Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications, Saturday, Sep 20, 2003

EVEN as the captains of the Indian industry gathered here today to set off a major corporate green initiative, representatives of some non-governmental organisations and people’s movements termed the effort as `Greenwashing Corporates Crimes’, criticising the corporate world for causing damage to environment.

Led by Samata, an NGO working in tribal areas in the north-coastal Andhra Pradesh, the protestors alleged that the corporates were shedding “crocodile tears”. (more…)

The Environment in the News | Tuesday, 16 September 2003

Tick-Tock Of Doom

Radioactive spectres haunt Andhra as Nagarjuna Sagar awaits a uranium mine nearby

S. ANAND, NITIN A. GOKHALE

At the end of the nuclear dream may lie the terrible reality of human and environmental waste. As the department of atomic energy (dae) desperately digs for new sources of natural uranium in Andhra Pradesh, the costs could be enormous. Having left a trail of deformed children and unexplained deaths of miners in Jaduguda, Jharkhand, the nuclear establishment is all set to spread the radioactive threat

Radio Red to hundreds of villages in the southern state. That is the fear which currently stalks anti-nuclear and health activists. They even warn against the impact on the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. (more…)

The Hunger Project, August 2003

By John Coonrod and Supriya Banavalikar

We’re currently on a trip to 7 states of India, seeing the progress in The Hunger Project’s campaign to empower grassroots women leaders to be key change agents for the end of hunger.

One of the top priorities for this trip has been the first pilot test of the new “Ending Hunger in India” Briefing – a workshop designed to call forth a cadre of influential leadership who understand and advocate The Hunger Project’s analysis and strategy. The workshop was held at our national office in New Delhi on India’s independence day – August 15th – with 18 representatives from diverse organizations. At the conclusion of the workshop, a flag-hoisting ceremony was held on the roof of The Hunger Project office led by 96-year-old General Dubey and 4-year old Aditi – representing a century of India. (more…)

TIMES NEWS NETWORK | AUGUST 17, 2003

HYDERABAD: The proposed uranium mining project in Nalgonda district has attracted the attention of the major political parties with Congress, MIM, CPI and CPM demanding that the government should put the project on hold until a consensus is reached on the utility and safety of the project.

This opinion emerged at a round table on ‘Dangers of the proposed uranium mining project’ organised by the Forum for Utilisation of Godavari Waters on Saturday. “It is unfortunate that the self proclaimed environmentalist chief minister has chosen to remain silent on uranium mining despite several apprehensions being raised about the project,” said APCC president D Srinivas, while criticising the state government’s “indifferent” attitude on the issue. (more…)

The Times of India, August 12, 2003

HYDERABAD: The meeting held to sort out the differences of opinion between the Uranium Corporation of India (UCIL) and various NGOs on the risk involved in uranium mining in Nalgonda district witnessed heated debate, with both sides unwilling to give the other an inch.

The meeting was held at the behest of the UCIL on the proposed Lambapur-Peddagattu uranium mining plant in Nalgonda district. (more…)

The Hindu, 14th July 2003

People’s Democracy | December 22, 2002

The charter of demands for a better life for the tribal peoples should consist of the following:

1. 1. Stop alienation of land belonging to the tribal people; plug loopholes in existing laws and take steps to restore land transferred from adivasis. Register land records for tribal lands. In scheduled areas under Fifth Schedule, adhere to the Samata judgement of Supreme Court regarding use of land for industrial and commercial purposes.
   2. Takeover surplus lands above ceiling and distribute them to landless adivasis along with other landless families. Provide irrigation facilities in remote tribal areas. Allot degraded forest land to tribal people.
   3. Amend the Forest Act in such a manner as to recognise the rights of adivasi forest dwellers to access and use of forests. People’s participation in forests through community management should be introduced.

(more…)

The Hindu | August 13, 2002

Ravi Rebbapragada has been mobilising tribals to fight for their rights through Samata, a voluntary organisation. This small grass roots movement, started 15 years ago, has today emerged as a state and national level lobby and advocacy institution.

MY CHILDHOOD was spent in the hills of Andhra Pradesh. As the son of a forest officer, I had the privilege of living in the forests amidst wildlife and tribal people. I started my schooling in Anakapalli (Visakhapatnam district) and moved to Hyderabad a few years later. Subsequently I did my B. Com. From Bhadruka College, Hyderabad. Armed with a PG Diploma in Rural development from Madras Christian College, I ventured into the forests many years later to refresh my childhood memories of the hills. The barren hill slopes and the endless battles of the tribals with the Government, outside world and nature, shocked me and I realised how inadequate and ill-equipped my degree was. (more…)

TIMES NEWS NETWORK | K RAMA RAYALU | MARCH 05, 2002

HYDERABAD: The issue pertaining to the land acquired for setting up a steel plant by the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) in Nagarnar in the predominantly tribal district of Bastar in Chhattisgarh is snowballing into a controversy.

According to Rebbapragada Ravi, Executive Director of Samata, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) working in the field of tribal rights and environment for the past 17 years, around 50,000 villagers belonging to Nagarnar, Kasturi, Maganpur and Amanguda gathered in a grand assembly of gram sabhas on March 2 and 3 to oppose the land acquisition. (more…)

Outlook, 24 December 2001

After Ravi Rebbapragada finished his post-graduation from the Madras Christian College in 1985, he decided to go back to Chintapalli, a tribal village in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari district. Childhood memories were too strong for him to stay away from a place where he grew up with his father who worked for the Indian Forest Service. But the return was not as pleasant as he had imagined. Ravi was horrified by what he found—the picturesque little village of his childhood had vanished to give way to a teeming town. What shocked him even more was the plight of the local tribals—having missed the “development” bus, they were totally marginalised, with not even one of them having found a decent job. (more…)