Bangalore: Noted social activist Medha Patkar made a strong plea for equitable distribution of natural resources and allowing local people a say in the development of their regions and in how resources should be used.
Delivering the keynote address at the golden jubilee celebrations of the Indian Social Institute in the city, on Friday, Patkar said: “We speak a lot about infrastructure projects. But every one is maintaining silence on the human infrastructure.
In the present scenario, 96 per cent of people, including dalits, farmers, women, tribal people, are kept out of every development process. Only four per cent of the people are enjoying every benefit including natural resources. Those in key positions are not ready to alter the system,” she said.
She said that projects are imposed on the people, like the proposed Bangalore-Mumbai industrial corridor, which was decided at an international forum, and Japan is pushing the scheme. “It is the locals who will pay the price for it. Local communities, government agencies are kept out of the whole process,” she pointed out.
“Human resources capital, natural resources capital and monitory capital are used to introduce this exclusion policy intelligently. The heritage of our society is also misused for the financial gains of a few people.”
She said it is tribal and rural folk who have preserved our heritage, forests, and natural resources, but they are kept out of all the benefits accruing from these. “Only a few enjoy every benefit," she reiterated, while emphasising that she is not against using natural resources but only against using them to benefit a few.
She said 96 per cent of people in the country don't have either financial or social security. “Change without equity can't be considered as development."
She cited the case of Ratnagiri in Maharastra which generates 13,000 MW of power, but the total consumption of the district is just 300 MW. The north-eastern states of the country generate 68,000 MW of power, but this region consumes only 3,000 MW. “Why are the few exploited for the benefit of others?" she questioned.
She warned against increasing number of petro-chemical complexes and thermal power plants. “Our coastal areas, including Mangalore, will be destroyed if people allow the government to build all the proposed petro-chemical complexes and thermal power plants. People should have the courage to say “no” to all those projects that are exclusive in nature.”
