The satyagraha launched by theatre personality Prasanna at Badanavalu to highlight the perils of a market-driven economy and “indiscriminate industrialisation” has brought the core the issue of sustainable development back into focus.
Calling for a paradigm shift from the mechanised and industrial mode of production to a more sustainable mode of economic activity which does not culminate in depletion of natural resources and large-scale displacement of people, the movement has got the backing of social activists from across the country.
The convener of the National Alliance of People’s Movement (NAPM) and the founder of Narmada Bachao Andolan, Medha Patkar, has lent her voice to the cause and visited Badanavalu about 36 km from Mysuru city, on Tuesday.
She said sustainability was at stake in the present times as natural resources and communities dependent on natural resources are taken for granted. “It is as if natural wealth was limitless and could be exploited for generations, and people dependent on it for survival and livelihood do not matter”, she said, adding that in it was not just coal but even rivers will become non-existent before 2050. Economists should visualise a scenario of the irreversible impact of exploitation of natural resource capital, said Ms. Patkar.
Because they are not assessing the impact on the victims affected by such exploitation of land and resources, the tribal community or the farmers dependent on it tend to be left in the lurch, said Ms. Patkar. It is a fallacy to say that people are voluntarily giving up land and for every such example there are 100s where people are coerced to give up land, she added. “While natural resources are exploited, the fruits of development are not being distributed”, Ms. Patkar said pointing out that the installed capacity in power generation had increased but 50 per cent of the rural households in the country do not get electricity supply and live in total darkness.
Ms. Patkar said sustainability was linked to equity and democracy and the present model of economic growth goes contrary to it and even jeopardises the concepts of equity and democracy. “We are not against industrialisation but against corporatisation that takes away livelihood of the poor. We are for development but want social equity in distribution of the fruits of development”, she added.
Maj. Gen (retd) Sudhir Vombatkere of NAPM voiced concern over corporates controlling the political process and said instead of economics being the tool of politics it was driving politics.
Later at Badanvalu, Ms. Patkar interacted with students, farmers and activists taking part in the satyagraha and spoke on the economic policies of the government and how the present model was unsustainable. Farmers were also apprised of the amendment to the Land Acquisition Bill 2013, and its fallout.
Theatre personality Prasanna has launched the movement to revive khadi industry
