Prof. Agrawal's decision on fast upto death on the issue of Ganga Ji

 Dear Friends,

Today (4.6.08) I attended the said meeting at the Gandhi Peace Foundation
along with at least 100 other invitees. Some eminent speakers also spoke on
the occassion.

My personal views on the meet as well as the proposed action/s are as under
(with folded hands for apology if my views offends any one concerned):

I think it would like shooting ourselves in the feet if we advocate what
Prof. GD Agrawal is attempting to do. Fast unto death if the river Ganga
from its origin till Uttarkashi is not made inviolate. I ask:

a) Is the life of a saintly Professor so cheap that a bit of the river saved
for posterity is enough?
b) What prevents the state from accepting this rather shortsighted objective
and then ravage all other rivers in the land. And when you dare to question
that they would say but did we not agree to what you asked for? So why now
object?
c) Or do we expect Prof Agrawal or some one like him to each time offer to
lay his life for this or that bit of this or that river and assume that the
state would take the bait each time?

Friends, let us not befool ourselves or compromise the cause by such
shortsighted steps.

What we really need in this land is a popular upswell all over the country
for the security of the integrity of our rivers in their entirety as an
ecosystem in their own right and not just as provider of sacred water for
achaman or storage as sacred water in our homes (which certainly is an
important aspect) but just not enough or the only reason.

Securing a little bit of the river here or there may be easy and securing a
river in its entirety a herculean task. But then should be win a battle and
lose the war in the bargain?

Friends, please let us not be stupid (pardon me for using this word). I
expected that at least one speaker would say so from the dias not as any
affront to the great professor but as a matter of fact on the proposal. But
sadly there was lot of rhetoric and little sound advice except from one or
two.

I suggest if I may that if the Hon'ble Professor has taken a Bhishma
Pratigya for river Ganga then let him along with friends take a long
walk along side the river taking along people and more people and more
people .......as he moves ahead for the river and create such a
popular upswell that the state is unable to resist his voice. SECURE RIVERS
OF THIS LAND. FOR YOUR OWN GOOD. And if during the process God forbid the
Hon'ble Professor on account of his advancing age (as it used to happen to
many pilgrims in olden days) falls sick or .... his sacrifice would ever
motivate his followers and friends. That would be an end worth
embracing rather a fast unto death for a bit of a river which may after
initial euphoria and media attention soon give space to more urgent
happenings of the day.

I wish I am proved wrong in my contention. But If not then we would all have
lost the war!

I APPEAL TO HON'BLE PROF GD AGRAWAL TO NOT TO OFFER HIS VALUABLE LIFE JUST
FOR A LIMITED END......

WE ALL WANT THE RIVER GANGA IN ITS ENTIRETY TO LIVE AND WE WANT HIM TO BE
THERE TO LEAD US IN THAT VENTURE.

AMEN !

humbly,

manoj




---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Envirotech <envirotech@xxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, May 27, 2008 at 3:59 AM
Subject: Prof. Agrawal's decision on fast upto death on the issue of Ganga
Ji
To: yamunajiye@xxxxxxxxx






  *PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS*

*THREAT TO HOLY GANGES FROM HYDRO-ELECTRIC PROJECTS BETWEEN
GANGOTRI-UTTARKASHI*





Perhaps you will be aware that a very large number of Hydro-electric
projects are being planned in the Himalyan reaches of all the rivers
including the GANGES. In fact the very existence of the Ganges in the form
Indians have known it for centuries is threatened. A small writeup
explaining the situation is enclosed.



In spite of protests and representations by local citizens the projects are
being actively pursued. *Pained at this insensitivity of the project stake
holders Professor Dr. G. D. Agrawal, formerly Professor and Dean at IIT,
Kanpur, Member Secretary, Central Pollution Control Board, a noted teacher,
a renowned environmentalist and a devout Hindu, has decided to go on fast
from June 13, 2008, until death, unless it is decided that henceforth all
development work which affects the flow in the stream channel between
Gangotri and Uttarkashi is stopped.*



It is time for concerned citizens to ponder :

   - Why an educated, intelligent and knowledgeable person like Prof.
   Agarwal was driven to contemplate this extreme step.
   - Are a few hundred mega watts of electricity more valuable and important
   than the faith of more than a Billion people for whom the electricity is
   ostensibly being produced.

A public meeting is being planned at the venue mentioned below where we hope
to evolve an action plan that could convince the project stake holders to
review the projects. You are requested to participate in this meeting and
help in mobilising support to save the Ganges.



*Venue : Gandhi Peace Foundation Hall, near ITO, New Delhi*

*Time   : Wednesday 4 June 2008, 3 pm onwards. *



Regards



S.K.Gupta

Envirotech





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