[Goanet] More critical comments are welcome-reg. Is Nandakumar Kamat an Agent of Mine Owners and the Politicians Who Want to Sell Minerals for a Song to Multinationals for their Personal Benefit?
Lately my movement is restricted by minor cervical spondylosis. I am on painkillers. I am keenly following the direction and dynamics of the 'mining agent' discussion. I have seen in 33 years of my active public life how well settled people suddenly wake up, choose an issue and take a high moral position. Now an intensity scale is being prescribed for environmental issues. I am pleased to inform all the discussants that I would be publishing as a booklet ( with Konkani and Marathi translations later) without editing all the critical comments about me and put them before the people, including obviously people in mining areas. It would be useful also after my death ( it may come sooner than any one of you expect, this is not a joke but take it is a serious statement) as an excellent peer review of a scientist-activist's life. Please be very liberal in your criticism. Cyberspace words don't hurt me. In fact, it would help me to review my own decisions, my own life and considerably improve me spiritually. Besides such shock treatment also kicks up my literary spirit. More critical comments are welcome. Also please dig as much as possible from my personal life. Get the records from Panaji and Ribandar/Old Goa police and the JMFC courts about my arrests , time spent in jail and attending the courts etc. I also wish to post details about my assets and liabilities and income and expenditure and my lavish lifestyle voluntarily as the interesting discussion proceeds. it would prove my corrupt nature. Any punishment from cybercourt is acceptable. We need more critical discussion. Inflate the archives. My four and half year old son when he grows up can also excavate the archive and understand how useless and selfish his father had been. I am also thinking in writing about these comments in vernacular media so that people come to know about my real face, mistakes, crimes and misdeeds. I would show the most critical comments when delegations from mining affected areas, farmers, horticulturists seeking advice for public hearing etc, approach me at my residence or Goa University. I would also ask my close colleagues-Rajendra Kerkar and Ramesh Ganwas whether they approve this interesting inquisition and consult them about future course of action. I would also discuss this matter with ex student leader and journalist Mr. sandesh prabhudessai of Prudent Media (funded by a Mining group, no conflict of interest there?) and former student leader, engineer and vice president of Goa Bacahao Abhiyan, Ravindra Bhavan,, Margao and CEO of Fomento's Margao Sonsodo project (no conflict of interest there?) lyricist Mr. Shridhar Kamat. I wish to also consult Dr. Bikram Patel of Sangath whether their collaboration with Dempo mining co. amounts to 'conflict of interests and whether Indian NGOs and activists are comfortable with pharma giant Wellcome Trust's sponsorships. I have my own critical assessment of the 'mining agent' debate. Actually it has little to do with Arundhati Roy related postings. I am a thorn in the way of many people. Details of this politics in my free and frank memoirs Interestingly, I would have been spared of mining agent label if I were to be on the same level as Dr. Ligia Noronha. With excellent local, national and international contacts/connections , including those with NGOs and activists and policy makers whatever she does as a paid job/ employee of TERI would never be seen as 'conflict of interests'. As an environmental economist she knows much more and in detail about legal and illegal mining in Goa. She is definitely in a position to satisfy the expectations people keep from me. For those who are unaware-dr. Noronha is also a member of Western ghats expert panel chaired by Dr. Madhav Gadgil. We met in Bangalore on March 30 th. Read the minutes of the meeting at http://moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/MoM_western_ghats.pdf I had mentioned in the Bangalore meeting the pressure brought on me. My assessment of this environmental politics and its' clandestine international angle would be sent in a report to MOEF and the Home ministry. I would now like to see what improved yardstick is applied to Dr. Noronha. Although my ideology has been questioned the ideological architect of mineral foundation of Goa is non other than Dr. Ligia Noronha who was fellow of TERI. A separate yardstick has been applied to her and her NGO. The proof is directly from TERI website as below:- Project A frame work for a minerals foundation for Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association, Goa, India Summary This project suggested and designed a framework of a Foundation to support environmental and social programmes in the Mining belt of Goa. This project was taken up at the initiative of ‘Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association’ (GMOEA) so as to assist them in setting up the said foundation. Salient features of the foundation Nature- corporate foundation Type of corporate foundation - donor and partnering Legal form-
Re: [Goanet] More critical comments are welcome-reg. Is Nandakumar Kamat an Agent of Mine Owners and the Politicians Who Want to Sell Minerals for a Song to Multinationals for their Personal Benefit?
On 17 June 2010 03:11, Dr.Nandkumar Kamat wrote: [1] Lately my movement is restricted by minor cervical spondylosis. I am on painkillers. [2] I am keenly following the direction and dynamics of the 'mining agent' discussion. [3] I am pleased to inform all the discussants that I would be publishing as a booklet [4] More critical comments are welcome. Also please dig as much as possible from my personal life. [5] My four and half year old son when he grows up can also excavate the archive and understand how useless and selfish his father had been. My dear Dr Kamat, First of all, I trust that by the time this response reaches you, the painkillers would have started working and the pain in the neck (no pun no phun) would have subsided. Your 'semi-bed rested' expression of your feelings having been noted, two outstanding issues remain: a: Will Augusto Pinto, who made that (IMHO) outlandish and slanderous claim (by way of the subject line), now provide evidence for that claim OR withdraw that with a public apology to you? b: Will Goanet moderators apologise to you (publicly) for allowing such a slanderous subject line on a fully moderated list? good wishes to you and your family. jc
Re: [Goanet] More critical comments are welcome-reg. Is Nandakumar Kamat an Agent of Mine Owners and the Politicians Who Want to Sell Minerals for a Song to Multinationals for their Personal Benefit?
Kamat bab: Take it easy my friend, do not take to heart the ramblings of some on Goanet. You don't have to prove anything after all these years of being on the forefront honestly doing your bit fighting to save Goa's natural beauty. Writing something hurtful is easy, but unlike Augusto etc, you are one of the few who has walked the walk for Goa. Keep up the good work - sorry to hear about your back etc, rest and get well: Goa and your loved ones need you! Best regards Salus Correia
[Goanet] More critical comments are welcome-reg. Is Nandakumar Kamat an Agent of Mine Owners and the Politicians Who Want to Sell Minerals for a Song to Multinationals for their Personal Benefit? (Dr.
Dr Kamat wrote: For the term 2009-11 besides me Dr. Narayan Dessai is also nominated. For those who may not know he is related to environmental activist and social worker , Nyon 6, 6 agitation hero Dr. Dattaram Dessai and another selfless champion of Goa's sustainable future Dr. Anil Dessai ( in UK). Response: Dear Nandkumar, If you want to make accusations in a public forum, it is important to check facts or be prepared to eat your words and apologise. After showering me with faint praise, you claim that Narayan Desai is related to me. This is patently false. Please either show the people on this list how he is related to me or retract your allegation and apologise. I am well aware of your personal contribution to the Nylon 6,6 debate in the goan papers.You characterised those of us who were fighting against Thapar Dupont and their Goan agents, as Brahmins who wanted to put down non-brahmins. You did not like the fact that Kashinath Jalmi who was a leading supporter of this plant and your comrade in arms had lost his support in my constituency. Environmental degradation and serious contamination of Zuari from massive inflow of untreated waste from this plant did not matter to you then. So, be happy with whatever you are doing. Anything good that you do for Goa, I will support wholeheartedly. However, that does not mean you can join the same league as Augusto and hurl slanderous allegations against others. If you want my personal opinion, you can sit on the board of mineral foundation and do a lot of good towards clearing lot of the mess that legal and illegal mining has left in Goa. So, good luck to you if this is what you wish to you. Anil Desai
Re: [Goanet] More critical comments are welcome-reg. Is Nandakumar Kamat an Agent of Mine Owners and the Politicians Who Want to Sell Minerals for a Song to Multinationals for their Personal Benefit?
Dr. Nandkumar has done the best thing in taking on all his critics head on. There seems to be 2 yardsticks for defining conflict of interests. When real estate designers, engineers also appear on social action platforms, it is fine. When social activists take sponsorships and scholarships from mining barons, politicians, real estate.. it is fine. Exposing them becomes slander and against the Goan cause. Dr. Nandkumar is not God and may have his limitations but that to just disregard his contributions to Goan society is not fair. What about the environmentalists who recieved the Gerra Awards? Why were they not hauled up for conflict of interest? Seems that people who have enjoyed both sides of the fence take the moral high ground to condemn others. -Soter
