Bangalore: Comparing Western Ghats to the character of Draupadi in Mahabharata, Ecologist Madhav Gadgil on Wednesday said the inappropriate government policies are stripping the Western Ghats of all their resources. He was speaking at Bio Diversity Asia 2012, a gathering of ecologists from around the world. The Dushyasana here is bad governance. There is no Krishna to save the Western Ghats. It is just wasteful consumption in order to show off, Gadgil said.
Lashing out at the skewed government policies which permitted setting up of a windmill at Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary area in Maharastra, Gadgil pointed out that the initial report of the Range Forest Officer, which recommended the area to be declared an ecologically sensitive zone was overruled by his superior. Gadgil accused the forest officer of submitting a false report to permit the windmill project. The CF (Territorial) completely falsified his report by stating there was no wildlife and only bushy growth in the area, he said while showing pictures to prove his point.
Gadgil also stated that the economic reforms seeking the entry of Foreign Direct Investment into the country would result in major environmental degradation. This kind of development is unsustainable. We cannot compete with China, their exports are more than their imports while our case is just the opposite. We are trying to compete by inviting FDI which will result in environmental degradation and take away our policy making abilities, he said.
Speaking on the sidelines after the lecture, Gadgil said that
01:28 PM, Aug 09, 2012
Kottayam: Public sector bank employees will go on a two-day nation-wide strike from July 25 to protest against government's moves to grant banking licences to private business houses and closing down of rural branches. A letter containing the demands had been given to the authorities including Indian Banks Association on March 26, but no decision was taken, United Forum of Bank Unions convenor AC Joseph told media today. He said...
02:46 PM, Jul 17, 2012
Keonjhar: In the battle against the Naxals, the government's surrender policy seems to be falling flat in Orissa. The naxals who have already surrendered claim their lives have gone from bad to worse. Sabita Munda, a tribal girl from Orissa's Keonjhar district, was 16 when she surrendered before the district police. Sabita had been at several naxal camps and had taken part in many violent attacks on the Orissa police....
08:55 AM, Jan 04, 2011
