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Thursday, August 30, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Rakhi pledge to save Yamuna plains
New commitment: Yamuna Satyagraha activists tying a rakhi on a tree at the Commonwealth Games Village site on the banks of the Yamuna in New Delhi on Tuesday as part of their ongoing agitation to save the river and its flood plains
THE HINDU- 29-08-2007
NEW DELHI: To reaffirm their commitment to saving the Yamuna and its flood plains, Yamuna Satyagraha activists tied “rakhis” on a tree at the site chosen for construction of the upcoming Commonwealth Games Village here on Tuesday.
The activists led by “Waterman” Rajinder Singh and environmentalist Vandana Shiva tied the rakhis on a shisham tree in the shade of which a 24-hour sit-in on the banks of the Yamuna has been organised.
“Satyagraha means a fight which is not based on violence. We want to tell everyone that our fight is based on principles. We are agitating against the killing of rivers. Everyone knows that rivers and people are more important than land developers and Games Village,” said Rajinder Singh.
A rally organised around the site chosen for the Games Village saw the participation of villagers, farmers and students apart from the activists themselves.
“A large number of families have been uprooted and people have been rendered jobless by the Government by forcibly taking the land they cultivated. We are trying to focus attention on these irregularities,” Mr. Singh said.
In a statement issued by Navdanya, the activists claimed that 58 acres of the Yamuna flood plains were grabbed for the totally illegal Akshardham temple. Farmers were uprooted in spite of a stay order from courts.
Land worth Rs. 500 crore was given to Akshardham for a mere Rs. 44 crore. Now 42.5 hectares in the flood plain, where no construction should take place, has been acquired for the Commonwealth Games Village and related projects.”
The activists led by “Waterman” Rajinder Singh and environmentalist Vandana Shiva tied the rakhis on a shisham tree in the shade of which a 24-hour sit-in on the banks of the Yamuna has been organised.
“Satyagraha means a fight which is not based on violence. We want to tell everyone that our fight is based on principles. We are agitating against the killing of rivers. Everyone knows that rivers and people are more important than land developers and Games Village,” said Rajinder Singh.
A rally organised around the site chosen for the Games Village saw the participation of villagers, farmers and students apart from the activists themselves.
“A large number of families have been uprooted and people have been rendered jobless by the Government by forcibly taking the land they cultivated. We are trying to focus attention on these irregularities,” Mr. Singh said.
In a statement issued by Navdanya, the activists claimed that 58 acres of the Yamuna flood plains were grabbed for the totally illegal Akshardham temple. Farmers were uprooted in spite of a stay order from courts.
Land worth Rs. 500 crore was given to Akshardham for a mere Rs. 44 crore. Now 42.5 hectares in the flood plain, where no construction should take place, has been acquired for the Commonwealth Games Village and related projects.”
Monday, August 27, 2007
Rakhis to take care of Yamuna
from THE HINDU
Smriti Kak Ramachandran
Photo: V. Sudershan ‘Save Yamuna’: Members of the Save Yamuna Group staging a dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Friday.NEW DELHI: The traditional “rakhi”, the quintessential symbol of care and protection, will now be used by Yamuna activists as a weapon in their fight against “destruction” of the grand old river and its flood plains.
This coming Tuesday, while the nation celebrates Raksha Bandhan, activists who are part of the Yamuna Satyagraha will tie “rakhis” on trees along the Yamuna flood plains in Delhi that has been set aside for construction of the Commonwealth Games Village.
These activists, who have been maintaining a vigil over the banks of the Yamuna here for the past 24 days -- supported by farmers, students and other members of the civil society -- will take the pledge to save the trees and the river.
“During the Chipko Aandolan when men and women had vowed to protect the trees from being cut, they tied ‘rakhis’ to the trees. We will also save the environment of the city by tying ‘rakhis’ to the trees at the site where the Yamuna Satyagraha has been going on,” said noted environmentalist Vandana Shiva.
Stepping up pressure on the Government to change the site of the Games Village, the activists will organise a “Yamuna Yatra”, cover the villages around the city and create public awareness about the need to preserve the river.
Cautioning against undermining nature, Magsaysay Award winner “Waterman” Rajinder Singh said: “When the Yamuna gets angry, it carries everything away with its currents. One must remember what happened to the encroachments along the banks near Yamnotri when the river caused a flood on August 14.”
He regretted that political leaders including the President who have been petitioned to put a moratorium on the construction on the Yamuna banks have thus far been evasive in their response.
“We have sought the Delhi Lieutenant-Governor’s intervention to save the flood plains. While he has asked us to draw up the terms and reference for an independent probe by non-government agencies, he has not agreed to suspend construction of the Games Village,” said Vinod Jain, founder-chairperson of NGO “Tapas”.
Activists protest barricading at Games Village site
from THE HINDU
http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/26/stories/2007082657440400.htm
Staff Reporter
“The exercise was carried out at night while the Satyagrahis were sleeping in the area”
NEW DELHI: Hours after Yamuna Satyagraha activists announced that they will intensify their agitation to save the floodplains, the administration raised barricades near the Commonwealth Games Village site to prevent them from gathering there.
On Friday, the activists had announced that they would tie rakhis to the trees at the Games Village site and stop the Delhi Government and Centre from undertaking construction on the flood plains, which is an important ground water recharge area.
“The Government has barricaded the whole place. The exercise was carried out at night while the Satyagrahis were still at the site. There was no intimation from the Government and neither was any notice served,” said Diwan Singh of the Yamuna Satyagraha, a conglomeration of the Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan, URJA, Natural Heritage First and several other NGOs.
“Dr. Vinod Kumar Mishra and Sunil Prabhaker were at the site when the barricading was carried out. Neither the workers, nor anyone from the Government informed them about it. They finished the barricading while the protestors of Jal Biradari were sleeping inside,” he claimed.
The ‘satyagrahis’, who had been maintaining a 24-hour vigil at the site, were confined for more than 12 hours. “On Saturday morning when other volunteers tried to send food for them, the guards posted by the Delhi Development Authority stopped them. Our volunteers were allowed to go in after a lot of persuasion,” Mr. Singh said.
“Such steps by the Government are undemocratic. They show the frustration of the Government because the movement is gaining ground with each passing day,” members of the Yamuna Satyagraha coordination committee said.
In a statement issued here, the members said: “This [barricading] is illegal confinement -- tantamount to abduction. The Satyagraha Coordination Committee has decided to continue the Satyagraha at the same place in a completely non-violent and conflict-free manner.”
http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/26/stories/2007082657440400.htm
Staff Reporter
“The exercise was carried out at night while the Satyagrahis were sleeping in the area”
NEW DELHI: Hours after Yamuna Satyagraha activists announced that they will intensify their agitation to save the floodplains, the administration raised barricades near the Commonwealth Games Village site to prevent them from gathering there.
On Friday, the activists had announced that they would tie rakhis to the trees at the Games Village site and stop the Delhi Government and Centre from undertaking construction on the flood plains, which is an important ground water recharge area.
“The Government has barricaded the whole place. The exercise was carried out at night while the Satyagrahis were still at the site. There was no intimation from the Government and neither was any notice served,” said Diwan Singh of the Yamuna Satyagraha, a conglomeration of the Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan, URJA, Natural Heritage First and several other NGOs.
“Dr. Vinod Kumar Mishra and Sunil Prabhaker were at the site when the barricading was carried out. Neither the workers, nor anyone from the Government informed them about it. They finished the barricading while the protestors of Jal Biradari were sleeping inside,” he claimed.
The ‘satyagrahis’, who had been maintaining a 24-hour vigil at the site, were confined for more than 12 hours. “On Saturday morning when other volunteers tried to send food for them, the guards posted by the Delhi Development Authority stopped them. Our volunteers were allowed to go in after a lot of persuasion,” Mr. Singh said.
“Such steps by the Government are undemocratic. They show the frustration of the Government because the movement is gaining ground with each passing day,” members of the Yamuna Satyagraha coordination committee said.
In a statement issued here, the members said: “This [barricading] is illegal confinement -- tantamount to abduction. The Satyagraha Coordination Committee has decided to continue the Satyagraha at the same place in a completely non-violent and conflict-free manner.”
Thursday, August 23, 2007
CANDLE LIGHT VIGIL FOR YAMUNA
JOIN US FOR
CANDLE LIGHT VIGIL
at
JANTAR MANTAR
5:00pm
SUNDAY
26th AUG.2007
"CHALO YAMUNA BACHAYEIN"
After shocking Results B.Sc. GENERAL SUDENTS IN DELHI UNIVERSITY OUT ON ROADS
faculty members have also supported the initiative by students
- V.C. has formed a committee to look into the matter
- Assured students that things would be sorted out
- YOUTH FOR JUSTICE salutes our action heroes - Abhijeet, Vipul and Ramanand to come forward for the cause
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
VOLUNTEERS VISITED DELHI UNIVERSITY
new delhi, aug.22
YAMUNA SATYAGARAHA IS CONTINUED FOR 22nd DAY TODAY NEAR AKSHARDHAM TEMPLE ON YAMUNA FLOOD PLAIN.
Satyagrahis have organised an evening prayer at the satyagaraha sthala , many farmers from nearby villages have also joined the satyagrahis.with each passing day satyagraha is gaining strength and momentum.
today youth for justice volunteers visited delhi university and interacted with faculty members and students of Delhi School of Social Work to mobilize support for the cause. youth for justice action volunteers Hemraj singh, Preety Mehra and Kapil Mishra have also visited Delhi school of economics and Kirorimal collge in Delhi University.response fro student community is tremendous and peole from all walks of life are coming together and support the satyagraha.
Municiple councillor from ward no. 272 Dr.Annapurna Mishra have also extended her support on behalf of people of sonia vihar and decided to join the satyagraha.
this saturday Youth for Justice volunteer are going to interact with students of global bussiness operations(G.B.O.) of S.R.C.C. and Shri Rajender Singh Ji is also going to address them on same day.Youth for Justice has organised a candle light vigil on 26th August 2007 at Jantar Mantar at 5:00 PM to bring the issue in light.
YAMUNA SATYAGARAHA IS CONTINUED FOR 22nd DAY TODAY NEAR AKSHARDHAM TEMPLE ON YAMUNA FLOOD PLAIN.
Satyagrahis have organised an evening prayer at the satyagaraha sthala , many farmers from nearby villages have also joined the satyagrahis.with each passing day satyagraha is gaining strength and momentum.
today youth for justice volunteers visited delhi university and interacted with faculty members and students of Delhi School of Social Work to mobilize support for the cause. youth for justice action volunteers Hemraj singh, Preety Mehra and Kapil Mishra have also visited Delhi school of economics and Kirorimal collge in Delhi University.response fro student community is tremendous and peole from all walks of life are coming together and support the satyagraha.
Municiple councillor from ward no. 272 Dr.Annapurna Mishra have also extended her support on behalf of people of sonia vihar and decided to join the satyagraha.
this saturday Youth for Justice volunteer are going to interact with students of global bussiness operations(G.B.O.) of S.R.C.C. and Shri Rajender Singh Ji is also going to address them on same day.Youth for Justice has organised a candle light vigil on 26th August 2007 at Jantar Mantar at 5:00 PM to bring the issue in light.
YAMUNA BACHAO - DELHI BACHAO
KHELGAON KAHIN AUR BANAO
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