Mumbai Marathon 2007 - Pledge for "Right to Basic Services"
 
Change the condition of millions living in sub-human conditions.

Collaborate to make Basic Services a RIGHT!

 Dear Friends,

Hope you are doing fine. We am writing this mail to seek your support and collaboration for a National Campaign we propose to launch for Right To Basic Services (RTBS) and my participation in the Mumbai Marathon on 21st January 2007 to raise resources for the cause. We hope to raise Rs. 25 lakhs to undertake the RTBS Campaign through out India during the year 2007.

28 December 2006


Sub: Urban Development in Kerala: Opportunity to forge a new vision


Dear Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan:

It is hardly surprising that the proposed Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan for the Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Project (KSUDP) amounting to a total of $ 316.1 million (Rupees 1422 crores) has come up against significant opposition from the people of Kerala, including your august office.

While much of the debate, so far, has centered on procedural lapses and the supposed absence of harmful conditionalities there are more substantive reasons for an annulment of this loan.

January 15, 2007

The Principal Secretary
Housing Department
Government of Maharashtra, Mantralaya
Mumbai 400 021

Subject: Suggestions on the Draft Housing Policy of Government of Maharashtra

Dear Sir,
With reference to the Draft Policy on Housing proposed by the Government of Maharashtra please find below our comments for your consideration.

Definition of Housing

1. The housing policy of the Government of Maharashtra needs to include Housing as it will be applied to and defined as the position to provide shelter to all. The definition of housing is not limited to just providing 'tenements' but must include physical and social infrastructure like play grounds, primary and secondary schools, hospitals and nursing homes, day care centres, crisis centres etc. which are integral to the any housing development.

2. Housing for the poor has to be seen within the context of adequate and affordable housing for all.

The need for development, for industrial development along with agricultural growth is necessary for future advance of India.

The issue of industrialisation and acquisition of land for SEZ and non-SEZ industrial project has caused fierce controversy in the country. In certain states the controversy has come to boiling point due to indiscriminate acquisition of land by state governments without formulating any proper rehabilitation policy for affected people.

The situation reached to such a boiling point due to unbridled approval of the SEZs by the Union government and rat race among the states to hand over maximum land to corporate houses without following the rules proper rehabilitation policy for affected people and without being transparent.