AID News for Dec 20 2003

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AID News for Sat Dec 20 2003

AID News for Sat Dec 20, 2003
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AID News for Sat Dec 20, 2003
Good Afternoon,
Today's Headlines
Critical Meeting on BMIC Project: URGE CM OF
KARNATAKA TO SHELVE BMIC PROJECT

Today's News
Dear Friends,
Over the past few years we have constantly addressed the many complicated
issues of the Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project
(www.esgindia.org or www.indiatogether.org/campaigns/bmic), proposed by
M/s Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise Ltd. (www.nicelimited.com).
We have requested you to actively engage with various decision makers
urging them to abandon this preposterous proposal. For a project that was
initally mooted in 1994, there has been hardly any progress. Though there
have been a variety of institutional and project support mechanisms
developed in support by the Karnataka Government, still the project did not
secure enough momentum and till date no physical development has been
achieved.
The Chief Minister of Karnataka expressed his serious doubts on whether the
project should be required at all. Reports of his statements expressing
support for the widening and rationalisation of the existing highways
between Bangalore and Mysore are attached/enclosed.
The Karnataka Government will finally decide the fate of the BMIC project
in a couple of days. It is extremely important that the Government's
decision is guided in support of securing the wider public interest, and
needless to state, this would involve rejecting the BMIC Project of NICE.
As you are aware the BMIC Project involves the development of 5 new cities
between Bangalore and Mysore in Karnataka State, and the building of a 6
lane toll based expressway. This project will directly affect over 180
villages in four districts and would potentially displace close to 200,000
people and destruction of 21000 acres of farm, forest and riverine areas.
The cruel irony is that such displacement of farming and landless
agricultural labourers, is proposed to accomodate the needs of the
upwardly mobile urban middle classes.
A more appropriate model of urbanisation in this region is to strengthen
and rationalise the existing road links between Bangalore and Mysore
(SH-17 and NH-209) and to double and electrify the railway tracks. The
Chief Minister inaugurated the 4 laning of SH-17 two days ago, when he
expressed his indignation over the slow progress on BMIC.
This is an opportunity to urge the Karnataka Government to abandon BMIC in
light of other more appropriate choices of urbanisation, that involve no
displacement of farming communities or destruction of forest lands, and
yet energise progress of existing urban areas.
We have appealed to the CM to take such visionary steps, and our appeal is
enclosed. We strongly urge you to please write to the CM immediately,
either by email/fax or post. You may endorse our appeal, or adapt it to
suit your own appeal.
Kindly do mark a copy to us at e...@bgl.vsnl.net.in or our postal address
which is given below. Also do mark a copy to the other officials
mentioned below.
1) Letter of Appeal to CM of Karnataka
2) Collection of Press Stories on the CM's recent statements on BMIC
can be accessed at this URL:
http://www.aidindia.org/hq/publications/aidnews/docs/cm_press_bmic161203.doc
http://www.aidindia.org/hq/publications/aidnews/docs/cm_shelve_bmic161203.doc
Contact Addresses:
1. Shri. S. M. Krishna, Chief Minister, Government of Karnataka,
Vidhana Soudha, Bangalore 560001. Email: c...@kar.nic.in
Fax: 91-80-2353115. Tel: 91-80-2253414
2. Shri T. R. Baalu, Union Cabinet Minister (Environment & Forests),
Government of India - (m...@envfor.delhi.nic.in, m...@menf.delhi.nic.in)
3. Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India -
(se...@menf.delhi.nic.in)
4. Addl. Director (Scientific), Ministry of Environment & Forests,
Southern Cell, Bangalore (romo...@kar.nic.in)
5. Principal Secretary, Dept. of Ecology, Environment and Forests,
Government of Karnataka (sece...@kar.nic.in)
6. Principal Secretary, Public Works Dept., Govt of Karnataka,
pls...@vsnl.net or kp...@secretariat2.kar.nic.in
7. Chairman, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, M G Road, Bangalore
560001, ks...@rediffmail.com
8. Environment Support Group (e...@bgl.vsnl.net.in)
Thank you for your continuing cooperation and support.
Sincerely,
Leo F. Saldanha/Rajmohan Pillai
Enviornment Support Group
S-3 Rajashree Apts.
18/57, 1st Main, SRK Gardens
Bannerghatta Road, Jayanagar
Bangalore 560041
Tel: 91-80-6341977/6534364
Telefax: 91-80-6341977
Email: e...@bgl.vsnl.net.in
Website: www.esgindia.org
That's it for the day
Hema
Make a difference this holiday season. Visit
http://www.OneForIndia.org
where every One counts

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