Requested
Action: To support the indigenous residents of Deepor Beel and Indian
environmental organizations, please send a polite letter to the Prime Minister
of India and mark a copy of the same letter to the Chief Minister of Assam State.
A sample
letter is available here.
Dr. Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister of India
South Block, Raisina Hill,
New Delhi 110 011, INDIA
Fax: +91-11-23019545
Alternate fax: +91-11-23016857
Mr. Tarun
Gogoi
Chief
Minister of Assam
Janata
Bhawan
Dispur
781 006 INDIA
Fax:
+91-361-2262069
(US postage to India is 90 cents)
Tell them
that the Deepor Beel wetland in Assam is a national treasure of international
importance. Express your concern about reported environmental abuses at Deepor
Beel, and their potential impacts on the human population. Tell them you support
indigenous villagers and environmental organizations in urging the Indian government
to:
- Declare
the Deepor Beel Ramsar Site a protected area through legislative measures,
granting fishing rights to indigenous tribes and fishing communities. Initiate
a comprehensive management plan with clear lines of authority for protecting
Deepor Beel.
- Immediately
stop garbage dumping in the wetland (by Guwahati Municipal Corporation) and
restore the wetland to its pre-dumping status.
- Stop
any further land use change, civil construction and land settlement in and
around the Ramsar site. Cancel all government-allotted ‘pattas’
(settlements) and initiate a process to purchase back pattalands in the wetland
and in its buffer zones.
