Vasudaiv Kutumbakam

Peoples Assembly for Organic Uttaranchal

An initiative of the local community and farmers for Kedarghati NavSrijan (Regeneration)

19 October, 2016. The People’s Assembly was held in the Agastyamuni Vikaskhand Conference hall, with an attendance turnout of more than 250 people. These people were representatives of local communities, farmers, ex-employees and students. The event was held under Dr. Vandana Shiva’s supervision. Local people stated that due to the 2013 disaster, Kedar Valley is now facing serious issues. There’s no employment and for this reason, migration is very common in the villages. Unplanned construction of roads and hydro projects are the main causes of the disaster in earthquake-sensitive zones.

It was June 5th 1999 when Mandakini Milan was declared, and the first JaivPanchayat Assembly was organised in Agastyamuni on the bank of the Holy river Mandakini. We are taking the resolution of KedarVelly Regeneration after 17 years back at the same place. As it stated:

“The frequency of landslides is increasing due to certain and unbalanced rainfalls. Forests are declining due to deforestation and forest fires. Water resources are drying out and violence is increasing in the villages. Due to high quantity of carbon levels in the atmosphere the cloud cycle is being perturbed. We are hereby taking an oath to conserve of our village, our land, environment and forest”.

Due to difficult geographic conditions villages on the rivers’ bank are striving for water as outsider companies are privatising it. We’ll never allow them to privatize water.

It is recorded that we saved seeds during high starvation. We are boycotting all anti-farmer policies and GM seeds. We will protect the Earth and humanity through traditional seeds and organic farming.

Poisonous chemicals are destroying soil health and biodiversity. Our crops are being poisoned due to these chemicals and this is affecting our health very badly. We will initiate the better option for education through healthy soil, organic food, good health and knowledge based on nature conservation.  We will boycott poison and Poison Cartel companies. Despite Monsanto and its fellow companies hijacking our biodiversity with golden rice and GM Banana in the name of improved nutrition, we know we have numerous options for obtaining nutritious elements, vitamin-A and iron in our traditional diet. Our traditional knowledge is capable of providing nutritious food for every living being.

We take an Oath to provide poison-free and nutritious food through ‘Annapuran Haat’ in our localities.

The use of handpumps in hilly areas is another significant reason for soil dryness – we boycott the handpumps as well as use of chemicals in the farm.

In fact, we are in favour of small hydro protects. We’ll stable the cooperative based pann chakki (watermill).

Live stock is an important part of our livelihood. We’ll protect agroecology through conservation and saving local dairy breeds.

We take an oath to make policies for farming through fencing, to ensure crop policy and agriculture marketing.

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