Pramod-Van, Chitrakoot, M.P. Date: 14/04/08
Re: My Intention of “Fasting Unto Death” for Conservation of BHAGIRATHI
Dear: …………………………………...
1. As you are aware, R. Bhagirathi Ganga has a very special place in Indian culture, thought and tradition. In the past few years, however, the continuity, quantity, quality and regime of flows is being disrupted for generation of hydro-electricity like all other rivers. Already in the reach downstream of Maneri, long stretches of Bhagirathi remain water less for long periods. In near future this may become the state of the entire river. As a serious student of environment sciences and as a faithful Hindu, this is hard for me to swallow. I strongly believe that at least Bhagirathi upstream of Uttarkashi should be spared of any works that disturb it’s natural flow-regime, ecology, purity or piety and, after brooding over it for several months, I have decided to oppose such works with all the might I have.
2. What might do I have to oppose such works in the face of the terrible lust for money, material comforts and particularly for electrical energy both on part of the governments and masses alike at the present state of our country? Well, I Pride to be from a culture that places the power of “Sacrifice and asceticism” (tapasya) above all other powers. And what is the use and meaning of “faith” if one is not willing to sacrifice for it! So after deep deliberation I have decided to “fast-unto-death” to oppose the destruction of this ecological marvel and the epitome of Hindu cultural “faith”.
3. In Chitrakoot, where Lord Rama performed his Tapasya, on his auspicious birth-day, Ram-Navami, April 14, 2008, I hereby resolve, that barring circumstances unforeseen, I shall go on a “fast-unto-death” from Ganga-Dashehra, June 13, 2008 to oppose the foul meddling going on with the stream of Bhagirathi upstream of Uttarkashi. May Lord Rama give me the strength of staying firm in my resolve. 4. In the name of your affection and concern for me, I pray to you not to do anything that may even distantly try to make me waiver from my resolve and if by any means, you find me your blessings.
5. After May 15, 2008, I plan to stay somewhere around Uttarkashi most of the time. You could find my location from either M.C. Mehta Environmental Foundation (Tel: 011-41756519) or from People’s Science Institute (Tel: 0135-2763649)
With affectionate good wishes, Your own cultural conscience
(S/dG.D. Agrawal)
Prof. G. D. Agarwal
the scientist and rishi
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Dr. G. D. Agrawal Scientist and Rishi
Dr. G. D. Agrawal Scientist and Rishi
Meeting Dr. G. D. Agrawal in his spartan, two room cottage in Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh, you would never guess what an accomplished and distinguished scientist he is – first Member-Secretary of the Government of India’s Central Pollution Control Board, former Head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at IIT Kanpur and a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. The list goes on and on.
Yet this eminent professional sweeps his own floors, washes his own clothes and cooks his own meals. He retains only a few possessions and dresses in homespun khadi. At the age of 76, his main mode of transport within Chitrakoot is a bicycle and when he travels further afield, he goes by ordinary bus and second-class train. These are the deliberate choices of a devout Hindu whose deepest values are for simplicity and reverence for nature. Dr G.D. Agrawal is the doyen of environmental engineering professionals in India. Well past retirement, he continues to teach and inspire students as an Honorary Professor of Environmental Sciences at the Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, in Chitrakoot (M.P.).
Dr Agrawal is a much sought-after EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) consultant and a Director of Envirotech Instruments (P) Limited, New Delhi – a company that he established with some of his former students from IIT-Kanpur. He is an engineer’s engineer, the person senior professionals turn to for solutions to difficult technical problems. At CPCB he was instrumental in shaping India’s pollution control regulatory structure. He has been a member of various official committees for policy-making and administrative mechanisms to improve India’s environmental quality.
Dr Agrawal is a legendary and inspiring teacher whose students remember him with awe, admiration and affection. In 2002, his former students at IIT-Kanpur conferred on him the Best Teacher Award. He has guided scores of Masters and Doctoral students who are now leaders in the field of environmental engineering and science. Among his more prominent students was the late Anil Agrawal, the trail-blazing founder of the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi.
Dr Agrawal has been deeply committed to supporting rural development initiatives grounded in scientific methodology. Among others, he has helped mentor well-known development activists like Dunu Roy (IIT-Bombay,’67) of The Hazards Centre, New Delhi, Dr Ravi Chopra (IIT-Bombay,’68) of People’s Science Institute, Dehra Doon and Rajendra Singh, a Magsaysay awardee and founder of Tarun Bharat Sangh.
Born in a farming family in Kandhla (Muzaffarnagar district, U.P.) in 1932, he did his schooling locally and graduated in Civil Engineering from the University of Roorkee (now IIT-Roorkee).
He started his career as a Design Engineer in the Irrigation Department, Uttar Pradesh and later obtained a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley. He has dozens of scientific publications to his credit. Dr Agrawal is both deeply religious and rigorously scientific.
His passionate devotion to the River Ganga comes from his strong Hindu faith; his conviction that we are staring at an unprecedented ecological and cultural catastrophe comes from his powerfully logical mind. As a citizen and a patriot, he has made it his life’s mission to recall India to its glorious traditional reverence for nature and to share that wisdom with the “developed” world. His sense of his duty allows him to do no less.
Meeting Dr. G. D. Agrawal in his spartan, two room cottage in Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh, you would never guess what an accomplished and distinguished scientist he is – first Member-Secretary of the Government of India’s Central Pollution Control Board, former Head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at IIT Kanpur and a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. The list goes on and on.
Yet this eminent professional sweeps his own floors, washes his own clothes and cooks his own meals. He retains only a few possessions and dresses in homespun khadi. At the age of 76, his main mode of transport within Chitrakoot is a bicycle and when he travels further afield, he goes by ordinary bus and second-class train. These are the deliberate choices of a devout Hindu whose deepest values are for simplicity and reverence for nature. Dr G.D. Agrawal is the doyen of environmental engineering professionals in India. Well past retirement, he continues to teach and inspire students as an Honorary Professor of Environmental Sciences at the Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, in Chitrakoot (M.P.).
Dr Agrawal is a much sought-after EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) consultant and a Director of Envirotech Instruments (P) Limited, New Delhi – a company that he established with some of his former students from IIT-Kanpur. He is an engineer’s engineer, the person senior professionals turn to for solutions to difficult technical problems. At CPCB he was instrumental in shaping India’s pollution control regulatory structure. He has been a member of various official committees for policy-making and administrative mechanisms to improve India’s environmental quality.
Dr Agrawal is a legendary and inspiring teacher whose students remember him with awe, admiration and affection. In 2002, his former students at IIT-Kanpur conferred on him the Best Teacher Award. He has guided scores of Masters and Doctoral students who are now leaders in the field of environmental engineering and science. Among his more prominent students was the late Anil Agrawal, the trail-blazing founder of the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi.
Dr Agrawal has been deeply committed to supporting rural development initiatives grounded in scientific methodology. Among others, he has helped mentor well-known development activists like Dunu Roy (IIT-Bombay,’67) of The Hazards Centre, New Delhi, Dr Ravi Chopra (IIT-Bombay,’68) of People’s Science Institute, Dehra Doon and Rajendra Singh, a Magsaysay awardee and founder of Tarun Bharat Sangh.
Born in a farming family in Kandhla (Muzaffarnagar district, U.P.) in 1932, he did his schooling locally and graduated in Civil Engineering from the University of Roorkee (now IIT-Roorkee).
He started his career as a Design Engineer in the Irrigation Department, Uttar Pradesh and later obtained a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley. He has dozens of scientific publications to his credit. Dr Agrawal is both deeply religious and rigorously scientific.
His passionate devotion to the River Ganga comes from his strong Hindu faith; his conviction that we are staring at an unprecedented ecological and cultural catastrophe comes from his powerfully logical mind. As a citizen and a patriot, he has made it his life’s mission to recall India to its glorious traditional reverence for nature and to share that wisdom with the “developed” world. His sense of his duty allows him to do no less.
Comments in the petition to the P.M.
- I am State Coordinator for organising the National Children's Science Congress in all the districts of Uttar pradesh behalf of Science based Voluntary Organisation named VICAS-Voluntary Institute for Community Applied Science, HD - 86, ADA Colony Naini, District- Allahabad Uttar Pradesh-211008. We are agtree to save Bhagirathi River to save environment and eco system an associated with this movement. Government should stop the panning of construction of the dam for any purpose by imediate action. - Dr. Satyendra Kumar Singh
- This is a noble effort for a noble cause. This must prompt the scientists and engineers of our nation to review their current knowledge base and approach towards the management of Himalayan rivers. As of now, the reductionism steeped in their knowledge base is precluding a comprehensive vision. This knowledge base is poor, weak, outdated and deficient to understand Himalayan rivers and their behavior holistically. As a consequence of application of such knowledge base, ecology, culture and livelihood is being destroyed. There must be a country-wide agitation to help & support this fight against social and ecological injustice and impel the government for an inclusive, comprehensive knowledge base and an open, reliable and accesible information on the Himalayan rivers, if we are responsible citizens of India. - Bidisha Kumar
- The british eventhogh spoiled our culture, they are not spoiled our environment. Let this will be an eye opener to our representatives of our so called secular constitution.Government is doing business now. Instead of carrying welfare of nation, evey sector is exploited, Very recently the SEZ. making the farmer as farm labor. Why the Industrial Policy of the Goverment not identifying the waste land, dry lands for Industrial development. Why they want only agriculture lands. Today we are not interested to safeguard the interest of the farmer who gives us the ample food to us.. with out food and environment security, what is the value for the paper currency. Let us preserve our culture, rivers, our environment. - rajsekharan pillai, India
- Another wilful blunder to dam the Ganges!! Please, Mr. Prime Minister, you know better and should stop this insanity. - Veena Talwar Oldenburg, U.S.A.
- Already at several places the Ganga has mostly dried up or has been reduced to a nullah. I fully agree with the cause and commend Prof. Agarwal on his momentous and visionary decision. - Shirish Ranade, India
- In the abiding interest of the survival of the human race and its struggle toward harmony with all the earth, my thoughts are with Prof. Agarwal, his family and his colleagues. I hope that his fast comes to a successful end along with the ending of the plans to dam the river Ganges. - Caitlin McAteer, US
- Dear Prime Minister: Please do not disturb Mother GANGAji any more than has already been done. It hurts our sentiments. Besides, all scientific evidence points to the folly of the scheme. Thanks and Regards. - Abhijit Bhattacharyya, USA
- Water and water ways are the focal point of human existence on the planet.We need to take care of them so that this dwindling reource continues to sustain our very existence. - Deepak & Neeta Agarwal
- Water rights are part of fundamental basic human rights. We need a global solution for what is truely a more global problem. We can work togheter to help India come up with a viable soution for the greater good. - Elizabeth Peters, New York, USA
- I am NRI and could feel and see the amount of awareness that ecological issues have in Canada. I can compare the amount of apathy Indians have toward this issue - Vivek Mishra, Canada
- Construction of dams on all major rivers is not always good for the nation and this fact must be seriously considered. This is very relevant in the case of river GAnga, which is the lifeline of a major part of our society and the country, alike. It may be worth constructing smaller dams along the river so that not only the pupose is served, the river and its dependents are permitted to survive. I beleive that the construction of Dam on Ganga be stopped till a full reveiw of its impacts on our nantional and cultural heritage is properly studied. - Pramod Tyagi, India
- I support the cause highlighted by Dr.G D Agarwal and vow to join him in his efforts if he is not heard. - Ashim Das, India
- Environmental destruction such as this today is going to result in IRREVERSIBLE damage and huge catastrophies. We have to stop before its too late. - Nandita Shah, India
- First time I found a person with the same thinking as me. - ANAS JAMAL, India
- Water is life. The earlier we learn and uderstand the better for our generation next. - Bhismadev Mazoomdar, Dubai
- Nature Foundation,Sangli, members support the satyagriha to save the rivers of India.Will join the satyagriha and fast for a day. - Nature Foundation,Sangli.
- BHAGIRATHI and other tributaries of GANGA river should not be dammed ,diverted and distroyed. These are not just rivers; these are lifeline of India and cultural foundations of Sanatan Dharma which calls for amity with nature and well-being of all . SARVE BHAVANTU SUKHINAH. - Dr. Bharatendu Prakash
- Lethal effects of intense irrigation has already surfaced.There are many success stories on the cultivation of rice with no water logging.Its better for the prime minister to open his eyes with a new vision and open ness to climate change consequences.We need to have complete moratorium on any hydro projects which are badly impacting the ecosystem - L.C.Nagaraj
- I just completed my trip to Badrinath with my family and was pained to see these massive dam structures are being planned. I am sure after five years or so, our future generations may not be able to see the flowing of most sacred rivers be it Ganga, Bhagirathi, Manthagini or whatever. In the interest of environment and to maintain the sacredness, can't we stop this? - Rangarajan AL
- We need to preserve holy river Ganga - while around the world there are so many initiatives to protect the environment we need to protect the lifeline of India. - Sanjay Saini
- As one who has been a regular visitor to the region i cannot understand the naivety of the decision makers!!! How can one allow the murder of one of the last bastions of nature and its ecology. The damage to the environment will be incalculable. Further we are at a time in history where the global need of the hour is to support NATURE and to bring about a quantum shift in human perspective, so as to really understand the need to live in harmony with nature. This wayward scheme across the Bhagirthi already has so many implications which only the hill people know of. It does not take nature too long to recover from you ,what you took away from it. Divine Justice waiting to happen!! - is this what we want ?? - Sanjiv Malvi
- Ganga is unlike other rivers, we call it GANGA Ji,it is like our mother,I fully support Dr.Agarwal's stand but fast unto death is a harsh step for insensitive administration - SHUBH KHORANA
- Please stop this mindless destruction of a vital lifeline and source of livelihoods for millions along the course of this holy and mighty river that is much more than just a river. Best energy conservation practices and curbing T&D losses can free up several times the power that may be generated from these projects. - Parimala Rao
- Inspite of repeated experiences with large dams that have proved disastrous both ecologically and also in terms of displacement of large sections of poor and marginalized, fresh attempts to construct more dams is very disturbing. Can we ever learn from the past and make better decisions today to have a decent future, I wonder! - Nirmala Tammineni
- The government should explore alternatives large dams & hydrow power plants with the concomitant destruction to encosystem, plants, animals and various indigenous and tribal societies. - Hari Krishna Tadepalli, USA
- Ganges’ is a sure way to kill ‘Bharat's spirit. Not only for environmental, ecological, cultural, historical, religious reasons do we support Professor G D Agrawal but for geographical reasons too!!! Imagine India with its majestic Himalayas destroyed with the Ganges. - DR. KSHAMA METRE
- I have just travelled along the Bhagirathi around Gangotri and Tehri. What has been done to the river in Tehri will have consequences, as will the tunnels that are being built around Uttarkashi. It's astonishing that the government can't see the enormity of the dangers and continues to act myopically in the face of facts. The debate on large dams has to be re-opened. - Dr. Aseem Shrivastava
- Dr.GDAgrawal's momentous decision is very significantt development , in the sense, that a very well-known and widely respected Scientist is taking this important and ultimate step(fast-unto-death) should open the eyes of the Govt of India and that of Uttarakhand. It should also lead to widespread opposition from other renowned scintists and others leading to effective public pressure on the Govts to not only stop the projects on the R.Bhagirathi but also lead to enlighted debate on the development model being adopted and persued aggressivelyby our Govts - S.R.Hiremath,Founder President, National Committee for the Protection of Natural Resources(NCPNR) & Exec Director, Samaj Parivartana Samudaya(SPS),Dharwad,Karnataka
- Damn the Dam.Save the river. - GEETA PANICKER
- Faith and science both demand that the Bhagirathi must flow unrestrained in its upper reaches. Other countries are decommissioning dams built on pristine rivers. Is nothing sacred anymore for us Indians? - Ravi Chopra
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4 comments:
I support the cause highlighted by Dr.G D Agarwal.
I have an humble suggestion:-
All those who feel similar should contribute to ensure the timely publicity of the intiative by Dr.G D Agarwal in National & if possible in international Press & other media.
- Sushil Kumar Jain,Ghaziabad (INDIA)
Its very pity to see people comments like anything without knowing the fact related to water resource managment,hydrology, geological science etc. There is no such thing as minimum flow which can satisfy entire components of Bhagirathi river ecosystem or any other ecosystem. In fact words like habitat, holistic are only for argumentative purpose. Environmentalists do not give any figure that what should be the minimum flow. They take shelter of words like sustainable, comprehensive, integrated etc
When a project get clearance a well defined procedures are followed. In decision taking process geologist, hydrologist, environmnental science personnel, civil engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers and finance personnels etc are involved. All these persons are excellent in there field and come to ther service through most competitive exams. They can not be simply fool.
A environmentalist who sat on fast one fine day at the age of 80 and start telling the world that Bhagirathi runs dry. With timeframe every thing changes. There was a time when there was no Bhagirathi and Tethys sea was there. So many rivers in the geological time scale got extinguished and re-created. There are countless species which extinguished during transition of every geological era. Researcher have proofed that in egypt the Sphinx have suffered heavy water erosion,whereas water and rain were only present in Egypt during the distant past - 11,000 years ago. So,all disturbances are not necessarily due to man.
Climate change is a natural phenomena. Glaciers may melt and one fine day Bhagirathi river may run dry in spite of suspension of dam building activities in Bhagirathi, then what will G.D.Aggarwal do then ...if he is alive?
With the halting of projects, the projects envisaged for certain benefits will vanish. Environmentalists convince people that Bhagirathi is eternal and by just looking at it the people would get eternal happiness instead of economic upliftment. This is simply ridiculous and making us fool.
- A. K. Agrawal
Raja... Thanks for forwarding this link to the team...
I am not an environmentalist but I disagree with Arvind Aggrawal... There can be two causes of change in ecosystem - created by nature itself and created by human beings... The later is not accepted espacially when you are not sure about the consequences and you have better alternatives...
Building step dams is a better alternative rather than big dams... these are cost effective, capable of generating electricity, maintainance is easy and there are no threats of lives (accidental - due to lack of maintainance or human mistake OR intentional - by terrorists) as in case of big dams. No doubt, each time a big dam is built, a lot of security is required... However, breaking these securities is not too difficult when there are terrorists groups having sucide attackers in their teams...
No doubt that everything in this world is volatile and will meet to the end at some point of the infinite time domain. This includes human being, our planet, our galaxy and the bigger systems, but we can not put our life in danger today just because we are about to die tomorrow. The science can save human race from environmental collapses on the earth i.e. climate change, super volcano, snowball earth, environmental radiations or from external threats but definately we should not invite the problems by ourselves by doing things which create unpredictable consequences. This is just to stay more on the earth though we know that there is an end to everything.
I stay firm with Prof. G.D.Agrawal and all my best wishes and support to him for the cause he is fighting for...
Arvind Tripathi
An alumnus of MGCGV
I Agree to Both Prof. Agarwal and Mr. Arvind Agarwal.
Mr. Arvind is right in the sense, that government comprimising of Politicians and Bureaucrats don't sit and decide that there should be a dam at Harki Pauri, Haridwar. There is a Evnvironment Impact Assement by top IITian and Intellectuals of India and That also says that extreme impact would be change of Hydrology.
But here i wanna ask you all wise people. when we know that Glaciers all over the world are retreating due to climate change, and say after some 50 years Ganges would be a Monsoon fed river, so whats the point of hydrology change.
Will then Prof. Agarwal , write letter to Nature or Supreme power.
And when Lohar Nag scheme was already passed and 600 Crore were inveted on it, why you stopped it.
People are dying for chappati, and you are going on tapasya in a car.
200 crore will be wasted in its closure works.
Instead Prof. Agarwal, i myself would have joined you, if you would have taken this step when blue print of the scheme was being prepared.
That 1000 Crore would have been use to feed people, teach people to respect Ganga and don't through 3000 MLD of sweage water in Ganga.
Also, when after 50 years Ganga would be seasonal river and India would be facing acute water scarsity, i hope ground water recharged by the Dams, can help coming generations sir...
Lets don't think of our statemanship, think of future generations.
Long Live INDIA..
Jai Hind......
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