From: Madhuresh <napm.madhuresh@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jul 22, 2010 at 9:36 PM
Subject: [initiative-india] Public Hearing at Devsari Dam cancelled for Second Time, Environmental Activist Vimal Bhai arrested
To: Young activists <youngactivists@lists.riseup.net>, Activism News Network <activism-news-network@googlegroups.com>, CPJ <citizens-for-peace--justice@googlegroups.com>, humanrights-movement@googlegroups.com, concern4each@googlegroups.com, napm-india <NAPM-India@googlegroups.com>, initiativeindia Groups <initiative-india@googlegroups.com>, f <action2007@googlegroups.com>
Friends,
This is to bring to your notice the arrest of social activist Vimal Bhai of Matu Jan Sangathan and NAPM today afternoon in Uttarakhand. The press release below is self explanatory. Kindly write or call to the CM Uttarakhand and DM, Chamoli at these numbers demanding immediate unconditional release.
Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank'
37/1, Vijay Colony, Rabindranath Tagore Marg, Dehradun (UTTARAKHAND)
TEL:0135-2740104; 0135-2531533
09756937100
email: nishankramesh@gmail.com | cm-uk@nic.in
Neeraj Semwal DM, Chamoli
01372-252102 (O) 252101 (R) 252203 (F)
Email : dm-cha-ua@nic.in
PRESS RELEASE
Public Hearing at Devsari Dam cancelled for Second Time, Environmental Activist Vimal Bhai arrested
New Delhi, July 22, 2010 : Uttarakhand State Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board today organised the second public hearing on environmental issues regarding the construction of the Devsari hydro electricity project 252 MW) on river Pinder, one of the main tributary of Alaknanda River, District Chamoli, Uttarakhand. The first public hearing had to be cancelled due to intense public opposition on 13th October, 2009. Satluj Jal Vidhut Co. Ltd., a joint venture of Central Govt. and Himachal State is the project proponent.
Today again nearly 2,000 people gathered from different villages who are facing submergence and also many who are against dams on the holy river. Since yesterday, the district administration had mobilised police force sensing public opposition. Today after vocal protests the Public Hearing was cancelled by the authorities.
However, in order to break the opposition and instil fear they arrested Vimal Bhai of Matu Jan Sangathan who have been campaigning against the big dams in Uttarakhand. Matu along with Bhuswami Sangharsh Samiti (BSS) had written a letter requesting the Union Environment Secretary, Vijai Sharma to cancel the Public Hearing. It is to be noted that back in October 2009, the Public Hearing had been cancelled due to disruption at the venue by the local people, and police had filed a F. I. R. against 11 people by name including Vimalbhai, Shri Gabbar Singh, Shri D. D. Kuniyal - Block headman, Shri Yashwant - one journalist and other 60 anonymous people. The charges pressed against 11 people were 148, 332, 427, 436, 504 IPC. Later a continuous Dharna (sit in) was held at Deval Block from 19th October onwards.
Since, the authorities could not conduct the Public Hearing for the second time they were miffed with the protesters, and arrested Vimal Bhai. Medha Patkar, condemning the arrest said, "It is shameful that Uttarakhand Government rather than respecting the wishes of the people is hell bent on building the dam, and now that they are not able to conduct the public hearings they have started falsely implicating the activists. Vimal Bhai is a Gandhian activist engaged in non-violent ways of protesting the take over of natural resources and unmindful construction of dams on rivers in ecologically fragile zones for nearly two decades now. To say, that he instigated crowd and engaged in acts of rioting is completely baseless and he needs to be released immediately, and all charges be dropped." Sandeep Pandey (NAPM), Kavita Srivastava (PUCL) and Alok Agrawal of Narmada Bachao Andolan also condemned the arrest and has demanded immediate release.
Vimal Bhai has been kept in police custody tonight at Tharali Police Station, District Chamoli and will be produced infront of the Magistrate at Gopeshwar tomorrow.
For Details contact : Madhuresh 9818905316 | napm.madhuresh@gmail.com
Details of the last public hearing @ http://matujan.blogspot.com/2009/10/20-10-2009-public-hearing-not-performed.html
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National Alliance of Peoples' Movements (NAPM)
Mobile +91 9818 905316
email : napm.madhuresh@gmail.com | napmindia@gmail.com
Web : www.napm-india.org
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National Alliance of Peoples' Movements (NAPM)
Mobile +91 9818 905316
email : napm.madhuresh@gmail.com | napmindia@gmail.com
Web : www.napm-india.org
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Palash Biswas
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