Dear Panditji

Himachal Government has lately declared many eco-logically sensitive areas as 'sites fit for industry' in our District Solan, along with other districts in the Shivalik Hills. I would like to draw your attention to the following aspects:

1. Shivalik Hills are natural barriers for the plains of North India against drought, storms, dust and pollution. Industries would destroy this barrier.

2. Industries need more water and create more waste or garbage than the local population here. I would suggest that before an industry is set up in an area there should be a complete survey of the area’s drainage system and maps should be produced for the same, and proper drains, flood drains, sewage discharge plans and overlays should be made. Areas earmarking roads, communication facilities, factories,
warehouses, houses, shopping areas, recreation areas, and workshops and plan overlays should be sold to the factories.

Balwant Sandhu
Via e-mail

Dear Panditji,
This refers to the burning issue of acquisition of agricultural land for non-agriculture use, whether it is for construction of a dam or for establishment of a Special Economic Zone or construction of factories. There is general opposition to the acquisition because the price paid for the land is generally inadequate.

It is necessary to accept that without acquisition of agricultural land, it would be difficult to set-up any modern industry (It is noticed that some social activists believe in other models of economic development and naturally they are opposed to modern industry itself.

At present we are not considering their viewpoint). We have to ensure that a fair price is paid for the land acquired and as some academics have suggested, it would be better to form 'Land Bank Trusts', transfer the acquired land to such trusts and make the landowners, whose land is acquired, important stake-holders in such trusts. This would enable the landowners to share profits of development on such land.

Major efforts should be made to bring all barren land under cultivation, which could then be sold to the former landowners. A special tax of say 10% can be levied on all transactions of sale of land for non-agricultural purposes and the proceeds can be used for development of barren land.

Big farmers get away without practically paying any income tax. It is necessary to devise ways of making them contribute for the development efforts.

Political will is simply not there to bring to book these big farmers and it is a challenge to all major parties.

Narendra M.Apte
Via e-mail

Dear Panditji,
I share similar sentiments as you regarding the environmental refugees around the world as closely following the NBA of Medha Patkar. I feel that we are all environmental refugees in one or the other sense.

Modern science and technology appears boon to some and becomes bane to many. I do agree that great projects are required to help larger mass of people but not at the cost of other people. I expect the civilisation to consider only such plans where balanced sustainability exists upon implementation of the same.

We will not do any good by destroying the lives of one section of people to help the other. It ridicules the whole human civilisation, if we do so.

Therefore, everyone must keep sustainability in mind before drawing up any mega plans in the national or international interest. I urge that each and every individual needs to be concerned about sustainability in every activity that is performed on this planet. I believe that now the human evolution has reached a stage where cooperation and coordination are more essential than competition for survival.

Dr Devaraj
Via e-mail