Hello, tiger conservationists

The death of the tiger points to a bigger, more sinister problem. The problem of people’s rights caused by our greed for land, and hunger for money. And the ease by which the creators of this problem divert our attention.

In the name of development we are violating human rights with an abandon only seen in savages of past. While poor people are being driven away from their lands, all sorts of justifications are available.

If Vedanta wants a tribal hill, it is necessary in the name of development to drive tribals out of there.

If Tata wants a factory land, they are given fertile land and farmers driven away from it.

The tiger is on the verge of extinction. And who do we blame? Tribals.

While the tribals right to forest bill has been passed (and diluted), the dissent in tiger conservationists voices is apparent. They have been crying hoarse that the tribals should be driven out of these forests.

And most of us believe and buy that argument.

It’s too easy to believe. Tribals crowd the forests, hence tiger dies. Foolproof.

Or, is it?

Here is an amazing story of how tribals and animals co-exist. And why we must go back to their culture if we want to preserve our country.

http://infochangeindia.org/Environment/The-paradox-of-environmentalism/The-tribal’s-right.html

The tribals aren’t stupid people. Their knowledge and ways of co-existence with the environment is what we need.

People’s rights to their land and environment are not conflicting issues. The conflict is brought about by corporate greed. And the blame falls on indigenous people.

In this confusion caused by short term solutions, we will not only lose the tiger, we will lose our country and all that it ever stood for. To the lowest bidders. The Great Indian Sale is on.

Don’t let them tell you that tribals are the sole reason for tigers going extinct.

http://infochangeindia.org/Agenda/Reporting-conflict/Is-it-really-tiger-vs-tribal.html

The Down to Earth story about tigers:

http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/node/40407

And some more news on the Forest Rights Act:

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/full6.asp?foldername=20080131&filename=news&sec_id=4&sid=1#

And here's how they kill animals for fur in China. If you read the Time magazine story here, you can well imagine this is what the poachers do to the tigers in our own backyards.

So you'd rather save water when it comes to a choice?

Just in case you didn't notice, according to NASA's new and detailed study, North India's groundwater levels are depleting rapidly. "If measures are not taken to ensure sustainable groundwater usage, consequences for the 114 million residents of the region may include a collapse of agricultural output and severe shortages of potable water."
Oh and tigers are about to become extinct.
So what's the relation between tigers and water? Click on the poster to read. This isn't fiction, this is science. You may recognize the logic from primary school.

Happy Independence Day

Click on the image to enlarge and read.

Every day, every single minute a poor farmer is being driven away from his land. His land is being given to corporates to build malls, industries and other temples of development.A Buddha statue is to be installed at the cost of $250 million dollars. It will displace 2990 families. Where will they go? Will they ever get compensated? Has anyone ever got compensated?

This Independence Day let’s stop saying everything is going to be alright.

No it will not. Unless we start questioning our systems in larger numbers than we have ever done before. Make use of RTIs. Question. Question. Question. And if you don’t get answers, demand them.

This Independence Day let’s stop saying everything is going to be alright. This Independence Day, let’s start making things right.

The Land Acquisition Act is dispossessing millions of Indians of their homes, their basic human rights. And that’s neither pessimistic, nor optimistic. That’s plain and simple reality.

This poster is based on a powerful Tehelka story by Magsaysay Award winner, Sandeep Pandey. Click to read it.

A little idea to help bring electricity to villages.

Click on the image to read the idea in nice big font and see the images.

India is making all kinds of noises about climate negotiations. No, we won’t do it. The west will have to pay. Alright. The west should pay. Agreed. And what are we going to do with the money? Invest in alternate energy, clean energy. Yeah right. And how are we going to do that?

Let’s take wind energy for instance. For years now it has been sucked dry due to corruption. And the government can’t do better than to make committees which investigate how the wind turbines blow away the monsoon clouds. Did they employ kindergarten students in that committee? And what was the result? How dare politicians make such comments in the first place? We should have an immediate IQ assessment test of our leaders.

It’s been said here, and we will say it again. We need to cap corruption to stop climate chaos. Carbon’s got nothing to do with it.

Here’s the full story on wind energy. Do yourself a favour. Read it and start asking questions.

And while our rich look at wind energy as an ‘alternative’ way to save taxes, the poor of the world by their ingenuity are building wind turbines and generating their own electricity. See the amazing video below. If the poor of India were to do that, guess what would happen to them? They would be bollocked into jails and branded as anti-social elements.

Fairy Tales we will be telling our children

You can read the fairy tale if you click on the image and make it bigger. And should you feel you can't read it, it is reproduced below in three parts, which you can click and read. And fresh off the press is a "proof" of this fairy tale: click here.

Animal Farm