Budget 2013 Is Immoral, Anti-Environment, Anti-Citizens, Pro-commercial Czars
By Gopal Krishna
28 February, 2013
Countercurrents.org
New Delhi, Feb 28, 2013: UPA Government’s key mantra or goal for
'higher growth leading to inclusive and sustainable development' is
essentially immoral, anti-environment, anti-citizens and favourable to
commercial czars.
Unmindful of the fact that highly polluting project like Timarpur
Okhla waste-to-energy project is taking a huge toll on human health
and environment the budget speech in paragraph 96 unwisely promises to
“evolve a scheme to encourage cities and municipalities to take up
waste-to-energy projects in PPP mode which would be neutral to
different technologies. I propose to support municipalities that will
implement waste-to-energy projects through different instruments such
as viability gap funding, repayable grant and low cost capital.” The
Finance Minister has failed to realize that waste to energy is neither
clean nor green.
The proposed scheme should desist from promoting toxic technologies
like incinerators being used by likes of Jindal Urban Infrastructure
Limited in Delhi. It must be noted that for every five truckloads of
waste burned, four truckloads are pumped into the atmosphere and one
remains as toxic ash, which still must be carefully stored or
landfilled. There is a case going on against such a technology in the
National Green Tribunal which is due to hear the matter on March 11,
2013. Even the most technologically advanced waste incinerators
produce hundreds of distinct hazardous byproducts including dioxins,
heavy metals, halogenated organic compounds and the newly discovered
threat, nanoparticles. These occur both in toxic air emissions and in
ash residuals.
Such endorsement of National Waste to Energy Policy of the Union
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy does not realize that
incineration irreversibly destroys valuable materials and necessitates
the extraction, refinement and assembly of more raw natural resources
to produce new products. Alternatives such as recycling, reuse and
repair and composting conserve energy by efficiently using materials.
This significantly reduces global warming pollution, toxic waste and
ecological degradation.
The proposed scheme must factor in the fact that such technologies
also displace more affordable and economically productive waste and
energy solutions. Alternatives to incineration such as recycling,
repair, reuse and composting create ten times more green jobs and
small business opportunities that benefit local communities.
Incinerators produce more global warming pollution (mainly carbon
dioxide) per unit electricity generated than most other kinds of power
including coal, gas and hydroelectric. Disadvantaged communities are
disproportionately burdened. These communities are more vulnerable to
being targeted as sites for new incinerators.
It is admitted in the Union Budget speech that ‘the development must
be sustainable - economically and ecologically.’ But the setting up of
Cabinet Committee on Investment (CCI) has made environmental concerns
subservient to the implementation of industrial projects at any
ecological cost. The decision- making for environmental protection has
been referred to as “bottlenecks” in the Union Budget.
The Finance Minister admits that “The original Green Revolution States
face the problem of stagnating yields and over-exploitation of water
resources” but similar green revolution is being pursued in states
like Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal.
The endorsement of Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project,
the planned Chennai Bengaluru Industrial Corridor and the idea of
Bengaluru Mumbai Industrial Corridor in the budget is an act of
approving environmental destruction of these regions.
It is quite immoral on the part of the Government to have accepted the
recommendations of the Dr. Vijay Kelkar Committee which recommended
sale of government owned lands which has been acquired for ‘public
purpose’ since 1894. Kelkar Committee submitted its report on
September 3, 2012. The committee has recommended that over the next
two-three years the government should raise resources by selling
unutilised and under-utilised land of the PSUs, Port Trusts, and the
Railways, to fund infrastructure sector.
The endorsement of a PPP policy framework for increasing the
production of coal for supply to power producers and other consumers
with Coal India Limited as one of the partners will emerge as a
massive destruction of forests.
The proposed changes in the Foreign Trade Policy to be announced next
month and indicated in the Union Budget speech must steer clear of
promoting hazardous waste trade and hazardous technologies.
It is announced that “The new Companies Bill obliges companies to
spend 2 percent of average net profits under Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR). I am glad to announce that the Ministry of
Corporate Affairs will notify that funds provided to technology
incubators located within academic institutions and approved by the
Ministry of Science and Technology or Ministry of MSME will qualify as
CSR expenditure.”
Of all the injustices done, the one done in the name of law is the
worst. Although the hollowness of Concept of Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) is well known it has been introduced formally in
the Companies Bill, 2011. Clause 135 of the Companies Bill provides
for CSR. Every company having net worth of Rs 500 crore or more, or
turnover of Rs 1000 crore or more or a net profit of Rs 5 crore or
more during any financial year shall spend at least 2 % of the average
net profits in every financial year on activities to be undertaken by
the company as specified in Schedule VII of the Bill.
The provision of CSR must be looked at along with the provision in
clause 182 of the Bill. It envisages 7.5 % of annual profits of the
companies may be given as donations to those political parties which
are registered with the Election Commission of India. A formal quid
pro quo regime is emerging that will emasculate the political will of
the legislatures to regulate indiscriminate commercial and CSR
activities away from the glare of media.
Schedule VII mentioned in clause 135 provides a list of CSR related
activities including eradication of extreme hunger and poverty,
promotion of education, reducing child mortality and improving
maternal health, combating human immunodeficiency virus, acquired
immune deficiency syndrome, malaria and other diseases, ensuring
environmental sustainability, contribution to the Prime Minister's
National Relief Fund or any other fund set up by the Central
Government or the State Governments etc.
It is noteworthy that the activities that have been mentioned above
are functions of the state towards its citizens. This is a case of
outsourcing functions of the government to companies. It may have been
better if instead of letting companies do CSR activities if the same 2
% of their annual profit is collected as tax to create a fund for
undertaking state funding of elections. PM's Fund itself can collect
it. Although meager, Government of India did collect compensation
money acting as parens patriae (guardian of the nation) after the
passage of Bhopal Gas Disaster (Processing of Claims) Act, 1985.
Without disclosing the funding that political parties are the key
beneficiaries, the Finance Minister says, “I believe there is a little
bit of the spirit of Mr. Azim Premji in every affluent tax payer. I am
confident that when I ask the relatively prosperous to bear a small
burden for one year, just one year, they will do so cheerfully.” This
seems to indicate the collusion between the commercial czars and the
ruling alliance.
“By 2025, we could become a $ 5 trillion economy, and among the top
five in the world,” says the Finance Minister while concluding his
budget speech. The budget paves the way for a $ 5 trillion economy
which will be dominated by commercial czars at any human and
ecological cost.
For Details: Gopal Krishna, Convener, ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA), Mb:
9818089660, 08002263335, Email: [email protected],
Web:toxicswatch.blogspot.com
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