Content summary:
The Supreme Court of India, once credited with progressive judicial activism on its pro-poor judgments, is now treading a regressive path. It is clearly shifting its role towards economic activism and in the process ignoring the rights of the poor for elite interests. Recent judgments include permission to complete the Sardar Sarovar Dam despite non-settlement of compensation and resettlement of oustees, favouring builders in the Bombay Mill lands case as well as questioning the rights of slum dwellers. This issue of FOI includes two articles on the Narmada issue, which highlight the SC favouring so called 'development' over farmers and tribals.
The assault on democracy and free speech continues with state
governments as well. The Asian Development Banks 39th AGM in Hyderabad
saw thousands from across the Asian continent in the streets of the
city protesting the policies of the infamous institution. The YS Reddy
Government and Hyderabad police shutdown an anti-ADB film festival
citing it as an 'anti-government activity'. Several documentaries that
told the stories of valiant struggle of communities were to be
screened. We carry a detailed account of the 'Hyderabad Challenge' of
the Peoples Forum against the ADB AGM.
People are being denied information on food safety. The recent decision
of the Ministry of Environment and Forests through its agency Genetic
Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) calls for mandatory labelling of
only imported genetically engineered soyabean oil. For years people of
India were kept in the dark about hazardous genetically modified
soyabean oil that India had been importing through the US
multinationals such as Cargill India, ADM, Bunge and Lousie Drefus. In
fact through this notification the Indian Government legalises the
import of crude and refined genetically engineered soyabean oil.
However,
at least in the WTO, farmers and industrial workers of the developing
world got some respite because of the failure of the institution to
meet its April end deadline to finalize the modalities in Agriculture
and Non Agricultural Market Access (NAMA). The protests by developing
countries against undemocratic and non-inclusive agenda of the Director
General, Pascal Lamy, led to canceling of the Mini Ministerial, which
would have tried to push through a top down approach for negotiating
Agriculture and NAMA.We carry a brief update on the ongoing WTO
negotiations as well as a letter by International Civil Society
addressed to Lamy criticising his non-inclusive approach for concluding
the Doha Round.
You will also find a short note on the
Government of Maharastra's move to privatize water supply in Mumbai by
initiating a pilot project in the K-East ward with financial assistance
from the World Bank.
1. NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
2. STATEMENTS/ REPORTS/ CALLS TO ACTION
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