STARTUPS SMART: VILLAGE REPUBLICS WITHIN THE CONSTITUTION: INDIA

Re: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/524772/revving-economy-startups.html

"The startup revolution is billed as something similar to the ushering of economic liberalisation of the early 1990s. It is too early to say if this “revolution” will take our economy to a new level like the opening up of the economy did or will it end up like the dot.com bust of the ‘90s. Still, the slew of schemes announced by the Centre should give a huge boost to the startups, including their investors."

 

The present state of things and some relevant startups slated to succeed:
Abolition of cities and replacement by village republics within the constitution.
Each village republic will cater to its own needs as far as possible.
Work where you live and live where you work. All needs met within walking distance.
Societies will recognise that nature is paramount and all else is built on respect for this principle.
Everything is rigidly interconnected and see one changeless life in all the lives.
Use living energy enjoyably to meet all your needs. Greed prohibited.
Move from the present state of living to a normal way of life incorporating the above principles. For examples each house must not generate any artificial wastes. All natural things must be recycled.  Villages must each be a sewerless village. So every house must generate its own cooking gas and fertiliser for its garden.Vegetables and fruits must come from within the village as far as possible.
Educators must be within the village for children to adults, as far as possible. Village produce must be enough for its people.Trees must charge the groundwater table. Grow enough trees to meet the needs of water for the village.
Note that the alternative is extinction.
See the study
PROGRESSIVE DETERIORATION OF THE GENE POOL IN THE NUCLEAR AGE at
http://plutoniumaradiumabillionpeoplehitdna.blogspot.in/2016/01/progressive-deterioration-of-gene-pool.html
which shows that if we continue along the present way of life, all babies born from the year 2028 and after will die before they attain the age of  one year from the effects of this modern civilization.

A Specific Felt Need for a Village Republic within the constitution.
Parliamentary democracy under test
See
http://plutoniumaradiumabillionpeoplehitdna.blogspot.in/2016/01/modern-civilization-failure-of.html
  

People’s Public Hearing

Protecting Rights of Local Communities is Protection of the Nation
- ...in the context of the “Science City” proposed in Challakere

On the occasion of Republic Day

Organised by

Amrithmahal Kaval Hitarakshana Haagu Horata Samithi

(Amritmahal Kaval Protection and Struggle Committee)

Doddaullarthi, Challakere Tk., Chitradurga Dt.

Tuesday, 26^th January 2016, Time: 10.30 am - 3.30 pm

Chamber of Commerce and Industry Hall, Challakere Town, Chitradurga.

Programme:

• Introduction to Issues and Concerns
• People’s testimonies
• Project Proponents Defense
• Opinions by experts from academia, media, public health, ecology and other areas
• Formulation of Recommendations and Demands

Expert panelists: Dr. A. R. Vasavi, Sociologist; Dr. S. G. Vombatkere, National Alliance of People's Movements; Dr. Chandan Gowda, Sociologist, Azim Premji University; Ms. Madhu Bhushan, Scholar/Social Activist;  Mr. Yetiraj, Tumkur Science Centre/All India Peoples Science Network; Prof. Cheluvaraju, Folk Historian, Hampi University; Mr. Neelakantappa, All India Pastoralists Network; Ms. Akhila Vasan, Co-Convenor, Karnataka Janaarogya Chaluvali; Mr. B. T. Venkatesh, Former Karnataka State Public Prosecutor/Advocate, Reachlaw.

About 10,000 acres of pristine Amrit Mahal Kaval grasslands, that local pastoral and agrarian communities successfully protected without any encroachment for hundreds of years, were secretively diverted in Challakere, Chitradurga during 2009-2013 by Governments of Karnataka and India to accommodate a massive military-industrial-nuclear complex. The consent of District Planning Committee, Local Panchayats, and Urban Local Bodies was not taken prior to the diversion. Local communities woke up to this fact only when their Kavals/commons, which included lakes, streams, grazing pastures, sacred places, cultural sites, etc., were blocked by massive walls built by various project proponents.

Projects proposed include a weaponised drone testing and manufacturing unit of Defense Research Development Organisation (DRDO, 4500 acres); a special materials enrichment facility of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre to produce nuclear material for defense and civilian programmes (BARC, 1900 acres); a synchrotron by Indian Institute of Science (IISc, 1500 acres); space applications centre by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO, 700 acres); a solar park by private company Sagitaur (1250 acres), and a variety of ancillary and other units including massive housing and real estate projects. The Indian Army also proposes to acquire another 10,000 acres of farm land to locate a Brigade here. In addition, a range of Indian and International private corporations involved in defense production are likely to promote various industrial projects here. Such projects are proposed as building blocks of India's first “science city”.

In the Peoples' Public Hearing organized by Amrit Mahal Kaval Hitarakshana haagu Horata Samithi, affected local communities will explain how their lives and livelihoods and the Kavals are being destroyed by project proponents in violation of principles of natural justice, judicial orders, law, etc. Opportunity will also be provided to project proponents to make their case. A Panel consisting of eminent jurists, sociologists, historians, public health professionals, retired defense personnel, social reformists, social activists, etc. will respond to the concerns raised.

(Please participate and invite others to participate as well. Feel free to circulate this invitation.) People’s Public Hearing Protecting Rights of Local Communities is Protection of the Nation - ...in the context of the “Science City” proposed in Challakere On the occasion of Republic Day Organised by Amrithmahal Kaval Hitarakshana Haagu Horata Samithi (Amritmahal Kaval Protection and Struggle Committee) Doddaullarthi, Challakere Tk., Chitradurga Dt. Tuesday, 26th January 2016, Time: 10.30 am - 3.30 pm Chamber of Commerce and Industry Hall, Challakere Town, Chitradurga. ​ Programme: Introduction to Issues and Concerns People’s testimonies Project Proponents Defense Opinions by experts from academia, media, public health, ecology and other areas Formulation of Recommendations and Demands Expert panelists: Dr. A. R. Vasavi, Sociologist; Dr. S. G. Vombatkere, National Alliance of People's Movements; Dr. Chandan Gowda, Sociologist, Azim Premji University; Ms. Madhu Bhushan, Scholar/Social Activist;  Mr. Yetiraj, Tumkur Science Centre/All India Peoples Science Network; Prof. Cheluvaraju, Folk Historian, Hampi University; Mr. Neelakantappa, All India Pastoralists Network; Ms. Akhila Vasan, Co-Convenor, Karnataka Janaarogya Chaluvali; Mr. B. T. Venkatesh, Former Karnataka State Public Prosecutor/Advocate, Reachlaw. ​ About 10,000 acres of pristine Amrit Mahal Kaval grasslands, that local pastoral and agrarian communities successfully protected without any encroachment for hundreds of years, were secretively diverted in Challakere, Chitradurga during 2009-2013 by Governments of Karnataka and India to accommodate a massive military-industrial-nuclear complex. The consent of District Planning Committee, Local Panchayats, and Urban Local Bodies was not taken prior to the diversion. Local communities woke up to this fact only when their Kavals/commons, which included lakes, streams, grazing pastures, sacred places, cultural sites, etc., were blocked by massive walls built by various project proponents. Projects proposed include a weaponised drone testing and manufacturing unit of Defense Research Development Organisation (DRDO, 4500 acres); a special materials enrichment facility of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre to produce nuclear material for defense and civilian programmes (BARC, 1900 acres); a synchrotron by Indian Institute of Science (IISc, 1500 acres); space applications centre by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO, 700 acres); a solar park by private company Sagitaur (1250 acres), and a variety of ancillary and other units including massive housing and real estate projects. The Indian Army also proposes to acquire another 10,000 acres of farm land to locate a Brigade here. In addition, a range of Indian and International private corporations involved in defense production are likely to promote various industrial projects here. Such projects are proposed as building blocks of India's first “science city”. In the Peoples' Public Hearing organized by Amrit Mahal Kaval Hitarakshana haagu Horata Samithi, affected local communities will explain how their lives and livelihoods and the Kavals are being destroyed by project proponents in violation of principles of natural justice, judicial orders, law, etc. Opportunity will also be provided to project proponents to make their case. A Panel consisting of eminent jurists, sociologists, historians, public health professionals, retired defense personnel, social reformists, social activists, etc. will respond to the concerns raised. ​ Questions and concerns: Being a Kuruba, Golla, Nayaka, Lambani, Dalit or from any other community practicing pastoral, artisanal and agricultural activity, do we contribute any less to nation building? Is supplying meat, wool, milk, grain, millets, fruits, vegetables and oil seeds, not based on science? Is not, provisioning of education, health, roads, and other infrastructure, the fundamental duty of the Government, and should such facilities be claimed as charitable benefits of the “science city”? Aren’t our lives and livelihoods based on principles of carbon neutral development, and safeguarding the environment? Are our ancient wisdoms and deep appreciation of the ecological landscape to be rebuked, our ancient cultural sites and religious places to be destroyed, for the sake of “science”? As men, women, young girls and boys, and senior citizens of the region, is it not our fundamental duty to protect Amrit Mahal Kavals, grassland ecosystems that sustain rare and critically endangered species like the Great Indian Bustard, Lesser Florican, Black Bucks? Is it just and necessary to put all these high risk, highly hazardous and extremely sensitive projects all in one location, and that when thousands of acres of land acquired for industries lie in the “land banks” of KIADB? Is destroying the Amrit Mahal Kavals the only way for India to develop its first “science city”? Is the Upper Bhadra Project promised to provide drinking water for Chitradurga now being diverted to the projects? Is there sufficient water in Vani Vilas Sagar to support drinking water needs of Chitradurga and also support the massive demands of water by the proposed projects? Is building a mini-dam by IISC, blocking water flow to lakes and ponds, not in violation of directions of the Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal? Is blocking information relating to public safety, health, environment, etc. in conformance with Right to Information Act and directions of the Central Information Commission? Is it just, proper and democratic to make decisions on building a “science city” without in any manner involving local communities, Panchayats, etc.? Is destruction of livelihood systems of over 4 lakh people from 70 villages the only way to build a “science city”? Shouldn’t such issues also concern those outside of the 70 villages directly impacted? Should India liberalize defense production at the cost of local communities and for the benefit of foreign trans national corporations? Should not the proposal of “science city” at Challakere be the outcome of detailed debate and discussion locally, regionally and nationally?

Come. Participate in the Public Hearing.

For more information about the issue, watch “Beerappana Tallana” on Youtube.

Kannada: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jivBkPbKpU (32 mins.) 

English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XPsig5QUnM (39 mins.)

For National Green Tribunal decisions on this issue, visit: http://tinyurl.com/mjhdqar.

For Central Information Commissioner decisions, visit: http://tinyurl.com/hfy6hxd

By Bus: Various buses from Bangalore and other cities direct to Challakere. Also buses going to Bellary, pass through Challakere

By Train: Not very convenient.

By Car: 250 kms. Excellent road. About 4.5 hours. (Come on the National Highway via Tumkur, Sira and at Hiriyur take a right to Bellary. Challakere is en route to Bellary from the Highway.)