>here does seem to
be a difference.
*** Why don't you lay the differences, as you see them, down. And I
will surely comment on that.
But at any event, I don't just echo somebody else's
positions,mindlessly, even if I agree with some or all of their
positions. That is why I am who I am. I exercise my own reasoning, if
and when I see it is required.
Therefore there might very well be differences between what SARP
promotes or what I believe. I have not had the opportunity to examine
the recent reports of the proceedings of their conference. Too many
things to do and read and respond to. But SARP have been doing a
fabulous job. Dedication of people like Roy Laifungbam, Ravindra Nath
from the NE and of people like Himanshu Thakkar from Delhi( of
SANDARP) and others is amazing. I feel privileged to have been able
to participate, however marginally, in some of their efforts.
Too bad India's intelligentsia including (the NRAs and NRIs :-)) , by
and large, still is incapable of breaking free of the mind set in
which whatever 'sorkar' says or does must be good and thus
unquestionable. The results are there for all to see.
At 12:24 AM -0500 6/18/05, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
C'da,
For a St. Edmunds educated person, you don't read English all that
well, do you :-)?
I have already pled guilty to the lack of comprehension of the
language some months ago, so you can't really hold me on that ground
:-). And this darn language gets to be more challenging as the days go
by. Its gooten so bad, that I am not even embarrassed any more.
For this group, ecology/human rights/etc etc seem to be their first
concern (not that its a bad idea).
I didn't hit on a raw nerve somewhere, did I? Not intentional, I
assure you. I was sincerely wanting to know the differences between
this group's and your view points on the subject. There does seem to
be a difference.
--Ram
On 6/17/05, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Hi Ram:
For a St. Edmunds educated person, you don't read English all that
well, do you :-)?
c-da
At 9:09 PM -0500 6/17/05, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
>****They said in their concensus that large dams 'can only built
>inthe absence of better, ecologically sustainable and
>non-destructiveviable alternatives'. But for that too, they said,
>construction ofsuch dams should be done in full compliance with the
>criteria andguidelines of the World Commission on Dams and other
>national andinternational legal, human rights and environmental
>framework andobligations. They also demanded decommissioning of
>those dams, whichproved damaging.***
>--AssamTribune
>C'da,
>It looks like these people oppose RL on ecological grounds, and
>wouldbe agreeable to building dams if it meets the World Comm. on
>Damsguidelines. That does not seem to be a bit different from
>yourconcerns, ie. RL would deplete water resources from Assam?
>Anyway just thought this may be of interest to you.
>--Ram_____________________________________Call to shelve project on
>interlinking of riversFrom Ajit Patowary NIRJULI (Arunachal
>Pradesh), June 16 - The four-day Third South AsianForum on Rivers
>and Peoples of the South Asian Solidarity for Riversand Peoples
>(SARP) which connected here today demanded 'immediate andtotal
>cancellation' of Indian project for interlinking of rivers.
>Thedemand has been raised in the light of the revelation in the
>IndianParliament that the report of the National Commission for
>Waterresource Development deemed the paninsular component
>unnecessary andHimalayan component as not feasible because of
>adverse environmentalimpact, said the SARP delegates in their
>consensus.
>About 150 delegates from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh,
>Myanmar,Thailand, Sri Lanka, the Netherlands and Argentina, who took
>part inthe deliberations of the meeting for the past four days, were
> >alsounanimous in their opposition to mega dams and described
>suchstructures as 'vicious large dams'.
>They said in their concensus that large dams 'can only built in
>theabsence of better, ecologically sustainable and non-destructive
>viablealternatives'. But for that too, they said, construction of
>such damsshould be done in full compliance with the criteria and
>guidelines ofthe World Commission on Dams and other national and
>internationallegal, human rights and environmental framework and
>obligations. Theyalso demanded decommissioning of those dams, which
>proved damaging.
>While calling for a change in the development paradigm that is
>beingpursued in South Asia for its intensifying flood and
>relatedcatastrophies, the delegates of the forum also laid stress on
>in apositive change in the attitude towards the fresh water bodies.
>Theyalso called for collective participation of the indigenous and
>localpeoples in the nourishment and long-term protection of wetlands.
>The SARP delegates also opposed all moves to privatise water
>andrivers, saying - 'Water is a basic human right'.
>They also demanded urgent formulation of a Himalayan policy by
>thecountries concerned to save the mountain and its environment from
>anyfurther damage caused to them by industrial developments.
>The delegates also extended their whole-hearted support to
>theindigenous peoples' and local communities of the NE region of
>India intheir fight against 'exploitation, human rights violations
>andsubjugation of their dignity, pride and honour to live in
>theirage-old native habitat and to safeguard their rich
>heritage,bio-diversity and natural resources from devastation being
>caused inthe name of economic development'.
>They demanded that the projects involving commercial exploitation
>ofnatural resources in the indigenous peoples' territories and
>localcommunities' vicinities follow a free, prior and informed
>consentpractice making it a mandatory provision to provide free
>space tothese peoples and communities to make their decisions freely.
>Besides, the demand for a South Asia regional Framework Treaty
>ontrans-boundary rivers and their management for regional peace
>andprosperity has also been raised by the forum. The forum in
>twoseparate resolutions demanded measures to install democratic
>policy inBhutan and Nepal.
>_______________________________________________
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