JOIN THE KALI BACHAO ANDOLAN TO SAVE WHAT LITTLE IS LEFT OF THE KALI RIVER
Join the Kali Bachao Andolan (Save Kali River Movement). On June 5th 2003, World Environment Day, various representatives of the Kali Bachao Andolan will rally in Bangalore to demand from the Chief Minister of Karnataka to order NO MORE DAMS ON THE KALI. Here's why.
Facts
· The 184 kms. long Kali River in the Uttara Kannada district of the Western Ghats region in Karnataka, already has 6 major Hydroelectric dams. In addition, the river supports the only nuclear plant in a forest in the world - the controversial Kaiga Nuclear Power Station. Over 1200 MW of power is already generated from these dams, and an additional 440 MW from Kaiga. There is now a serious attempt to build a 7th dam on the Kali River, near Dandeli, by Murdeshwar Power Corporation Limited (MPCL).
· The MPCL dam is proposed to generate only 18 MW of electricity. This at the cost of submerging 210 ha of forests along the Kali. If allowed, the last stretch of Kali that is flowing undimmed, will be lost for posterity. Over the decades over 32,000 acres of forests have been submerged in this district to build the six dams. This last stretch assumes a lot of importance when we appreciate the fact that the last riverine stretch of forest left along the Kali would be lost forever, if MPCL were allowed. Construction of this new dam is also a significant violation of the 19th May 1987 Government of Karnataka order (No. FFD 242 FGL 83) that no further projects involving diversion of forest land for other uses will be undertaken on Kali River or its tributaries. Latest Supreme Court decisions have upheld the spirit of this order.
· The Government claims upto 1700 MW of power can be generated from the river. However, there is very little of the river left, to dam. The MPCL dam is an incremental attempt at snuffing out what little of the river is left.
· Almost all the power that is generated from the district is exported to other regions. Uttara Kannada uses only 17 MW of the electricity produced. Many parts of the region languish in darkness. Simply put, this region's cry for enough “development” by “dams” needs to be addressed. Now.
· At Rs. 180 crores (US $ 40 million approx.), the MPCL dam project is one of the costliest ever proposed. Some reports project the cost to be 15 times that produced by KPCL. Legally this project has to be abandoned, for besides the cost factor, the proponent along with its consultants are guilty of presenting two fraudulent Environment Impact Assessments, one by M/s Ernst and Young, and thereafter by M/s Tata Energy Research Institute. Environment Support Group and Parisara Samrakshana Kendra exposed both frauds during 2000, and per the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, this is a case fit for rejection absolutely. Based on this expose', the Deputy Commissioner of Uttara Kannada district, on the basis of an affidavit filed by Environment Support Group, and other evidences gathered during an Environmental Public Hearing held during January 2001, has recommended that the project not be allowed. The District Forest Officer has also found that the claims of the proponent that there are no forests in the submergence area is false, for this area constitutes an assemblage of moist deciduous and evergreen forests, supporting a range of wildlife, including the occasional tiger. Yet there is very high pressure to build this dam.
· The Dandeli Paper Mills throws out large volumes of its untreated effluents into the river. For the communities who depend on this river, adverse impact of the accumulated pollutants has been tremendous. Losses in agriculture, dairy farming and fisheries are a common tale here, and cattle deaths are regularly reported. Farmers in direct contact with the water suffer from a variety of skin diseases caused due to pollution of the river. Very little is known of the impact on wildlife. The concerned regulatory agency, the Karnataka Pollution Control Board has done very little to contain the damage, thereby allowing the Mills a free run on its polluting spree. Only recently, due to pressure from local communities under the banner of Kali Bachao Andolan, has there been some response with the local Assistant Commissioner initiating criminal proceedings against the company. The demand is not a closure of the Dandeli Paper Mills. Rather it is to get the mill to clean up its operations for the benefit of all - including the employees of the mill.
· There are various other threats to the river. Sand mining is of particular significance here, for it is illegal and continuing on a rampant scale in the Supa Dam area, resulting in serious disturbances to the river's ecology. The people of the region are now pleading for an end to this endless misery.
Parisara Samrakshana Kendra (PSK), along with several local community organizations and tribal villages, have formed the Kali Bachao Andolan in order to build awareness on the threats to the Kali River, and to stop further damming and pollution. Pandurang Hegde, leading the Kali Bachao Andolan, and several others conducted a Padayatra (an awareness - building and protest walk along the entire course of the river) in February this year. Sunderlal Bahuguna, leader of the Chipko Andolan, launched this Padayatra. There has been overwhelming response from local communities to this effort. Environment Support Group (ESG), Bangalore, is an active support organization of the Kali Bachao Andolan.
Bangalore Dharna on World Environment Day to protest the destruction of Kali River, and demand no more dams or pollution:
Under the banner of the Kali Bachao Andolan, PSK and ESG, have organized a Dharna (peaceful sit-in) to protest the destruction of the Kali River on June 5th 2003, World Environment Day. The protest will be held at 10 a.m. at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (M. G. Road), Bangalore. A wide variety of representatives from affected communities, including tribals, village and community organizations, fisherfolk and local NGO's from Uttara Kannada region will participate in this Dharna. Following a Rally, a memorandum will also be submitted to the Chief Minister of Karnataka and Karnataka's Minister for Environment and Forests.
We invite you to participate in this Dharna, as a mark of support for this movement and in meaningful commemoration of the World Environment Day. We urge you to enlist other supporters in this effort. For further details contact: Bhargavi S. Rao and Padmashree at ESG.
Appeal to the Chief Minister of Karnataka:
The memorandum to be submitted to the Chief Minister will contain names and addresses everyone who has supported this demand for NO MORE DAMS OR POLLUTION OF THE KALI. We are enclosing a letter addressed to the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Mr. S. M. Krishna. We encourage you to endorse this letter by mailing/emailing the Chief Minister and marking a copy to the Union Minister for Environment and Forests, Mr. T. R. Baalu. Please include your full name, affiliation (if any) and address (required), before sending this letter, and remember to mark a copy to ESG (address as below). We will take a printout of all the letters and submit the same to the Chief Minister Do encourage your friends and associates to sign and send many more letters. It is important that you send these letters before the 5th June.
Your voice in support of the Kali Bachao Andolan could go a long way in supporting the cause of this river.
Contribution:
There are various expenses we are incurring in organizing these efforts. We rely on your donations to cover the cost of this effort. Please do donate generously in support of the Kali Bachao Andolan. All financial contributions (Cheque/DD/MO/Cash) should be in favour of “Environment Support Group”, and should be send to Environment Support Group indicating that the contribution is for Kali Bachao Andolan. All monetary contributions benefit from income tax exemptions under Sec 80G of the Income Tax Act.
Involve in organising:
There is simply no substitute for actively participating in the Kali Bachao Andolan. Any small effort is welcome to make this campaign a success. Do call/email/write to Environment Support Group for details on how you can support. Contact persons: Nitya Reddy and Harminder at ESG.
Thank you for taking time to care....
Leo F. Saldanha/Subramanya Shastry
Environment Support Group ®
S-3, Rajashree Apartments, 18/57,
1st Main Road, S. R. K. Gardens,
Jayanagar, Bannerghatta Road,
Bangalore 560 041. INDIA
Telefax: 91-80-6341977/6531339/6534364
Email:
esg@bgl.vsnl.net.in Pandurang Hegde
Parisara Samrakshana Kendra
Parisara Samrakshana Kendra
Hulemalgi Building, Chowkimath
Sirsi (Uttara Kannada Dt.)
Karnataka 581401
Tel: 91-8384 425139/425039
Fax: 91-4435450/ 427839
Email:
appiko@sancharnet.in 30 May 2003
APPEAL LETTER TO CHIEF MINISTER OF KARNATAKA, INDIA
May 30, 2003
To
Mr. S.M.Krishna,
Chief Minister of Karnataka,
Vidhana Soudha
Bangalore 56001 INDIA
Email:
smkrishna@bangaloreit.com or cmkrishna@bangaloreit.com Reg.: A World Environment Day appeal to Save Kali River for posterity
Honourable Chief Minister,
I/We appeal to you to address the concerns raised by the Kali Bachao Andolan (KBA) formed by several local community organizations and tribal villages to highlight severe threats to the Kali River and protect it for posterity.
There are already 6 major hydel plants on the river and there are serious attempts to build another dam near Dandeli, which will submerge over 210 hectares of forests that abuts the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary consisting of rare flora and fauna. The existing 6 dams have already submerged over 32,000 acres of forests in Uttara Kannada. The river is also being polluted by the Dandeli Paper Mill which discharges its untreated liquid effluents directly into the river. In addition, there is also illegal sand mining on the banks of the Kali River that has been reported widely in the regional newspapers.
Murdeshwar Power Corporation Limited (MPCL) proposed the 7th dam to generate an additional power of 18 MW, but the dam will significantly add to the burden on the river, which has been dammed repeatedly to generate an excess of 1000 MW of electricity. In fact, the total power requirement of the Uttara Kannada district is only 17 MW. Yet, there are villages in Uttara Kannada that languish in darkness. Clearly, Uttara Kannada has already been producing a lot of power for the rest of the state at high costs to the rich forests of the district and the people who depend on the river and the forests for their livelihood. Besides, this power from MPCL will cost over 15 times the cost of hydel power produced by the state-run KPCL according to some estimates. The forest and ecological wealth of this area is invaluable for the people of Karnataka and needs to be protected from further destruction by adopting sound developmental and ecologically appropriate development policies. The increased power requirements of the state could be alleviated by vigorously exploring other alternatives, like improving the efficiency of the existing hydel plants on the Kali River and by constructing several micro-hydel and pico-hydel schemes that generate power at minimal costs with no submergence.
Construction of this new dam is also a significant violation of the 19th May 1987 Government of Karnataka order (No. FFD 242 FGL 83) that no further projects involving diversion of forest land for other uses will be undertaken on Kali River or its tributaries. Several directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court endorse the spirit of this decision. Particular note has to be taken of the fact that MPCL, along with its consultants Ernst and Young and Tata Energy Research Institute, have twice attempted to get environmental clearance for this dam on the basis of fraudulent EIAs. On exposure, and on the basis of Statutory Environmental Public Hearings conducted, the Deputy Commissioner of Uttara Kannada has recommended that the dam should not be allowed. This view is echoed by the District Forest Officer in his recent survey on the submergence caused by the dam.
Apart from being dammed, the Kali River is also being polluted by the Dandeli Paper Mills that discharges large volumes of its untreated effluents into the Kali River. The once beautiful and clear river has been turned into an obnoxiously smelly gutter of pulp waste and sewage at Dandeli. Repeated appeals by local communities and environmental groups to get this plant to clean up its act have had little support from the regulatory agencies. The Kali Bachao Andolan is not demanding a closure of the Dandeli Paper Mills - which will affect the employees of the mill. Rather, the emphasis is on getting the mill to clean up its operations which will be of benefit to all, including the employees of the mill.
On the occasion of the World Environment Day, we appeal that you should take the initiative in ensuring Kali is saved for posterity. Please ensure that:
a) No more dams will be allowed on the Kali.
b) The serious pollution of the Kali from the Dandeli Paper Mills and other sources is ended now.
c) Illegal sand mining on the Banks of Kali and its tributaries is stopped.
We support the aspirations of the people of Uttara Kannada who want the Kali flowing and alive with life. Not dammed, polluted and dead.
Sincerely,
(NAME)
(AFFILIATION)
(ADDRESS)
(EMAIL ID, if any)
copy:
a) Shri T. R. Baalu, Union Minister of Environment and Forests, Government of India, Paryavaran Bhavan, Lodi Road, New Delhi 110 001. Email:
mef@menf.delhi.nic.in or mef@envfor.delhi.nic.in and secy@envfor.delhi.nic.in b) Kali Bachao Andolan, C/o ESG or PSK Email:
esg@bgl.vsnl.net.in or appiko@sancharnet.in