The local communities will facilitate the desired level of development, not large dams and prominent companies. This was the general view expressed at a gathering held to deliberate upon the alternative path to development which was attended by representatives of various political parties, public groups and voluntary organisations here on Tuesday.
The main question addressed in the meet was about only big companies benefitting from exploitation of natural resources on which the local communities have the legal right. It is the locals who toil to facilitate execution of developmental works. After deliberations, it was proposed that a campaign will be organised to raised public awareness in the Pancheshwar dam area about the Forest Rights Act, experiences with other dams and the legal rights of the local communities. A march will be taken out in Pithoragarh and the project affected area, it was decided.
It was also proposed that the producer company system in which the people themselves are the owners, will be publicised. Efforts will also be made to establish such enterprises at various locations as in the case of Bhilangna block in Tehri district where residents of the Chatiyara village are themselves setting up a hydel project.
The former president of Pradesh Congress Commitee, Kishore Upadhyay, Communist Party of India state secretary Samar Bhandari, Trepan Singh Chauhan of Chetna Andolan, veteran activist Rajiv lochan Sah, scientist Ravi Chopra and representatives of groups from the project affected area were also among those present in the meeting.