[sustran] Update on Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project issue

[kisan mehta]

Dear Setty, Leo, Paul, and Sustranfriends,

This is in response to your email received this morning. As a Sustran
colleague you will receive my email sent this morning to esg and copied to
Sustran.  In India, with low car ownership and 40% of our people living
below poverty line, the positive is that we first attack poverty and ensure
minimum living level to our people,   In one year, a good number of people
died due to starvation and many moreare facing water shortage and food
shortage in India, Maharashtra leading.  Our government claims that we are
selfsufficient in food.   Have we checked whether all have an access to food
and water, forget shelter.

Bangalore-Mysore are well connected by a railway service.  We need tp
upgrade this service. Motor roads do not provide access to all.  What we
need is strengthening our railway services so that larger number of our
people have access to fast travel.
With population now over one billion, only 14 million train journeys take
place in this country with 40% arising in the Mumbai region.  Even in
Mumbai,car occupancy is 1.6 persons while our public road buses and suburban
railways run with suffocating crowding.

In this situation, the positive is that we care for the people and not for a
small sector.   You will see from my despatch this morning to the esg and
sustran,  Mumbai Pune Expressway has proved to be unviable  financially
which means that non-motorists pay for the construction and maintenance of
expressways.

Conditionis certainly are different in the US with car ownership  of average
1.75 persons per car.  I would be most happy to know your response in the
situation existing in India and poor countries.  They are being bled in the
name of providing infrastructure for  globalisatrion and free market.
Kellogs and Nestle are marketing  potato chips at Rs160 a kg while we can
make them in our home at less than Rs 20.  This is free market access.
Best wishes.

Kisan Mehta    kisansbc at vsnl.com


----- Original Message -----
From: V. S. Pendakur <pendakur at interchange.ubc.ca>
To: <sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org>
Cc: <geobpa at nus.edu.sg>; <esg at bgl.vsnl.net.in>; <hjk at rincon.net>
Sent: Monday, October 08, 2001 11:05 PM
Subject: Update on Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project issue


> We seem to be getting only the negative part of this project.  A
discussion
> group can only with input from all aspects.  What the positives?
>
> Cheers.  Setty.
> Reply email:pendakur at interchange.ubc.ca
> Dr. V. Setty Pendakur, Professor Emeritus (Planning) and
> Adjunct Professor (Engineering), University of British Columbia
> President, Pacific Policy & Planning Associates
> 1099 Marinaside Crescent--#702
> Vancouver, BC, Canada V6Z 2Z3
> Ph:604-263-3576; Fax:604-263-6493
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: kisan mehta <kisansbc at vsnl.com>
> To: sustran-discuss <sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org>
> Cc: <geobpa at nus.edu.sg>; <esg at bgl.vsnl.net.in>; <hjk at rincon.net>
> Sent: October 7, 2001 9:31 AM
> Subject: [sustran] [sustran] Update on Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure
> Corridor Project issue
>
>
> >
> > ----- 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)
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>