Govt against consent of tribals for displacement | Business Standard News

Govt against consent of tribals for displacement | Business Standard News

My VIEW:

Lending
norms
This refers to the report
“India against prior, informed consent of tribals for displacement”(March 31).
As a lender, World Bank is known for imposing conditionalities which go much
beyond the normal safeguards taken by a banker while extending credit. In the
instant case, the requirements borders trespass of the borrowing nation’s
sovereign right to manage its resources to the country’s advantage. The human
rights and environment protection issues are being used as a veil to enforce
lender’s right to withhold credit.  Those
who are suspicious about India’s stand here may note that the World Bank is
trying to interfere in the internal policies of the borrowing nation by luring
the country with a ‘small soft’ loan.
Having said that, the
argument is not that local population’s livelihood rights or right to proper
rehabilitation when land is acquired for development projects. The averment
that “The proposed clauses like free, prior and informed consent (replacing
consultation process) can lead to legal complications, delays, increase in
costs and delay in project execution” is too mild, vague and inadequate to
protect national interests. India has a constitution which guarantees equality
before law and project-specific assurances to international lenders affecting
the democratic governance will have far reaching consequences in administering
law of the land.
M G Warrier,
Thiruvananthapuram



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