PUCL Bulletin, December 2001

PUCL Shimoga: A Report on Activities

On 12 August the Shimoga branch of PUCL was inaugurated at Kamala Nehru College. Apart from the inaugural discussion on "Environment and Human Rights" was also held on this occasion.

Dr. V Lakshminarayan, Secretary PUCL, Karnataka, spoke about the aims and objectives of PUCL. As a political body, the PUCL would fight against the violations of human rights in a peaceful manner, he said.

President of PUCL, Karnataka, Prof. Hasan Mansur said that human rights activist should fight against atrocities on Dalits, adivasis and other weaker sections of the society.

Speaking on "Environment at Human Rights" Mr. Kalkuli Vital Hegde, Chief Guest and noted environmental activist, said that the environmental degradation caused by the mining activities at Kuduremukh area in proving to be hazardous to the ecological health of the region.
During the discussion it was felt that environment is an indelible part of human rights. It was suggested by various discussants that the time has come for the human rights organisations to address themselves to the environmental struggles.

Prof. Rajendra Chenni, Kuvempu University, urged PUCL to send a national level fact finding commission to enquire into KOICL's mining activities and its impact. Prof. Ramdas Rao, Secretary PUCL Karnataka said that State was treating natural resources not as the shared property of the humanity but as governmental property.

Resolutions Passed:

1. PUCL unit of Shimoga urges to hand over the case of Pushpalatha, a college student to COD. It also urges to withdraw the cases filed against the students who are fighting for justice in this connection.
2. PUCL unit of Shimoga condemns the policed assault on Prof. K Ramdas and others at Mysore. It also urges to conduct an enquiry into the death of a minor girl called Lakshmi, who was working as a maidservant.
3. PUCL demands that mining activities of Kuduremukh Iron and Ore Company Limited should stop forthwith. It also urges to cancel Kuduremukh National Park Project since thousands of Adivasis would be evacuated and their basic rights of living would be violated in the pretext of National Park.
4. Bajaranga Dal is giving arms training to its members in Karnataka. Such acts would disrupt peace and amity in the society and create misgivings in the minds of communities. PUCL demands that such activities must be suspended immediately and it also urges that concerned district commissioners be made responsible for giving permission to such activities.
5. PUCL urges that peace and harmony must be maintained at Bababudangiri. It condemns the police officers, government officials, and ministers, who have taken part in the religious rituals. PUCL reiterates that status quo of 1985 be maintained at Bababudangiri.

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