Narmada Bachao champion speaks on several burning issues

Narmada Bachao champion speaks on several burning issues

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Mar 6, 2012:  Speaking at an interactive session held in the city on March 6 Tuesday, Narmada Bachao champion and award-winning social activist Medha Patkar said the one of the major problems of the country today is inequality. 

 

 

She also made a call to limit income disparity to a minimum ratio of 1:10 and also to limit disparity in various social sections. She mentioned as solutions to certain national problems the provision of appropriate value for produce and labour. Stating that wealth amassed in excess ought to be considered as common property, she said that it must be taxed heavily, a move, which in her opinion will make India a tax-free nation. 

Speaking on the Narmada Bachao Andolan, she said that, although the movement was initiated 26 years back, it is still in progress. Although the construction of the dam has been stopped, lakhs of people are yet to be rehabilitated and environmental conditions are yet to be met. She also stated that certain anti-social elements such as the sand mafia are bullying activists to give up the fight. 

Voicing her opinions on the Special Economic Zones, she said that urban and industrial growth is considered as a sign of development although it is actually an attempt to replace living communities with industries. Speaking of SEZ as a process in which natural resources are converted into mere market commodities that can be bought and sold, she said that land acquired by force can be used with tax concession, water concession, and power concession. She also said that when common people fight against this, they are labelled as “against development,” owing to which corporate industrialization must be fought against. 

Speaking on the infeasibility of linking rivers, she that this will give rise to a number of problems. She also demanded to know where the massive funds required for this project will come from and added that a number of demographic problems are also involved in such projects. 

Regarding projects such as UPCL, she said that a number of similar projects are approved without proper planning. She stressed the importance of raising queries regarding safety while pursuing such projects and added that thorough investigation must be done to bring to light hidden agendas behind such so-called developmental projects.