[Reader-list] fwd: Action Alert on Coastal Zone, India

[Anivar Aravind]

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Sign Petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/cmz/petition.html
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Dear Friends,

In line with the sweeping changes being made in environment and land
acquisition policies to favor industry and investment, the Ministry of
Environment and Forests (MoEF) is preparing to introduce new coastal
management legislation to open up coastal land for unregulated
commercial exploitation.

A draft notification prepared by the MoEF to this effect and due to
be published in the Official Gazette was recently leaked to the press.
The draft is based entirely on the recommendations of the infamous MS
Swaminathan Expert Committee Report, which since its release in 2005,
has been summarily and universally rejected by fisher peoples'
organizations and all other democratic forces in civil society.

We must prevent the gazetting of the draft notification, which if
allowed to go unchecked will eventually be transformed into new law
with disastrous consequences for coastal communities and ecosystems.

We therefore urge you to write to MoEF to not take any steps to
enact new coastal legislation without due consultation with all
stakeholders in particular fishing communities and their democratic
representation. Please Endorse the following Petition and Circulate it
widely.

http://www.petitiononline.com/cmz/petition.html

Regards,

T Peter
President
KSMTF

A. Andrews
General Secretary
KSMTF