Medha Patkar challenges Geological Survey of India (GSI)

Noted social worker Medha Patkar on Sunday said that the experts of geological survey of India alone can't determine as to what are the reasons for the Malin landslide tragedy and attributed the tragedy to greedy development model being followed by Union and state Government.

Addressing a press conference along with RTI activist Maruti Bhapkar, National Alliance of People's Movement activist Suniti S R and activist Vishwambhar Choudhari she said that GSI was meant for analyzing and studying geological aspects of the issue. Patkar said that there is a need for comprehensive environment impact analysis of growing encroachment of present development model on environment which would include deforestation as well as soil erosion and only after such analysis one can come out with conclusions.

Patkar warned against abusing environment and said that Malin tragedy is nothing but testimony of the fact that nature would not tolerate such an abuse. She categorically stated that even though there is no correlation coefficient between Malin tragedy and projects like Lavasa, any such development which has been executed by violating environment related regulations would result in such tragedies.

Choudhari said that even though Malin tragedy is not termed as man-made disaster at present, one does not know that tomorrow such tragedies would be man-made. Choudhari demanded implementing Gadgil committee report instead of giving importance to Kasturirangan report since Kasturirangan report was table-top report based on satellite imageries and Gadgil committee has gone for ground work while preparing the report.


Criticizing NCP President Sharad Pawar for his statement on scope for creating 26-Lavasa like projects in the state, Patkar said, `with such a dream which fits to his dreams of so called development, Pawar would invite 26 Malin like tragedies.'