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Jun 18, 2013

Hubballi-Dharwad BRTS Environment Action Committee

Public Release

Impact of Citizens Movement for Sustainable

Development and Compensatory Plantation for theEcological Damage caused by the H-D BRTS project

Citizens and various voluntary organisations led by Rashtrotthan Sankalp Trust (RASTR)

under the banner of Hubballi-Dharwad BRTS Environment Action Committee have been

carrying on the struggle for implementing an eco-friendly BRTS in the twin cities since nearly

2 years. Over 25,000 people (including 20,000 online on website www.change.org) have

signed a petition to the government in support of the movement launched by the Committee.

Recently, the Committee had organised a Satyagraha on June 5 th in front of H-D BRTS Co.

on the occasion of the World Environment Dayto press for compensation for the ecological

damage caused by cutting of 1800 trees and plans to cut about 2000 more trees. The

Committee had also written to the World Bank, which is the major funding agency for this

project, to implement the project in an eco-friendly manner.

The World Bank representatives led by Ms. Nupur Gupta, Senior Transport Specialist, and

the BRTS Co. led by its chairperson, Ms. Manjula and Managing Director, Shri Noor Mansur

had invited the Hubballi-Dharwad BRTS Environment Action Committee to the BRTS Co.office in Rayapur, Dharwad on 15th June at 4 pm to discuss the concerns raised by the

Committee. During the meeting, the Chairperson of the H-D BRTS Co. & Ex-officio Principal

Secretary, Directorate of Urban Land Transport, Govt. of Karnataka, Ms. Manjula and the

World Bank representatives accepted majority of the demands made by the H-DBRTS

Environment Action Committee. The following points summarise the demands made by

RASTR and the Committee, and the commitments made by the BRTS and World Bank

authorities to the citizens.

1. RASTR and the Committee had demanded that 10 trees must be grown for every tree

cut for the project. Yielding to the demand, the BRTS Co. will grow 18,200 trees in

Hubballi-Dharwad.

2. Of the 18,200 trees, 4000 trees are to be grown along the widened highway, 1200 in the

BRTS Depots, 5000 trees will be grown in a plot of about 59 acres adjacent to

Sanjeevani park and the remaining 8000 trees will be grown in schools, colleges, lakes

and other public places in the twin cities.

3. RASTR and the H-D BRTS Environment Action Committee had demanded that a

Committee of environmental experts and citizens must be constituted to monitor the

environmental aspects of the BRTS project, particularly to oversee the compensatory

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plantation works. Accepting the demand, the BRTS Co. has announced formation of a

Green BRTS Committee, which will include the MD of the company, the Deputy

Conservator of Forests, Dharwad, an expert from the University of Agricultural Sciences,

Dharwad, and representatives of Civil Society organisations. The Managing Director of

BRTS Co. has nominated Shri Santosh P. Nargund, Adhyaksh of RASTRand Convener

of the H-D BRTS Environment Action Committeeas one of the members of the Green

BRTS Company.

4. The BRTS Co. stated that 1 m width of space was reserved on both sides of the BRTS

corridor for avenue plantation, where 4000 trees are to be planted. The H-D BRTS

Environment Action Committeerejected this small space for growing trees. Such a small

space for planting trees may also cause obstruction to utility cables along the road. The

Committee has demanded for larger space of 3 meters for avenue plantation.

5. The H-D BRTS Environment Action Committeewelcomed the announcements made by

the BRTS Co. However, it demanded that all commitments are made in writing and

published to the citizens. Responding to this, the BRTS Co. has assured that a draft

Plantation Plan will be published by end of June and a final plan will be published after

considering suggestions from the Green BRTS Committeeand the citizens.

6. The H-D BRTS Environment Action Committee conveyed to the authorities, that no

further trees must be cut without a compensatory plantation plan in place. If the

authorities fail to do so or if any of the commitments are not kept, the H-D BRTS

Environment Action Committee will be compelled to take action including launching a

Chipko Andolan or explore legal means to pressurize the authorities to keep there

commitments.

The H-D BRTS Environment Action Committeethank the citizens for their whole hearted

participation in this movement for a greener and better future and the media for

supporting the cause by positive and detailed coverage of the movement. We seek

continued participation of the citizens and support from the media for this sacred cause.

Jai Hind!

Santosh P. Nargund, Adhyaksh, RASTR& Convener, H-D BRTS Environment Action Committee

H-D BRTS Environment Action Committee members:

Sl.No.

Name Organisation Role

1 Santosh P. Nargund Rashtrotthan Sankalp Trust (RASTR) Convener2 Sham Kamat Corporate Consultant Co-Convener

3 Farid HabibJana Sangram Parishat, Samaj ParivartanSamudaya

Co-Convener

4 R. S. PatilkulkarniConsumer Protection & ResearchFoundation

Co-Convener

5 Arvind Meti Satya Shodhana Samiti Co-Convener6 Sandeep Melavanki Dharwad Schools Parents Association Co-Convener7 M. D. Patil Bharat Swabhiman Trust Co-Convener

Contact:9916135836, 9448117522, 9980282651, 9845175948, 9986960980, 9448360021