APPEAL TO HIMACHAL PRADESH CHIEF MINISTER
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Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister
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WITHDRAW HULL HYDRO PROJECT
TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION AGAINST PERPRETATORS OF VIOLENCE ON SAAL GHAATI BACHAO SANGHARSH MORCHA ACTIVISTS!
Shri Prem Kumar Dhumal
As you may already be aware, on 14th February 2010, five people, including Zilla Parishad Member and veteran environmentalist, Ratan Chand, Up-pradhan Jadera Gram Panchayat, Mansingh (Chamba District) and three other residents Hemraj, Laxman and Manoj, were attacked and seriously injured by contractors of the Hul Hydro Power Private limited. The attack happened at village Chungah (Silla Gharat Panchayat) where the villagers had gathered to hold a meeting a to oppose the construction of the 3.8 MW Hul Hydroelectric project being constructed on the Hul Nala, a tributary of the Ravi River. The locals of several Panchayats in the Saal Valley, who have mobilized under the banner of the Saal Ghaati Bachao Sangharsh Morcha had been opposing the construction of the hydroelectric project due to its impacts on the local forests, water resources and environment since 2005. Several peaceful rallies have been carried out against the projects in the last 5 years.
While this is not the first time that incidence of violent suppression of democratic and peaceful agitations and peoples struggles have happened in the state, this is a first incident of its kind, where local contractors and goons at the behest of vested interests have dared to use muscle power so blatantly. Such incidents are huge blotch on the State that claims to be a peaceful one practising 'good governance' and infact prove the failure of the administration on protecting its own people.
It is truly ironic that while you were in another country, Costa Rica, to learn about 'Payment of Eco-systems Services, one of the veteran and well known grassroots leader and environmentalist from your state, Shri Rattan Chand Sharma was a victim of this violence. A man who has, through years of community mobilisation, changed the face of the Saal Valley under the 'Greening of the Himalayas' programme and many other local initiatives, had to pay the price of his security and safety to protect the environment and local livelihoods of the Saal Valley.
In the wake of the attacks on the activists of the Saal Ghaati Sangharsh Morcha, we vehemently continue question the anti-people and anti-environment Hydropower Policy of the state of Himachal Pradesh. The state has seen various agitations in the last five to ten years where communities being dispossessed of their rights on natural resources by hydro-power, both large and small, projects. The government of Himachal has been pushing the small hydro-projects as "eco-friendly" projects but struggles like the one against the Hull Hydro power projects in Chamba district clearly demonstrates that this is far from the truth. Local populations do not stand to gain anything from the massive amounts of money being spent on the small hydro plants that to supply power outside the state and instead they stand to lose their access to forests and streams that they are dependent on for irrigation, drinking water, watermills and fisheries.
We, as concerned citizens from across the state and country, demand:
Immediate action against the perpetrators of the violent attack that occurred on 14th February 10 vide a judicial enquiry into the matter
Immediate Scrapping of the Hull I Hydro Project in Chamba
A review of the state's Hydropower Policy from the perspective of impacts on local livelihoods and the environment
Thank you
Saal Ghaati Bachao Sangharsh Morcha
Endorsed by
TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION AGAINST PERPRETATORS OF VIOLENCE ON SAAL GHAATI BACHAO SANGHARSH MORCHA ACTIVISTS!
Shri Prem Kumar Dhumal
As you may already be aware, on 14th February 2010, five people, including Zilla Parishad Member and veteran environmentalist, Ratan Chand, Up-pradhan Jadera Gram Panchayat, Mansingh (Chamba District) and three other residents Hemraj, Laxman and Manoj, were attacked and seriously injured by contractors of the Hul Hydro Power Private limited. The attack happened at village Chungah (Silla Gharat Panchayat) where the villagers had gathered to hold a meeting a to oppose the construction of the 3.8 MW Hul Hydroelectric project being constructed on the Hul Nala, a tributary of the Ravi River. The locals of several Panchayats in the Saal Valley, who have mobilized under the banner of the Saal Ghaati Bachao Sangharsh Morcha had been opposing the construction of the hydroelectric project due to its impacts on the local forests, water resources and environment since 2005. Several peaceful rallies have been carried out against the projects in the last 5 years.
While this is not the first time that incidence of violent suppression of democratic and peaceful agitations and peoples struggles have happened in the state, this is a first incident of its kind, where local contractors and goons at the behest of vested interests have dared to use muscle power so blatantly. Such incidents are huge blotch on the State that claims to be a peaceful one practising 'good governance' and infact prove the failure of the administration on protecting its own people.
It is truly ironic that while you were in another country, Costa Rica, to learn about 'Payment of Eco-systems Services, one of the veteran and well known grassroots leader and environmentalist from your state, Shri Rattan Chand Sharma was a victim of this violence. A man who has, through years of community mobilisation, changed the face of the Saal Valley under the 'Greening of the Himalayas' programme and many other local initiatives, had to pay the price of his security and safety to protect the environment and local livelihoods of the Saal Valley.
In the wake of the attacks on the activists of the Saal Ghaati Sangharsh Morcha, we vehemently continue question the anti-people and anti-environment Hydropower Policy of the state of Himachal Pradesh. The state has seen various agitations in the last five to ten years where communities being dispossessed of their rights on natural resources by hydro-power, both large and small, projects. The government of Himachal has been pushing the small hydro-projects as "eco-friendly" projects but struggles like the one against the Hull Hydro power projects in Chamba district clearly demonstrates that this is far from the truth. Local populations do not stand to gain anything from the massive amounts of money being spent on the small hydro plants that to supply power outside the state and instead they stand to lose their access to forests and streams that they are dependent on for irrigation, drinking water, watermills and fisheries.
We, as concerned citizens from across the state and country, demand:
Immediate action against the perpetrators of the violent attack that occurred on 14th February 10 vide a judicial enquiry into the matter
Immediate Scrapping of the Hull I Hydro Project in Chamba
A review of the state's Hydropower Policy from the perspective of impacts on local livelihoods and the environment
Thank you
Saal Ghaati Bachao Sangharsh Morcha
Endorsed by
140 Signatures
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Sanjay Basu Mullick,National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers
- Comments
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Soumitra Ghosh,NESPON
- Comments
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Manshi Asher, Environment Research and Action Collective
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Prakash Bhandari, Chetna Kendra
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R.S Negi, Him Lok Jagriti Manch, Kinnaur
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Subodh Abbhi
- Comments
- I vehemently endorse the appeal
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Himanshu Thakkar
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PT George
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People's Campaign for Socio - Economic Equity in the Himalayas (PCfSEEiH)
- Comments
- PCfSEEiH unanimously endorse the appeal
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Kanchi Kohli
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Manoj Kumar Misra
- Comments
- PLEASE STOP HULL PROJECT
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himani madan
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mahesh pandya
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Aniket Alam
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Tanuja Kothiyal
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monika saraf
- Comments
- В
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Ragini Sen
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Professor S.P. Verma
- Comments
- On Behalf of Science For Society, Bihar we specially urge the State govt. to intervene in favour of the local populace instead of the lopsided development initiatives decoupled from the livelihood of people of the region.
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John Ishvaradas Abdallah
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Milind Kale
- Comments
- Stop hydrop project; India does not need such projects.
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shree prakash
- Comments
- В
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patrizia
- Comments
- nowhere should such attacks be permitted from local and/or national governements. From Italy, our solidarity to protesters
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Aditya Batra
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madhavi kolte
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Sikander Kushwaha
- Comments
- В
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Parthasarathy
- Comments
- Shameful incident. In such a situation, a Democratic and people friendly Government would take strong action against the perpetrators of violence and try to listen to people's voices and do their best to address their concerns.
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Kabir Arora
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Khushboo
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Subhojit Roy
- Comments
- Please save our environment. There is no other option!
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Anil Tharayath Varghese
- Comments
- В
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Rajni Kant Mudgal
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Sonali garg
- Comments
- Action must be taken!
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naomi
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Sreepriya
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F. Saran. Hon. Sec. National Society of Friends of the Trees (Pune Branch)
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Stone Iwaasa
- Comments
- Peoples from all over the world look towards India as an example of non violent protest so as a friend and special liaison of the indigenous Mohawk Traditional Council near Montreal I call upon you for justice to be served. There is a good network of nartive and non native people here who have knowledge which might help you mediate in this area.
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Hari Batti
- Comments
- Dams often do more harm than good. Violence cannot be tolerated.
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Nidhi Agarwal
- Comments
- State has proved to be ineffective in protecting its natural wealth and now it cant even protect its citizens! When will the state rise upto its duties?
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Bharat Patel
- Comments
- I endorse the petition and seek action by the HP Govt.
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Anjulee Patkar
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Madhu Sarin
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deepali patwardhan
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Tania Roy
- Comments
- Gen Next don't need power projects, they need oxygen to survive. So let the forests stay
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Neha S. Parkhi
- Comments
- Government should consider vote of the local people, development is based on the welfare of local communities. No project will sustain which is against public vote. Save our natural resources its a need of time
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Michael
- Comments
- It is unreasonable to implement a project when so many people around it do not agree with that kind of development
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Shibayan
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narender bedide
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roberta celi
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Madhumita Dutta
- Comments
- В
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Aayush Makharia
- Comments
- everybody sign petition
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140
Signatures! - View Signatures
- Sign Petition