PROPOSITION: "This House believes that exaggerated ecological and climate change concerns are impeding India's economic growth."
Chair: Usha Thorat, Director, Centre for Advanced Financial Research and Learning (CAFRAL)
Dramatis personæ: selected quotes
Sunil Alagh, Founder SKA Advisors and business consultant. For the proposition.
I am of the view that good long-term economic policies by definition will result in good environmental practices. Also that protecting the environment is going to be the foundation of India's economic future. So the debate is not about whether to protect our enviornment, rather it is about how best to protect it.
Barun Mitra: Founder Director, Liberty Institute. For the proposition.
At the United Nations, every few years a fad consumes activists. In the 1970s, the world was worrying about population growth. In the 1980s, it was a battle against dams and deforestation. In the 1990s, sustainable development was en vogue. Remember the Earth Summit in Rio? And over the past decade, it has been climate change.
On climate change: REF: http://indefenceofliberty.org/Authors.aspx?authorid=1044
K.K. Narayanan, Founder and Managing Director of Metahelix Life Sciences - For the proposition
Since 2006, some state governments have been controlling and reducing MRP of seeds with Bt cotton technologies, thereby exercising indirect control on technology fees resulting in significant loss of research investments and industry value erosion… pricing should be fair and based on the market dynamics. The government should not have any say on this. A decontrolled regime can actually bring down the Bt cotton seed prices.
On AG-biotech: http://www.meta-helix.com/main/bod1.html
http://bioasia.in/speaker-profile/pdf/2010/k-k-narayanan.pdf
Omkar Goswami, Founder and Chairman, CERG Advisory - Against the proposition
The real question is when will India transit to growth without pervasive, high priced corruption? That depends upon the quality of governance in the states and in Delhi. Which is why one must expect the worst — and so fight against the shame every passing day.
On growth and corruption: REF http://www.cergindia.com/articles16t.htm
CP Chandrashekhar: Founder and Managing Director of Metahelix Life Sciences - Against the proposition
The fact that corruption, besides being ethically wrong or morally abhorrent, can influence growth in ways that serve the interests of a few and can therefore be deeply inequalising cannot be denied. But the reason for these developments - which are seen as mere instances of corruption - multiplying in number could be systemic and reflect policy shifts that aim to use state resources to inflate private profit.
On growth and corruption: REF http://triplecrisis.com/grassing-the-state/
Gautam Patel:Â Environment lawyer and counsel at the Bombay High Court - Against the proposition
Something is very, very wrong here. Everything points to a determined assault on that most fragile aspect of our environment: our wildlife and its habitat. Particularly worrying are the number of projects proposed in, around and through National Parks and Sanctuaries. These are legally designated areas of wildlife and habitat protection under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972. The law sets standards of what can and cannot be done in these areas, reflecting a wider public policy. This violation of an environmental law, in letter and spirit, is being actively encouraged, by the very body that is supposed to protect our sanctuaries and national parks.
On the systematic destruction of ecological spaces: Ref http://www.prisonerofagenda.com/conservation/the_big_bright_green_deception_machine.php
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