ದಾರ್ ಸರೋವರ ಡ್ಯಾಮ್ ಪ್ರೊಜೆಕ್ಟ್ ಆಗಿರಬಹುದು, ಎತ್ತಿನ ಹೊಳೆ ಪ್ರೊಜೆಕ್ಟ್ ಆಗಿರಬಹುದು ಅಥವಾ ಇನ್ಯಾವುದೇ ಪ್ರೊಜೆಕ್ಟ್ ಆಗಿರಬಹುದು. ಆದುದರಿಂದ  ನಮ್ಮ ಸುತ್ತಮುತ್ತಲ ನೀರಿನ ನೆಲೆಗಳನ್ನು(ಕೆರೆಗಳನ್ನು) ಕಾಪಾಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದರ ಮುಖಾಂತರ  ನೀರಿನ ಅಗತ್ಯತೆಗಳನ್ನು ಪೂರೈಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದು ಭವಿಷ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ಒಳಿತು!.

ಮೇಕೆದಾಟು ಅರಣ್ಯ ಪ್ರದೇಶದಲ್ಲಿ ಬಹಳ ವಿಶೇಷವಾದ ಜೀವವೈವಿಧ್ಯ ಇದೆ. ಕಾವೇರಿ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಉದ್ಯಾನದ ಆನೆಕಾಡು 50 ಲಕ್ಷ ವರ್ಷಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಸರ್ಗ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿ ಮಾಡಿರುವ ಸ್ವಾಭಾವಿಕ ಅರಣ್ಯ. ಇಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಅಮೂಲ್ಯ ಜೀವರಾಶಿಯೇ ಕಾವೇರಿಯನ್ನು ಜೀವನದಿಯನ್ನಾಗಿಸಿರುವುದು. ಅಂತಹ ಕೆಲ ಮಹಾನ್ ವೃಕ್ಷಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಹೇಳಲೇಬೇಕು. ಮೊದಲನೆಯದಾಗಿ, ಕಮ್ಮರ (Hardwickia binata). ಇದಕ್ಕೆ ಅಂಜರ್ ಎಂದೂ ಹೆಸರಿದೆ. ಮೇಕೆದಾಟು ಯೋಜನೆಯಿಂದ ಮುಳುಗಡೆಯಾಗುವ ಪ್ರದೇಶದಲ್ಲಿ ಅನೇಕ ಲಕ್ಷ ಕಮ್ಮರಗಳಿವೆ. ಇದರ ಬೇರು, ಬಂಡೆಗಳನ್ನು ಕೊರೆದುಕೊಂಡು 25-30 ಅಡಿ ಆಳ ಹೋಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಕಾಂಡ ಐದರಿಂದ ಹತ್ತು ಅಡಿ ದಪ್ಪ ಇದ್ದು ಟನ್‍ಗಟ್ಟಲೆ ತೊಗಟೆ ಉತ್ಪತ್ತಿ ಮಾಡುತ್ತದೆ. ಈ ತೊಗಟೆಗೆ ಪಾದರಸವನ್ನು ಹೀರಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವ ವಿಶೇಷ ಗುಣ ಇದೆ. ಮೇಕೆದಾಟು ಯೋಜನೆ ಕೂಡ ಏಕೆ ಅನಗತ್ಯ ಎಂಬುದನ್ನು ವಿಜ್ಞಾನಿಗಳು ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟವಾಗಿ ಹೇಳಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಅಲ್ಲಿಂದ ತರಬಹುದಾದ ನೀರಿಗಿಂತ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ನೀರನ್ನು ನಾವು ಈಗ ಕೊಳೆ ಮಾಡಿ ಚೆಲ್ಲುತ್ತಿದ್ದೇವೆ; ಮಳೆಗಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಪೋಲು ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದೇವೆ. ಅದರ ಬದಲು ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಸುತ್ತಲಿನ ಕೆರೆಗಳನ್ನು ಚೊಕ್ಕಟಗೊಳಿಸಿ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಸುರಿಯುವ ಮಳೆನೀರಿನ ಶೇಖರಣೆಗೆ ಅನುಕೂಲ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಟ್ಟರೆ 15 ಟಿಎಮ್‌ಸಿ ಸಿಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಇನ್ನು, ಕೊಳೆನೀರನ್ನು ಸಂಸ್ಕರಿಸಿದರೆ 16 ಟಿಎಮ್‌ಸಿ ಸಿಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಇನ್ನು ಕಾವೇರಿಯ ಈಗಿನ ಸೋರಿಕೆಯನ್ನೂ ತಡೆಗಟ್ಟಿದರೆ ನಗರದ ಅಗತ್ಯಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಇಮ್ಮಡಿ ನೀರು (30 ಟಿಎಮ್‌ಸಿ) ಇಲ್ಲೇ ಲಭ್ಯವಿದೆ. ಮೇಕೆದಾಟಿಗೆ ಅಣೆಕಟ್ಟು ಕಟ್ಟುವ ಬದಲಾಗಿ, ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಕೆರೆಗಳ ನೀರನ್ನು ಸಂಸ್ಕರಣೆ ಮಾಡಿ

9 ‘ಕೆ’ (ವೊಂಬತ್ಕೆರೆ) ಚಳುವಳಿ

ಕೆರೆಗಳ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆಗಳನ್ನು ಪುನರುಜ್ಜೀವನಗೊಳಿಸಲು ಮತ್ತು ಮೆಗಾ ಅಣೆಕಟ್ಟನ್ನು ಹೊಂದಿರುವ ವಿನಾಶಕಾರಿ ಹೂಡಿಕೆಯನ್ನು ತಪ್ಪಿಸುವ ವಿಧಾನದಲ್ಲಿ ಎರಡು ಕೆಲಸದಿಂದ ತನ್ನ ಕೆಲಸದೊಂದಿಗೆ ಇಎಸ್‌ಜಿ, ರಾಜಕೀಯ ಮತ್ತು ಅಧಿಕಾರಶಾಹಿ ವರ್ಗಗಳ ನಡುವೆ ತೀವ್ರ ಮರುಚಿಂತನೆಗೆ ಕರೆ ಮಾಡಲಾಗಿದೆ, ಏಕೆಂದರೆ ಅವರು ಎಂಜಿನಿಯರಿಂಗ್ ನಿಗಮಗಳು, ಗುತ್ತಿಗೆದಾರರು ಮತ್ತು ಹಣಕಾಸುದಾರರು, ಅಣೆಕಟ್ಟುಗಳನ್ನು ನಿರ್ಮಿಸುವುದು ಅವರ ಉಪಯುಕ್ತ ಅಲ್ಪಾವಧಿಯದ್ದಾಗಿದ್ದರೂ ಅದರ ಯೋಜನೆಗಳು ಸಮರ್ಥನೀಯವಲ್ಲ.

ಸ್ಥಳೀಯ ನೀರಿನ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆಗಳ ರಕ್ಷಣೆಗೆ ಆದ್ಯತೆ ನೀಡುವಂತೆ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಮತ್ತು ಸ್ಥಳೀಯ ಸರ್ಕಾರಿ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಇಎಸ್‌ಜಿಯ ಪಿಐಎಲ್‌ಗೆ ಪ್ರತಿಕ್ರಿಯೆಯಾಗಿ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಹೈಕೋರ್ಟ್‌ನ ಆದೇಶದ ನಂತರ, ಹಲವಾರು ಸ್ಥಳೀಯ ಸಮುದಾಯಗಳು ಅಂತಹ ಹಲವಾರು ಕೆರೆ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆಗಳನ್ನು ಪುನರುಜ್ಜೀವನಗೊಳಿಸಲು ಉಪಕ್ರಮವನ್ನು ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿವೆ, ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ಆನೇಕಲ್‌ನಂತೆ, ಅಲ್ಲಿ ನ್ಯಾಯಾಧೀಶರು ಮತ್ತು ವಕೀಲರು ಒಟ್ಟಾಗಿ ಆನೇಕಲ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಹಳೆಯ ಕಲ್ಯಾಣಿಯನ್ನು ಪುನರುಜ್ಜೀವನಗೊಳಿಸಿದರು. ಎಲ್ಲೆಡೆ ಇಂತಹ ಸಣ್ಣ ಹೆಜ್ಜೆಗಳು ನೀರು ಮತ್ತು ಮಣ್ಣನ್ನು ಸುರಕ್ಷಿತಗೊಳಿಸಲು ಸಹಾಯ ಮಾಡುತ್ತದೆ ಮತ್ತು ಆರೋಗ್ಯಕರ ಜೀವವೈವಿಧ್ಯ ಸಮೃದ್ಧವಾದ ತೇವ ಪ್ರದೇಶಗಳನ್ನು ಪುನರ್ನಿರ್ಮಿಸಲು ಸಹಾಯ ಮಾಡುತ್ತದೆ.

ಅಂತಹ ಸಮುದಾಯದ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನವನ್ನು ಬೆಂಬಲಿಸುವಲ್ಲಿ, ನೀರು, ಆಹಾರ ಮತ್ತು ಪರಿಸರ ಭದ್ರತೆಯನ್ನು ನಿರ್ಮಿಸಲು ಕನಿಷ್ಠ ಮತ್ತು ಪರಿಸರೀಯವಾಗಿ ಉತ್ತಮ ಮಧ್ಯಸ್ಥಿಕೆಗಳೊಂದಿಗೆ ತೊಡಗಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದಾದ್ಯಂತ ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಬ್ಬರ ಭಾಗವಹಿಸುವಿಕೆಯನ್ನು ESG ಸ್ವಾಗತಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ನಾವು ಇದನ್ನು ವೊಂಬತ್ಕೆರೆ ಅಥವಾ 9 ‘ಕೆ’ ಚಳುವಳಿ ಎಂದು ಕರೆಯುತ್ತೇವೆ: ಸಂರಕ್ಷಿತ ಕೆರೆ (ಕೆರೆ), ಕಟ್ಟೆ (ಬಂಡ್), ಕುಂಟೆ (ಕೊಳ), ಕಲ್ಯಾಣಿ (ಪವಿತ್ರ ಮೆಟ್ಟಿಲು ಬಾವಿಗಳು), ಕಾಲುವೆ (ಕಾಲುವೆ), ಕೆಸರು (ಜಲಭೂಮಿ/ಮಣ್ಣು), ಕಾವಲು ( ಹುಲ್ಲುಗಾವಲುಗಳು), ಕಾಡು (ಕಾಡು) ಮತ್ತು ಸುಸ್ಥಿರ ಕಾಯಕ (ಜೀವನ)! ಹೀಗಾಗಿ 9 ಕೆ! ಅಥವಾ ವೊಂಬತ್ಕೆರೆ! (ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ವೊಂಬತ್ಕೆರೆ).

ನಾವು ಒಟ್ಟಾಗಿ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದಾದ್ಯಂತ ಉಳಿದಿರುವ 39000 ಕೆರೆಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಸಾವಿರಾರು ಕಿಲೋಮೀಟರ್ ರಾಜ ಕಾಲುವೆಗಳನ್ನು ಪುನರುಜ್ಜೀವನಗೊಳಿಸಬಹುದು, ಮೆಗಾ ಅಣೆಕಟ್ಟುಗಳಿಂದ ನದಿಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಕಾಡುಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಹಳ್ಳಿಗಳನ್ನು ನಾಶಪಡಿಸದೆ ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ನೀರು ಮತ್ತು ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ-ಪರಿಸರ ಸುರಕ್ಷತೆಯನ್ನು ಖಚಿತಪಡಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಬಹುದು. ಈ ಫಾರ್ಮ್ ಅನ್ನು ಭರ್ತಿ ಮಾಡಿ ಮತ್ತು 9 ‘ಕೆ’ ಚಳುವಳಿಯ ಭಾಗವಾಗಲು ನಿಮ್ಮ ಉದ್ದೇಶವನ್ನು ವ್ಯಕ್ತಪಡಿಸಿ.

ಸರ್ವರೂ  9 ‘ಕೆ’ (ವೊಂಬತ್ಕೆರೆ) ಚಳುವಳಿ ಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸುಗಮವಾಗಿ ಭಾಗವಹಿಸಲು  ಕನ್ನಡ ಮತ್ತು English ಎರಡು ಭಾಷೆಯಲ್ಲೂ ಫಾರ್ಮ ಗಳನ್ನ ರಚಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ. 

Forest Rights

ಪಶ್ಚಿಮಘಟ್ಟ ಸಂರಕ್ಷಣೆ ಸಮಗ್ರ ಚರ್ಚೆ ನಡೆಯಲಿ, ವಿಪರ್ಯಾಸದ ಸಂಗತಿ ಏನೆಂದರೆ, ವರದಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಏನಿದೆ ಎಂಬುದರ ಕುರಿತು ವಿಸ್ತೃತ ಚರ್ಚೆ ನಡೆದೇ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಈ ವರದಿಯ ಸಮಗ್ರ ಅಂಶಗಳನ್ನು ಸ್ಥಳೀಯ ಭಾಷೆಗಳಿಗೆ ತರ್ಜುಮೆ ಮಾಡಿ ಪಂಚಾಯಿತಿ ಮಟ್ಟದಲ್ಲಿ ಚರ್ಚೆಯಾಗುವಂತೆ ನೋಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳಬೇಕಿತ್ತು. ಕಸ್ತೂರಿ ರಂಗನ್‌ ವರದಿಗೂ ಮುಂಚೆ ಪ್ರಕಟವಾಗಿದ್ದ ಮಾಧವ ಗಾಡ್ಗೀಳ್‌ ವರದಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅದನ್ನು ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟವಾಗಿ ಹೇಳಲಾಗಿತ್ತು ಕೂಡ. ಗಾಡ್ಗೀಳ್‌ ವರದಿಗೆ ಹೋಲಿಸಿದರೆ ತದನಂತರ ಬಂದ ಕಸ್ತೂರಿ ರಂಗನ್‌ ವರದಿ ಬಹಳಷ್ಟು ದುರ್ಬಲವಾಗಿದೆ. ಆದರೂ ವರದಿಗೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಿಸಿದ ಮಾಹಿತಿಗಳನ್ನು ಬೇಕೆಂದೇ ಕತ್ತಲಲ್ಲಿ ಇಟ್ಟು ಘಟ್ಟಪ್ರದೇಶಗಳ ನಿವಾಸಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಬೆದರಿಕೆ ಹುಟ್ಟುವಂತೆ ಮಾಡುತ್ತ ಇತ್ತ ಕಲ್ಲು–ಮರಳಿನ ಗಣಿಗಾರರು, ರಸ್ತೆ-ಸೇತುವೆ-ಸುರಂಗಗಳ ಗುತ್ತಿಗೆದಾರರು, ರೆಸಾರ್ಟ್‌ ಮಾಲೀಕರೇ ಮುಂತಾದ ಪಟ್ಟಭದ್ರರ ಹಿತಾಸಕ್ತಿಗಳನ್ನು ಪೊರೆಯಲೆಂದೇ ವರದಿಯನ್ನು ಮತ್ತೆ ಮತ್ತೆ ತಿರಸ್ಕರಿಸಲಾಗುತ್ತಿದೆ ಎಂಬ ಆಪಾದನೆ ಈ ಎಲ್ಲ ಸರ್ಕಾರಗಳ ಮೇಲಿದೆ.

Communities

ಮೊದಲೆಲ್ಲ ದನಕರುಗಳಿಗೆ ಮೇಯಲೆಂದೇ ಮೀಸಲಿಟ್ಟ ಊರಿನ ಗೋಮಾಳದಲ್ಲಿ ಹುಲ್ಲು- ಸೊಪ್ಪುಗಳ ಕನಿಷ್ಠ ಮೇವಾದರೂ ಸಿಗುತ್ತಿತ್ತು. ಈಗ ಈ ಸಾಮೂಹಿಕ ಭೂಮಿಯೇ ಕಣ್ಮರೆಯಾಗುತ್ತಿರುವುದರಿಂದ, ಜಾನುವಾರು ಅವಲಂಬಿಸಿದ ಗ್ರಾಮೀಣ ಬದುಕೇ ಕುಸಿಯುತ್ತಿದೆ! ಹಳ್ಳಿಯೊಂದಕ್ಕೆ ಕಾಲಿಟ್ಟರೆ, ಮುಖ್ಯವಾಗಿ ಮೂರು ಬಗೆಯ ಭೂಮಿಗಳನ್ನು ಗುರುತಿಸಬಹುದು. ಒಂದೆಡೆ, ಖಾಸಗಿ ಮಾಲೀಕತ್ವದ ಗದ್ದೆ- ತೋಟಗಳಿರುವ ಕೃಷಿಜಮೀನು. ಇನ್ನೊಂದೆಡೆ, ಅರಣ್ಯ ಇಲಾಖೆ ವ್ಯಾಪ್ತಿಯ ಗುಡ್ಡ- ಕಣಿವೆಗಳ ಕಾಡು. ಆಹಾರ ಸುರಕ್ಷತೆ ಹಾಗೂ ಆರ್ಥಿಕತೆಯನ್ನು ಕೃಷಿಭೂಮಿ ಕಾಪಾಡಿಕೊಂಡರೆ, ನೆಲ- ಜಲ ಹಾಗೂ ಭವಿಷ್ಯದ ಪರಿಸರ ಸುರಕ್ಷತೆ ಕಾಯುವುದು ಈ ಜೀವವೈವಿಧ್ಯಭರಿತ ಅರಣ್ಯಗಳು.

Environment Support Group (Trust)

1572, 36th Cross, Ring Road

Banashankari II Stage

Bangalore 560070. INDIA

Tel: 91-80-26713560

Voice/Fax: 91-80-26713316

Website: esgindia.org Email: [email protected] 

Follow our Facebook,  Instagram, Linkedin and Twitter page

• All donations to ESG are exempted u/s 12 A and 80G of Income Tax Act, 1961.
• ESG  has been registered for undertaking CSR activities.
• Environment Support Group(ESG) is registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA)
• Recipient of ED certification from NGOsource