Dear Ashutosh,
Editor, CNN,IBN
Today, we were watching your program”Hot Seat” on your channel CNN,IBN.Sunita Narain was the personality. You were discussing about development and related aspect. This interview is raising an important point that what type of development is required in Indian environment. What is important to understand regarding development that is:
1. All agitation which is coming from rural India (Aligarh, Mathura, Nandigram etc.) is not against the development. This really shows that rural India is realizing the reality of development and they are breaking their silence. They are expressing that lands are not only their assets but also a resource which is providing them employment and how government can make decision alone without their participation in policy making process. Shocking is this that our governments are planning for Roads, Mega-cities, Apolo type hospitals for whom (well-off people ) by grabbing the farmers livelihood as well as marginalizing them(pushing them towards chronic poverty and hunger ).
2.Development is a big word. We have a model of development which is in our mind. That model is imported model. It is important to think when we are talking about development is: first aspect which is important to think that our development is for whom? Second, development model which was implemented within last 63 years, was suitable for the countryman, area and environment? After why tribes are opposing “Vedanta “? Only because of their expansion? It is only one aspect of opposition. Actually, after many decades of independence people from rural India whether they are tribes or KIssan from Aligrah is analyzing their position and status in modern India and forcing policy makers to rethink over development.
3.Here, we want to raise a question that, if governments are planning to acquire land for development, how can they provide alternate employment option to the people, as 70% of our people are based on land and allied activities. It is our opinion that there is no any alternate option. I think, compensation is not the alternate option. It cannot provide them life time assurance as lands are providing them.
We think, development means develop the people, area and environment according to the geography, environment, need of community. Currently, we are damaging villages, their resources, environment and also their economy only to develop our urban area and to grow urban economy. Our villages are being a party. So they are entitled to huge compensation from urban centered economy as developing countries are demanding from developed countries in the regard of climate change.
Dr. Alka Singh
President
AMRITA
[Agency for Multidimensional Research, Implementation, Training and Advocacy]
Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, India
