[sustran] [sustran] Update on Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project issue

[kisan mehta]

----- Original Message -----
From: kisan mehta <kisansbc at vsnl.com>
To: <sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org>
Cc: <<geobpa at nus.edu.sg>>; <<sustran at po.jaring.my>>; <esg at bgl.vsnl.net.in>
Sent: Saturday, October 06, 2001 8:27 PM
Subject: [sustran] update on Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor
Project issue


> Dear Leo, Paul and Sustran Colleagues,
>
> Ref emails of Leo Saldanha and Paul Barter giving update on the
> Bangallore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project.
>
> Leo and colleagues have done a real good job in getting the National Human
> Rights Commissioner
> take interest and issue notice to the Karnatak Government.   Public
Hearings
> as evolved by the Central Ministry of Environment and Forests are
> an eye wash.  The way they are conducted are an
> insult to the concept.  A District Collector who has nothing to do with
> Project implementation or is not concerned  with the environment
conducting
> Public Hearings defeats the concept of Public Hearing.   Though financial
> viability is as relevant as
> environment protection, the Presiding Officer does
> not allow questions on financial aspect.  We cannot raise questions as to
> who will benefit, who will pay
> for the project and why public exchequer created
> from common man's  taxes should be burdened with the cost of such
projects.
>
> The Maharashtra Government has set up
> Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) to take up
> construction of roads, flyovers, elevated roads, expressways.  The MSRDC
> built
> 50 and odd flyovers in Mumbai at a cost of Rs 20 billion (true figures
never
> disclosed) at a time when
> Mumbai's local authorities were negotiating for the World Bank assistance
> for the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP II).  The WB withdrew
> on seeing that measures envisaged under
> MUTP II were getting obliterated.  So Mumbai
> is huddled with unwanted dangerous flyovers
> and non-car users undergoing serious hardship.
>
> A matter that may be of interest to you, Leo, in
> your present challenge, is the development of
> Mumbai-Pune Expressway (MPE) on a hush hush basis. The MSRDC planned,
> publicised and
> rushed through MPE.   Out of 165 km distance between Mumbai and Pune, the
> MPE covers 80-90
> km requiring motorists to fend their way through
> highly crowded balance 75 km killing pedestrians.
> The MPE has become serious accident hazard for motorists (as pedestrians
are
> not allowed) killing
> five to six vehicle users a week.
>
> The State Finance Minister now admitted that  toll motorists pay does not
> even cover even
> the interest charges payable on  Rs 16 billion
> spent.  What to talk of other costs connected to maintenance of the
> expressway?
>
> We had at the time of project planning suggested
> that with Rs 20 billion provided for the MPE, new
> bullet type train service with separate tracks can
> be set up to cover the entire distance in 90 minutes
> and to take commuters in busy midtowns. Many more people than the
motorists
> would avail of the facility.
> This alternative was rejected outright because the MSRDC are basically
road
> builders.
>
> Maharashtra Government is under severe financial strain.   So called
> progressive Maharashtra added population at a rate higher than the
national
> average
> (Census of India March 2001), has low literacy, hopeless public health
> levels.  About 60% of Maharashtra's villages suffer from drinking water
> scarcity, high starvation death rate. .
>
> You can use this example of how craze for roads (sophisticated gargon
> `infrastructure' foisted by WB/IMF) can ruin the government and people.
> I can send zerox of Maharashtra Finance
> Minister's public admission and my letter that
> I am drafting at present.  The MPE included development of two urban
centres
> to finance,
> they claim, the cost of expressway.  Now with
> the State poorer by Rs 16 billion, the question of creating urban centres
is
> shelved.   So this is
> how public projects are mooted and implemented.
>
> In any case, Bangalore-Mysore is well connected
> by train service.  This can be upgraded if
> necessary  so that everybody using the corridor
> can benefit. Added benefit to all and lower pollution.
> Best wishes.
>
> Kisan Mehta      kisansbc at vsnl.com
>
> ---- Original Message -----
> From: Paul Barter <geobpa at nus.edu.sg>
> To: <sustran-discuss at jca.apc.org>
> Sent: Saturday, October 06, 2001 7:25 AM
> Subject: [sustran] FW: update on angalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor
> Project issue
>
>
>  -----Original Message-----
> From: Environment Support Group [mailto:esg at bgl.vsnl.net.in]
> Sent: Thursday, 4 October 2001 5:38
> To: sustran at po.jaring.my
> > Subject: NHRC directs review by Karnataka Chief Secretary on Human
Rights
> Violations in BMIC
> Public Hearings
>
> > Dear Friends,
> >
> > India's National Human Rights Commission  has issued a directive to the
> Karnataka
> > Chief Secretary to take "appropriate" action on human rights violations
> during
> > the Environmental Public Hearings held as part of the clearance process
of
> the
> > Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project.  The project is
> presently estimated
> > to cost over Rs. 4,000 crores or approx. US$ 1 billion, and involves the
> construction
> > of five major cities and an Expressway between Bangalore and Mysore
> cities.
> >
> > You will recall, that during July 2000 there was widespread condemnation
> of the
> > Karnataka Government's selective and brutal arrests of citizens and
> representatives
> > of civil society groups who demanded access to social, environmental and
> techno-economic
> > information on this massive project in order that the Hearings held were
> meaningful
> > exercises.  ESG initiated a letter campaign to the Chief Minister of
> Karnataka
> > and as a result of the combined pressure Mr. Krishna assured that an
> enquiry
> into the incident would be conducted.  The enquiry was never initiated
> however,
> > and we then appealed to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The
> present directive is a result of this process.
> >
> > The Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests appeared convinced that
the
> Hearings
> > had not been held fairly.  Aware of the NHRC review underway, it had
even
> publicly
> > acknowledged that it would perhaps not accord environmental clearance to
> the project under the circumstances.  The Ministry however, did an volte
> face on this commitment and during August this year extended a conditional
> environmental
> > clearance to the project.  Curiously the clearance applied only to the
> Expressway
> > component, a small part of the BMIC Project. The Ministry thus shirked
its
> responsibility
> > in reviewing the wider impacts such as displacement from over 170
villages
> and
> > the widespread environmental impacts of the townships proposed.
> Ironically the attack on citizens participating in Statutory Public
Hearings
> was at a time when the Karnataka Government was projecting itself as an
> adminstration
> > that values transparency and was even holding consultations towards
> legislating
> > the Right to Information Act.  If there was an opportunity to
demonstrate
> the
> > State's intentions of ensuring transparency in decision making, it was
in
> conceding
> > the just demand of citizens across Bangalore, Mandya and Mysore
districts
> to
> access information on the project.  Having thus failed, the Government
> stands
> > exposed as regards its sincere commitment to ensuring transparency.
> >
> > The NHRC directive now provides both the State and Central Governments
an
> opportunity
> > to support fair and full discussion on this Project by holding the
> Statutory
> > Public Hearings again.  Not only would this help set right the grave
> wrongs committed,
> > but would even demonstrated the Government's true commitment to ensuring
> transparency
> > in decision making.  Our appeal to the Chief Secretary of Karnataka in
> this regard,
> > along with a Press Release on the matter, is enclosed.
> >
> > Meanwhile the campaign demanding the BMIC Project be scrapped, led by
the
> Karnataka
> > Vimochana Ranga initiated BMIC Virodhi Okkoota (BMIC Opposition
> Federation),
> > is gaining momentum.  To demonstrate wide public support to this demand,
a
> "Bundh"
> > (Public Strike) of Mandya city has been called on 6th October to protest
> against
> > the continuing support of the Government to this highly controversial
and
> questionable project.
> >
> > Your continuing support and interest in this campaign is highly valued
by
> all and we thank you for your cooperation and support.
> >
> > Best regards
> >
> > Leo F. Saldanha
> > Coordinator
> > Environment Support Group
> >
> > PS:  More details about the Project, its impacts and the ongoing
Campaign
> against
> > the BMIC project please visit:
> > <http://www.indiatogether.org/campaigns/bmic>.
> > (long supporting documentation snipped)
>
>
>
>