PHA-Exchange> FW: Public hearing on Right to (Safe) Drinking water Bangalore at Gandhi Bhavan
Oxfam India Bangalore
oxfamindia at vsnl.com
Sat Apr 19 11:38:56 PDT 2003
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Subject: FW: Public hearing on Right to (Safe) Drinking water Bangalore at
Gandhi Bhavan
19th April 03
IMMEDIATE URGENT!!
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PUBLIC HEARING ON THE RIGHT TO (SAFE) DRINKING WATER
Date: Monday 21 April 2003
Time: 11 am - 5pm
Venue: Gandhi Bhavan
Kumura krupa Guest House Road
(Near Shivananda Store)
Bangalore
Panel Members include: -
Justice. H.G. Balakrishna, Kathyani Chamraj, Rajendra Singh (Tarun Bharat
sangh) and others
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Friends,
Water, Water, every where but not a drop to drink
This is not just a popular rhyme we learnt in our kindergarten, but the
harsh reality of present world.
Striking facts: -
Over 1.3 billion persons lack safe water and some 2.4 billion are denied
sanitation.
This silent emergency kills 6000 people each day, comparable to those who
died of 11 September 2001 attack on Twin tower.
In India, the situation appears to be worse than many other countries.
200 million Indian still do not have access to safe and clean water
80% of country’s water sources are polluted with untreated industrial and
domestic water
About 38.38% of Urban population in India who are below poverty line, have
no access to water
The national cost of fetching water is 150 million women days each year
causing a National loss of Rs. 100 crore per year
80% of the children of India suffer from water-borne diseases. Of these
7,00,000 die each year.
Bangalore, one of the fastest growing cities in the Asian continent alone
accounts for 1/3 of the total urban population in the state. City has been
facing an acute shortage of this blue gold; ‘Water battles’ are fought
almost daily.
The situation is much worse in the slums and areas, which are not covered by
the municipal water supply. The poor people pay as much as 12 times more
for water than the middle class does. There are areas where people are
forced to quench their thirst by paying Rs.5/ and above per pot. The public
taps are scenes of social conflicts (that take the face of communal
conflicts too!)
The most victimized in this situation are women and children, particularly
the girl child. They have to walk miles together, wait hours together for
one pot of water; Children have to forgo their education to quench their
families’ thirst.
Privatization has been offered by the government has the remedy for all
these problems. Karnataka government is moving towards privatizing public
utilities (e.g.; BESCOM). The move is justified on several counts:-
One that poor people in any case pay more than the middle class as they do
not have access to municipal water supply and end up buying from private
vendor
· Private sector will bring in transparency and efficiency.
Government are inefficient and bureaucratic, they should not be in the
business of service delivery
But in all, this solution does not address the central problem of equity.
Poor people in cities do not get municipal water because the areas where
they live are not serviced by water and sewerage infrastructure. It is
pointless talking of making public water available to all. Just because the
poor do pay more at present does not necessarily mean that they are able to
pay, this money comes out of constrained household budget and cuts into
their basic necessities. Thus setting prices according to what people
actually pay rather what they can afford to pay is callous in poor and
unequal societies such as ours. (The BWSSB as already roped in two French
companies Vivendi and Northumbnrian, MoU has been signed with Government of
Karnataka on September 29,2000).
But the affected people do not know whom to approach, and the concerned
authorities are happy to be deaf about their problem. And also we as a
country lack a strong platform that can voice the community interests and
rights over water. In this context water warriors, workers, individuals and
organisations have created a forum called Jala Biradari.
Jal Biradari is a platform of various individuals, farmers groups, social
groups, voluntary organizations, Non Government Organisations, Research
Institutions, social scientist, water experts basically all those who are
concerned and have deep interest with the issue as important as water which
forms the basis and support system of life and to make the water
conservation work a mass movement as well as to give full support and
efforts to have peoples oriented water policy both at the National and State
level.
Rashtriya Jal Chetna Yatra a countrywide movement to oppose privatization
and encourage community control has been started by Jal Biradari, the yatra
is led by Mr. Rajendra Singh of Tarun Bharat Sangh. The Karnataka Jala
Chetana Yatra which started on 13th April 03 is convening in Bangalore on
21st April 03.
Public hearing:
Oxfam India and Karnataka Jalbiradari believe that it is imperative that the
lack of safe drinking water is brought to the attention of the general
public, and that pressure is put on the government to fulfill its
obligations as a matter of urgency. To this end, we have organised the
“PUBLIC HEARING ON THE RIGHT TO (SAFE) DRINKING WATER IN BANGALORE”. This
will be the final event of Karnataka Jala Chetana Yatra.
Program Schedule:
· Representatives of affected slums and communities will give evidence.
· Video and photographic evidence will be presented.
· Panel Members include: - Justice. H.G. Balakrishna, Kathyani Chamraj,
Rajendra Singh (Tarun Bharat sangh) and others.
· Respective Government functionaries are invited to present their views on
the issues raised
We hereby invite you to be a part of the public hearing and help us to
highlight water problems faced by these communities by covering the event.
Your participation is very is very crucial for making this event more
effective.
Express your solidarity with your presence
Thank you.
In Solidarity
For Oxfam India
G. Sriramappa.
Director
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Oxfam India
Vijaya Shree, 4th A Main, Off Bellary Road, Hebbal, Bangalore-560 024 INDIA
Ph: 91 (80) 363 3274 ; Fax : 91 (80) 363 2964
E-mail: oxfamindia at vsnl.com Website: www.oxfamindia.org
Oxfam India Chennai:
705, SBOA School Eat Gate, Anna Nagar West Extn, Chennai - 600 001
Ph: 91 (44) 615 2183, Email : oxfam at vsnl.net
Oxfam India New Delhi:
Room Nos: 201-202, II Floor, 66/A/2, Mohinder Kunj, Laxmi Market,Munirka
Village,New Delhi - 110 067. Ph: 91 (11) 619 962/619 1979,Email :
ois at vsnl.com
Oxfam India works towards an equitable and just society free
fromhunger,exploitation and poverty by facilitating people-centred,
responsive,transparent governance systems, ensuring basic rights and
sustainable development.
If you wish to know more about Oxfam India, please visit our website at
www.oxfamindia.org
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