This refers to the report "When green warriors battle GDP crusaders" (June 13). One feels that some sections of the media are going a little overboard in their reaction on the leaked Intelligence Bureau report on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as Greenpeace India. It is true that the democracy thrives on the ability of such groups to voice their opinion on government policies, but at the same time they should not be allowed to hold the government to ransom when the nation's interest is at stake. The incident at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power project is a case in point. The protests nearly stalled the project when, at that time, the government had already invested Rs 13,000 crore out of taxpayers' money. The project was a blessing for states like Tamil Nadu - that were reeling under huge power shortages.
If NGOs suspect any rules being flouted in this regard, they should use the Right to Information route to obtain necessary information and then file a litigation in court. Moreover, NGOs should ensure that people who are affected due to displacement are adequately compensated for any loss of livelihood.
V Sridhar Kolkata
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