[sustran] Urge Indian Environment Ministry to reject Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project

[ESG]

28 May 2001

Dear Friends,

A few weeks ago we revealed how M/s Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise
Ltd. (NICE), the key developer of the proposed massive infrastructure/urban 
development
scheme the Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project (BMIC), had 
fraudulently
promoted the investment by claiming the involvement of a US infrastructure 
company
M/s Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc. We have now written to the Government of 
Karnataka
asking that the agremeent backing the project be cancelled as its fundamental
precepts have been violated.

Meanwhile the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests, which has deferred
a final decision on grant of environmental clearance to the project due to the
pressure we have all exerted, has now called for a meeting of the Expert 
Committee
reviewing the project on 31 May 2001. A decision will be taken at this meeting
regarding the environmental clearance.

In anticipation of the Expert Committee meeting, a detailed representation has
been submitted urging the Ministry to deny final environmental clearance to 
this
project. This document is available online, along with other documentation, 
at:
<http://www.indiatogether.org/petitions/bmicmay01.htm>. If you would like to
endorse this representation, kindly follow the steps outlined at the URL 
above.
Please note that your endorsements will have to preferably reach the Ministry
of Environment and Forests by 31 May 2001.

In case you do not have internet browsing access, and wish to request the file
for endorsement, please send an email to ESG <esg at bgl.vsnl.net.in> with the 
Subject:
BMIC/MoEF May 2001.

The sample letter for endorsement is also enclosed. Kindly send this letter to
the addresses mentioned in the To: field and Cc: them as suggested. If 
possible
you may also send in a signed letter by mail or fax (Addresses given below).

Please REMEMBER to always include your full contact details to make your 
letter
official.

We thank you for your continued support to this campaign.


Leo F. Saldanha
Coordinator
Environment Support Group

&

Subramaniam Vincent
Indiatogether

Note:

The BMIC Project involves the development of 5 new townships to 
cross-subsidise
the building of an Expressway between Bangalore and Mysore cities (a distance
of 140 kms).  Viable Public transport opportunities have been dismissed to 
promote
this investment.   21,000 acres of land will be acquired for the project, 
which
by some estimates may potentially displace about 200,000 people in this 
densely
populated region.  Large amounts of water will be drawn from River Cauvery to
support the lavish lifestyles anticipated in these new townships, depriving 
existing
cities and agricultural areas of their due share.  The townships will include
luxurious housing projects, golf resorts (dubiously called "eco-tourism" 
project),
corporate centres, entertainment centres, etc.  This concept of real-estate 
cross-subsidising
infrastructure development has never been tried before, and is slated to be a
model for India.  Read more on this at the site mentioned above.


LETTER FOR ENDORSEMENT

To:

"Secretary, MoEF" <secy at menf.delhi.nic.in>,
"Spl. Secretary (IA), MoEF" <roypaul at envfor.delhi.nic.in>,

Cc:
"Indian Environment Minister" <mef at menf.delhi.nic.in>,
"Chief Minister of Karnataka" <cm at kar.nic.in>,
"ESG" <esg at bgl.vsnl.net.in>,


Senior officials in the Ministry of Environment and forests (New Delhi),

I am aware that the MEF's expert committee on infrastructure is holding
a meeting on May 31, 2001 in New Delhi on the issue of environmental
clearance for the BMIC project. In support of detailed representation
made recently by Environment Support Group, Bangalore, I wish to bring the
following facts to your attention, with the specific intention of
requesting you NOT to accord environmental clearance to this project.

1. The project developer, M/s Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise
(NICE), has committed fraud by wrongly claiming the involvement of M/s Vanasse
Hangen Brustlin of USA (VHB) as a Consortium and member of the Company in
order to promote the investment. Considering that the parent MOU and all
subsequent agreements and project documentation are based on this claim, and
the same is not true per evidence enclosed, the entire project and all 
statutory
clearances provided thus far are void ab initio.

2. The EIA prepared by M/s MECON on the BMIC project for NICE is vague,
based on incorrect information, and replete with partial or no information on
several critical impacts of the project. Most importantly it includes the
claim of the involvement of VHB, not just as a member of the Consortium but
the Company itself. Such an EIA is in fundamental violation of many or all
provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification of the Ministry
of Environment and Forests. It should therefore not form the basis of review
for environmental clearance of the project.

3. Human Rights of citizens have been violated by the Karnataka Government
in conducting the Environmental Public Hearings that form the basis of the No
Objection Certificate granted by Karnataka State Pollution Control Board 
(KSPCB)
to the project on 11 August 2000 (No. KSPCB/CFE/DEO-2/AEO-2/2000-2001). 
Complaints
have been filed with the National Human Rights Commission on this matter and
the case is under investigation (Case No. 242/10/2000-2001). In addition, the
Ulsoor Gate Police
Station, Bangalore are also investigating the complaint against Mr. Sanaulla,
then District Commissioner (Bangalore Urban) who chaired the Pubic Hearing at
Bangalore on 5th July 2000. Consequently, it is obligatory for the Ministry of
Environment and Forests to await the result of these investigations and 
decisions
thereof before proceeding on any matter regarding the project.

4. The review with regard to the environmental clearance for the project
has been done with very poor rigour and under pressure from the Government of
Karnataka and NICE. Therefore, it would be essential for the Ministry to 
constitute
a special investigation by its Expert Committee to the project impact area. 
Such
an initiative, given adequate prior public notice and access to public domain
documents, will help elicit views from the affected public. This would also 
enable
the clearance authorities to clearly understand and appreciate the impacts of
this
massive urban infrastructure development project, the first such in India, 
perhaps
the world.

In light of the above I urge that the Indian Ministry for Environment and 
Forests,
reject and dispose the present application for environmental clearance of NICE
for the BMIC project.

Very truly yours


Full Name
Full Address
(Any other affiliations, optional)

Mailing Address:

Union Minister Mr. T. R. Baalu
Ministry of Environment and Forests
Paryavaran Bhavan
CGO Complex
Lodi Road
New Delhi 110 001
Tel: 91-11-4231727 x 424. Fax: 91-11-4362222


Chief Minister Mr. S. M. Krishna
Government of Karnataka
Vidhana Soudha
Bangalore 560 001
Tel: 91-80-2253454 Fax: 91-80-2200640


Environment Support Group (R)
S-3, Rajashree Apartments
18/57, 1st Main, S. R. K. Gardens
Jayanagar, Bannerghatta Road
Bangalore 560 041. INDIA
Telefax: 91-80-6341977
Fax: 91-80-6723926 (PP)
Email: esg at bgl.vsnl.net.in