The editorial in the latest issue of the Organiser,titled On climate change UPA dancing to US tunes, says: The developing countries,led by India till now have held their position in trying to make the rich nations accept responsibility for the poison they spew. By suggesting that India should change its stand on the Kyoto Protocol,which calls upon all nations in the world to bear the responsibility equally,the minister [Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has attempted to break the spirit of the developing nations. The opposition has been quick in responding to the issue and the minister has tried to wriggle out of the loop,with the PMO playing the tune that it was only a suggestion. The political and public uproar hopefully has nipped the mischief in the bud.
It adds: Nature care,love for environment and avoiding wasteful lifestyles are in-built in the cultures of Asia,especially India. While the developed countries pile up plastic and other wastes,the Asian countries firmly believe in recycling. Now those countries have started exporting their waste to us for recycling and dumping. On the GM crops issue too,the immediate beneficiary are the American MNCs,who have been trying to make inroads into India. The move has been resisted till now by several NGOs. But the government-appointed committee on GM foods has given the go-ahead for the commercial cultivation of brinjal,an Indian vegetable. One of the biggest threats of the GM crops and foreign seeds is that the variations of the vegetables will vanish and we would be left with just a couple of varieties that the seed manufacturer finds profitable. Former Health Minister A. Ramadoss has pointed out in a letter to the prime minister that India has more than 2,500 varieties of brinjal. The health concerns have not been addressed at all. The argument that more than half the brinjal crops are wasted due to pest attacks and hence need pest resistance seeds does not hold water because the same argument given in the Bt Cotton case has led to disastrous environmental problems. The cotton seeds that were modified for pest resistance killed several plants along with weeds and created damage to the biodiversity,which is yet to be measured and documented. Jairam Rameshs reaction to the issue was curt: Ill not be blackmailed by the NGOs. But can he be coerced by the MNC seeds lobby?
Barrage of criticism
An opinion piece titled Progress that destroys local livelihood by Bharat Jhunjhunwala in the latest issue of the RSS mouthpiece says: The water flowing to Bangladesh has been pushed into the Hooghly by the Farakka Barrage. Flow of water in the Hooghly has increased and small sized ships can now come into Kolkata. Cost of transport from the ports to Kolkata has been reduced and the entire eastern part of the country has benefited economically. According to Chanakyas formula,it was correct to make the Barrage because one should give up the village for the country. But,what is the meaning of country here?
He adds: People take bath in the Ganga in Bhagalpur and feel happy… Dying family members are not getting the few drops of pristine Gangajal because flow of the Ganga has been obstructed. It seems that the decline of great cities like Kanpur,Patna and Kolkata in the twentieth century has been parallel with the making of Haridwar and other barrages on the Ganga. Whether there is a connection between the two events should be studied. The Main point is that assessment of a development project like the Farakka Barrage must not be reduced to economic benefits alone.
He concludes: When Chanakya says give up one village for the country, he is speaking holistically. A country is first and foremost defined by its self-identity. The government,on the other hand,is equating the country with [the consumption of the middle class. True planning should consider alternatives to projects from a holistic viewpoint. The objective of providing more water to the Hooghly is entirely laudable. But this can also be done by dredging the Hooghly. That would also increase the flow from Kolkata to Diamond Harbour.
Compiled by Suman K. Jha
