China-based multilateral bank keeps out people's groups from urban consultation ahead of Mumbai annual meet

Proposed smart city Dholera off Ahmedabad

By A Representative
Gujarat's civil society groups have strongly protested against their exclusion during consultations, currently being held in different parts of the country as part of preparations of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank's (AIIB's) second Annual Governors' Meeting in Mumbai on June 25-26 in Mumbai. The consultations in Gujarat are to be held in a top Ahmedabad hotel on April 19-20.
Formed outside the Bretton Woods framework, which led to the formation of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, AIIB mainly seeks to fund infrastructure projects in the Asia-Pacific region. China has 26% stakes in AIIB, followed by India, 7.5%. Headquartered in Beijing, in all, it has 64 members, while another 20 are its prospctive mmbers. The United States is not an AIIB member.
Talking with mediapersons in Ahmedabad, Krishankant of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti (PSS) said, the exclusion of urban poor groups and civil society in consultations "shows a trend of opacity, non-transparency and indifference to the concerns of various sections of society which inhabit a city."
"India, as host country, is holding a number seminars across the country, of which the seminar on urban development is being organised in Ahmedabad on April 19 and 20. The organisers of the conference have not extended invitations to civil society organisations or social movements who are actively working for equitable, inclusive and sustainable cities", he said.

The proposed bullet train

Pointing out that this type of approach is in line with the new Government of India thinking, of not involving people who might be affects because or major infrastructure projects, senior farmers' leader Sagar Rabari of the Khedut Samaj Gujarat said, "Farmers of Gujarat and Maharashtra to be affected by the proposed Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project are not being consulted for acquiring land."
To be funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the bullet train project, said Ashok Shrimali of the mines, minerals & People (mm&P), is being implemented when the Maharashtra government has come up with a notification that no social impact assessment (SIA) is needed for acquiring land for project, the Gujarat government has declared no SIA is required for it.
Krishnakant informed media, "It was only after JICA said it's terms of funding require strict social and environmental impact assessment, a private consultant, Arcadis, was appointed for holding consultations, which were held in Vadodara, Nadiad and Bharuch, but without the participation of stakeholders. Even government officials were not present."
Regretting that AIIB does not even have this requirement, Krishnakant said, those holding its consultations in Ahmedabad should remember that "the issue of urban development is not about creating investment opportunities for corporates but about securing the rights and livelihoods of people who are living in those cities whose voices are not being considered in the planning of city development."

The proposed Andhra capital Amravati

"A large number of questions are being raised by various groups across the country regarding massive investments which at one hand will create huge public debt and on the other hand does not ease living for the masses living in those cities and to the contrary, displace, disposes and derecognise their genuine voices", he insisted.
Thus, Krishnakant said, "The support to Amravati state capital for Andhra Pradesh by AIIB without considering the effects of such massive development project on the environment and livelihoods of the people or addressing their problems is a case in the point. It could not put together a comprehensive complaints mechanism of its own and policies that will guide their investments and have started funding projects."
Against this backdrop, ahead of the AIIB's Annual Governors' Meeting in Mumbai on June 25-26 in Mumbai, he said, civil society groups across the country will "assemble in Mumbai on June 21-23 demanding accountability and reiterate their vision of an equitable society differing from the versions of international financial institutions which opens the planet and people for further destruction."
Rabari added, "Finance driven unequitable and unsustainable projects have posed in many problems to society and the government. Gujarat is no exception to this. Its people's groups have resisted undemocratic consultant-driven urban development, whether it was Mandal-Bhechraji Special Investment Region (SIR) or Dholera SIR, or city development in Surat, Navsari, Bardoli and Morbi. We propose to be part of the protest in Mumbai."

Comments

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

New RTI draft rules inspired by citizen-unfriendly, overtly bureaucratic approach

By Venkatesh Nayak* The Department of Personnel and Training , Government of India has invited comments on a new set of Draft Rules (available in English only) to implement The Right to Information Act, 2005 . The RTI Rules were last amended in 2012 after a long period of consultation with various stakeholders. The Government’s move to put the draft RTI Rules out for people’s comments and suggestions for change is a welcome continuation of the tradition of public consultation. Positive aspects of the Draft RTI Rules While 60-65% of the Draft RTI Rules repeat the content of the 2012 RTI Rules, some new aspects deserve appreciation as they clarify the manner of implementation of key provisions of the RTI Act. These are: Provisions for dealing with non-compliance of the orders and directives of the Central Information Commission (CIC) by public authorities- this was missing in the 2012 RTI Rules. Non-compliance is increasingly becoming a major problem- two of my non-compliance cases are...

History, culture and literature of Fatehpur, UP, from where Maulana Hasrat Mohani hailed

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Maulana Hasrat Mohani was a member of the Constituent Assembly and an extremely important leader of our freedom movement. Born in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh, Hasrat Mohani's relationship with nearby district of Fatehpur is interesting and not explored much by biographers and historians. Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri has written a book on Maulana Hasrat Mohani and Fatehpur. The book is in Urdu. He has just come out with another important book, 'Hindi kee Pratham Rachna: Chandayan' authored by Mulla Daud Dalmai.' During my recent visit to Fatehpur town, I had an opportunity to meet Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri and recorded a conversation with him on issues of history, culture and literature of Fatehpur. Sharing this conversation here with you. Kindly click this link. --- *Human rights defender. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/vbrawat , X @freetohumanity, Skype @vbrawat

Celebrating 125 yr old legacy of healthcare work of missionaries

Vilas Shende, director, Mure Memorial Hospital By Moin Qazi* Central India has been one of the most fertile belts for several unique experiments undertaken by missionaries in the field of education and healthcare. The result is a network of several well-known schools, colleges and hospitals that have woven themselves into the social landscape of the region. They have also become a byword for quality and affordable services delivered to all sections of the society. These institutions are characterised by committed and compassionate staff driven by the selfless pursuit of improving the well-being of society. This is the reason why the region has nursed and nurtured so many eminent people who occupy high positions in varied fields across the country as well as beyond. One of the fruits of this legacy is a more than century old iconic hospital that nestles in the heart of Nagpur city. Named as Mure Memorial Hospital after a British warrior who lost his life in a war while defending his cou...

N-power plant at Mithi Virdi: CRZ nod is arbitrary, without jurisdiction

By Krishnakant* A case-appeal has been filed against the order of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and others granting CRZ clearance for establishment of intake and outfall facility for proposed 6000 MWe Nuclear Power Plant at Mithi Virdi, District Bhavnagar, Gujarat by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) vide order in F 11-23 /2014-IA- III dated March 3, 2015. The case-appeal in the National Green Tribunal at Western Bench at Pune is filed by Shaktisinh Gohil, Sarpanch of Jasapara; Hajabhai Dihora of Mithi Virdi; Jagrutiben Gohil of Jasapara; Krishnakant and Rohit Prajapati activist of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the MoEF&CC, Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and case is kept for hearing on August 20, 2015. Appeal No. 23 of 2015 (WZ) is filed, a...

Adani Group declares it will "self-finance" Australian coal mining project: Traditional group registers fresh opposition

By A Representative The controversial Adani Group's Carmichael coal mine and rail project in Queensland, Australia, will be "100% financed" through the Group’s own resources, Adani, Mining CEO Lucas Dow has said. A South Asia Times, Melbourne, report has quoted Dow as saying in Queensland, “We have already invested $3.3 billion in Adani’s Australian businesses, which is a clear demonstration of our capacity to deliver a financing solution for the revised scope of the mine and rail project." Dow Pointing out that "the project stacks up both environmentally and financially", he added, "Today’s announcement removes any doubt as to the project stacking up financially... The Carmichael Project will deliver more than 1,500 direct jobs on the mine and rail projects during the initial ramp-up and construction phase, and will support thousands more indirect jobs, all of which will benefit regional Queensland communities.” The project faces fierce opposition ...

Bangladesh alternative more vital for NE India than Kaladan project in Myanmar

By Mehjabin Bhanu* There has been a recent surge in the number of Chin refugees entering Mizoram from the adjacent nation as a result of airstrikes by the Myanmar Army on ethnic insurgents and intense fighting along the border between India and Myanmar. Uncertainty has surrounded India's Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport project, which uses Sittwe port in Myanmar, due to the recent outbreak of hostilities along the Mizoram-Myanmar border. Construction on the road portion of the Kaladan project, which runs from Paletwa in Myanmar to Zorinpui in Mizoram, was resumed thanks to the time of relative calm during the intermittent period. However, recent unrest has increased concerns about missing the revised commissioning goal dates. The project's goal is to link northeastern states with the rest of India via an alternate route, using the Sittwe port in Myanmar. In addition to this route, India can also connect the region with the rest of India through Assam by using the Chittagon...

Job opportunities decreasing, wages remain low: Delhi construction workers' plight

By Bharat Dogra* It was about 32 years back that a hut colony in posh Prashant Vihar area of Delhi was demolished. It was after a great struggle that the people evicted from here could get alternative plots that were not too far away from their earlier colony. Nirmana, an organization of construction workers, played an important role in helping the evicted people to get this alternative land. At that time it was a big relief to get this alternative land, even though the plots given to them were very small ones of 10X8 feet size. The people worked hard to construct new houses, often constructing two floors so that the family could be accommodated in the small plots. However a recent visit revealed that people are rather disheartened now by a number of adverse factors. They have not been given the proper allotment papers yet. There is still no sewer system here. They have to use public toilets constructed some distance away which can sometimes be quite messy. There is still no...

Breathless in Delhi: Lives lost while governments trade blame

By Sunil Kumar* The world today is battling the grave threat of climate change . If this crisis deepens further, it may endanger the very survival of humanity. Even imperial powers express concern—though largely to shift responsibility onto others. The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-30), held in Belém, Brazil from November 10–21, ended without concrete results, despite coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the Paris Agreement . India strongly argued that developed nations should not expect developing countries to compensate for their own failures, since they are the historical and primary contributors to carbon emissions. This was precisely why countries like the United States chose not to participate.

Search This Blog