Himalayan protest march begins 21 Dec.

Distributed by Act!onAid in support of The National Himalayan Policy Campaign

Media Opportunity : 21-28 December. Week-long Himalayan march will visit 40 sites where controversial developments projects are proposed or underway including Micro hydel projects, cement and pharmaceutical factories and a ski village. Meetings en route will hear local grievances. Contact details at the foot of this mail.

Press release

Himalayan protest march throws spotlight on ‘anti-people’ developments following police violence.

Local campaigners ask what will it take before national media and politicians listen?

Anti-poverty group ActionAid has joined campaigners from the Himalayan tribal community of Karchham-Wangtoo, Himachal Pradesh, in calling for a judicial enquiry into the shooting of protesters and suspension of construction of the Hydel power project.

Two people received bullet wounds and 26 people were injured on December 9 when police fired on and beat protesters. Thousands had gathered at the Hydel construction site in Karchham-Wangtoo to highlight the start of illegal construction work in the Kinnaur district of the Himalayas .

Local media have reported that a high court order in November advised the Jaypee group of companies who are responsible for the project to deposit money with the police Inspector General towards police protection. There has been a heavy policy presence at the construction site since work began on 2 December.

The National Himalayan Policy Campaign which brings together local communities, social movements, lawyers, scientists and environmentalists, has been resisting the Hydel project for several years. They say that it will damage their environment and livelihoods and point out that the construction work is in violation of the law and constitution.

“There has been no consultation with people here,” says campaign coordinator, Gurman Singh.

“Obtaining ‘No Objection Certificates’ from the Gram Sabar (village assembly) is compulsory under the 1996 Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas Act and the 5th Schedule of the Indian Constitution before construction can begin but NOCs have not been given,” he explains.

The people of Kinnaur are not new to major construction projects. There are with some 40 of hydro electric power projects, factories and other major constructions planned or underway in the region.

“We know first hand the bad effects these so-called ‘development projects’. We have seen villages near dams damaged by land slides but residents denied compensation because they are outside the area deemed to be ‘directly affected’,” says Singh.

Campaigners are also concerned at the lack of interest from national media and politicians.

“We have written to the Prime Minister and Soniya Gandhi and engaged in years of peaceful resistance. What will it take for media and politicians in capital to take our concerns seriously?” asks Dillip Kumar Sebak of the Indian Social Institute in Delhi and a member of the Himalayan Campaign Committee.

On December 21 campaigners will begin a week-long march visiting some 40 sites in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh where major developments are proposed or underway, including dams, cement and pharmaceutical factories and a ski village.

Thousands are expected to join the demonstration. Meetings will be held en route to hear local grievances and generate support for the campaign.

ENDS