Dr M. A. Haque
Director, MoEF
Dear Dr Haque,
Thank you for your letters dated 07 & 10.11.05. I
received both by registered post, latter also by
e-mail to which I am replying, including text of your
former letter for ready reference. My e-mails and
information of continuing developments that form their
context are at:
http://plan.architexturez.org/site/anomie/RTI/nbsap
Please refer therein to developments from 10.11.05
onwards, in context of which I firstly urge
reconsideration of the replies to my requests for
information relating to NBSAP under s.4 of RTI Act.
Secondly, I request publication on MoEF website of
details of consultations about NEP and EIA mentioned
in MoEF press release of 16.11.05 (in response to
NGO-protest to demand scrapping both on grounds mainly
of no consultations). For NEP, consultations mentioned
are dated after comments were invited on 16.08.04 and
appear to have been not in nature of hearings but of
discussions with industry associations, NGOs, etc,
even as it is claimed that comments were duly
considered. For EIA are mentioned similar
consultations for formulation, after which public
comments were invited for 60 days from public on
15.09.05. I specifically request disclosure of:
(1) details of consultations at formulation stages
(2) summaries of comments received from public
(3) procedures followed for due consideration of
comments
(4) (for NEP) MoEF observations on comments duly
considered
I am not able to make out if you or Mrs Upadhyaya have
RTI responsibilities and am copying this mail to all
to whom I had mailed earlier and additionally to NBA
e-mail id from an RTI page on MoEF website that I
noticed now.
I request that it be noted that:
* I am not persuaded my comment on NEP was duly
considered, as that would have required an expert
panel to give me a hearing whereas I was not given
even names of development planning experts associated
with NEP, despite requests, at:
http://mail.architexturez.net/+/MPISG-Media/archive/msg00175.shtml
* I believe controversy over EIA and NEP consultations
supports, amidst its continuing NGO advocacy, the
purportedly participatory NGO NBSAP on which public
comments have not been invited.
* Each of 1.1 billion Indian citizens has fundamental
duty in respect of MoEF's mandate. As qualified
planner and researcher I wish to discharge mine by
contributing ideas for rigour in processes and
competency in outcomes of certain MoEF initiatives. I
read in s.4 of RTI Act an obligation on part of MoEF
to facilitate this (and perceive inconsistency with
RTI Act purpose of s.6 requests for such information
as well as obstructing obfuscation in NGO-MoEF
confabulations about public consultations).
Please view my requests for information accordingly.
Thanking you
Yours sincerely
Gita Dewan Verma, Planner
=======
Text of MoEF letter No.J-22018/25/99-CSC (BC)(Vol.V)
dated 07.11.2005
Dear Ms Verma,
Kindly refer to your e-mail dated 16th October, 2005
to Mrs.Veena Upadhyaya, Joint Secretary in this
Ministry and copy to various other officers in the
Ministry. In ths regard, the following may please be
noted:-
(i) We are not aware of any Press Note dated
05.10.2005 entitled "National Biodiversity Strategy
and Action Plan submitted by the NGO Kalpvriksha has
been rejected". Accordingly MoEF website may not
include any information on the subject.
(ii) Preparation of NBSAP (National Biodiversity
Strategy and Action Plan) was taken up as a part of
India's commitment under the Convention on Biological
Diversity. As a first step, the preparation of a
Technical Report to serve as an input to the NBSAP was
assigned to two organisations; 'Kalpvriksh' and
'Bio-tech Consortium India Ltd.' Under a United
Nations Development Programme - Global Environment
Facility sponsored Enabling Activity grant to
Government of India. Pursuant to the completion of
project tenure, the Ministry of Environment and
Forests received the draft Project Report as
consolidated and prepared by the Kalpavriksh. A group
of experts was constituted by the Ministry to
scrutinize the draft report prepared by the
Kalpavriksh and rectify the discrepancies and
inconsistencies. The report has been duly corrected.
The same is going to act as one of the inputs for the
draft National Action Plan which is being prepared in
the Ministry. the concerned organizations have
meanwhile been paid all their dues.
We expect that the above satisfies your query.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully
(Dr M.A.Haque) Director
=========
--- haque@xxxxxx wrote:
> Dr. M.A. Haque
> Director
> Ministry of Environment & Forests,
> Paryavaran Bhawan
> CGO Complex
> New Delhi- 110003
>
> No.J-22018/25/99-CSC (BC)(Vol.V)
>
>
>
> Dated the 10h November, 2005
>
>
> To
> Ms. Gita Dewan Verma,
> Planner,
> 1356, DI, Vasant Kunj,
> New Delhi -110 070.
>
>
> Madam,
>
>
> In continuation to our letter of even number
> dated 7th November,
> 2005,
> this is to inform you that meanwhile we have been
> able to trace the Press
> Note dated 05.10.2005. The Press Note is
> self-explanatory and gives
> reasons for the decision taken.
>
> If you need further information in this
> regard, please specify the
> document that is required by you. The same would be
> examined in the
> Ministry and action would be taken as per the
> provisions of RTI Act.
>
> Thanking you.
>
>
>
> Yours faithfully,
>
>
>
>
> (Dr. M. A. Haque)
>
> Telefax 24360 667
>
>
>
>
__________________________________
Yahoo! FareChase: Search multiple travel sites in one click.
http://farechase.yahoo.com
Director, MoEF
Dear Dr Haque,
Thank you for your letters dated 07 & 10.11.05. I
received both by registered post, latter also by
e-mail to which I am replying, including text of your
former letter for ready reference. My e-mails and
information of continuing developments that form their
context are at:
http://plan.architexturez.org/site/anomie/RTI/nbsap
Please refer therein to developments from 10.11.05
onwards, in context of which I firstly urge
reconsideration of the replies to my requests for
information relating to NBSAP under s.4 of RTI Act.
Secondly, I request publication on MoEF website of
details of consultations about NEP and EIA mentioned
in MoEF press release of 16.11.05 (in response to
NGO-protest to demand scrapping both on grounds mainly
of no consultations). For NEP, consultations mentioned
are dated after comments were invited on 16.08.04 and
appear to have been not in nature of hearings but of
discussions with industry associations, NGOs, etc,
even as it is claimed that comments were duly
considered. For EIA are mentioned similar
consultations for formulation, after which public
comments were invited for 60 days from public on
15.09.05. I specifically request disclosure of:
(1) details of consultations at formulation stages
(2) summaries of comments received from public
(3) procedures followed for due consideration of
comments
(4) (for NEP) MoEF observations on comments duly
considered
I am not able to make out if you or Mrs Upadhyaya have
RTI responsibilities and am copying this mail to all
to whom I had mailed earlier and additionally to NBA
e-mail id from an RTI page on MoEF website that I
noticed now.
I request that it be noted that:
* I am not persuaded my comment on NEP was duly
considered, as that would have required an expert
panel to give me a hearing whereas I was not given
even names of development planning experts associated
with NEP, despite requests, at:
http://mail.architexturez.net/+/MPISG-Media/archive/msg00175.shtml
* I believe controversy over EIA and NEP consultations
supports, amidst its continuing NGO advocacy, the
purportedly participatory NGO NBSAP on which public
comments have not been invited.
* Each of 1.1 billion Indian citizens has fundamental
duty in respect of MoEF's mandate. As qualified
planner and researcher I wish to discharge mine by
contributing ideas for rigour in processes and
competency in outcomes of certain MoEF initiatives. I
read in s.4 of RTI Act an obligation on part of MoEF
to facilitate this (and perceive inconsistency with
RTI Act purpose of s.6 requests for such information
as well as obstructing obfuscation in NGO-MoEF
confabulations about public consultations).
Please view my requests for information accordingly.
Thanking you
Yours sincerely
Gita Dewan Verma, Planner
=======
Text of MoEF letter No.J-22018/25/99-CSC (BC)(Vol.V)
dated 07.11.2005
Dear Ms Verma,
Kindly refer to your e-mail dated 16th October, 2005
to Mrs.Veena Upadhyaya, Joint Secretary in this
Ministry and copy to various other officers in the
Ministry. In ths regard, the following may please be
noted:-
(i) We are not aware of any Press Note dated
05.10.2005 entitled "National Biodiversity Strategy
and Action Plan submitted by the NGO Kalpvriksha has
been rejected". Accordingly MoEF website may not
include any information on the subject.
(ii) Preparation of NBSAP (National Biodiversity
Strategy and Action Plan) was taken up as a part of
India's commitment under the Convention on Biological
Diversity. As a first step, the preparation of a
Technical Report to serve as an input to the NBSAP was
assigned to two organisations; 'Kalpvriksh' and
'Bio-tech Consortium India Ltd.' Under a United
Nations Development Programme - Global Environment
Facility sponsored Enabling Activity grant to
Government of India. Pursuant to the completion of
project tenure, the Ministry of Environment and
Forests received the draft Project Report as
consolidated and prepared by the Kalpavriksh. A group
of experts was constituted by the Ministry to
scrutinize the draft report prepared by the
Kalpavriksh and rectify the discrepancies and
inconsistencies. The report has been duly corrected.
The same is going to act as one of the inputs for the
draft National Action Plan which is being prepared in
the Ministry. the concerned organizations have
meanwhile been paid all their dues.
We expect that the above satisfies your query.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully
(Dr M.A.Haque) Director
=========
--- haque@xxxxxx wrote:
> Dr. M.A. Haque
> Director
> Ministry of Environment & Forests,
> Paryavaran Bhawan
> CGO Complex
> New Delhi- 110003
>
> No.J-22018/25/99-CSC (BC)(Vol.V)
>
>
>
> Dated the 10h November, 2005
>
>
> To
> Ms. Gita Dewan Verma,
> Planner,
> 1356, DI, Vasant Kunj,
> New Delhi -110 070.
>
>
> Madam,
>
>
> In continuation to our letter of even number
> dated 7th November,
> 2005,
> this is to inform you that meanwhile we have been
> able to trace the Press
> Note dated 05.10.2005. The Press Note is
> self-explanatory and gives
> reasons for the decision taken.
>
> If you need further information in this
> regard, please specify the
> document that is required by you. The same would be
> examined in the
> Ministry and action would be taken as per the
> provisions of RTI Act.
>
> Thanking you.
>
>
>
> Yours faithfully,
>
>
>
>
> (Dr. M. A. Haque)
>
> Telefax 24360 667
>
>
>
>
__________________________________
Yahoo! FareChase: Search multiple travel sites in one click.
http://farechase.yahoo.com