State-level Workshop and farmers' rally

Mangalore, August 28 - 30, 2005

The Nagarika Seva Trust, Guruvayankere (Dakshina Kannada) organised a state-level workshop in Mangalore on August 28, 2005 along with Krishkara Vedika, Karnataka, D K Parisarasaktara Okkuta and Mahila Jagruti Vedike. The objective was to understand, analyse and oppose the anti-farmer, anti-common people and anti-environment policies and acts that the state had introduced.

Over 200 participants took part in the deliberations. Ms Vandana Shiva, Ms Norma Alvares and Mr Datta Desai analysed the seed and patent acts, the environment policy 2004, and the national water policy, respectively.

The workshop unanimously passed the following resolutions:

1. The Proposed Seed Act 2004 is totally against the interests of farmers and agriculture. When we already have the Seed Act 1966, the new act is not necessary. The only purpose of the proposed new act is to allow MNCs to establish their monopoly over the seed market, which will ruin agriculture and agriculturists. We resolve to press the government to give up the bill in toto.
2. The three amendments to the Indian Patent Act at the behest of WTO are anti-people, anti-environment and anti-agriculture. We resolve to demand that seeds and living organisms be excluded from the Patent Act.
3. We have many laws regarding environmental protection. The need is to implement these acts,. The government has however introduced the Environment Policy 2004, that does not have the environmental concern as priority but apparently intends to weaken the existing laws so that industries can get quicker clearnaces, We therefore demand the giving up of the Environment Policy 2004. We have also decided to formulate a comprehensive alternative environment policy involving environmentalists, academicians, activists and farmers and tribals.
4. Lately, the state and central governments have been promoting policies regarding water which totally disregard the principles of basic human rights and social justice and trying to make water a commodity for sale. This is obviously to enable MNCs to market water at huge profit. Projects like river linking and the World Bank supported 24X7 water supply schemes for big cities are being promoted to privatise water sources and distribution. We totally oppose these projects including the diversion of the Netravati river.
5. Mega project and industries - People of Dakshina Karnataka and Udupi districts had resolutely opposed the establishment of the Congentrix Power Project as it would have been totally detrimental to environment and ecology of the two districts. But again new coal-based power generation plants are being planned in these two districts which we oppose in toto. We further demand that any mega project in future should not be considered without first doing a thorough study of the environment's carrying capacity and obtaining people's consent.
6. Degradation of agriculture and farmers' suicides - The promotion by MNCs of what is called modern agriculture which makes farmers dependent on MNCs for seeds, chemicals, fertilizers, pesticides and other expensive inputs are destroying soil fertility, making agriculture economically unviable and is leading to indebtedness among farmers, driving them to suicide. We therefore demand that the state should adopt pro-agriculture, pro-farmer policies like providing incentives, encouragement and assistance to organic farmers.
7. The health and well-being of forests and tribals are so woven together that you cannot separate one from the other. We therefore demand new policies should promote the interests of both together.
8. If the government wants to bring any new policies, bills or acts relating to people or environment, then copies of the drafts in vernacular languages should be made available to gram panchayats well in advance and they should be passed only after 2/3 majority approval of PRIs.
9. The process of PRis needs to be continued by making Jamabandi a ground reality.

Future course of action

We, the activists gathered here from all over Karnataka, resolve to take up various programmes and activities to create awareness among the toiling people and will observe the fortnight from October 2 to October 16 as sovereignty fortnight in all districts and organise a state-level massive people's convention in Bangalore on October 17, 2005.

On August 20, over 10,000 farmers protested in Mangalore against the anti-farmer and anti-environment policies. They ratified these resolutions at the end of the meeting.