Help stop the destruction of the hills of Braj

[Guest guest]

 

Ambariisa Das [Ambarisa (AT) mayapurfoundation (DOT) org]

Friday, May 05, 2006 10:25 AM

ISKCON Japan (New-Gaya-Dhaam, Hare Krishna Mandir)

Help stop the destruction of the hills of Braj

 

 

Dear Maharajs and prabhus,

 

Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila

Prabhupada.

 

I believe that many of you are already aware of the critical threat to

the environment of Braj Dham by illegal mining close to Barsana. In a

nutshell, here is the problem:

 

In the last 10 years, illegal mining of the hilly terrain in the Braj

region has grown nearly 25 times. The focus of this activity is in the

sacred groves of Kamavan where Brutal Destruction of Braj Hills Sri

Krishna had many pastimes with his cowherd boyfriends. In addition to

the brutal destruction of these sacred hills, the extensive use of

dynamite has damaged some prominent sites of Krishna's pastimes, like

Phisalini Shila a natural rock formation over which Krishna used to

slide with his friends.

 

Inspired by the dedicated resistance that has grown up amongst the local

Brijbasi community, I joined with other devotees to fund a Public

Interest Litigation suit in the Supreme Court of India. The suit was

successful and the Supreme Court ordered a complete ban last January. I

also joined in forming the Braj Foundation to stimulate regeneration of

the environment of Braj.

 

However, despite the ruling of the Supreme Court, backed up by several

other Central government rulings and a ruling from the Rajasthan High

Court, the Rajasthan government has been dragging its feet on stopping

this illegal activity under the apparent sway of the mining "mafia."

 

This collusion of unscrupulous businessmen has gone so far as to

threaten the lives of senior activists and has succeeded in

orchestrating the murder of one of the dedicated volunteers.

 

To try to bring more pressure on the government, the local Brijbasis

have mounted a demonstration, conducting continuous Harinam at the

Jantar Mandir in Delhi since April 22nd and will submit their petition

to the Prime Minister on May 11.

 

I'm writing to ask you to support this effort with your own petition,

signed by members of your congregations, and faxed to the Prime Minister

care of the Indian Embassy of your country. A draft of this petition is

attached and is also available to download at [insert URL].

 

If at all possible, I ask that you announce this at your upcoming Sunday

program so that as many as possible of your congregation can join in

this petition.

 

The completed petitions should be faxed to your local embassy and the

original copy sent by mail.. You can find the fax number and postal

addresses of the Indian embassies at this website::

http://www.sarkaritel.com/indianmissionspost

(http://www.sarkaritel.com/indianmissionspost).

 

Please also email a copy to the Braj Rakshak Dal office which is

organizing the protest - brajrakshakdal

(brajrakshakdal )

 

I also ask you to join the online version of this petition at

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/braj/petition.html

(http://www.petitiononline.com/braj/petition.html). Please announce this

to your congregation as well so they can join online and forward it to

their friends and associates, helping create a wider awareness about

this important issue.

 

The success of this effort will strengthen the foundations for increased

action to stem the rapid environmental degradation of the entire Braj

region. Your support today could mean the difference for our children

tomorrow - a renewed Braj filled with sacred groves, forested hills and

beautiful kunds, instead of a devastated and barren land.

 

I thank you for your support.

 

Your servant,

Ambarisa das

Trustee

Braj Foundation

www.brajfoundation.org (http://www.brajfoundation.org/)

 

 

Petition

 

 

To:

 

Dr. Manmohan Singh

Honorable Prime Minister of India

New Delhi

 

Through Indian Embassy

 

Sir,

 

We the undersigned, as members of the global community who revere and

appreciate Braj culture and heritage, are outraged over the brutal

destruction of the heritage hills of Braj which lie in the Deeg & Kaman

tehsils of Bharatpur district of Rajasthan.

 

These hills lie in close vicinity to the Keoladeo National Park at

Bharatpur, Sariska Tiger Reserve at Alwar and the Taj Mahal at Agra and

play a considerable role in maintaining the ecological balance of the

region.

 

These hills have numerous footmarks, caves, rocks and other heritage

sites all associated with the innumerable pastimes of Lord Krishna.

Millions of pilgrims and tourists from all over the world come to visit

these sites.

 

We have come to know that this destructive mining is illegal, violating

the guidelines of the Honorable Supreme Court of India and ignoring the

stern directions of the Central Pollution Control Board to stop all

sorts of mining activities in the region with immediate effect.

 

As per the satellite studies conducted by Braj Rakshak Dal

(www.brajrakshakdal.org) -- the activist group fighting for the

protection and overall resurrection of Braj, the quantum of mining

operations has increased to the tune of 28 times in the last few years.

At this rate, the hills of Braj would be wiped out in a mere span of

5-10 years.

 

It is unfortunate that the Government of Rajasthan is allowing this

plunder of the word's heritage despite the fact that these hills are

central to the ecology of Braj and have prevented the desertification of

the region.

 

We have learnt that the local people of the region are sitting on an

agitation to draw the attention of the Government of India on this

issue, at the Jantar Mantar of New Delhi since April 22nd.

 

We express our solidarity with them and earnestly request you to take

appropriate measures to stop all kinds of mining activities in the

entire Braj region.

 

We also request you to take an initiative towards conserving the

pristine glory and grandeur of Braj which lies in close vicinity of Taj

Mahal, by facilitating the restoration of its hundreds of Kunds, revival

of its dozens of transcendental groves and the regeneration of the

barren hill slopes.

 

With best regards

 

Sincerely

Signatories to the petition

 

[use more pages as necessary]

 

 

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