May 02, 2018

how "Thousands of People have lost their livelihoods to India's 'secret nuclear city'


From: "ESG List" <dissemination@esgindia.org>
Date: 01-May-2018 22:32
Subject: An Appeal for your Support as The News Minute reports how "Thousands of People have lost their livelihoods to India's 'secret nuclear city'" and other updates from ESG

Over the past decade, Environment Support Group has worked with Amrit Mahal Kaval Hitarakshana aagu Horata Samithi (AMKHS) in highlighting the widespread environmental and human rights violations that is being caused in Challakere, Chitradurga district of Karnataka due to the promotion of India's "science city".  Over 10,000 acres of Amrit Mahal Kavals, pristine grassland ecosystems that local communities have protected for centuries, were secretively diverted between 2007-14 to locate a range of military, industrial, defence, nuclear, research and energy facilities as part of this 'science city'. If ever there was a case to consider science as an hegemonic project, this is it. 

As years have rolled on, local communities are distressed by denial of access to their commons which they consider was 'grabbed' from them illegally and secretively.  Barring a few hundred acres, large swathes of these commons have not been put to any productive use.  Instead, the Kavals have been walled off to prevent communities from grazing their livestock and watersheds have been destroyed.  This has intensified the suffering of over 300,000 people and their 250,000 livestock living in about 65 impacted villages.  A variety of social and health infrastructure that was constructed by the local Panchayats over time, such as Goshalas (animal shelters), breeding centres (in collaboration with the Animal Husbandry department), schools, hospitals, roads and walking paths has become dysfunctional. Unable to support pastoral and agricultural activities, hundreds of families are migrating in search of alternate livelihoods. For those that remain, the long drought has made life extremely difficult.

AMKHS, a network of impacted communities and various supportive organisations and individuals, has tried its best to draw the attention of the Government and the wide public to the distressing conditions in the impacted villages.  Environment Support Group  approached the National Green Tribunal against such illegal promotion of this 'science city'. In response, NGT endorsed the petitioners' concerns and directed the State and 'science city' proponents to not proceed without securing necessary environmental and other clearances.  NGT had also directed that the traditional rights of impacted communities and biodiversity must be protected.   Subsequent efforts, including those under the direction of the Chief Information Commissioner of India, reveal that several project proponents have commenced operations without compliance with law and in violation of the NGT directions. Thus the egregious violation of human and environmental rights in the impacted villages continues with impunity.

Please view this video report on the prevailing situation in Challakere made by Raksha Kumar for The News Minute.

To secure the rights of the impacted communities, and to protect the unique biodiversity of the this semi-arid grassland, and also to respond to the distressing conditions of the impacted communities, ESG is working with AMKHS on advancing a variety of initiatives. This includes the need for a Resource Centre to help rehabilitate and rebuild thousands of forfeited livelihoods. Local communities are also keen that legal efforts are initiated to secure their environmental and human rights.  All this needs your support and cooperation, and we fervently appeal to you make a monetary contribution to support these causes.  If you wish to volunteer in support of these causes, please contact us or write to hemavathi @esgindia.org.

We are also happy to share that a critical examination of the 'science city' on the basis of screening of "Beerappa's Angst", a film conceptualised by Bhargavi S. Rao and Leo F. Saldanha for AMKHS, is being hosted by two premier academic/research institutes of India:  Sthayi of International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Bangalore and Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment at its Bangalore campus. Details of these two independent events are enclosed.  In case you wish to participate in these discussions, please RSVP the hosting organisations.

We also share with you the latest edition of Environment Justice Matters.

To know more about ESG, please visit our website.   

Thank you for your solidarity and support.

ESG Team

Environment Support Group
1572, Ring Road, Banashankari II Stage
Bangalore 560070. INDIA
Tel:+91-80-26713559~61
Fax: +91-80-26713316