[HumJanenge] WGEEP

Dear Friends, I write this to bring to your notice some recent, for me notable, developments.

 

I had the privilege to serve on a Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel constituted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, GoI. Our principal mandate was to:

(i) To assess the current status of ecology of the Western Ghats region.

(ii) To demarcate areas within the Western Ghats Region which need to be notified as ecologically sensitive and to recommend for notification of such areas as ecologically sensitive zones under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.  

(iii) To make recommendations for the conservation, protection and rejuvenation of the Western Ghats Region following a comprehensive consultation process involving people and Governments of all the concerned States.

We undertook this task with great interest and sincerity. Basically this was a scientific task of deciding on a set of criteria for declaration of Ecologically Sensitive Zones on the Western Ghats, putting together a spatial database on ecological parameters for the region, delineating potential ecologically sensitive zones, and suggesting a strategy for conservation, protection and rejuvenation of the Western Ghats tract, taking into account our assignment of ecological sensitivity levels.
In order to properly appreciate the issues, we conducted field visits and wide ranging consultations with civil society, experts, concerned state governments, MoEF officials, elected representatives ranging from Gram Panchayat members to MPs and Ministers and CMs.

We also published a scientific paper based on the initial formulation of our criteria for ecological sensitivity for public discussion in India's premier scientific fortnightly, Current Science in January 2011. This is attached for your information.
We submitted our report as required on August 30, 2011. We were told that it will be released at a public function on 21 September 2011. On 19 September 2011 we were informed that the report is not going to be made public for the present, and that we should not release it or discuss it publicly.
Beyond that, our report has set in motion a series of developments that culminated in Central Information Commissioner passing a significant order on April 9, 2012. This is attached for your information, and I quote from it:

"Disclosing a report or information does not mean that the government has to follow it. It may perhaps have to explain the reasons to public for disagreeing with a report based on logic and coherent reasons. This cannot be considered as prejudicially affecting the scientific and economic interests of the State.

If such reports are put in public domain, citizens' views and concerns can be articulated in a scientific and reasonable manner. If the Government has reasons to ignore the reports, these should logically be put before people. Otherwise, citizens would believe that the Government's decisions are arbitrary or corrupt. Such a trust deficit would never be in the interest of the Nation.

The disclosure of the WGEEP report would enable citizens to voice their opinions with the information made available in the said report. Such opinions will be based on the credible information provided by an expert panel constituted by the government. This would facilitate an informed discussion between citizens based on a report prepared with their/public money.

MOEF's unwillingness to be transparent is likely to give citizens an impression that most decisions are taken in furtherance of corruption resulting in a serious trust deficit. This hampers the health of our democracy and the correct method to alter this perception is to become transparent. Such a move would only bring greater trust in the government and its functionaries, and hurt only the corrupt".

CIC had ordered the report to be made public by 10th May 2012. Additionally he ordered that MoEF must put all such reports in public domain within 30 days of receipt, in accordance with requirement of suo moto disclosure in RTI act.
Now I understand that MoEF has gone to Delhi High Court challenging this order.
The full text of CIC order is an outstanding piece of discourse on environment- development issues and on people's role in decision making. It deserves to reach people everywhere. So I have translated in Marathi with a brief introductory background note, and this article will appear in Marathi weekly, Sadhana.
Please do take a look at the material. I would greatly appreciate any comments you may have.

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With regards, Sincerely,
कळावे, लोभ असावा, आपला स्नेहांकित,
माधव Madhav ಮಾಧವ
Madhav Gadgil,
Res: A-18, Springflowers, Panchavati, Pashan, Pune 411008, Tel 020-25893424
Office: Biodiversity Department, Garware College, Karve Road, Pune 411004, Tel 020-41038236 , Fax 020-41038233
Mobile: 9881153413
माधव गाडगीळ,
जैवविविधता विभाग, गरवारे महाविद्यालय, कर्वे रस्ता, पुणे ४११००४
ए-१८, स्प्रिंगफ़्लॉवर्स, पंचवटी, पाषाण, पुणे ४११००८,
निसर्गाने दिला आनंदकंद । केवळ सौंदर्य, केवळ आनंद।