Medha Patkar

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Medha Patkar
File:Medhapatkar.jpg
Medha Patkar in 2002
Born (1954-12-01) 1 December 1954 (age 69)
Mumbai
Other names Medha tai
Education MA in Social Work
Alma mater Tata Institute of Social Sciences
Organization National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM)
Movement Narmada Bachao Andolan

Medha Patkar (born 1 December 1954) is an Indian social activist and social reformer turned politician. She is the founder member of Narmada Bachao Andolan and was National Convener of National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), an alliance of progressive people's organisations.[1] She was a representative to the World Commission on Dams, to research the environmental, social and economic impacts of the development of large dams globally.[2] National Alliance of People's Movements, the organisation she leads, filed a public interest litigation in the Bombay High Court against Lavasa.[3]

Patkar was a candidate of Aam Aadmi Party, from Mumbai North East Lok Sabha constituency, for the Indian general election, 2014. She received 8.9% of the vote, and forfeited her deposit.[4]

Early life

Medha Patkar was born in Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Indu and Vasant Khanolkar on 1 December 1954.[5] Patkar earned an MA in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, after which she worked with voluntary organisations in Mumbai's slums for 5 years and tribal districts of North-East Gujarat for 2 years. She left her position on the faculty of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences as well as her unfinished PhD when she became immersed in the tribal and peasant communities in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.[6]

Activism

Narmada Bachao Andolan

Medha Patkar initiated and is still working with Narmada Bachao Andolan with a mass base in tribal and peasant communities in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat and support groups with more than 30 centres all over India and the supporting coalition of NGOs in more than ten countries, called Narmada Action Committee.[citation needed]

National Alliance of People's Movements

The National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) is an alliance of people's movements in India, with the stated aim of working on a range of issues related to socio-economic justice, political justice and equity.[7] Medha Patkar founded the National Alliance of People's Movements with the objective of "facilitating unity and providing strength to peoples' movements in India, fighting against oppression, further questioning the current development model so as to work towards a just alternative". She is the national convener of the NAPM.[6]

World Commission on Dams

Patkar served as a Commissioner to the World Commission on Dams, the first independent global multi-stakeholder Commission constituted to enquire on the water, power and alternative issues, related to dams, across the world. She provided detailed analysis of large dams and in-depth recommendations on the planning of large dams or any development project. The final report was signed unanimously, with an additional comment from Patkar.[8][9]

Tata Nano Plant Singur

Tata Motors started constructing a factory to manufacture their $2,500 car, the Tata Nano at Singur.[10] She protested against the setting up of the plant at Singur, West Bengal. Patkar's convoy was assaulted, allegedly by CPI(M) activists, at Kapaseberia in East Midnapore district while on her way to strife-torn Nandigram.[11] At the height of the agitation, Ratan Tata had made remarks questioning the source of funds of the agitators.[12] In October 2008 Tata announced that the factory would not be completed and that the production of the Nano will be set up in Sanand, Gujarat.

Lavasa

Lavasa is a project by Hindustan Construction Corporation, in Maharashtra. It is a yet-to be completed city. Lavasa Project is criticised by P. Sainath for unjust use of water in a worst hit farmer suicide state.[13] Medha Patkar with villagers of Lavasa protested for the environmental damage in Nagpur.[14] She also filed a PIL-Public Interest Litigation in Supreme Court against the Lavasa project.

Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project

Patkar's refusal to participate in protest against a proposed Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project, in her home region of Konkan, angered local activists. One Konkan activist accused her of highlighting issues to "further her own purpose", and then abandoning them.[15]

Golibar Demolition

A demolition took place on 2 and 3 April 2013 in the Golibar area, Mumbai, Maharashtra evicting 43 houses and displacing more than 200 people. Medha Patkar with more than 500 slum dwellers set on indefinite fast to protest against any further demolition until the inquiry into the matter is completed.[16] Patkar has alleged corruption and "atrocities" by builders in the city's slum rehabilitation scheme, and called for the halting of six projects by the Slum Rehabilitation Authority, until a proper inquiry is conducted.[17]

Save Sugar-Cooperatives Mission

To save Sugar-Cooperative sector in Maharashtra from falling into hand of politician Medha Patkar organised protests. She explained that "the politicians are interested in the prime plots of land, old equipment and machinery," of sugar co-operatives and accused state of selling assets of industry at throw away rates.[18]

Hiranandani land scam

Medha Patkar along with other activist registered PIL in High Court, alleging violations by property tycoon Niranjan Hiranandani in building luxury flats instead of affordable houses. Hiranandani had signed a lease for the 230 acres of land in 1986 at rate of Re 1 per hectare in a tripartite agreement with the state and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority.[19] Responding to PIL Maharashtra High Court judges says that" we appreciate the elegance of the construction and the intent at creating an architecture marvel for the city of Mumbai, we see the specific intent of wholly ignoring the most vital, and perhaps the only, condition in tripartite agreement (to create affordable houses of 40 and 80 sq m)".[20] If calculated according to the current market price, the quantum of the scam will be around Rs. 450 billion.[21]

Kovvada Nuclear project

File:Medha Patkar, Narmada Bachao Andolan, Right Livelihood Award Foundation.jpg
Medha Patkar at the Right Livelihood Award foundation.

Patkar expressed a strong opposition to the land acquisition in Kovvada of Ranasthalam mandal in Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh saying that the nuclear plant would be a disaster for ecology as well as people of region.[22]

Political career

In January 2014, Medha Patkar joined the Aam Aadmi Party, a political party led by Arvind Kejriwal. She and her organisation, National Alliance of People's Movement, provided support to the Aam Aadmi Party during the Lok Sabha campaign.[23]

Patkar also contested 2014 Lok Sabha election from the North East Mumbai constituency as an Aam Aadmi Party candidate.[24] She lost, receiving 8.9%[25] of the vote cast in North East Mumbai constituency, trailing at third position behind Kirit Somaiya (BJP candidate, winner) and Sanjay Patil (NCP candidate).[26] She resigned from Aam Admi Party's primary membership on March, 28th of 2015.[27]

Awards and honours

Citations

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ http://www.asianage.com/india/key-cong-aap-leaders-lose-deposits-ls-polls-017
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ The Hindu Business Line, 26 November 2006[dead link]
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Patkar extends support to AAP Indian Express, 14 January 2014
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP needs a future plan; fatigue sets in for party’s small-time drama The Economic Times
  26. ↑ Maharashtra – Mumbai North East, Results Declared Election Commission of India, 2014
  27. ↑ [1] Ndtv, 2015
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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