For Immediate Release
PRESS RELEASE
January 30, 2009
Environmentalists, social activists organize collective fast in support of Dr. Agarwal
New Delhi, January 30, 2009: A congregation of environmentalists and social activists from various parts of the country today undertook a collective fast at Gandhi Darshan, in support of renowned environmentalist Dr. G.D. Agarwal, who is on fast-unto-death for putting an immediately halt to all construction activities on the 600 MW Lohari Nag Pala Hydropower Project in Uttarakhand. His fast-unto-death continued for the seventeenth day today.
In the morning, the congregation assembled at Gandhi Darshan on the occasion of Gandhiji’s Martyrdom Day today and undertook the collective fast to express their support to Dr. Agarwal even as his fast to maintain uninterrupted flow in river Bhagirathi continued for the 17th day today.
“Waterman of India” Rajendra Singh, noted Supreme Court Lawyer Prashant Bhushan, Dr. Ravi Chopra, Director People’s Science Institute, Dehradun, Banwasi Sewa Ashram’s Shubha Bahen and Abhimanyu from Chitrakoot, among others, were present on the occasion.
Dr. Agarwal, who has served as the Head of the Department of Environmental Engineering at IIT, Kanpur, had earlier undertaken a fast-unto-death in June last year to press for his demand for allowing free and unhindered flow of Bhagirathi river between Gangotri and Uttarkashi.
(186 words)
For further information, please contact: Anil Gautam-0135-2762516, 9412176896Pavitra Singh 011-32088803, 9410706109
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Press Release - 28.01.2009
Bhagirathi Bachao Sankalp
Under the Banner of Indian Council for Enviro Legal Action (ICELA)
Kuriyal Bhawan, Bhairav Chowk, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand
Telefax: 01374-222937, E-mail:bhagirathibachaosankalp@gmail.com, Website: www.tapasya-bhagirathi.blogspot.com
For Immediate Release
PRESS RELEASE
January 28, 2009
Erstwhile princely states’ rulers pledge to protect and preserve Ganga’s honour and dignity
New Delhi, January 28, 2009: Rulers of erstwhile princely states in India today pledged to unitedly impress upon the government to maintain the honour and dignity surrounding the river Ganga as well as its national river status. At a general meeting organized today in the campus of Gandhi Darshan, by “Waterman of India” Mr. Rajendra Singh in support demands raised by Dr. G.D. Agarwal on the issue, speakers said they were ready to shoulder the onerous duty of protecting the river Ganga.
Maharaja Gaj Singh, representing the erstwhile Jodhpur state, said that all concerned should come forward to protect the river Ganga and help in effectively highlighting the demands raised by Dr. Agrawal before the Centre. The today’s meeting was organized in response to the earlier ultimatum that the erstwhile royalty had served upon the government that if it failed to stop work on the Lohari Nag Pala Hydropower project by January 28, 2009, they would launch an agitation on the issue. Members of the erstwhile royalty said their ancestors had entered into an agreement in 1916 with the then British government, to not allow any construction activity on the Ganga upstream of Haridwar.
Speaking on the occasion, Mahant Shivananda from Haridwar said that the river Ganga represented nation’s honour which is supreme. But the government deceived Dr. Agarwal on the issue of maintaining the dignity and honour of the important river, he said. He said that all should unitedly forge a common front to prevail upon the government that issues of faith cannot be weighed in terms of pieces of silver. He appealed to the government to maintain the dignity, respect and honour of the national river.
Mahant Veer Bhadra from Sankatmochan Foundation, Varanasi, said that Lord Rama’s name and the river Ganga were two important basic tenets of the Indian philosophy of life. He lamented the government was not taking the requisite steps to protect and preserve the river Ganga.
Former Tehri (Uttarakhand) ruler Manujendra Shah said that the flow the river Ganga should not be hindered.
Noted environmentalist Sunita Narain said that unhindered flow of water in a river is a pre-requisite to preventing pollution in it. She said that a river can be said to be alive only if it has a free flow of water in all its stretches. Ms. Narain said that detailed project report of hydro power project only document details of a particular project while completely ignoring the important factors governing the river’s very existence. She said that Dr. Agarwal’s efforts would result in the emergence of a new dawn on important environmental issues.
In his address to the gathering, Dr. Agarwal termed the river Ganga as the nation’s identity. He said that maintaining pristine and natural flows in the upper reaches of the river is highly important. He said it is highly unfortunate that the river Ganga’s festive spirit has been completely ignored by the people.
Mr. Digvijay Singh, former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh said that there is a special place for the river Ganga in the hearts and minds of the people of India. Mr. Singh praised the efforts of Dr. Agarwal in raising important issues connected with faith and belief and urged all concerned to fully supported the cause of protecting the river Ganga.
Gandhi Peace Foundation’s Radha Bahen said that Dr. Agarwal’s commitment to the protection of the sanctity of the river Ganga is exemplary as it is not an ordinary river.
(570 words)
For further information, please contact: Anil Gautam-0135-2762516, 9412176896Pavitra Singh 011-32088803, 9410706109
Under the Banner of Indian Council for Enviro Legal Action (ICELA)
Kuriyal Bhawan, Bhairav Chowk, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand
Telefax: 01374-222937, E-mail:bhagirathibachaosankalp@gmail.com, Website: www.tapasya-bhagirathi.blogspot.com
For Immediate Release
PRESS RELEASE
January 28, 2009
Erstwhile princely states’ rulers pledge to protect and preserve Ganga’s honour and dignity
New Delhi, January 28, 2009: Rulers of erstwhile princely states in India today pledged to unitedly impress upon the government to maintain the honour and dignity surrounding the river Ganga as well as its national river status. At a general meeting organized today in the campus of Gandhi Darshan, by “Waterman of India” Mr. Rajendra Singh in support demands raised by Dr. G.D. Agarwal on the issue, speakers said they were ready to shoulder the onerous duty of protecting the river Ganga.
Maharaja Gaj Singh, representing the erstwhile Jodhpur state, said that all concerned should come forward to protect the river Ganga and help in effectively highlighting the demands raised by Dr. Agrawal before the Centre. The today’s meeting was organized in response to the earlier ultimatum that the erstwhile royalty had served upon the government that if it failed to stop work on the Lohari Nag Pala Hydropower project by January 28, 2009, they would launch an agitation on the issue. Members of the erstwhile royalty said their ancestors had entered into an agreement in 1916 with the then British government, to not allow any construction activity on the Ganga upstream of Haridwar.
Speaking on the occasion, Mahant Shivananda from Haridwar said that the river Ganga represented nation’s honour which is supreme. But the government deceived Dr. Agarwal on the issue of maintaining the dignity and honour of the important river, he said. He said that all should unitedly forge a common front to prevail upon the government that issues of faith cannot be weighed in terms of pieces of silver. He appealed to the government to maintain the dignity, respect and honour of the national river.
Mahant Veer Bhadra from Sankatmochan Foundation, Varanasi, said that Lord Rama’s name and the river Ganga were two important basic tenets of the Indian philosophy of life. He lamented the government was not taking the requisite steps to protect and preserve the river Ganga.
Former Tehri (Uttarakhand) ruler Manujendra Shah said that the flow the river Ganga should not be hindered.
Noted environmentalist Sunita Narain said that unhindered flow of water in a river is a pre-requisite to preventing pollution in it. She said that a river can be said to be alive only if it has a free flow of water in all its stretches. Ms. Narain said that detailed project report of hydro power project only document details of a particular project while completely ignoring the important factors governing the river’s very existence. She said that Dr. Agarwal’s efforts would result in the emergence of a new dawn on important environmental issues.
In his address to the gathering, Dr. Agarwal termed the river Ganga as the nation’s identity. He said that maintaining pristine and natural flows in the upper reaches of the river is highly important. He said it is highly unfortunate that the river Ganga’s festive spirit has been completely ignored by the people.
Mr. Digvijay Singh, former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh said that there is a special place for the river Ganga in the hearts and minds of the people of India. Mr. Singh praised the efforts of Dr. Agarwal in raising important issues connected with faith and belief and urged all concerned to fully supported the cause of protecting the river Ganga.
Gandhi Peace Foundation’s Radha Bahen said that Dr. Agarwal’s commitment to the protection of the sanctity of the river Ganga is exemplary as it is not an ordinary river.
(570 words)
For further information, please contact: Anil Gautam-0135-2762516, 9412176896Pavitra Singh 011-32088803, 9410706109
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
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Sunday, January 25, 2009
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Press Release - 25.01.2009
Bhagirathi Bachao Sankalp
Under the Banner of Indian Council for Enviro Legal Action (ICELA)
Kuriyal Bhawan, Bhairav Chowk, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand
Telefax: 01374-222937, E-mail:bhagirathibachaosankalp@gmail.com, Website: www.tapasya-bhagirathi.blogspot.com
For Immediate Release
PRESS RELEASE
January 25, 2009
R.N. Singh resigns from HLEG in protest against its “unscientific attitude”
Says he recommended 16 cumecs of environmental flow while HLEG report has just 3 cumecs
New Delhi, January 25, 2009: In a major development, Mr. R.N. Singh, a senior member of the High Level Expert Group (HLEG) today resigned from the group in protest against what he termed as “official apathy on the part of HLEG in recommending maintenance of the required environmental flows in the river Bhagirathi”. Mr. Singh, a scientist nominated by the Centre to the HLEG said that his repeated assertions of maintaining the required flow of 16 cumecs in the river Bhagirathi was not considered favourably by the HLEG.
Mr. Singh said as a scientist, he did not agree with the most unscientific way of working of the HLEG members. Stating that most members did not even have a science background, he said while he had recommended maintaining 16 cumecs of water in the river Bhagirathi as minimum environmental flow, the other members in the HLEG had decided otherwise. He said he felt unhappy at the mention of merely 3 cumecs in the HLEG’s last draft report and hence resigned in protest. He said he was unhappy not only because his views on the issue had been totally ignored but also due to the unscientific methods being followed by the HLEG.
Today, noted preacher Sant Gopal Maniji Maharaj met Dr. G.D. Agrawal at Akhil Bhartiya Mahasabha Bhawan, Delhi, to express their support to him even as his fast to maintain uninterrupted flow in river Bhagirathi continued for the 13th day today. Sant Maharaj told Dr. Agrawal that there has been a deviation in the maintenance of cultural values and all those who are hell bent on killing the river Ganga in the name of development will have to face the consequences in the future. Dr. B.N. Pandey, a freedom fighter and organizing secretary of Akhil Bharatiya Swantantra Sangram Senani Sangathan, also met Dr. Agrawal and expressed his support. He said that his organization would do everything to help achieve the desired objectives.
Meanwhile, Union Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde assured a delegation of supporters of Dr. G.D. Agrawal that he would instruct maintenance of “shoulder-deep” water level in the entire stretch of the river Bhairathi. The minister said this when the delegation comprising of “Waterman of India” Mr. Rajendra Singh, Mr. S.K. Gupta, P.C. Tyagi, Mr. Pradeep Nagrath and Dr. Ravi Chopra, met him in Delhi on Saturday and apprised him of the demands.
People are coming in large numbers to meet and express their support to Dr. Agrawal. Today’s visitors include noted environment lawyer and Magsaysay Award winner Mr. M.C. Mehta, Dr. Ravi Chopra, Director, PSI Dehradun and Rajendra Singh. Besides, a large number of students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi, also met Dr. Agarwal and expressed their support for the cause.
Dr. Agarwal, who has served as the Head of the Department of Environmental Engineering at IIT, Kanpur, had earlier undertaken a fast-unto-death in June last year to press for his demand for allowing free and unhindered flow of Bhagirathi river between Gangotri and Uttarkashi.
For further information, please contact: Anil Gautam-0135-2762516, 9412176896Pavitra Singh 011-32088803, 9410706109.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Press Release - 24.01.2009
Bhagirathi Bachao Sankalp
Under the Banner of Indian Council for Enviro Legal Action (ICELA)
Kuriyal Bhawan, Bhairav Chowk, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand
Telefax: 01374-222937, E-mail:bhagirathibachaosankalp@gmail.com, Website: www.tapasya-bhagirathi.blogspot.com
Environmental Flows Needed in the Bhagirathi River Says Member, Planning Commission
New Delhi, January 24, 2009: Dr. G D Agrawal’s fast to maintain uninterrupted flow in river Bhagirathi continued into the 11th day today. People are coming to meet and express their support to Dr. Agrawal. Today’s visitors include Mr. Arvind Kejriwal (Magsaysay Award winner), M C Mehta, a Supreme Court lawyer and Magsaysay Awardee , Mr. Ashok Sharma, Advocate and ex state minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Dr. B. Sen Gupta, former Member-Secretary, Central Pollution Control Board.
According to informed sources, a Member of the Planning Commission toured the Bhagirathi Valley last year and submitted a report to the Prime Minister. He wrote that the operation of Maneri Bhali Stage II Power Project had diverted the Ganga river water into a tunnel and there was practically no water between Uttarkashi and Dharasu, a stretch of 29 kms. He recommended that environmental flows be maintained for ecological functions of the river. This confirms the observations made by Dr. G. D. Agrawal earlier and also some members of the HLEG after their visits to the Bhagirathi valley.
For further information, please contact: Anil Gautam-0135-2762516, 9412176896Pavitra Singh 011-32088803, 9410706109.
Under the Banner of Indian Council for Enviro Legal Action (ICELA)
Kuriyal Bhawan, Bhairav Chowk, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand
Telefax: 01374-222937, E-mail:bhagirathibachaosankalp@gmail.com, Website: www.tapasya-bhagirathi.blogspot.com
Environmental Flows Needed in the Bhagirathi River Says Member, Planning Commission
New Delhi, January 24, 2009: Dr. G D Agrawal’s fast to maintain uninterrupted flow in river Bhagirathi continued into the 11th day today. People are coming to meet and express their support to Dr. Agrawal. Today’s visitors include Mr. Arvind Kejriwal (Magsaysay Award winner), M C Mehta, a Supreme Court lawyer and Magsaysay Awardee , Mr. Ashok Sharma, Advocate and ex state minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Dr. B. Sen Gupta, former Member-Secretary, Central Pollution Control Board.
According to informed sources, a Member of the Planning Commission toured the Bhagirathi Valley last year and submitted a report to the Prime Minister. He wrote that the operation of Maneri Bhali Stage II Power Project had diverted the Ganga river water into a tunnel and there was practically no water between Uttarkashi and Dharasu, a stretch of 29 kms. He recommended that environmental flows be maintained for ecological functions of the river. This confirms the observations made by Dr. G. D. Agrawal earlier and also some members of the HLEG after their visits to the Bhagirathi valley.
For further information, please contact: Anil Gautam-0135-2762516, 9412176896Pavitra Singh 011-32088803, 9410706109.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
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Press Release - 22.01.2009
For Immediate Release
PRESS RELEASE
January 22, 2009
Government of India’s decision to declare the Ganga as the national river is a farce: Dr. G.D. Agrawal
New Delhi, January 22, 2009: Renowned environmentalist Dr. G.D. Agarwal’s fast-unto-death for putting an immediately halt to all construction activities on the 600 MW Lohari Nag Pala Hydropower Project in Uttarakhand, continued for the ninth day on January 22, 2009.
In a statement issued today, Dr. Agrawal termed as “farce”, the Centre’s decision to declare the Ganga as the National River. He said the government has not come up with any notification to match its announcement nor it has initiated any official activity in connection with the matter.
Dr. Agrawal, while interacting with media persons at Akhil Bhartiya Mahasabha Bhawan, Delhi, the site of his fast-unto death, said that the government, in order to show its sincerity in the matter of declaring the Ganga as the National River, had merely handed it over to the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF).
Meanwhile, ever increasing number of people are visiting Dr. Agrawal at Akhil Bhartiya Mahasabha Bhawan, Delhi, to express their support to him. Among those who visited Dr. Agrawal today include “Waterman of India” Rajendra Singh, noted Supreme Court Lawyer Prashant Bhushan and his wife Deepa Bhushan, Arvind Kejriwal (Magsaysay award winner), Structural Engineer Dr. K.S. Chawla, Ms. Priya Patel (Arya Vihar, Uttarkashi), Ms. Shashi Tyagi of Jal Biradari, Rashtriya Swabhiman Andolan’s national chief Acharya Jitendra and its national secretary Mr. Rakesh Dubey, Mr. Rakesh Agarwal, (Nyayabhumi), Kailash Tiwari, Prem Dhingra and Mahesh Dubey (all from Bhopal), Mr. Diwan Singh of Natural Heritage Trust, Pani Baba Arun Kumar and Dr. Ravi Chopra, Director People’s Science Institute, Dehradun. Besides, a large number of students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi, also met Dr. Agarwal and expressed their support for the cause.
For further information, please contact: Anil Gautam-0135-2762516, 9412176896Pavitra Singh 011-32088803, 9410706109
PRESS RELEASE
January 22, 2009
Government of India’s decision to declare the Ganga as the national river is a farce: Dr. G.D. Agrawal
New Delhi, January 22, 2009: Renowned environmentalist Dr. G.D. Agarwal’s fast-unto-death for putting an immediately halt to all construction activities on the 600 MW Lohari Nag Pala Hydropower Project in Uttarakhand, continued for the ninth day on January 22, 2009.
In a statement issued today, Dr. Agrawal termed as “farce”, the Centre’s decision to declare the Ganga as the National River. He said the government has not come up with any notification to match its announcement nor it has initiated any official activity in connection with the matter.
Dr. Agrawal, while interacting with media persons at Akhil Bhartiya Mahasabha Bhawan, Delhi, the site of his fast-unto death, said that the government, in order to show its sincerity in the matter of declaring the Ganga as the National River, had merely handed it over to the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF).
Meanwhile, ever increasing number of people are visiting Dr. Agrawal at Akhil Bhartiya Mahasabha Bhawan, Delhi, to express their support to him. Among those who visited Dr. Agrawal today include “Waterman of India” Rajendra Singh, noted Supreme Court Lawyer Prashant Bhushan and his wife Deepa Bhushan, Arvind Kejriwal (Magsaysay award winner), Structural Engineer Dr. K.S. Chawla, Ms. Priya Patel (Arya Vihar, Uttarkashi), Ms. Shashi Tyagi of Jal Biradari, Rashtriya Swabhiman Andolan’s national chief Acharya Jitendra and its national secretary Mr. Rakesh Dubey, Mr. Rakesh Agarwal, (Nyayabhumi), Kailash Tiwari, Prem Dhingra and Mahesh Dubey (all from Bhopal), Mr. Diwan Singh of Natural Heritage Trust, Pani Baba Arun Kumar and Dr. Ravi Chopra, Director People’s Science Institute, Dehradun. Besides, a large number of students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi, also met Dr. Agarwal and expressed their support for the cause.
For further information, please contact: Anil Gautam-0135-2762516, 9412176896Pavitra Singh 011-32088803, 9410706109
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
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Press Release - 21.01.2009
For Immediate Release
PRESS RELEASE
January 21, 2009
NTPC’s Loharinag-Pala dam violates Ganga’s national river status: M.C. Mehta
New Delhi, January 21, 2009: Noted environment lawyer and Magsaysay Award winner Mr. M.C. Mehta has criticized the Central Government’s indifferent attitude to renowned environmentalist Dr. G.D. Agarwal’s demand to immediately halt all construction activities on the 600 MW Lohari Nag Pala Hydropower Project in Uttarakhand. Mr. Mehta met Dr. Agarwal today at Akhil Bhartiya Mahasabha Bhawan, Delhi, where he has been fasting-unto-death since Wednesday, January 14, and expressed his support for the cause.
Mr. Mehta asserted that the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) was causing irreversible damage to the river Bhagirathi by building a dam at Loharinag on it, completely ignoring the Government of India’s decision to declare the Ganga as a national river.
“Waterman of India” Mr. Rajendra Singh, also expressed his support to the demands raised by Dr. Agarwal and warned that if the Centre failed to give any concrete response to the demands before January 28, 2009, the activists would be forced to launch an agitation on the issue. He said that the descendents of erstwhile princely estates which had entered into an agreement in 1916 with the then British government, to not allow any construction activity on the Ganga upstream of Haridwar, would also participate in the agitation. He said the river Ganga was a symbol of India’s faith and culture and it was the life support system for the country’s population resident in the northern plains. It becomes imperative on the part of the government, therefore, to completely halt all dam construction activities on the important river.
Among others who met Dr. Agarwal today to express their support for the cause included Swami Shivananda of Matra Sadan, Haridwar, who turned up at the site of fast-unto-death along with his disciples. In addition, Mr. Subodh Nandan Sharma and Lalit Tyagi of Brijghat, and others who visited Dr. Agarwal said that they would begin a Ganga Bachao Yatra on January 25, 2009 which would leave for Delhi the same day and reach there on January 28. Mr. Ghanshyam, founder of “Judao”, a Jharkhand-based organsiation also met Dr. Agarwal.
For further information, please contact: Anil Gautam-0135-2762516, 9412176896Pavitra Singh 011-32088803, 9410706109
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
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Monday, January 19, 2009
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Dr. G. D. Agrawal resumes fast-unto-death
January 19,2009
Dr. G. D. Agrawal resumes fast-unto-death
Protests broken promises
Charging the Government of India with not keeping its solemn commitment to keep the River Bhagirathi alive in its pristine stretch from Gangotri to Uttarkashi, Dr. G.D. Agrawal has resumed his fast-unto-death from Makar Sankranti Day, Wednesday, Jan 14, 2009.
You may recall that Prof. G. D Agrawal, former Professor & Dean of Students at IIT-Kanpur, the first Member-Secretary of India’s Central Pollution Control Board and one of India’s foremost environmental scientists went on a fast from June 13, 2008 to seek uninterrupted flow of River Bhagirathi (Ganga) in its natural form between Gangotri and Uttarkashi. His demand was very limited & specific, i.e., that the River Ganga be allowed to flow in its natural form in this 125 km stretch from its origin. This is the only stretch left now where the Ganga can still be seen in its pristine form.
Dr. Agrawal requested the Govt. of India & the State Govt. of Uttarakhand to stop construction of Hydro Electric Projects (HEPs) in this stretch so that river flow was not diverted through tunnels that would destroy its ecology and its unique self-purifying properties. (Please see attached diagram. A series of dams is planned all along the river from Gangotri to Rishikesh – almost one dam every 25km.)
Indians across the world got sensitised and lent their support to Prof Agrawal. Many wrote or met the PM of India and the CM of Uttarakhand and requested them to protect the Holy Ganga – whom Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru described as India’s civilizational identity. The protest forced the Govt of Uttarakhand to suspend work on two state-sponsored HEPs. After the intervention of a group of IITians and others, the Government of India gave a commitment in writing on 30th June 2008 ‘to ensure perennial environmental flows in all stretches of River Bhagirathi and to keep it alive’. It decided to appoint a group of experts to study the issue and recommend ways to achieve this in three months. On this assurance Dr. Agrawal suspended his fast on June 30, 2008 after 18 days. But he also warned the government that he would resume his fast if this commitment was not kept.
In a cunning move, the GoI asked the Chairman of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to form a group of experts to determine the environmental flows that would be required to keep the Bhagirathi alive in the entire 125km stretch. NTPC, a public sector corporation, is building a dam at Loharinag, barely 50 kms downstream of Gangotri. The consequent High Level Experts Group was packed with serving engineers – none of whom has even a working knowledge of the subject of environmental flows and being on the government payrolls dare not take an independent stance (See attached note). Not surprisingly, the steamroller majority of officials is loath to release the environmental flows required to keep the river alive.
In the meantime, NTPC has continued construction of its Loharinag-Pala HEP. More than six months have passed, the group of experts has not yet submitted its report and the pristine character of the river continues to be destroyed. They have not taken cognizance of the recent declaration by the Prime Minister of the Ganga as India’s National river and his announcement of the formation of a Ganga River Basin Authority to take all decisions on activities in the Ganga Basin. The PM himself is the head of this Authority.
Dr. Agrawal does not belong to any party or group. He is a rare individual with a rishi-like lifestyle. The River Ganga and Dr. Agrawal deserve our support. You can write directly to him at bhagirathibachaosankalp@gmail.com and express your support. You can also write to the following urging them to protect the sanctity and integrity of the Bhagirathi-Ganga as promised on June 30, 2008. Also inform others who are interested in saving the Ganga and Dr. G.D.Agrawal.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For further information contact:
Pavitra Singh: bhagirathibachaosankalp@gmail.com; 9410706109
Dr. Anil Gautam: mobile number - 9412176896, 9759112331
Mabel Gergan: 91-135-2773849, 2763649
Dr. G. D. Agrawal resumes fast-unto-death
Protests broken promises
Charging the Government of India with not keeping its solemn commitment to keep the River Bhagirathi alive in its pristine stretch from Gangotri to Uttarkashi, Dr. G.D. Agrawal has resumed his fast-unto-death from Makar Sankranti Day, Wednesday, Jan 14, 2009.
You may recall that Prof. G. D Agrawal, former Professor & Dean of Students at IIT-Kanpur, the first Member-Secretary of India’s Central Pollution Control Board and one of India’s foremost environmental scientists went on a fast from June 13, 2008 to seek uninterrupted flow of River Bhagirathi (Ganga) in its natural form between Gangotri and Uttarkashi. His demand was very limited & specific, i.e., that the River Ganga be allowed to flow in its natural form in this 125 km stretch from its origin. This is the only stretch left now where the Ganga can still be seen in its pristine form.
Dr. Agrawal requested the Govt. of India & the State Govt. of Uttarakhand to stop construction of Hydro Electric Projects (HEPs) in this stretch so that river flow was not diverted through tunnels that would destroy its ecology and its unique self-purifying properties. (Please see attached diagram. A series of dams is planned all along the river from Gangotri to Rishikesh – almost one dam every 25km.)
Indians across the world got sensitised and lent their support to Prof Agrawal. Many wrote or met the PM of India and the CM of Uttarakhand and requested them to protect the Holy Ganga – whom Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru described as India’s civilizational identity. The protest forced the Govt of Uttarakhand to suspend work on two state-sponsored HEPs. After the intervention of a group of IITians and others, the Government of India gave a commitment in writing on 30th June 2008 ‘to ensure perennial environmental flows in all stretches of River Bhagirathi and to keep it alive’. It decided to appoint a group of experts to study the issue and recommend ways to achieve this in three months. On this assurance Dr. Agrawal suspended his fast on June 30, 2008 after 18 days. But he also warned the government that he would resume his fast if this commitment was not kept.
In a cunning move, the GoI asked the Chairman of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to form a group of experts to determine the environmental flows that would be required to keep the Bhagirathi alive in the entire 125km stretch. NTPC, a public sector corporation, is building a dam at Loharinag, barely 50 kms downstream of Gangotri. The consequent High Level Experts Group was packed with serving engineers – none of whom has even a working knowledge of the subject of environmental flows and being on the government payrolls dare not take an independent stance (See attached note). Not surprisingly, the steamroller majority of officials is loath to release the environmental flows required to keep the river alive.
In the meantime, NTPC has continued construction of its Loharinag-Pala HEP. More than six months have passed, the group of experts has not yet submitted its report and the pristine character of the river continues to be destroyed. They have not taken cognizance of the recent declaration by the Prime Minister of the Ganga as India’s National river and his announcement of the formation of a Ganga River Basin Authority to take all decisions on activities in the Ganga Basin. The PM himself is the head of this Authority.
Dr. Agrawal does not belong to any party or group. He is a rare individual with a rishi-like lifestyle. The River Ganga and Dr. Agrawal deserve our support. You can write directly to him at bhagirathibachaosankalp@gmail.com and express your support. You can also write to the following urging them to protect the sanctity and integrity of the Bhagirathi-Ganga as promised on June 30, 2008. Also inform others who are interested in saving the Ganga and Dr. G.D.Agrawal.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For further information contact:
Pavitra Singh: bhagirathibachaosankalp@gmail.com; 9410706109
Dr. Anil Gautam: mobile number - 9412176896, 9759112331
Mabel Gergan: 91-135-2773849, 2763649
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