Stephen Lee Ostrowski
Author / Musician
In the late summer of 2007 I decided that I would go to India after Christmas. This was prompted by the need to get away and by a listing that I came across for the IVCS in a Worlwide volunteers handbook.
The IVCS is an organisation run by Jyoti & Mukhat Singh that raises money to help education projects in Uttar Pradesh, Northern India. I spent many weeks on one such project which is the already established Amarpurkashi Rural Polytechnic. Without the existense of the IVCS poor families would not be able to educate their children to the standards set at this learning establishment.
Over the years the school has grown and has been dependant for the most part on outside funding and donations. Part of this money comes in the form of payment from project visitors to Amarpurkashi. Spending a month or two in Amarpurkashi is an ideal introduction to India. Here you will learn about the culture of the people, the food, and the schooling system, and you will learn some basic Hindi to aid you on your travels. India is moving fast as a growing economy but standards of living for most of the rural population is still very poor and pollution is a growing concern. Despite that, India is a vibrant, colourful and fascinating country that everyone should endeavour to visit sometime in their lives.
Click on the link below for the IVCS. They will give you all the information you need to know on flights, vaccines, visa's, and travel arrangements that you will need to visit India.
Click on the website address below to be taken to the IVCS. Namaste....
Pollution in India
Pollution in India is a major problem. The notes below record the efforts being made to address the problem in Uttar Pradesh in Northern India.
Presentation on Pollution 23rd July 2008 Asian Foundation for Philanthropy Describe the situation before the paper industries were set up in the area River banks, pastures, birds and animals by the river Natural ponds of water for buffaloes Cattle grazed freely by roadside and river banks Clean air, quiet atmosphere Winters of clear skies Asthma and jaundice extremely rare Hand-pump water cleaner than water from wells Water level only 30 ft No employment opportunities locally Greater poverty Five paper-making factories first Shakumbri Straw Products set up a factory on our side of the river then another company set up a paper factory on the other side of the river next Shakumbri set up three more paper mills in the local area and finally, the original Shakumbri factory expanded so much that now they generate their own electricity; Hundreds of acres of good quality agricultural land acquired River water is extremely polluted. It smells very bad and the smell is carried on the air to nearby villages. The water is black with brown and white foam on surface Underground water and drinking water is polluted. Poor people in the nearby villages who depend on drinking water either from a well or their own shallow hand pumps suffer with a number of water borne diseases. The death rate from jaundice and respiratory diseases has increased significantly. Domestic hand pumps now need a boring of at least 100 feet. Such a deep boring is very expensive and most villagers cannot afford this. The factories use huge amounts of water and as a result, water levels have dropped. All natural ponds have dried up. Buffaloes are no longer taken to bathe in the water since there IS no water left for them to use. Polluted water is released into the river by the factories. However, it stagnates there. The river is narrow and only flows in the monsoon season. The water therefore accumulates and before long, it overflows onto the surrounding fields and ruins the farmers’ crops. This polluted water kills the organisms responsible for the fertility of the fields All grazing land has been polluted or destroyed. Buffaloes can no longer be taken to graze. The air is now heavily polluted. Black ash regularly falls on buildings, clothes, hair and skin. Factory uses rice husks for fuel which produces granular ash with silica that does not dissolve and can harm your eyes. Noise from factory whistles and the whirr of heavy machinery constantly disturbs the quiet of the countryside. In the early days, the paper factory used to dump ash at the side of the main road. Everyone assumed the ash was cold but it was not. There were live, hot coals inside the piles. There were horrific cases of animals, pedestrians and cyclists who walked through the ash or fell into it and received horrendous burns. That was when we first realised the consequences of industrialisation. At the time, 1995, we had a retired Environmental Engineer working for the project. He sent the very first letter of complaint to all the appropriate people - the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, the Governor of the state, the Regional, State and National Pollution Control Boards, and the Central Minister responsible for the environment. There was absolutely no response. Reminders were sent. Then, in 2002, with the help of the UP Voluntary Health Action Association in Lucknow, we arranged for an expert from Dehradun to test the water. The laboratory results showed clearly that the water was polluted. This report was sent to the authorities and local papers published the results. Once again there was no response of any kind. In October 2005, the polluted river water flowed onto the nearby fields. Farmers’ crops were badly damaged. Farmers suffered huge losses so they complained to the local Sub Divisional Magistrate at the weekly public meeting. Again no response and no action. However, we did not give up. Every day, in front of us, was evidence of the pollution and it was clearly getting worse. Over the next three years, farmers and people from local organisations complained to the local authorities and even staged peaceful protests. Finally, in February this year, all those affected by or concerned about the pollution held a meeting and formed a co-ordinating committee of which I was elected convenor. We were determined to get some action. On 12th Feb. 2008, we requested the authorities to implement seven proposals. If these proposals were fully implemented, they would provide a sustainable solution to the pollution. We sent these proposals to the State Pollution Control Board, the Chief Minister of U.P., the Governor of U.P. and the District Magistrate, Moradabad. They were also widely reported in the local media. We also informed the authorities that if no appropriate action was taken in the next ten days, then an indefinite protest would start on 22nd February. These were our proposals:- 1. Those farmers whose land and crops had been affected should be paid compensation equal to five times the damage to their crops. In order to determine this, the report submitted to the SDM in 2005 should be used. 2. An Environment Impact Assessment should be carried out by a committee of experts from the Agricultural and Technology University Meerut to assess the severity and extent of the damage caused by the paper mill and other factories in the area. 3. An expert team from the Health Department should investigate the effect of pollution on the health of local people and on the animal population of the area so that the dangers could be evaluated and solutions found. 4. The local underground water table is continuously going down because of excessive use of water by the polluting factories. A team of government and non-government experts should find out the rate at which this table is receding so that recharge tube wells can be set up. 5. Recycling of polluted water and other effluents such as ash must be done within the four walls of the polluting factories. 6. A welfare fund should be set up by the polluting industries to help the affected people of the immediate area. This would encourage good relations between industry and local residents. A tax not less than 5% of the turn over of these industries should be levied to help this fund. 7. The Task Force already set up by the government to deal with the problems of pollution in the Aril Nadi area should be extended to include members from the affected farmers and from non government voluntary organisations active in the immediate area. We felt that these proposals were realistic and gave a long-term, sustainable solution to the problems. Nothing happened and there was no response On 22nd February, indefinite protest began with a sit–in by the main road near the banks of the polluted river and close to the Shakumbhari Straw Products factory. All relevant authorities and the local administration were duly informed. For the next three days, we sent emails to all the authorities informing them of our actions and requesting them to do something. There was no response. On 25th February, we decided to begin a hunger strike the following day at 11 am. We informed the local authorities of our intention. At last we got a reaction! On 26th February, an hour before the fast was due to begin, the local Sub Divisional Magistrate and the Executive Engineer from the District Department of Irrigation arrived at the sit-in. They publicly stated that they agreed with all the proposals. The SDM promised that he would implement the first proposal straight away as that was within his power. He also said that he would recommend the remaining proposals to the local District Magistrate for implementation. We therefore cancelled the fast and suspended the protest. It seemed at that time that the local and district government administration had finally realised the seriousness of the situation and would definitely work for a sustainable solution. That was 26th February this year. For the next four months, we heard nothing. Nothing at all. On 15th May, I came to London for a short break. At the end of the month, we decided to send emails to all those friends who had been to Amarpurkashi and seen the pollution for themselves. We asked them to send emails voicing their concerns. We gave them the email addresses of four key government authorities. Suddenly, on the 24th June, we got a response. The SDM Bilari sent us a copy of a letter he had sent to the local District Magistrate. The letter said that the SDM had directed the local land revenue collector to receive applications for compensation from affected farmers so that a decision about compensation might be made. that he had requested the District Magistrate to direct the Regional Pollution Control Board to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment of the area and to ask them to take action on the other proposals. that he had requested the DM to direct the Underground Water Board to carry out research on the receding water table. that he had informed the DM that the district Chief Medical Officer had not yet carried out a survey to assess the impact of the pollution on the health of the people and animals in the area. We have heard nothing more since then but it is clear that our friends’ emails had an effect. All is not what it seems! Jyoti It is possible that you are thinking that India does not have all the necessary rules and regulations in place to prevent, minimise or otherwise sort out the problems of pollution. Our task would be much easier if this were the case. As it happens, India has all the rules, regulations and agencies for the protection of the environment that any advanced country has. On paper, everything is in place and in theory there shouldn’t be any pollution anywhere! Some idea of what India has in place – Mukat There is a state pollution board (the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board). Its job is to enforce the relevant acts and rules. These include the 1974 Act for the prevention and control of pollution of water, the 1981 Act to prevent and control air pollution and the 1986 Act to protect the environment. There are also regional laboratories at key cities throughout the state, including the city that is our own district capital. The main responsibilities of these regional offices include the inspection of industries, monitoring water bodies and waste water, monitoring air emissions, initiating legal action following from complaints and finally, any other matters that pertain to local pollution. The worst deception - Jyoti Trying to get justice done and the pollution stopped is made even harder because the factory operates the worst kind of deception. Since it was first set up, the paper mill has had the necessary equipment for treatment of all its effluents. However, the treatment plant is never run UNLESS an inspector is due to visit. The inspector always contacts the factory beforehand to let them know exactly when he will be coming. The treatment plant is switched on just before his arrival and turned off the moment he leaves. Naturally, he gives the factory a clean bill of health even though evidence of massive pollution is all around him. And last but not least, we now have another problem to resolve. The Task Force that was constituted to look at the pollution consists mostly of representatives from the factories. They have put forth their own proposals which are to make the river deeper and wider and to shore up the banks of the river by using sludge from the river. These short-term proposals do not in any way deal with the pollution. Chemical-laden water will still pour into the river; there will just be more of it. The sludge will slowly slip into the river and once more polluted water will overflow into the fields. What Can You Do? We have no doubt that your word matters and your letters have an impact. India is a democratic country; it has systems to deal with complaints. Even corrupt authorities who delay their decisions and actions in the hope that the complainants will forget their complaints, can not hold actions back indefinitely and one day, action will be taken. Our proposals are sound and are in the interest of all stakeholders. They offer a sustainable solution and will eventually have to be followed up, provided we do not give up. So we would really appreciate it if you would write or email the authorities and voice YOUR concern. If you are a representative from a corporation or organisation, then make sure you use your firm’s letterhead. That will give added weight to what you say. We have prepared a very simple sample letter which is just a guide that you may use if you wish. If you would like us to email the letter to you, please write your email address on the sheet that will be handed out and we will email it to you so that you can just paste it in. As you can see, to get the authorities to do their jobs is very difficult. Money speaks loudest in India and corruption is rife. The factory owners are millionaires and very powerful. Some of the officials we dealt with are clearly afraid of them. But pressure from outside India does have an effect. E-mail addresses to whom your email should be sent SAMPLE LETTER Name Address Date: Dear ……….., I recently had the opportunity to listen to a talk given by a voluntary development worker from India concerning his struggles to bring about a sustainable solution to the serious pollution caused by industries situated on the banks of the Aril River in the district of Moradabad. The paper mills have poisoned the local river, ruined crops in adjacent fields, contaminated underground water and spoilt the air for miles around with floating ash and noxious smells. Incidents of jaundice, asthma, dysentery and typhoid have risen dramatically and farmers suffer terrible financial loss every year when their crops are destroyed. Government officers have done nothing. As always, it is the poor and innocent who suffer most. A campaign protesting against this pollution has formulated seven proposals which address the problem in a sensible, sustainable way. I would therefore urge you to direct the local administration in Moradabad district to take immediate action to implement these proposals. Yours truly,