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The Modi & Shivraj Chauhan Govt Prepares Army & Police to Forcibly Evict 1000s of Villagers In Defiance of SC: Narmada

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The moot question is, Will the Indian media leave this mammoth exercise un-monitored and un-reported?

The numbers of Narmada dam oustee families has been manipulated downward from 31,180 to 18,346, and forcible eviction is on the cards, Indian President has been told by a prominent delegation on May 31.

Narmada Bachao Andolan
 
Reports from activists on the ground, Rahul Yadav, Mukesh Bhagoriya, Himshi indicate that at least 40,000 policemen and women, and, if needed the army, (which is is on alert) will be pulled in and used for the forcible eviction of thousands of families whose names figure in a "List announced through the extraordinary gazette notification issued by the Government of M.P., dated 27.05.2017'. This List which is in the public domain, lists the names of 18,346 families who have been falsely listed as fit for evacuation, it is alleged.
 
These developments are happening even as a ‘Rally for the Valley’ has been organised from Indore to Vadodara from June 5 to 7.
 
Various government officials are continuously moving in the villages threatening and intimidating the villagers and asking them to leave at whatever cost, mentioning different deadlines. The resistance of the people continues to rise -on one hand against the violation of established rehabilitation policies as well as Court orders. On the other hand, all villagers, including Adivasis, are worried about being rnedered homeless and jobless on account of such forced eviction. There is no doubt that the government’s plan is to make every village a battle ground, say the activists.
 
The latest update from the valley is that the police and revenue officials with vehicles are plying into the village after village with drone cameras to photograph long distance visuals, obviously to plan the upcoming attack. The officials are facing questions and wrath of people who are not ready to move out without all rehabilitation and proper entitlement. However the Govt of Madhya Pradesh has already announced that they will evict 8200 families from district Badwani, and 6132 families from district Dhar, and dozens of  families from Khargone.
 
All this without even full compliance with the latest order of Supreme Court that directs complete rehabilitation and vacating the lands only on receiving the cash packages by farmers. The landless have not been  not granted any special relief. Both landholders and the landless from local communities, who are collective protectors of social and cultural sites and public services that are still functional have refused to move into “tin sheds” that are being forcibly imposed on them as 'rehabilitation' by the government.
 
Says a note from the Narmada Bachao Andolan, ‘Thirty-one years on and every prediction of ours has come true. The Dam has  brought in devastation in the downstream; the communities with forest and farmland upstream have been destroyed and impoverished; the profits have been pocketed by the rich corporates and diverted for the benefits of the urban centers; neither the state of MP nor Maharashtra are getting a single drop of water from the Sardar Sarovar Dam who's water has been reserved for Coca-Cola, Adanis and the Ambanis. Gujarat’s own farmers are on the streets condemning the same. MP does not require any electricity with access produced and hence many power plants closed but even then they want to close the gates and drown everyone. This is illegal, Unjust and completely unconstitutional.’ 
 

“Rally for the Valley” to stand with the thousands of people of Narmada Valley who have been fighting for their rights; a fight against the hegemony, devastation in the name of development, corporate loot of natural resources and to protect their life that comes from Narmada.
 
Delegation Meets President, Urges Intervention
 
A Left parties-civil society organizations delegation led by CPI-M politbureau member Hannan Mollah, general secretary of the All-India Kisan Sabha, has told President Pranab Kumar Mukherjee that there is a “brazen attempt” on the part of the Government of Madhya Pradesh to “forcibly evict” thousands of Narmada dam oustees from their villages under the pretext of the Supreme Court order dated February 8, 2017.
 
Pointing out that the oustees are sought to be evicted forcibly before July 31, the delegation said, the state government is “ignoring” the Supreme Court order of providing “compensation and complete rehabilitation of the dam-affected villages”. Others who were in the delegation were Annie Raja of the National Federation of Indian Women and Vimal Bhai and Himshi Singh of the National Alliance of People’s Movements.
 
During the meeting, Himshi Singh gave crucial statistics, alleging, “the Madhya Pradesh government is manipulating its own statistics of the Action Taken Report- 2008 which gives a count of 31,180 families affected by the Narmada dam. It has now drastically reduced the number in the recently issued Gazette, 2017 by 18,346”.

A memorandum submitted by the delegation said, as per the orders of Supreme Court, the last date for giving compensation and ensuring complete rehabilitation was May 8, 2017, but till now, the state government has not done any survey which could list project affected families entitled to compensation and rehabilitation.

The memorandum wondered, how the state government could even think of evicting people without rehabilitation, insisting, this was a clear contempt of spirit of court orders and judgments along with the murder of constitutional rights of project-affected families.

Pointing out that the “forcible eviction” would prove to be a disaster, as families are without alternative land, livelihood and livable rehabilitation sites, Mollah told the President that he visited the Narmada Valley as a fact-finding team, and found that their life and culture was facing the threats of submergence.
 
“Our report brings out the dismal conditions of the project affected families, resettlement sites, and corruption in payment of compensations. As many as 192 villages, 1 town, 40,000 families and more than 2 lakh people will be affected”, Mollah contended, adding, “If the government does not take proper action in rehabilitating the affected families, the condition of the outsees in Madhya Pradesh would become as bad as the oustees of Gujarat or Maharashtra.”
 
Annie Raja claimed, “If the dam’s gates are closed down without proper rehabilitation, it will be remembered as a mass murder in human history. After the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Narmada Valley for Narmada Seva Yatra, the process of intimidation and eviction has suddenly been speeded.”
 
Vimal Bhai explained the environmental impact in the form of chlorofluorocarbon – an organic compound that contains carbon, chlorine, and fluorine, produced as volatile derivative of methane, ethane, and propane.  Pointing out that this is happening “due to the submergence of lakhs of trees”,  he also gave details of the condition of rehabilitation sites, which still lacked basic amenities, cracks on houses due to black soil and no drinking water availability.

The meeting, which took place ahead of the Rally for the Valley from June 5 to 7, 2017, reportedly saw President of India assure the delegation that he would “look into the matter and initiate necessary actions.”

In this Video Interview, Sanjay Parikh describes how the governments are clearly violating Court Orders on Rehabilitation.

Mithi Virdi Villagers Celebrate as Nuclear Project Bows Out of Gujarat

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Finally, the protests worked. The Minisry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that that the 6000 MW nuclear project at Mithivirdi, District Bhavnagar, Gujarat, has been abandoned, and has been “shifted” to Kovadda, Andhra Pradesh on account of "delay" in land acquisition at the village Chhaya-Mithivirdi site.

Sabrangindia had reported exactly on June 3 last year how a former IAS officer had raised serious concerns over the project and that a decision was taken by Toshiba Corp’s Westinghouse Electric, which was to build the nuclear plant in South Saurashtra coast of Gujarat not to go ahead with the project in view of local opposition. Westinghouse's decision came a week before Prime Minister Narendra Modi was to visit the US.

The withdrawal of the nuclear plant has created a wave of happiness among the villagers around Mithi Virdi. They have decided to together on June 2 in village Jaspara to celebrate and congratulate each other for it. 
 
The villagers had approached NGT on March 3,  2015 challenging the coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) clearance given to the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), the Government of India undertaking, for the project. 
 
In a statement and communication from Gujarat environmentalist Rohit Prajapati following the development quotes AR Anilkumar, executive director, NPCIL as sayingthat the proposal for “Environment Clearance (EC) before MoEFCC has been "delisted.” MOEFCC director Arvind Kumar Nautiyal has given a similar opinion, it adds.

This is a victory of mass protest. The villagers’ victory comes four years after nearly 7,000 of them en masse walk-out of the Environmental Public Hearing (EPH) for the project, which took place on March 5, 2013, alleging that it was being conducted in “blatant contravention of the environmental laws and natural justice.” 
 
The walkout took place after the district collector, Bhavnagar, who chaired EPH, disallowed the leaders and sarpanches of the affected villages from raising issues of concern. Within no time, people started walking out. The pandal was emptied and only media persons, government and NPCIL staff was left in the huge pandal.

Subsequently, the proposed project was recommended for CRZ clearance by the Gujarat State Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA). The National Coastal Zone Management Authority (NCZMA) cleared the CRZ on March 3, 2015, which prompted the villagers to approach NGT.

Those who went to the NGT included Shaktisinh H Gohil, Jagrutiben B. Gohil of Jaspara village, Hajabhai G Dihora of MithVirdi, and environmentalists Rohit Prajapati and Krishnakant of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti (PSS), Vadodara.

On March 27, 2017, through a letter from the MoEFCC, the Government of India intimated the NGT that the proposed Westinghouse Nuclear Power Plant of 6000 MW was being “shifted” from Mithi Virdi due to “delay in land acquisition.”

In its order dated May 18, the NGT bench, consisting of judicial member (Justice UD Salvi) and expert member (Ranjan Chatterjee), noted that Nautiyal, director of MoEFCC, had submitted that the project at Mithi Virdhi, in whose favour CRZ clearance was granted, “is to be shifted to Kavvada, Andhra Pradesh on account of delay in land acquisition at village Chhaya- Mithivirdhi site”, hence the project does not survive and the matter is disposed of.
 
Taking credit for the development PSS’ Krishnakant has said, “We pushed out Westinghouse Nuclear Plant from Mithi Virdi area”, adding, “One struggle is over but anther struggle is on and people of the Mithi Virdi area have decided to extent all support and they will be part of the struggle with the people of Kovadda.”
 

Are we overreacting to US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate?

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The Trump administration has announced the U.S. will withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change. Should we expect any substantive effect on global climate efforts or changes to other U.S. climate policies?
 

There’s strong support for wind power, which aids in addressing climate change, in Kansas and other red states for economic reasons. AP Photo/Charlie Riedel
 

Some suggest there will be additional emissions of up to three billion metric tons of carbon dioxide in the air a year. Others point to higher U.S. emissions due to potentially diluted auto fuel efficiency standards and changes to rules to restrict methane leaks from the oil and gas industry.

To be sure, the decision to pull the U.S. out of a global agreement is a dramatic one. But we suggest that this withdrawal is a symbolic action with little substantive impact on climate mitigation.

As such, it is critical not to overreact and lose sight of domestic issues that could significantly jeopardize future climate policies.
 

How to assess the impact?

To assess the impact of Trump’s decision, the questions we need to ask are the following: First, will new policies be enacted after the withdrawal that will significantly alter carbon emissions? Even before today’s announcement, the Trump administration has indicated plans to cut back on regulations, such as the CAFE auto fuel efficiency and methane rules.

Second, will this withdrawal alter the efforts of China, India or the EU in the realm of renewable energy? Or, for that matter, the states of California and Washington and the businesses that have openly argued for the U.S. to honor the Paris Agreement?

We suggest subjecting the Paris withdrawal to the “additionality” principle: that is, identify the additional impact of Paris withdrawal on climate policy over and above the existing policy trajectory. We would argue that based on the Trump administration’s actions since taking office, pulling out of the Paris climate agreement only reinforces existing actions, rather than leads to a radically new path.

Since its inauguration, the Trump administration has acquired a reputation for hostility to environmental issues. There have been severe cuts to the EPA’s budget, the Clean Power Plan has been discontinued, the Dakota Access and Keystone pipelines have been given the go-ahead and public lands have been opened up to extractive industries.

In other words, the administration had already adopted anti-climate mitigation policies prior to the withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. And so we can expect all actors, be they foreign governments, state governments or businesses, to already have adjusted their expectations about climate change policy compared to the previous administration.

If the Obama administration had withdrawn from Paris, it would have been unexpected and therefore different. But withdrawal by Trump does not provide any new information to other governments and businesses. And so it will not cause them to revise their assessment of how federal government will act on climate change.
 

Even before announcing plans to pull out of the Paris Agreement, the Trump administration had pushed fossil fuels by approving the Dakota Access and Keystone pipelines and sought to roll back environmental protections. diversey/flickr, CC BY-NC
 

Will the world look different?

So will this withdrawal derail global efforts toward climate mitigation?

China has already emerged a leader in several renewable energy areas, particularly solar and wind. It now has a commercial imperative to move more aggressively given that a growing percentage of new global electricity generation capacity is based on renewable sources. At the same time, China faces severe domestic air pollution problems due to its reliance on coal for electricity generation. Thus, China has strong incentives, both commercial and environmental, to continue its focus on renewable energy.

A similar logic, to some extent, holds for the EU and India. The bottom line is that U.S. withdrawal will probably not change the uptake of renewable energy in other countries.
 

Red states’ support

Closer to home, might this decision affect domestic efforts toward climate mitigation? Within the U.S., much of environmental policy innovation is taking place at the state and city level. Withdrawal from Paris does not change these dynamics in climate leaders such as California or Washington.

Some Republicans governors, such as Sam Brownback of Kansas and John Kasich of Ohio, have already become strong supporters of wind energy due to economic benefits it brings to their states. Many policymakers recognize that the decline of coal is due to technological factors resulting in cheap natural gas, and not regulations. In fact, in Wyoming, the largest coal-producing state, wind power is coming to the rescue of some coal communities. In fact, this withdrawal may energize some governors and mayors to become even more aggressive in the area of climate change mitigation.

Importantly, many large businesses support climate change mitigation. The recent open letter by leading CEOs is a case in point. One reason for supporting climate policy is that most businesses are now transnational and have incentives to develop policies that are acceptable across the world. They want a predictable and stable policy environment.

In sum, it is important not to overreact to withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. Instead, pro-environment groups should focus their attention on domestic policy issues by encouraging governors and businesses to move aggressively on climate mitigation. For instance, they should be prepared to fight if the federal government seeks to revoke California’s ability to set higher auto emissions standards, which could greatly change emission policy dynamics. These are the sort of issues people concerned with climate change need to worry about.
 

Nives Dolsak, Professor of Environmental Policy, University of Washington and Aseem Prakash, Walker Family Professor and Founding Director, Center for Environmental Politics, University of Washington
 

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Student Struggles for Life after Brute Attack by Cow Vigilante Mobs: Gohana, Haryana

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Media reports that a BA second-year student was stabbed multiple times on June 1 by a a mob now known as cow vigilantes for not clicking photographs of their protest after they mistook him for a journalist in Gohana town of Haryana’s Sonepat district, according to a Hindustan Times report. The student, Shivam, who is currently struggling for life at a hospital in New Delhi, went to the event with a journalist friend of his and had his friend’s camera in his hand.

Gaurakshak

As has become a pattern, the Gau Raksha Seva Dal had organised the protest demanding sedition charges against Congress workers in Kerala after they slaughtered a cow in public and held ‘beef fests’ on May 27. The Youth Congress workers allegedly slaughtered the cow to protest the central government’s decision banning sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter.

Claiming that they mistook Shivam to be a photographer as he had a camera with him and asked him to take photographs of the protest and them handing a memorandum to district officials. After Shivam reportedly refused to do so, it led to an argument, however, bystanders calmed the protesters.

Bent o0n mob violence, post the protest, the gau rakshaks followed Shivam and stabbed him on his chest and stomach with knives. “He was admitted to a local hospital initially but taken to Delhi because of his condition,” police inspector Ajaib Singh told the media.

A 19-year-old, Mohit who is the main suspect in the case, has been arrested and two more suspects, both relatives of Mohit, are on the run. An “attempt to murder” case has been lodged against the three people and the complaint mentions the accused as members of the cow protection group. It is not yet known whether Mohit belongs to a clearly defined dupremacist outfit.

Typically, despite the fact that the three persons were part of the protest, the gau rakshak group has disowned the trio, saying they were troublemakers who joined the protest, the police inspector said.

NHRC Issues Notice to MHA, Minor Beaten Up by BSF: North 24, Parganas, Bengal

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The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notice to the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Protection of HR Act, Section 18 on a complaint that minor bor, Bappa Molla was illegally confined and beaten up by the Border Security Force (BSF) in Bengal. The NHRC has also asked the MHA to show cause why a compensation amount of Rs 25,000 should not be awarded to the victim. Investigations have found that the minor victim boy Master Bappa Molla from District-North 24 Parganas, West bengal was allegedly illegally confined, beaten up and intimidated by BSF personnel.

The complaint, NHRC Case no.267/25/15/2014-PF, was filed by human rights organisation, Masum, active in the state on the issue of custodial torture and human rights. On 1.06.2017 at 10.57 aam Masum has received a an email from the Commission intimating that the Commission issued direction on the abovementioned case registered with the Commission.

See Complaint here


 

#justiceforsooraj Campaign Gains Strength and Support

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#Justiceforsooraj Campaign has drawn attention and support from all over Tamil Nadu

After one of the students who led the beef protest at IIT-Madras in Chennai was assaulted on Sunday evening, allegedly by students from the Akhil Bharaitya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) a right-wing group, the dean of the institute has refused to act, according to media reports. Sooraj R, a student associated with the Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle, was injured in his right eye in Tuesday's assault allegedly by some students claimed to be Sangh Parivar supporters. Sooraj was surrounded by seven persons near the canteen who assaulted him. The MJRD has reportedly asked for a report on the assault at IIT.

Meanwhile, support for Sooraj has poured in from all quarters. IIT-M Directors have written a strongly worded letter to the Dean. Students too have sent a strongly worded letter to the IIT management and the Dean that contains the minutes of the fateful meeting that resulted in the brutal assault.


Students have also made available the allegedly fake posts by the alleged assailant Manish of the ABVP.


Manish Threatens Sooraj and Students

 

 

Northeast Blues: Meghalaya BJP Leader Quits Party in Protest of Cattle Ban

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The same BJP leader who had announced a Beef party to celebrate 3 years of Modi Rule, from Meghalaya has resigned from the party in protest against the Centre's new rule that bans cattle trade for slaughter. Bernard Marak, a leader from Garo hills, had hit the headlines earlier this week by promising cheap beef to people if the party ever came to power. Assembly elections in the hill state, where beef is staple, is due early next year.  
 


Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Bachu C Marak is seen in this photo. (Photo: Facebook)

"I have decided to quit the party because I am a Christian and Garo first," Mr Marak said today. "The BJP is hurting sentiments here on the beef issue. Tribal society has its own laws. The BJP is trying to push Hindutva."

While Mr Marack was the only one to make such a promise, the other party leaders did not appear too enthusiastic about the new Central rule. Calling Mr Marak's opinion's his own, state BJP chief Shibun Lyndoh said they were not "against people having beef".

"Total beef ban is something that even people here do not support," he said, adding what was required in the state were regulations and hygienic slaughter houses.

MakemyTrip co-founder tweets on beef, comes under attack

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Online tour operator MakeMyTrip was trolled on Twitter after one of the company's co-founders made some hard hitting comments on the Central government's new rules on cattle sale.

make My Trip

 
Keyur Joshi, who is one of the co-founders of MakeMyTrip, had expressed his displeasure on Twitter over the government's new cattle sale rules that have effectively made beef sale and consumption impossible in India.
 
In the tweets — now deleted — Joshi said: "If Hinduism takes away right to choice of food, I rather not be a Hindu. @narendramodi @BJP4India can't decide what people eat."
 
He also said that he is a strong supporter of the prime minister and a vegetarian for life "but will eat Beef only in India to support freedom of food".
 
Soon after, all hell broke lose with online trolling army attacking him and even MakeMyTrip, threatening a down-rating of the app and also uninstalling it. 
 
The company, however, issued to a statement clarifying that Joshi was not a current employee and that the comments were Joshi's personal views. 
 
#BoycotMakeMyTrip started trending on Twitter.
 

And despite Joshi apologising and deleting his account, the hate continued to spew online. 

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