To: Her Excellency, Smt.Pratibha Patil, President of India, Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi presidentofindia@rb.nic.in H.E. Hamid Ansari, Vice-President of India, New Delhi vpindia@nic.in H.E. Dr.Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, South Block, Raisina Hill, New Delhi manmohansingh@sansad.nic.in Shri Jairam Ramesh, Minister for Environment, Paryavaran Bhavan, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi-3 envisect@nic.in Shri Arjun Munda, Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Project Bhawan, Dhurwa, Ranchi arjun.munda@gmail.com Shri M.O.H.Farook, Governor of Jharkhand, Ranchi, 0651 - 2201101 Shri Kamal Nath, Union Minister Roadways, New Delhi, 011- 23719023 Ms Meira Kumar, Speaker, Parliament, Parliament House, New Delhi speakerloksabha@sansad.nic.in Smt.Sonia Gandhi, Congress President, Indian National Congress, New Delhi, 01123012410 soniagandhi@sansad.nic.in / gandhim@sansad.nic.in Shri Rahul Gandhi, General Secretary, Indian National Congress, New Delhi, 01123012410 Shri Yashwant Sinha MP, Demotand , Hazaribagh, Jharkhand ysinha@sansad.nic.in / ysinha2005@hotmail.com Ambika Soni: Minister for Information & Broadcasting, New Delhi: 011-23782118
Dr.C.P.Joshi, Minister of Rural Development, New Delhi: 011-23385466 Kumari Selja: Minister for Housing & Urban Poverty, New Delhi: 011-23731506 I am writing to you after hearing from Bulu Imam, Convener, INTACH Hazaribagh Chapter, about the felling of very many ancient trees in order to expand the national highway system of India. I understand that India needs to improve its transport links but the scale and apparent randomness of the felling sounds appalling in the light of what we now know about the effect of tree removal on the environment. The natural ecological systems provided by such trees, including their importance in the regulation of water systems, are vital to the wellbeing of human populations - not just those living within a few kilometers of the trees, but indirectly the whole of the region and I go so far as to say India itself. It is this very kind of felling exercise which induces the fearful flooding and droughts that we have witnessed across the world with increasing frequency in recent years. I realize I have little claim to your time or attention as I live far away in Britain, but we too are affected by thoughtless industrial development which is equally having a devastating effect on our lives. Not something which many are aware of at present but there is gradually a growing recognition of what forest destruction will do. Some trees may indeed have to be sacrificed for some highway expansion, but it appears that the approach has been far from taking the fundamental importance of bio-diversity into account, and has certainly not taken account of the possibility of leaving many trees standing while still achieving the goal of gaining a highway. It is not often recognized that if such destruction continues, we destroy the very source of our wealth and well being, highways, when we have got rid of our means of agricultural production, will be useless, as there will be no-one left to buy our products - I am speaking here not just in terms of India, but of the world. I do hope you will see the urgency of the appeals which you will have received concerning these trees and find an alternative approach. With all hope for your kind consideration Rosemary Haworth-Booth Barn Cottage, Middle Hearson Swimbridge, Devon, EX32 0QH UK 2nd September 2010