....Letter from Dr. Agrawal....
भागीरथी गंगाजीके संरक्षण हितार्थ " आमरण अनशन संकल्प" के संदर्भमे
प्रिय डॉ. रानडे,
१. भारतीय संस्कृति एवं चिंतनमे भागीरथी गंगाजी और उनकी संसारमे अद्वितीय पाप-विमोचनी, स्वास्थ्यवर्धिनी पवित्रतामे आस्थासे आप भली-भाति परिचित है । पिछले कुछ वर्षोंमे जल-विद्युत परियोजनाओद्वारा अन्य नदियोकी भांति ही, भागीरथी गंगाजीके प्रवाहकी अविरलताको भंग कर, इस आस्था-स्त्रोतको छिन्न छिन्न किया जा रहा है । अभी भी मनेरीसे नीचे भागीरथी गंगाजीकी धारा लम्बी दूरी और लम्बे समयतक जलविहीन रहती है । आगे चलकर तो शायद पूरी गंगाजी की यही स्थिति हो जाये । पर्यावरण-विज्ञानका एक गंभीर छात्र और एक आस्थावान हिंदू होनेके नाते यह विचार मेरे लिये असहनीय है । हम तो गंगाजीको मा मानते है -- क्या माकी हत्या, उसका जल-विहीन, छिन-भिन्न किया जावा चुपचाप देखते रहे? मै महीनोंके आत्मनंथनके इस निष्कर्षपर पहुचा हु । कि कमसेकम उदगम-स्थलसे उत्तरकाशी नगरी तक तो भागीरथीकी धाराको आस्थावान हिंदुओं और भारतीय संस्कृतिकेलिये अविरल, निर्बांध छोड दिया जाना चाहिये और मेरी आत्माकी आवाज है कि इस भागके साथ किसीभी मानवीय छेडछाडका मुझे यथाशक्ति विरोध करना चाहिये ।
२. वर्तमान भारतीय सरकारों और समाजमे भौतिक-आर्थिक विकास और बिजली उत्पादनपर इतना बल है, ललक है कि मुझसरीखे क्षुद्र व्यक्तिके विरोधका अर्थही क्या है नक्कारखानेमे तूतीकी आवाजभी कौन सुनेगा? पर हमारी संस्कृतिमे तो सदा आत्म-बल और तपोबलका बडा महत्व रहा है और इसके लिये तपना पडता है, बलि देनी पडती है । यह आस्थाही क्या, जिसके लिये अन्य सभी कुछ, प्राणभी उत्सर्ग न किये जा सके ।मै तो स्कूलकी दैनिक प्रार्थनामे " जिस देश-जातिमे जन्मलिया, बलिदान उसीपर हो जाये " और झंडा-गानमे "देश-धर्मपर बलि-बलि जाये" गाते हुये पला-बढा हू । क्या आज भारतीय संस्कृति हिंदु-आस्था मुझे बलिके नही पुकार रही है ? सोच-विचार कर मैने उत्तरकाशीसे ऊपरकी भागीरथी गंगाकी धाराके साथ छेडछाडके विरोधमे " आमरण-अनशन" करनेका निश्चय किया है ।
३. भगवान राम की तपस्थली चित्रकूट धाममे उनके पावन जन्म-दिन राम-नवमी, १४ अप्रैल२००८ को मै संकल्प करता हू कि, कोई अनहोनी ही न घट जाये तो, मै उत्तरकाशीतक भागीरथी गंगाजी की धाराके अविरल-निर्बांध रखे जानेके हितमे गंगा-दशहरा १७जून २००८ से " आमरण-अनशन" करूंगा । प्रभु राम मुझे अपने संकल्पपर दृढ रहनेकी शक्ति दे ।
४. आप मुझसे स्नेह करते है-उसी स्नेहका वास्ता देकर प्रार्थना करता हू कि मुझे अपने संकल्प्से दिखानेका प्रयास कृपया न करे । और यदि मेरा यह प्रयास आपको नि:स्वार्थ, उचित और धर्मानुकूल लगे तो इसके उद्देश्योंकी अन्तोगत्वा सफलताके लिये प्रभुसे प्रार्थना करे।
५. मै १५ मई २००८ से अधिकांश समय उत्तरकाशीमे रहूंगा । उपयुक्त ठिकानेकी खोज कर रहा हू । पता - M. C. Mehta, Env. Foundation ( Tel 011-41756519) या Peoples Science Institute ( Tel-0135-2763649)से ज्ञात हो सकेगा ।
हार्दिक स्नेह और शुभकामनाऒ सहित,
आपका अपना आत्मीय
(गुरुदास अग्रवाल)
.....
It was a blow to me. I never found him so disturbed and frustrated.
A man of highest calibre and authority in Env. Engg., stubborn and fighting for principles had lost hope of success of his persuasion and logic to prevent pollution and hydro-power projects on Ganges. He knows very well the type of response he will get from government, criticism of 'public stunt' by project planners and corporate bodies. Still, he decided to adopt Gandhiyan method, the only weapon available with common man to oppose such projects.
Dr. G. D. Agrawal has firm faith in Hindu philosophy of Aryasamaj and has remained Bachler in life, cooking his food by himself and wearing white Kurta-pyjamaa even in hi-fi IIT culture. He was a tough task master and expected the students to work methodically and with thorough understanding of the topic of research. With his exceptionally high decision making power and clear thinking he was respected by all. He was Dean when he left the IIT and accepted Member Secretary post, in CPCB, New Delhi. He thought he will be able to renovate the environmental clearance system for projects to safeguard environmental quality. However, he found that the things are not moving in proper direction and he resigned the post. He worked as environmental consultant for some time but was not satisfied with the end result. He then devoted all time thereafter to do social work at Chitrakut.
I learned a lot from him. Most important was how to think objectively and beyond traditional pattern. After my Ph.D. I worked in Walchand College of Engineering and did consultancy in Environmental Engineering for along time. But I was frustrated with ineffective implementation of our advice due to apathy and reluctance of industries, corruption at high places and environmental quality preservation only on paper and in records of regulating agencies. Fortunately, for me, my interest in computers, showed me a better path to show my talent and I got drifted to IT field.
The letter from Dr. G. D. Agrawal, reminded me of my forgotten duty of Environmental protection. I must strive for creating awareness , oppose wrong policies and preserve environment. I can do it more effectively than common man, can argue with project leaders with technical details in their language. I know that Dr. G. D. Agrawal will not change his decision even if I appeal to him.
Dr. Agrawal has asked me to pray God, but I would prefer to pray general consciousness of people to help him in winning his single handed moral battle with mighty government machinery and irresponsible developers.
What I can do in my capacity is to strengthen his efforts, spread his message, help to build public pressure through my preferred media of blogs and web technology. I have decided to write blogs to invite project planners for technical discussion and evaluation of project pros and cons and their impact on environment.
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