10 DECCANHERALD B Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Comment
ESTABLISHED 1948 A WELL-LAID CHINESE TRAP SPEAK OUT

Maratha demand
is misguided
The strategy of debt “Neither abuses nor bullets...
change will take place by embra-
cing... problems will be solved by
Usingitsownbrandof $600milliontomakeHambantotaport SriLankahasbeensensitivetoIndian embracing Kashmiris.”

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operational. security concerns vis-a-vis China’s pres-
ast week’s Maratha march in Mumbai was yet an- ‘debttrapdiplomacy,’China There have been local protests for enceintheIndianOceaninrecentyears. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister
otherexpressionoftherisingresentmentofamajor
isnowforcingsmaller months now against what the local op- The Sirisena government and the Modi
community in the country over its falling socio-
states,suchasSriLanka,to
position viewed as a plan to take over government have engaged each other Politiciansneitherlovenorhate.Interest,
economic status and shrinking opportunities in life. The a private land for an industrial zone in substantively. Whereas in 2014 China
marchstoppedIndia’scommercialcapitalformanyhours abidebyitsdictates. whichChinawillhaveamajorstake,and docked its submarines at Hambantota, notsentiment,directsthem. Philip Stanhope
and sent out the message that the community would controlovertheport.Reservationshave much to India’s annoyance, earlier this
persist with its agitation programme till its demand for also been expressed by the opposition year in May, Colombo refused to allow
reservations in education and employment is accepted
By Harsh V Pant parties, with some demanding that the
agreementnotbesignedtillitisdebated
China to dock a submarine at Colombo
port.
IN PERSPECTIVE

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and implemented by the government. The demand had ith Sri Lanka Ports Authority intheLankanparliament.
actuallybeenacceptedbythepreviousCongressgovern-
ment in the state, but it cannot be implemented because
reservations cannot exceed the 50% ceiling laid down by
agreeing to sell a 70% stake in
theHambantotaporttoChina
Merchants Port Holdings last month,
On a conquest
Sri Lanka’s case is a text-book example
of Beijing’s modus operandi in pursu-
Disempowering NGT:
the Supreme Court. This has not dissuaded the commu-
nity from pressing the demand and taking to the streets.
Sri Lanka finally concluded its $1.12 bn
agreement with the state-run Chinese
firmtooperatetheportinthesoutheast
ing China’s strategic interests. Other
countriesdoingbusinesswithChinaare
also facing similar situations. Cambo-
Money Bill deception
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced some
sops in the form of fee concessions and promised other
ofthecountry. dia’s external multilateral public debt, Amendmentstothe rol over appointments, and un-
The government gave its consent al- for example, now stands at $1.6 billion, derminestheindependence,ca-
benefits.Butthishasnotsatisfiedthecommunity. most six months after the framework whileitsbilateralpublicdebtwithChina NGTActviaFinance pabilityandeffectivenessofNGT
Reservations are meant to correct the historical iniqui- agreement was signed as the deal got
bogged down in local protests. Now, the
is $3.9 billion. And 80% of this is owned
bytheChinesestate.Chinahasemerged
Act,2017,dilute to carry out its function of envi-
ronmental protection and con-
tiesinsociety throughpositivediscriminationinfavourof
themostbackwardsections,includingtheSCsandtheSTs. stage is set for China Merchants Port as Cambodia’s largest military and eco- theenvironmental servationofnaturalresources.
Holdings to run the workings of the nomic partner, having disbursed about This dilution of the powers of
Thereisnorationaleforextendingthebenefittocommuni- newly constructed port over a 99-year $3 billion in concessional loans and
regulator’spowers. the NGT was challenged by for-
tiesliketheMarathaswhohavedominatedsocietysocially, leaseperiod. grantstoCambodiasince1992. mer minister for environment
economically and politically. They had not thought about For China, the Hambantota port has Questions are also being raised in By S G Vombatkere JairamRameshin theSupreme
reservations in the past. If they are seeking quotas now, it long been a strategic priority given its Malaysia about Chinese investments Court, which has issued notice

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is because the social equations and their status in society Maritime Silk Road ambitions, and Bei- and their future. The China-Pakistan he National Green Tribu- to the Union government. He
havechanged.Marathasarealand- jing has been quite active in trying to Economic Corridor is posing similar nal (NGT) was constituted argues that this dilution “is a
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| salvagethisdeal.SriLankaislocatedon dilemmasforPakistan,withmanyinthe under the NGT Act, 2010, serious encroachment into the
owning community that has been the critical sea route for oil shipments country raising concerns about the eco- to provide effective and expedi- composition and functioning of
mainly engaged in agriculture and travelling from the West Asia, making nomicviabilityoftheprojectandfearing tious disposal of cases relating the NGT and cannot be consti-
allied industries. It is the decline of energysecurityanimportantreasonfor After the Sirisena government came that Pakistan will end up becoming a to environmental protection tutionallycountenancedinlight
agriculture and of the rural econ- Chinatoinvestintheislandnation.Ithas to power in 2015, it was quite vocal in its colony of China. But given Pakistan’s and conservation of forests and ofseveraldecisionsoftheSC”.It
omy in general that has prompted beensuggestedbytheChinesefirmthat desire to reduce Sri Lanka’s reliance on economic health, it’s unlikely that these othernaturalresources,inkeep- also dilutes the role of the com-
such communities to look for state “with these maritime infra-structure China, but financial pressures became voiceswillbeheeded. ingwithArticle 48A, which req- mitteethatnominatestheexpert
investments, and other diverse invest- too hard to ignore. With the island na- Using its own brand of “debt trap di- uirestheStateto“protectandim- membersofthepanel.Itappears
support and to demand the rights mentssuchastheproposedinternation- tion’stotaldebtstandingat$64bn,almost provetheenvironmentandsafe-
plomacy,” China is now forcing smaller thattheUniongovernmenttook
and benefits enjoyed by the weaker almaritimecentre,SriLankawillbewell 95% of all government revenues go to- states to abide by its dictates. This will guardtheforestsandwildlife.” the “money-bill route” to avoid
“Solutionisto sections. Agriculture is no longer positioned to play a strategic role in the wardsdebtrepayment.Chinapresented haveperniciousconsequencesforthese The NGT, with its composi- discussioninParliament.
a profitable occupation and farm- one-belt-one-roadinitiativeofChina.” itselfasaneasierlenderoflastresort. states and is likely to bounce back on tionofjudicialandexpertmem-
makefarming ersinmanystates,includingMaha- For Colombo, however, the project India, along with other states like the China. But for India, China’s growing bers,wasenabledtoaddressthe Profit-driven pursuit
has turned into a nightmare since its US and Japan, had also raised the issue presence around its periphery will con- multi-disciplinaryissuesthatthe Climate change issues are se-
profitableand rashtra,havebeendriventosuicide. opening in 2010. Sri Lankan Ports Min- ofsecuritywithColombo.SriLankahas tinue to pose challenges if New Delhi MinistryofEnvironment&For- rious enough for government
Youngpeopleareunabletofindjobs
boostjobs.” withtheshrinkingofemploymentin
ister Mahinda Samarasinghe had made assured India that there are no security
it clear that Sri Lanka “cannot afford to issues involved in the port deal, which
doesnotgetitsownacttogether.
Blaming Beijing is the easy option.
ests (MoEF) was not equipped
to, at a time when the grant of
to add “Climate Change” to the
name of the MoEF, though it
the public sector and a good part of continue to pay”back the loans without it says will only be used for commercial Getting ready to challenge China’s pro- environmental clearance by the may now appear that this was
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
it being set apart for reserved com- better returns at the port. The Sirisena purposes. file by enhancing our own regional role MoEF to extractive and manu- done merely for display to the
munities.Itisthefrustrationandangerresultingfromthis government has blamed the debt on According to the Sri Lankan govern- as an economic and security actor is facturing industry and mega international community. In
situationthatliesattherootoftheMarathaprotests. former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, ment, “no naval ship, including Chinese the need of the hour for India. At a time projectswasalmostroutine. such times, diluting the NGT’s
OtherdominantcommunitiesliketheJatsofHaryana, whose government was keen to give the vessels, can call at theHambantotaPort when China is strangling India in the Clearance was based upon effectiveness not only strikes
projecttoBeijing. without our (Colombo’s) permission.” north with its attempts to change facts environmental impact assess- at the spirit of Art 48A but also
theGujjarsofRajasthanandthePatidarsofGujarathave The Export-Import Bank of China The revised deal with China provides on the ground, it is imperative for India ment(EIA)reports,whichwere indicates the environmentally
alsodemandedreservationsforthesamereason.Butres- hadprovidedalargechunkofmorethan for the formation of two companies to to strategically think of using the mari- oftenpoorlydonecut-and-paste destructiveinfluenceofbusiness
ervationsarenottheanswertotheirproblems.Thepieis $361 million in construction financing. split the operations of the port in which time sphere to break Beijing’s growing jobsbyindustry-appointedenti- and other extra-constitutional
too small to be shared by more communities, and cannot With the signing of the final pact, the China will run the company that will be dominanceinitsperiphery. ties whose business income de- interests on governments in
be enlarged either. In any case, the reservation system is Sri Lankan government is confident inchargeofbusinesswhileSriLankawill (The writer is a Distinguished Fellow pended upon how well those re- their blind pursuit of economic
based on a principle that cannot be further diluted. The that it would be able to repay the loans have a major stake in the firm dealing at Observer Research Foundation, New portsenabledtheMoEFtogrant growthandprofit-at-any-cost.It
with $1.12 billion, even as the Chinese with security. This is an attempt to allay Delhi, and Professor of International clearance. Thus, the NGT was a alsoseriouslydilutesthegovern-
solution is to make agriculture profitable and to improve necessary and effective check
firm is expected to invest an additional Indianconcerns. Relations,King’sCollegeLondon) ment’s international commit-
the rural economy. The larger national economy should onthisprocesssinceitwentinto ments on Sustainable Develop-
alsobeabletoabsorbtheyouthfromthevillageswhoare vital details that were otherwise ment Goals (SDGs) with regard
lookingforjobs.Arisingtidewillliftalltheboats. RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE neglected or glossed over. How- toclimatechange.
ever,becauseofitsveryeffective- India’s National Action Plan
ness, the NGT may have caused on Climate Change (NAPCC)

K’taka shockerin Time to smell the flowers embarrassment to successive

stateandcentralgovernments.
Taking a recent example,
states: “Emphasising the over-
riding priority of maintaining
high economic growth rates

communal violence Despitethelimitedspace,
IstillgettoseeGod’shandi­
workblossomrightacross.
girl. She had plucked a begonia petal children who are abroad, how they are, an NGT-appointed committee to raise living standards, the
and handed it to me, saying in Telugu: andwhentheyarecomingnext. visited the Yamuna floodplains plan identifies measures that
“Thinoo. Baga unnedi.” (Eat. It’s very Allthisdoneinsignlanguagebecause in February 2016 to survey the promote our development ob-
nice.) Tempted, I had bitten into it and wearenotcloseenoughtobeheardwith- preparations for a World Cul- jectives while also yielding co-

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etween January and May this year, the country wit- marvelled at the tingling sensation that outshouting!Then,Imakeagesturewith tural Festival that was held in benefits for addressing climate
nessed296communalincidents.Thisshouldnotbe hadcoatedmytongue.Itwasdeliciously the thumb and forefinger of my right March2016bytheArtofLiving changeeffectively.”
By Syeda Mirza sour!Wehadsmiledconspiratorially. hand joined and the other three fingers Foundation (AoLF). The com- In times when economic-
taken lightly as it is costing enormously in terms of “It is cruel to pick petals off flowers,” pointing upwards to denote “very good’ mitteerecordedseveredamage growth-as-development is the

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human lives and property. According to data released by hey say the grass is always greener myeight-year-oldsisterhadsaidinadmo- and convey my appreciation of her gar- to the fragile eco-system due to majorcauseforglobalwarming
theUnionHomeMinistryinParliament,thesecommunal ontheotherside.Inmycaseit’sthe nition. “And, you shouldn’t eat just any- den.Shemakesamagnanimousgesture the extensive festival prepara- and climate change, NGT’s role
incidents left 44 people dead and 900 others injured. flowers—inmyneighbourKumudi- thing. It could be poisonous.”I had been implying,“It’sallforyou.”Wewavegood- tions. However, the festival was inenvironmentalprotectionand
Uttar Pradesh with 60 incidents and Karnataka with 36 ni’sgarden.Ironically,it’sthisverygarden alarmed. Penta had looked puzzled, as byeasshehastogoindoors. giventhego-aheadwithalevyof conservationofforestsandother
toppedthecountry,followedcloselybyMadhyaPradesh, that re-acquainted me with my school- shehadnotunderstoodthereprimand. This “me time” is so important to me a Rs 5 crore interim penalty, to natural resources is vital. It can
Rajasthan and Bengal. With 16 people losing their lives friendfromHyderabad50yearslater! Talking to her in “our” secret lan- andIfeelgratefulthatdespitethelimited beadjustedtowardsafinalcom- serve to relieve the MoEF&CC
Every misty, sun-speckled morning, guage, a mixture of Urdu and Telugu, I space and sunlight on my balcony I still pensation to be assessed after of some of the functions relat-
in communal incidents, UP accounted for almost a third I am greeted by a riot of colours and my hadexplained:“Luckywedidn’tbecome gettoseeGod’shandiworkblossomright the festival concluded. AoLF’s ing to mitigating the effects of
of deaths across the country. Figures from the first five eyes lovingly scan through the rows of blue all over, and nor did our fingers and across. It brings to memory the folk tale objections regarding NGT’s as- climate change and promoting
months of 2016 reveal that communal incidents have potted plants and hanging baskets spill- toes become crooked and stiff. That’s about a miser who would eat his frugal sessmentofthefinalcompensa- measures for adaptation to the
increasedthisyear.IntheJanuary-Mayperiodoflastyear, ingoverwithblooms,pausingtoadmire what I’ve heard happens to people who mealbyinhalingthericharomaswafting tion and its payment continued changedenvironmentoffuture.
Indiasaw278incidentsthatresultedin38deathsand930 thenewadditionsrubbingpetalswiththe have taken poison.”Penta had burst into outofhisneighbour’skitchen. for months thereafter, possibly Disempowering such a reg-
injured.Somehaveattributedthecommunalincidentsin flamboyant orchids, demure geraniums tears! Of course, we never ate begonia AsIgetuptogoin,Iglanceupandseea embarrassingtheMoEF. ulator not only makes India’s
andvibrantimpatiens. petalseveragain! palegibbousmoonjustvisiblebehindthe Inanothercase,theNGTcriti- NAPCC aims ring hollow but
UPandKarnatakatopre-electionpolitics;thatis,political Mygazewanderstothemany-limbed I smile to myself at this recollection sun’srays,andallthislovelinessbringsto cisedthegovernmentforwaste- indicatestheecologicalilliteracy
partiesandpoliticiansinthesestatesarestirringupcom- hibiscus cloaked in red blossoms and and just then Kumudini appears on her mindalinefromtheQuran:“YaBadeees ful and ineffective expenditure and also a level of intellectual
munal passions and hatred and inciting violence against rests on the bright begonias, and I find balcony. She does “aadaab” and I fold samawatewalarz.”(OAuthorofallthatis oncleaningtheGanga.Whether dishonestyamongourcountry’s
one community or another with a view to polarising the myself travelling back in time to when myhandsingreeting.Weenquireabout beautifulintheskiesandtheearth)andI or not an effective NGT caused decision-makers.Onecan’thelp
population and drawing electoral benefit from it. Inter- I was six years old, admiring a potted each other’s health. Her vertigo is bet- wishwithallmyheartthateveryonegets thegovernmentacutediscomfi- but suspect the government of
estingly,thetwostateshavetoppedthelistforcommunal begonia in the verandah of my parents’ ter, I understand. I complain about my thetimetosenseHisGrace,andthetime ture in these episodes will never deliberatelyweakeningtheNGT
home with Penta, the gardener’s little back. We enquire about our respective tostopandsmelltheflowers. beknown.DilutingNGTpowers through Sec 184 of the Finance
incidentsforseveralyearsinarow.Thisshowsthatparties by amending the NGT Act itself Act,2017,toeaseenvironmental
areincitingviolencetokeepthecommunalcauldronbub- wouldhavebeentooblatantand clearance for environmentally
blingbeforeelectionsandbetweenthem,too. politicallyrisky.So,perhaps,the destructiveprojects.
CommunalviolenceinKarnatakaisparticularlyworry- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR government resorted to ramm- Protecting the environment
ing.Notonlyisthestatewitnessingalargenumberofcom- ingtheFinanceBill2017through is not merely about soil, water
munalincidentsbutalso,percapitacommunalincidents
andpercapitadeathsfromsuchincidentsarehigherhere
At70,Indiastaresatableakfuture Lok Sabha as a Money Bill, to
amend around 80 different leg-
and air pollution but also about
peopleandeco-systemstocheck
islations,includingtheNGTAct. thepaceofclimatechange.The
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| than in UP, a state often described Sir, Looking back at 70 years as a sovereign nation, projec- Without growing more food with less water (and land), The amendments due to Sec amendments to the NGT Act
as a communal tinderbox. With tions into the future must bring out an elevating scenario water-wars would assume certainty, more so as we are 184oftheFinanceAct,2017,con- must and will be opposed by
Karnataka going to the polls soon, of progress. Our projected population of 180 crore in the globally the largest extractors of ground water. Surround- cern appointment procedures, thosewhobelievethattheEarth
such incidents can be expected to next couple of decades will not have space left. The popula- ed on three sides by water and mountains in north, we qualifications,servicetermsand anditsresourcesareatrusttobe
increase. The state government tion density would intensify the already existing social cannot even usurp alien land with military might. What conditions,salaryandallowanc- nurturedforfuturegenerations
mustacttopreventviolence. pressures as there would be limited land despite higher we need is to constantly strive for the capacity to defend esetc,forthechairpersonandju- ofalllivingbeingsontheplanet.
per capita income. By 2050, the world’s populations will be ourselves. That needs us to be an inclusive and progressive dicialandexpertmembersofthe (Thewriter,aretiredMajorGen-
Incidents of communal violence 50% more, made worse as 70% of the world’s usable water nation. Economic well-being then follows as a corollary. NGT. This permits greater bu- eral, is with People’s Union for
are often thought to be spontane- will be used to growing our food. R NARAYANAN, Ghaziabad reaucratic (government) cont- CivilLiberties)
ous but they are not. They are usu-
“StatebeatsUP allyplanned,instigatedandorches- Silver linings gods have been unsparing in heaping winners and nothing else matters to

incommunal
trated.Thismeansthattheyarenot
Sir, Apropos “The idea of India is
death and misery on the people of
Bihar, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh,
the team for the moment.
K SESHAGIRI BHAT, Mysuru
OUR PAGES OF HISTORY
inevitable and importantly, can be
under pressure” (DH, Aug 15), despite Uttar Pradesh and north Bengal.
incidents prevented. Research shows that repeated disconcerting news about Though the army and the rescue Threat of the virtual
25 years ago: August 16, 1992
communal violence is less likely to atrocities against women and minori- teams have been deployed, authorities
percapita.” happen in towns that have greater ties, the silver lining is visible in the would do well to press small boats and Sir, Scary science fiction and a distant
Welfare schemes must said that Independence will
inter-communalcivicengagement. form of advancements in science and helicopters into service to rescue those dystopian “reality” may be closer than benefit poor: CM be meaningful only when the
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| technology, upper trajectory of eco- trapped or marooned. previously thought. Popular online fruits of development reach
Thisishearteningbecauseitmeans Bangalore, Aug 15. the poorer sections of society,
thatwedonothavetowaitforthestateorpoliticalparties nomy and stocks and shares touching N J RAVI CHANDER, Bengaluru games, such as Blue Whale challenge,
the magic figures despite a global slow- and mind control via dubious agen- Addressing a massive gather- and called upon the people
and police to act to prevent violence but we can organise ing at the Parade Grounds to ensure that progressive
ourselves to ensure that a communal spark does not be-
down. Notwithstanding a few set-
backs, India stood its ground to take
Ruthless vs toothless cies is a clear threat to all established
orders. Automation and AI will render after unfurling the tricolour, measures of the government
comeaconflagration.Civilsocietycanacttoprotectitself every section of the society along, Sir, Sri Lanka handed India a memo- human existence null and void. Chief Minister S Bangarappa benefit the underprivileged.
from violence. Thereareseveralexamplesof neighbour- while making serious efforts to devel- rable Independence Day gift when ANOOP HOSMATH, Mysuru
hoods in India creating inter-community organisations op friendly ties with other countries. they succumbed to a 171-run defeat. Violence mars I-Day tions to hoist the National flag
andsuccessfullykeepingviolenceatbay.Duringthe2002 H P MURALI, Bengaluru The embarrassing loss was Sri Lanka’s More letters on ‘Net Mail’ at in Hubli at the disputed Idgah Maidan
pogrominGujarat,BhiwandinearMumbai,oncethesite fifth worst in history. But if India were www.deccanherald.com here and of the police to
of serious communal violence, did not erupt in violence Merciless floods ruthless in their excellent perfor-
mance, Sri Lanka were toothless, Our readers are welcome to post, hand deliver,
Hubli, Aug 15. prevent the venture. As many
Independence Day in the twin as 26 shells of tear-gas had to
although the situation was tense. Inter-communal en- Sir, Apropos “Floods ravage east, something even their skipper Dinesh
fax or e-mail letters to our office at 75,
cities was marred by violent be burst to quell the agitators,
M G Road, Bangalore 560001. All letters
gagementissaidtohaveheldthepeace.Karnatakaneeds north-east states, snap rail link” (DH, Chandimal will find difficult to dis- must carry the sender’s postal address. Fax: incidents sparked off by the who tried to break through
tolearnfromlessonsBhiwandioffers. Aug 15), it is of concern that the rain pute. Undoubtedly, India were worthy 25880523. E-mail: letters@deccanherald.co.in. efforts of BJP front organisa- the police cordons.