Fwd: Invitation to participate in Nobel Laureate Antony J Leggett's Panel Discussion on ‘Safeguarding Natural Heritage and Resource for Future Generations’

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Jan 8, 2007, 3:57:06 AM1/8/07

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INVITATION

A panel discussion on " Human Sustenance and Wellbeing, with emphasis on 'Safeguarding Natural Heritage and Resource for Future Generations'

Date: January 9, 2007 at 2.30 p.m.

Venue: Assocham House, New Delhi

Prominent Speaker: Sir Antony J Leggett, ( Nobel in Physics 2003 )

Orgnizers: 1). Natural Heritage First(A Federation who runs Ridge Bachao Andolan)

2). Centre for Philosophy and Foundations of Science

3). Nehru Memorial Museum and Library

Dear Friends,

I write to you in connection with a panel discussion on January 9, 2007 at 2.30 p.m. at Assocham House, New Delhi as an event within the Second World Science Festival and Conferences we are holding in New Delhi.

The panel discussion, on Human Sustenance and Wellbeing, with emphasis on, 'Safeguarding Natural Heritage and Resource for Future Generations' . It will include speakers from diverse disciplines and persuasions to deliberate upon and arrive at a working consensus on long-term issues which have implications for the world we bequeath to future generations. These issues seldom figure in academic or public discourse. Our Centre believes in promoting rigorous research in interdisciplinary areas to generate knowledge on the basis of which decisions can be made.

This event is being organized in collaboration with the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library and Natural Heritage First , an environmental advocacy group. We shall be greatly obliged if you could join us and give us your valuable insights.

With all best wishes for the New Year,

Yours sincerely,

Vikram Soni & Kumar Onkareshwar

Ranjit Nair

Mridula Mukherjee

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Professor Vikram Soni

(on behalf of Natural Heritage First, Delhi)

Mobile: 09899821135

Kumar Onkareshwar

09810595647

(on behalf of Natural Heritage First, Delhi)

Professor Ranjit Nair
Director
Centre for Philosophy and Foundations of Science
Tel. (91-11)-26490667
Fax [91-11[-26495180
E-mail: dire...@cpfs.res.in
URL http://www.cpfs.res.in/
Cellphone (Delhi) 9810332846

Prof Mridula Mukherjee

Director, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library

Tel 9350461575

i)Blurb

SAFEGUARDING NATURAL RESOURCE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

Natural Resources are an irreplaceable endowment of nature, created by evolution over millions of years. These include national parks, rainforest, freshwater bodies, sacred groves, springs, aquifers... These, our natural treasury, preserve our biodiversity and all the vital elements of life. Lately, they have been in a state of siege due the pressure of development and conspicuous consumption. The world recognizes that environmental crises we are faced with are a consequence of this. Especially, as urbanization runs unchecked and land value inflates, the invaluable natural heritage sites are being gobbled down by commercial pressures. The enduring value of this natural resource is often being missed for short term gain.

Cities are proud of their civilization and their historical heritage. These are sites of old habitat, fine architecture and parks. They are a repository of the past, yet often, cities do not give the same attention to sites of natural heritage - forests, rivers, bird habitats, aquifers or groves. Civilization heritage adds to quality of life by way of aesthetics and human achievements, which is rich tapestry. But, forest, as on the ancient ridge of Delhi, gives us oxygen from exhaust, water from collection and percolation to aquifers, nature communion and the original tourists - migratory birds. They add not just to quality of life but also to life itself. We need this oasis of pure air and water in large sprawling cities; to give us unpolluted high quality drinking water, to save children from endemic asthma and the aged from respiratory purgatory.

Let us look at one such area, right under our nose, which has great value but is being thoughtlessly taken out. This is 640 hectares of the ridge area adjacent to the Nelson Mandela Road is the Vasant Kunj-Mahipalpur ridge. The Delhi Ridge is underlain with ancient quartzite that has countless fractures of two billion years of time and natural history. This endows the ridge with the amazing ability to recharge even 80% of the rain that falls on it, making it a remarkable sanctuary for pure water. According to the Central Groundwater Board; 'As these (quartzite) fracture zones are interconnected, this ridge area is acting as a single aquifer system. 85% of rainfall is being percolated into this aquifer system through joints and fractures in the hard rock. Development activities may adversely affect the groundwater regime'.

In a city where there are many people but little water, this area sources for us, water, of a quality far better than the bottled water we buy for drinking.
Freshwater is already scarce. Water is a local resource and must be guarded if we are to avoid a major crisis. We need to identify and preserve our unpolluted water bodies and aquifers. The Prime Minister, at recent meeting at Vigyan Bhavan in July 2006, said.

' We need to notify and preserve such areas as water sanctuaries.'

<>RESPONSIBILITY TO FUTURE GENERATIONS

While the Israel creates by law a Parliament 'Commission for Future Generations' to safeguard the country's natural heritage and resource, that has powers to oversee and reverse all legislation passed by the Knesset, we are losing it all as we read this.

<>For 500crores of illegal Army housing and commercial construction we are losing, forever, a pure water recharge area that recharges 3 billion litres of unpolluted water in just one year of recharge. One year of recharge is worth more than all the building on it. This is natural resource that no technology can create.

While the United Kingdom ascends to a new political awareness where all parties are in consensus on conserving and preserving their share of planet, we go roughshod on the bequeathed earth .Who will take the responsibility for the land that we inherited from our ancestors and that we have borrowed from our children.

We ask for this and other precious natural resource to be urgently protected.

ii)Resolution
<>RESOLUTION<>

We are acutely aware that our planet's environment is in a state of siege. This has happened beginning with technology, created by us scientists and engineers. Overconsumption has taken out most of the evolutionary natural resource.

In a scientific assessment we have lost a third of the planet's natural resource in the last 4 decades and the planet may be at a tipping point. As concerned citizens, it is imperative that we save what is left for future generations. Such natural resource can never be created by technology.

We ask the government to create a Commission for Future Generations to safeguard precious natural resource and heritage.

We may start, today, 9^th January 2007, in Delhi, by saving an invaluable water sanctuary and natural heritage site, which is threatened at this very moment- the Vasant Kunj Mahipalpur ridge.

With the best wishes and hope of your kind participation

yours sincerely
--
Kumar Onkareshwar
+91-9810595647

Ridge Bachao Andolan
By
Natural Heritage First
(A Federation working on Environmental issues )
www.naturalheritagefirst.org

--
Secretariat - Right to Food Campaign
Q - 21-B, Top Floor
Jangpura Extn.
New Delhi, Pin Code 110014
India
Ph: 91-11-43501335
website: www.righttofoodindia.org
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