The company man finishes his presentation with a flourish.
“…and so, this world-class resort will bring jobs and prosperity to your beautiful valley!” he concludes, to polite applause.
Santa is buzzing with excitement.
“Banta, isn’t it wonderful?” he whispers later.
“Such a grand project!”
“He showed such lovely pictures!”
Banta, who had been listening intently, replies, “The pictures were indeed lovely, Santa.”
“Like the beautiful cover of a very thick and important book.”
“But he showed us only the cover.”
“He didn’t let us read what’s written inside.”
“Written inside?”
“What do you mean?” Santa asks.
“I mean the project’s Janam-Patri – its birth chart, its horoscope!” Banta says.
“Every new project that is born in our fragile mountains should have one.”
“A mandatory, scientific Risk Assessment Report.”
“This report is the project’s real Janam-Patri.”
“It should clearly tell us: what are the chances of a major landslide hitting this exact spot in the next 50 years?”
“What will happen if a once-in-a-hundred-year flood comes down the river?”
“Will the project construction itself weaken the slopes above or below it?”
“It must list all the potential Dosh in its future.”
He continues, his voice becoming firm, “And this Janam-Patri cannot be a secret document, hidden in a government file in a locked cupboard!”
“It must be made publicly accessible – an open book for every villager, every journalist, every expert, and every insurance company to read.”
“We have a right to know the risks that a new project might bring to our doorstep.”
“Transparency is the only Dhoop that can disinfect hidden dangers and force accountability.”
Santa looks thoughtful.
“So, he showed us the dream, but not the potential nightmare?”
“And you’re saying we should demand to see the full Janam-Patri before we agree to the marriage of this project with our valley?”
“Exactly!” Banta affirms.
“By making these risk assessments mandatory and public, we ensure that development is not a blind gamble.”
“And when the risks are out in the open, it becomes much harder for anyone to approve an unsafe project.”
“It brings honesty and safety into the very foundation of development.”
संता – बंता की इस जुगलबन्दी से आज हमने क्या सीखा:-
- हिमालयी क्षेत्र में चल रही बड़ी विकास योजनाओ के लिये दुर्लभ व चरम घटनाओ सहित सभी सम्भावित आपदाओं के लिये जोखिम आंकलन किया जाना अनिवार्य किया जाना चाहिये / It must be mandatory for all major development projects in the Himalayas to conduct a comprehensive, scientific risk assessment that accounts for all potential hazards, including rare, extreme events.
- पारदर्शिता, विश्वास तथा उत्तरदायित्व के दृष्टिगत इन आंकलनों से सम्बन्धित आख्याओ को सार्वजनिक किया जाना चाहिये / These risk assessment reports must be made publicly accessible to ensure transparency, public trust, and accountability.
- सूचनाओं को सार्वजनिक किये जाने से समाज, समाजसेवी संस्थाओ व बीमा कम्पनियो सहित सभी हितधारकों को जोखिम सूचित निर्णय लेने में सहायता मिलेगी और वह असुरक्षित व पर्यावरण के प्रति घातक विकास प्रस्तावों का विरोध कर पायेंगे / Public access allows communities, civil society, and other stakeholders (like insurance companies) to make informed decisions and challenge unsafe development proposals.
संता – बंता की यह जुगलबन्दी आपको कैसी लगी, कृपया हमें जरुर बताये
व
इस जुगलबन्दी को बेहतर बनाने के लिये अपने सुझाव अवश्य दें।
हमें हमेशा की तरह आपके सुझावों, प्रतिक्रियाओं व कटाक्षो का बेसब्री से इंतजार रहता हैं औरसच मानिये इसी के आधार पर हम अपने आप में, अपनी सोच व रचनात्मकता में सुधार करने को प्रेरित होते हैं।
सो अच्छा – बुरा जैसा आपको महसूस हुवा हो, कमेंट जरुर करते रहें।
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