Save Rivers - Save Environment Action Week : 1st to 7th June, 2023 - Organize Actions: Join the All-India Call of NAPM River Valley Forum
napm india
National River-Valley Forum
National Alliance of People’s Movements
Save Rivers - Save Environment Action Week
1st to 7th June, 2023
Join the All-India Call to Organize Actions to
Safeguard Rivers, Environment and Livelihoods
Dear friends,
Zindabad. National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) organized a National Jal-Jangal-Zameen and ‘Development’ Conference at Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh on 1st-2nd April, where comrades from different river valley movements participated and collectively took a decision to mark 1st to 7th June as Save Rivers - Save Environment Action Week, coinciding with the World Environment Day on 5th June.
We all know that misplaced ideas of ‘growth’ have wreaked havoc around the world, even as we face escalating threats of capitalism-induced climate crisis. In our country as well, the flawed ‘development model’ has resulted in disastrous policies and mega projects trampling over local ecologies, river systems and displacing people from their lands, habitats and cultures. The worst impacts are faced by adivasis, indigenous communities, dalits, small and marginal farmers, landless people, fishers and amongst all of them, women and socially vulnerable groups.
Governments are repeatedly exposing their anti-environment, anti-people nature by violating rights of farmers, forest, and fishing communities. They are selling our precious resources, including rivers, lands, forests, coasts and mines to their corporate buddies, at throw away prices and tweaking all laws and policies in their favour. Even as people rise in resistance at numerous places against these decisions and raise critical existential issues, the State clamps down severely and tries to polarize communities, especially on religious lines.
If we don't act now, issues of rising temperatures, floods, droughts and increasing sea levels are going to pose a major challenge for humanity. If we ignore the reverberating cries from crisis-struck Joshimath in the Himalayas, our future will be in grave danger. We all must strengthen our collective call for climate justice and social justice, holding governments, corporations and dominant sections accountable. In continuation of our struggles to protect environment and the lives and livelihoods of nature-based and working communities, resisting state oppression and social inequities, let us come together again:
As part of the Save Rivers - Save Environment Action Week, let us collectively:
Ø Raise our local issues in solidarity with similar movements across the country, such as those in Narmada, Joshimath, Basniya, Ganga, Yamuna, Sutlej, Konkan, Kosi, Plachimda, Farakka, Teesta, Hasdeo, Subansiri, Kinnaur, Mahanadi, Sabarmati, Mhadei, Dibangh, Polavaram, Krishna, Periyar, Kaveri, Mula Mutha, Tawi, Musi etc as well as movements to protect the Himalayas, Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, Aravallis etc. and amplify concerns of all nature-based communities, citizens and youth initiatives.
Ø Oppose regressive changes being made to the environment, forests, agriculture, land, coastal, biodiversity and fisheries laws and policies. Resist communal and hate-fueled politics, debunk the myth of ‘progress’ and strengthen efforts towards truly sustainable and equitable developmental alternatives.
Please fill this form (https://forms.gle/ESkJNgkLckFUw1he8) with details of actions your movement / organization / collective would undertake, to safeguard rivers, water bodies, natural resources and communities asserting their rights, in the face of destructive 'development', corporate loot and repression. Do tag @napmindia on social media with updates, pictures and videos of your on-ground and online actions and e-mail them to nadigha...@napmindia.org as well. Looking forward to your active involvement and engagement in this Action Week Campaign.
NAPM River Valley Forum
