Social and environmental activist Medha Patkar here on Monday lashed out at the inter-State water disputes tribunals, accusing the panels of failing to ensure justice for the affected people.
She was speaking after accepting the N. Ramachandran Award 2018 from former Supreme Court judge Venkate Gopala Gowda in recognition of her services in the fields of environment and social justice.
The award is instituted by the N. Ramachandran Foundation in memory of the late journalist, regarded a doyen of Malayalam journalism.
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‘Justice denied’
Ms. Patkar said the judgments and awards of the tribunals were more politicised than actually serving their purpose. Justice was denied to both upstream and downstream populations.
“The rivers and those living nearby were not being taken care of. Around 1 lakh acres of land and thousands of hectares of forest faced the danger of getting submerged with the construction of the Sardar Sarovar dam. Sadly, while over ₹3,000 crore is utilised for constructing the Sardar Patel statue, nothing is being done for the rehabilitation of thousands of families, including Adivasis, labourers, farmers and other,” she said.
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Case for consultations
She demanded that laws be enacted only after holding consultations with all sections of society, starting from the gram sabhas. The communities that closely existed with the natural resources must be consulted. However, the practice was not followed while formulating the Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill and the subsequent laws, she said. The country witnessed greater disparity between the affluent and weaker sections, and the omnipotent State neither ensured justice nor curtailed the disparity that was adding to the deprivation, she said.
Medha hailed
Mr. Gowda lauded Ms. Patkar for fighting against capitalists and the powerful bureaucracy to protect the interests of the oppressed and the marginalised communities. She courageously waged battles against governments who did not govern but exploited people, he said. Social activist and educationalist R.V.G. Menon delivered the N. Ramachandran memorial lecture on ‘Environment and Development.’ Foundation vice presided Prabha Varma presided over the function and its secretary P.P. James, executive member Sekharan Nair, and Kerala Kaumudi managing director Anju Sreenivasan were among those present.