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Date: Sat, 13 May 2006 10:10:09 -0000
Subject: [WaterWatch] The monolith of failed promises
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Date: Sat, 13 May 2006 10:10:09 -0000
Subject: [WaterWatch] The monolith of failed promises
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The monolith of failed promises
Sudhirendar Sharma | Environmentalist
The Supreme Court's observation, over-ruling its previous judgement
against raising the height of the controversial Sardar Sarovar
Project, may have populist overtones for downstream politics and the
pro-dam lobbyists, but it has inadvertently added to the simmering
discontent of the masses as judicial arrogance conveniently replaces
executive indecisiveness. The much-hailed judicial activism of the
recent past may now get seen akin to the politics of vested interests.
The dam debate in the country has gone beyond the usual social and
ecological issues associated with submergence and displacement. While
ecological concerns have been submerged in the rising waters of the
Tehri and the Sardar Sarovar reservoirs, the displacement and
rehabilitation has been subsumed by the rising growth curve and the
raging bull. What surfaces is the critical question: How are
unsuspecting masses being governed?
It is an acid test for the six-decade-old democracy, as administrative
failure creates space for the poor to take governance in their own
hands in over one-third districts. Conveniently referred to as
Maoists, they represent the economically alienated poor who have been
the unintended victims of our growth process that has been suitably
aided by the inequity in our social institutions and the shortcomings
of our political institutions.
Political alienation and economic isolation of the poor is only
beginning to grow, as the Government that is buoyed by a 7-8 per cent
growth rate promising greater foreign direct investments, and is
ecstatic about the raging bull at the stock market - indicating better
health of the economy, cares less about the voiceless victims at the
altar of development. To top it all, the Finance Minister has
announced 342 new sites for hydel projects in the country.
Dam debate seems far from over. In fact, it may only be beginning to
take a new turn. While Prime Minister Manmohan Singh cites inadequate
employment opportunities, lack of access to resources, under developed
agriculture and geographical isolation as the prime reasons for the
growth of extremism in the country, his Government's indecisiveness on
the recent Narmada controversy seemed far from targeting these concerns.
Large dams have long become the monoliths of failed promises, an
aspect that has painstakingly been documented across the globe. Not
without reasons has dam bursting and decommissioning of dams replaced
dam building in the US and Europe. Over 56 large dams have already
been decommissioned in the US alone. But for India, dam building has
been on the decline across the developed world. No lessons seem to
have been learnt!
Far from benefiting the masses, the ideology of dam building continues
to polarise the society - pitching upstream displaced people against
Sudhirendar Sharma | Environmentalist
The Supreme Court's observation, over-ruling its previous judgement
against raising the height of the controversial Sardar Sarovar
Project, may have populist overtones for downstream politics and the
pro-dam lobbyists, but it has inadvertently added to the simmering
discontent of the masses as judicial arrogance conveniently replaces
executive indecisiveness. The much-hailed judicial activism of the
recent past may now get seen akin to the politics of vested interests.
The dam debate in the country has gone beyond the usual social and
ecological issues associated with submergence and displacement. While
ecological concerns have been submerged in the rising waters of the
Tehri and the Sardar Sarovar reservoirs, the displacement and
rehabilitation has been subsumed by the rising growth curve and the
raging bull. What surfaces is the critical question: How are
unsuspecting masses being governed?
It is an acid test for the six-decade-old democracy, as administrative
failure creates space for the poor to take governance in their own
hands in over one-third districts. Conveniently referred to as
Maoists, they represent the economically alienated poor who have been
the unintended victims of our growth process that has been suitably
aided by the inequity in our social institutions and the shortcomings
of our political institutions.
Political alienation and economic isolation of the poor is only
beginning to grow, as the Government that is buoyed by a 7-8 per cent
growth rate promising greater foreign direct investments, and is
ecstatic about the raging bull at the stock market - indicating better
health of the economy, cares less about the voiceless victims at the
altar of development. To top it all, the Finance Minister has
announced 342 new sites for hydel projects in the country.
Dam debate seems far from over. In fact, it may only be beginning to
take a new turn. While Prime Minister Manmohan Singh cites inadequate
employment opportunities, lack of access to resources, under developed
agriculture and geographical isolation as the prime reasons for the
growth of extremism in the country, his Government's indecisiveness on
the recent Narmada controversy seemed far from targeting these concerns.
Large dams have long become the monoliths of failed promises, an
aspect that has painstakingly been documented across the globe. Not
without reasons has dam bursting and decommissioning of dams replaced
dam building in the US and Europe. Over 56 large dams have already
been decommissioned in the US alone. But for India, dam building has
been on the decline across the developed world. No lessons seem to
have been learnt!
Far from benefiting the masses, the ideology of dam building continues
to polarise the society - pitching upstream displaced people against
intended downstream beneficiaries. Can the world's largest
democracy
justify the policy of "divide and rule" to pursue its ideology of
development? Can development for the dominant downstream polity be at
the cost of the displaced voiceless at the upstream? Clearly, dams
have failed to resolve these impending conflicts.
If five decades of centralised development is anything to go by,
annual unemployment rate of 1.05 per cent has failed to catch up with
the population growth of 1.95 per cent; per capita foodgrain
availability has declined to its lowest ever of 438 gm per day; and
rising malnutrition deaths have made a mockery of the health machinery
of the country. Yet, over Rs 2,00,000 crore are transferred by the
Centre to the countryside each year.
The critical question is that of governance and the service delivery
to the poor and the marginalised. There is enough evidence to show
that the Government's capacity to deliver has declined over the years
due to rising indiscipline and a growing belief widely shared among
the political and bureaucratic elite that state is an arena where
public office and public money is to be used for private ends. Capital
intensive dam building serves such interests a great deal.
Dam building has long made a mockery of environmental assessments. How
such projects that are a heavy burden on the exchequer and have a long
list of unresolved environmental and technical issues get the nod from
the environment ministry is anybody's guess? Crucially, the mandatory
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been used as an excuse to
side step social and environment concerns.
India's continuous penchant for the big and the beautiful only
reaffirms the fact that the state resources are the most valued prize
for both politicians and their constituencies, which leads to a client
patron relationship between the holders of state power at the upstream
and those seeking favours in the downstream. When the fence starts
eating the field, there is not much the poor can expect!
Winston Churchill, on the eve of India's Independence had said: "Power
will go to the hands of rascals, rogues and freebooters. All Indian
leaders will be of low calibre and men of straw. They will have sweet
tongues and silly hearts. They will fight amongst themselves for power
and India will be lost in political squabbles."
What appeared as a scandalous outburst 60 years ago may seem an
understatement today. As long as dam building, amongst other capital
intensive mega projects, gets pursued in the country, Winston
Churchill may not be proved wrong.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_variable=OPED&file_name=opd3%2Etxt&counter_img=3
justify the policy of "divide and rule" to pursue its ideology of
development? Can development for the dominant downstream polity be at
the cost of the displaced voiceless at the upstream? Clearly, dams
have failed to resolve these impending conflicts.
If five decades of centralised development is anything to go by,
annual unemployment rate of 1.05 per cent has failed to catch up with
the population growth of 1.95 per cent; per capita foodgrain
availability has declined to its lowest ever of 438 gm per day; and
rising malnutrition deaths have made a mockery of the health machinery
of the country. Yet, over Rs 2,00,000 crore are transferred by the
Centre to the countryside each year.
The critical question is that of governance and the service delivery
to the poor and the marginalised. There is enough evidence to show
that the Government's capacity to deliver has declined over the years
due to rising indiscipline and a growing belief widely shared among
the political and bureaucratic elite that state is an arena where
public office and public money is to be used for private ends. Capital
intensive dam building serves such interests a great deal.
Dam building has long made a mockery of environmental assessments. How
such projects that are a heavy burden on the exchequer and have a long
list of unresolved environmental and technical issues get the nod from
the environment ministry is anybody's guess? Crucially, the mandatory
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been used as an excuse to
side step social and environment concerns.
India's continuous penchant for the big and the beautiful only
reaffirms the fact that the state resources are the most valued prize
for both politicians and their constituencies, which leads to a client
patron relationship between the holders of state power at the upstream
and those seeking favours in the downstream. When the fence starts
eating the field, there is not much the poor can expect!
Winston Churchill, on the eve of India's Independence had said: "Power
will go to the hands of rascals, rogues and freebooters. All Indian
leaders will be of low calibre and men of straw. They will have sweet
tongues and silly hearts. They will fight amongst themselves for power
and India will be lost in political squabbles."
What appeared as a scandalous outburst 60 years ago may seem an
understatement today. As long as dam building, amongst other capital
intensive mega projects, gets pursued in the country, Winston
Churchill may not be proved wrong.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_variable=OPED&file_name=opd3%2Etxt&counter_img=3
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