What is Environmental Sustainability?

Environmental sustainability is the ability to maintain the qualities that are valued in the physical environment.

For example, most people want to sustain (maintain):

• human life
  
• the capabilities that the natural environment has to maintain the living conditions for people and other species (eg. clean water and air, a suitable climate)
  
• the aspects of the environment that produce renewable resources such as water, timber, fish, solar energy
  
• the functioning of society, despite non-renewable resource depletion
  
• the quality of life for all people, the livability and beauty of the environment
  

Threats to these aspects of the environment mean that there is a risk that these things will not be maintained. For example, the large-scale extraction of non-renewable resources (such as minerals, coal and oil) or damage done to the natural environment can create threats of serious decline in quality or destruction or extinction.

Traditionally, when environmental problems arise environmental managers work out how to reduce the damage or wastage. But it is not always easy to work out exactly when and where threats will have their effects and often the impacts are hard to reverse. So increasingly environmental managers adopt strategies aimed to prevent damage being done in the first place. A full sustainability program needs to include actions to prevent threats and impacts from arising, actions to protect the environment from threats and damage, and restoration to reverse damage already done.

Sustainability issues arise wherever there is a risk of difficult or irreversible loss of the things or qualities of the environment that people value. And whenever there are such risks there is a degree of urgency to take action.

Environmental sustainability programs include actions to reduce the use of physical resources, the adoption of a 'recycle everything/buy recycled' approach, the use of renewable rather than depletable resources, the redesign of production processes and products to eliminate the production of toxic materials, and the protection and restoration of natural habitats and environments valued for their livability or beauty.

LANGUAGE LABORATORY

Introduction

Good communication skills are indispensable for the success of any professional.  If one wants to reach out to people, he or she has to speak their language.  The English language, in particular, has become essential in the lives of young people who aspire to advance their careers anywhere in the world.  English language learning has therefore become a must for any Indian student today.

Language learning is not the same as learning any other subject.  It is not confined to writing an examination and getting a degree or award.  The four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking have to be practiced.  Being able to communicate well is the most important factor when seeking a placement in a company or institution.  Communication involves one's ability to listen carefully so as to grasp the meaning and to respond in turn with apt words and clarity of pronunciation.

The language laboratory plays an important role in the language learning process.  This article discusses the various features of the language laboratory.  As it is a technological aid for learning, it has a number of advanced facilities that can help a student to learn a language with proficiency to communicate.  It has become inevitable in today's context but, at the same time, it poses certain challenges.  This article attempts to highlight the significance of the language laboratory and its challenges imposed on the learner and the teacher.

 

The Need for a Language Laboratory 

It is required of any learner to have a good command of the language for communication purposes, with clarity and accuracy being vital for effective and efficient communication.  What helps one to acquire such proficiency in a language is the process and the method of learning that language.

The curriculum of the present educational system in India does not have a laboratory session for arts subjects.  Only those who study science subjects have practical work, which is undertaken in a laboratory.  Hence, a laboratory for language learning is something new to Indian students, whereas it is very common in Western countries to train children in the laboratory to enrich their language learning experiences.

Scientific advancements have produced a number of innovative products to assist the learning process.  Innovative products such as digital multimedia control, wireless headsets and microphones, the interactive response pad, etc. are very useful for students learning languages for communication.  These interactive tools are designed to enhance not only language teaching but also class room grading and distance learning.

The language laboratory is very useful for assessing students' speech.  It provides students with the technical tools to get the best samples of pronunciation of the language. The electronic devices used in the laboratory will stimulate the eyes and ears of the learner to acquire the language quickly and easily.  The laboratory's collection is designed to assist learners in the acquisition and maintenance of aural comprehension, oral and written proficiency, and cultural awareness.  The language laboratory offers broadcasting, television programmes, web-assisted materials and videotaped off-air recordings in the target language.  In short, a learner can get the experience of having interaction with native speakers through the laboratory.  Hence, the language laboratory has become the need of the hour in any language learning process for communication.

 

Kinds of Language Laboratory

The language laboratory assists educators in delivering foreign language instruction, and has been through many developmental stages over the years. 

Four kinds of laboratories are being focused on here:

Conventional Laboratory

This is the primitive form of the language laboratory.  The conventional lab has a tape recorder and a few audiocassettes of the target language to teach the learners. The teacher plays the tape and the learners listen to it and learn the pronunciation.  As it is used in a normal classroom setup, it is prone to distractions and this type of laboratory is no longer common.

Lingua Phone Laboratory 

This is again a conventional type of lab, with a little modernization.  Learners are given a headset to listen to the audiocassettes being played.  Here distractions are minimized and a certain amount of clarity in listening is possible. 

There is also a modernized lingua phone laboratory available today, which uses an electronic device that has two functions.  It works as a cassette player with all the features of a normal cassette player on the left side, and as a repeater on the right side that helps one to record one's voice and play it back for comparison.

Computer Assisted Language Laboratory (CALL)  

CALL uses the computer to teach language.  The language course materials are already fed into the computer and are displayed according to the features available in the system. Nowadays, there are also laboratories with computers with a connection to the Internet.  These are called Web Assisted Language Laboratories (WALL).  The development of CALL has been gradual, and this development has been categorized into three distinct phases: Behavioristic CALL, Communicative CALL and Integrative CALL (Barson & Debski, 1996).  Though the development of CALL has been gradual, its acceptance has come slowly and unevenly.

Multimedia Hi-Tech Language Laboratory   

There is a lot of software available on the market that can be used in the multimedia language laboratory, for example:

 

Renet

Aristoclass

Hiclass

Globarina

Console OCL-908W

Histudio MHi Tech 

Online Software

 

 

The Significance and Relevance of the Language Laboratory  

The significance of the language laboratory has been much felt in the domain of communication.  We live in a multilingual and multicultural world, which is being shrunk to the size of a village by the advancement of science and technology.  The language laboratory exists to help one to use technology effectively to communicate.  It is not merely for learning a single language, but can be used for teaching a number of languages efficiently.  To acquire a sensibility for the sounds and rhythm of a language, one has to hear the best samples of a spoken language (Richards, 2001).  This is precisely the function of the language laboratory.  Some highlights of the language laboratory are given below: 

• It is a tool designed for teaching any language.
  
• It helps one to learn pronunciation, accent, stress and all other aspects of the phonetics of a language.
  
• Effective communicative training programmes for the general public, private and corporate sectors, junior and senior level officers can be given through the lab.
  
• Web-content creation, the setting up of in-house news magazines, corporate publicity and identity, and teaching materials can be generated through the language laboratory. 
  
• General documentation, software documentation and all forms of technical documentation can be done.
  
• Experts can utilize the laboratory for creating and editing scientific and technical materials for teaching language.
  
• The language laboratory enables one to conduct courses for various groups of people like students, faculties, businesspeople, etc.
  
• Short-term and long-term coaching classes for international examinations like IELTS, TOEFL and other competitive examinations can be organized.
  

  9.      Online courses and paperless examinations can be conducted through the language laboratory.
  

As the ability to communicate effectively has become the prerequisite for anyone who ventures into a new profession, the need for developing such a skill is a much-felt phenomenon today.  Both governmental and private institutions focus their attention on students developing their communicative skills.  As technology has entered into every aspect of human life, it has extended its advanced products into the field of communication.  So everyone strives to get the best on the market.

It is a fact that most students who do not find a placement after completion of their technical studies are very much dependent on their ability to express themselves and their knowledge efficiently.  While emphasizing the importance of employment-oriented education, Dr. Thiruvasagam, the Vice-Chancellor of Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, explained that "personality development and communication skills are equally important for students in finding respectable jobs in addition to their academic records" (The Hindu, 25/09/06).  He also urged all the principals of affiliated colleges to have a language laboratory on the campus and to motivate management to appoint a trained instructor specifically for the laboratories.

The Anna University in Chennai has circulated a note to all its affiliated colleges to set up language laboratories on their premises to enable students to develop their communicative skills.  The vice-chancellor of Bharathiar University has requested the board of studies for English to reduce the conventional teaching of English prose and poetry, and has allocated 50% of the teaching time for communicative English (The Hindu, 11/09/06).  Almost all technical colleges in the Coimbatore region have already opened language laboratories.  Though the cost of the installation of a language laboratory is very high, institutions have invested in them for their students' benefit. 

 

Conclusion

The language laboratory is a very helpful tool for practicing and assessing one's speech in any language.  It provides a facility which allows the student to listen to model pronunciation, repeat and record the same, listen to their performance and compare with the model, and do self-assessment.  Since the language laboratory gives every learner of any language freedom to learn at their own pace, it is flexible and does not necessarily require a teacher all the time.  At the same time, it is possible for teachers to provide assistance individually and collectively.  The language laboratory allows every participant his or her privacy to speak and listen. 

ENVIRONMENT MOVEMENTS IN INDIA

BISHNOI MOVEMENT : it was started in 400 years ago by a Sage known as Sombaji. in Rajasthan, a large number of trees are still worshiped by devotees. people resisted the cutting of such tree & advocated movement against deforestation. CHIPKO MOVEMENT : It was started in 1973 is the Chamoli district of Uttranchal, Chipko movement was against deforestation. Sunderlal Bahueguna , Gauri devi & Chandi Prasad Bhatt were prominent leaders of this movement. NARMADA BACHAO ANDOLAN : it is a movement against building multi-purpose dam over Narmada river which will ultimately result in flood & water logging in large area covered by about 1,00,000 people. the movement is led by Medha Potekar, Baba Amte & Arundhati Roy. SILENT VALLEY MOVEMENT : it was a movement against a hydro-electric project on the river Kuthipuzha, atributory at Preiyar river. in fact, the project site is covered by evergreen forest which is a home of many rare species of plants & fauna which many be destroyed by submergence. BALIYAPAL MOVEMENT : It is a movement against testing of missiles on the land of Baliyal villagers which may lead to interfertitlity of soil.

BISHNOI MOVEMENT

In the year 1471 A.D., there was a severe drought in a village called Pipasar of Rajasthan. The drought lasted for three years. Every bit of grass and plants were chopped to feed the animals. Children starved, cattle were dying and there was not a drop of water. People left their homes to search for water. At that time, there was a man called 'Jambeshwar' who was acutely pained at the tragedy but wisely learnt a lesson. He noticed that, unlike in the past, the land was not able to withstand the destruction from the drought as a large number of trees had been felled. If life was to survive, people must understand the value of environment. He preached that the way in which we lived should be in harmony with nature and not against it. He came to be known as Guru Maharaj Jambaji. Jambaji put down his thoughts into 29 principles which are followed by his disciples who are known as Bishnois (20+9) or twentyniners. According to the religion preached by Jambaji, there was strict ban on:-
- Killing of any animals or bird;
- Felling of a green tree.

The unique religion of conservation was taken up by a large number of people in Rajasthan and the number of Bishnois increased to the entire village communities. This helped to make villages greener and restore the natural ecosystems. Vegetation naturally helped to recharge the ground water.

About 300 years after this religion was founded, the soldiers of king of Jodhpur tried to cut trees in a Bishnoi village of Khejadali so that a new place may be built for the king. The Bishnois tried to reason with them and stop them but in vain. But true of their religion, the Bishnois hugged the trees to protect them. The soldiers attacked them to overcome the protest and 363 Bishnois were killed. When the king heard of this massacre and the unique religion, he was overcome by people's devotion. He ordered his men to withdraw, gave the religion state sanction and ensured that the wishes of Bishnois were respected in future.

Even today, after many generations, Bishnois continue to protect the trees and animals. One can spot a Bishnoi village easily as being more green and abundant in wildlife. The population of Black Buck, which is in the list of endangered species, is found to be in greater number in Bishnoi villages than outside.

In today's environment, when many places are facing acute shortage of water and pollution of air, land and water, we need to take a lesson from Bishnois. Conservation is a religion every human being should adopt.

CHIPKO MOVEMENT The

In the 1970s, an organized resistance to the destruction of forests spread throughout India and came to be known as the Chipko movement. The name of the movement comes from the word 'embrace', as the villagers hugged the trees, and prevented the contractors' from felling them.

Not many people know that over the last few centuries many communities in India have helped save nature. One such is the Bishnoi community of Rajasthan. The original 'Chipko movement' was started around 260 years back in the early part of the 18^th century in Rajasthan by this community. A large group of them from 84 villages led by a lady called Amrita Devi laid down their lives in an effort to protect the trees from being felled on the orders of the Maharaja (King) of Jodhpur. After this incident, the maharaja gave a strong royal decree preventing the cutting of trees in all Bishnoi villages.

In the 20th century, it began in the hills where the forests are the main source of livelihood, since agricultural activities cannot be carried out easily. The Chipko movement of 1973 was one of the most famous among these. The first Chipko action took place spontaneously in April 1973 in the village of Mandal in the upper Alakananda valley and over the next five years spread to many districts of the Himalayas in Uttar Pradesh. It was sparked off by the government's decision to allot a plot of forest area in the Alaknanda valley to a sports goods company. This angered the villagers because their similar demand to use wood for making agricultural tools had been earlier denied. With encouragement from a local NGO (non-governmental organization), DGSS (Dasoli Gram Swarajya Sangh), the women of the area, under the leadership of an activist, Chandi Prasad Bhatt, went into the forest and formed a circle around the trees preventing the men from cutting them down.

The success achieved by this protest led to similar protests in other parts of the country. From their origins as a spontaneous protest against logging abuses in Uttar Pradesh in the Himalayas, supporters of the Chipko movement, mainly village women, have successfully banned the felling of trees in a number of regions and influenced natural resource policy in India. Dhoom Singh Negi, Bachni Devi and many other village women, were the first to save trees by hugging them. They coined the slogan: 'What do the forests bear? Soil, water and pure air'. The success of the Chipko movement in the hills saved thousands of trees from being felled.

Some other persons have also been involved in this movement and have given it proper direction. Mr Sunderlal Bahuguna, a Gandhian activist and philosopher, whose appeal to Mrs Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, resulted in the green-felling ban. Mr Bahuguna coined the Chipko slogan: 'ecology is permanent economy'. Mr Chandi Prasad Bhatt, is another leader of the Chipko movement. He encouraged the development of local industries based on the conservation and sustainable use of forest wealth for local benefit. Mr Ghanasyam Raturi, the Chipko poet, whose songs echo throughout the Himalayas of Uttar Pradesh, wrote a poem describing the method of embracing the trees to save them from felling:

' Embrace the trees and
Save them from being felled;
The property of our hills,
Save them from being looted.'

The Chipko protests in Uttar Pradesh achieved a major victory in 1980 with a 15-year ban on green felling in the Himalayan forests of that state by the order of Mrs Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India. Since then, the movement has spread to many states in the country. In addition to the 15-year ban in Uttar Pradesh, the movement has stopped felling in the Western Ghats and the Vindhyas and has generated pressure for a natural resource policy that is more sensitive to people's needs and ecological requirements.

NARMADA BACHAO ANDOLAN

Narmada Bachao Andolan is the most powerful mass movement, started in 1985, against the construction of huge dam on the Narmada river. Narmada is the India's largest west flowing river, which supports a large variety of people with distinguished culture and tradition ranging from the indigenous (tribal) people inhabited in the jungles here to the large number of rural population. The proposed Sardar Sarovar Dam and Narmada Sagar will displace more than 250,000 people. The big fight is over the resettlement or the rehabilitation of these people. The two proposals are already under construction, supported by US$550 million loan by the world bank. There are plans to build over 3000 big and small dams along the river.

It is a multi crore project that will generate a big revenue for the government. The Narmada Valley Development plan is the the most promised and most challenging plan in the history of India. The proponents are of the view that it will produce 1450 MW of electricity and pure drinking water to 40 million people covering thousand of villages and towns. Some of the dams have been already been completed such as Tawa and Bargi Dams. But the opponents says that this hydro project will devastate human lives and bio diversity by destroying thousand of acres of forests and agricultural land. On the other hand it will overall deprive thousands of people of their livelihood. They believe that the water and energy could be provided to the people through alternative technological means, that would be ecologically beneficial.

Led by one of the prominent leader Medha Patkar, it has now been turned into the International protest, gaining support from NGO'S all around the globe. Protestors are agitating the issue through the mass media, hunger strikes, massive marches, rallies and the through the on screen of several documentary films. Although they have been protesting peacefully, but they been harassed, arrested and beaten up by the police several times. The Narmada Bachao Andolan has been pressurizing the world bank to withdraw its loan from the project through media.

The strong protests through out the country not only made impact on the local people but has also influenced the several famous celebrities like film star Aamir Khan , who has made open efforts to support Narmada Bachao Andolan. He said he only want that those who have been rendered homeless should be given a roof. He pleaded to the common people to take part in the moment and come up with the best possible solutions.

SILENT VALLEY MOVEMENT

Save Silent Valley was a social movement aimed at the protection of Silent valley, an evergreen tropical forest in the Palakkad district of Kerala, India. It was started in 1973 to save the Silent Valley Reserve Forest in from being flooded by a hydroelectric project. The valley was declared as Silent Valley National Park in 1985.

Kuntipuzha one of the major rivers takes its origin in the flush green forests of Silent valley. In 1928 the location at Sairandhri on the Kunthipuzha River was identified as an ideal site for electricity generation. A study and survey was conducted in 1958 of the area about the possibility of a hydroelectric project of 120 MV and one costing Rs. 17 Crore was later proposed by the Kerala State Electricity Board.

The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) decided to implement the Silent Valley Hydro-Electric Project (SVHEP) centered on a dam across the Kunthipuzha River in 1973. The resulting reservoir would have flood 8.3 km² of virgin rainforest. The proposal was enquired by National Committee on Environmental Planning and Co-ordination (NCEPC) and suggested 17 safeguards to be implemented in case the project implemented. A shortage of funds delayed activity. Even then from 1974 to 1975 a very large number of trees were felled in the area.KSEB announced its plan to begin dam construction in 1973

After the announcement of imminent dam construction the valley became the focal point of "Save Silent Valley", India's fiercest environmental debate of the decade. Because of concern about the endangered lion-tailed macaque, the issue was brought to public attention. Romulus Whitaker, founder of the Madras Snake Park and the Madras Crocodile Bank, was probably the first person to draw public attention to the small and remote area.^[3] In 1977 the Kerala Forest Research Institute carried out an Ecological Impact study of the Silent Valley area and proposed that the area be declared a Biosphere Reserve.

In 1978 Smt. Indira Gandhi, the Honorable Prime Minister of India, approved the project, with the condition that the State Government enact Legislation ensuring the necessary safeguards. Also that year the IUCN (Ashkhabad, USSR, 1978) passed a resolution recommending protection of Lion-tailed Macaques in Silent Valley and Kalakkad and the controversy heated up. In 1979 the Government of Kerala passed Legislation regarding the Silent Valley Protection Area (Protection of Ecological balance Act of 1979) and issued a notification declaring the exclusion of the Hydroelectric Project Area from the proposed National Park.

Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishath (KSSP) effectively aroused public opinion on the requirement to save Silent Valley. They also published a Techno-economic and Socio-Political assessment report on the Silent Valley Hydroelectric project. The poet
activist
Sugathakumari played an important role in the silent valley protest and her poem "Marathinu Stuthi" (Ode to a Tree) became a symbol for the protest from the intellectual community and was the opening song/prayer of most of the "save the Silent Valley" campaign meetings.^[4] Dr. Salim Ali, eminent ornithologist of the Bombay Natural History Society, visited the Valley and appealed for cancellation of the Hydroelectric Project.^[5] A petition of writ was filed before the High Court of Kerala, against the clear cutting of forests in the Hydroelectric Project area and the court ordered a stop to the clear cutting.

Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, the renowned Agricultural Scientist, and then Secretary to the Department of Agriculture, called at the Silent Valley region and his suggestion was 389.52 km² including the Silent Valley (89.52 km²), New Amarambalam (80 km²), Attappadi (120 km²) in Kerala and Kunda in Tamilnadu (100 km²) reserve forests, should be made into a National Rainforest Biosphere Reserve, with the aim of "preventing erosion of valuable genes from the area".^[6]Listen:(8:46) to Dr. M. S. Swaminathan speaking on Sustainable Development, p.83, August 27, 2002

In January 1980 the Hon. High Court of Kerala lifted the ban on clear cutting, but then the Hon. Prime Minister of India requested the Government of Kerala to stop further works in the project area until all aspects were fully discussed. In December, the Government of Kelala declared the Silent Valley area, excluding the Hydroelectric Project area, as a National Park.

In 1982 a multidisciplinary committee with Prof. M. G. K. Menon as chairman, was created to decide if the Hydroelectric Project was feasible without any significant ecological damage. Early in 1983, Prof. Menon's Committee submitted its report. After a careful study of the Menon report, the Hon. Prime Minister of India decided to abandon the Project. On October 31, 1984 Indira Gandhi was assassinated and on November 15 the Silent Valley forests were declared as a National Park, though the boundaries of the Silent Valley Park were limited and no buffer zone was created, despite recommendations by expert committees and scientists.

A New Dam proposal

In 2001 a new Hydro project was proposed and the "Man vs. Monkey debate" was revived. The proposed site of the dam (64.5 m high and 275 m long) is just 3.5 km downstream of the old dam site at Sairandhiri, 500 m outside the National Park boundary.[8]. The 84 km² catchment of the project area included 79 km² of the Silent Valley National Park.

The Kerala Minister for Electricity called The Pathrakkadavu dam (PHEP) an "eco-friendly alternative" to the old Silent Valley project. The PHEP was designed as a run-off-the-river project with an installed capacity of 70 MW in the first phase (105 MW eventually) and an energy generation of 214 million units (Mu) with a minimal gross storage of 0.872 million cubic metres. The claim was that the submergence area of the PHEP would be a negligible .041 km² compared to 8.30 km² submergence of the 1970s (SVHEP).[9]. However, The spectacular waterfall between the Neelikkal and Pathrakkadavu hills bordering the Silent Valley will disappear if the proposed Pathrakkadavu hydro-electric project is implemented.[10] - Image

During January to May 2003 a rapid Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was carried out during by the Thiruvananthapuram-based Environmental Resources Research Centre and its report was released in December, stating that forest lost due to the project would be just .2216 km², not including the 7.4 km approach road and land to be acquired for the powerhouse in Karapadam.

BALIYAPAL MOVEMENT

 

    The Government of India decided to setup a missile testing range at Baliyapal in Orissa. Baliyapal become a centre of controversy because the area to be taken for the testing range area a very fertile area with thick population. The Government could not implement its decision because of the strong resistance of the people.

 

THE PLCHIMADA STRUGGLE

"It is a new experience for us that water becomes a market commodity .It is alien to ourhabits. To sell bottled water is unjust and anti- nature."

Veloor Swaminathan states the rationale of the struggle in these simple statements.Thestruggle against the multi-national Coca-Cola factory at Plachimada of Perumatty Panchayat in Chittoor Taluk of Palakkad district, Kerala has shown unique consistency and perseverance for the last two years. It has attracted considerable amount of international media attention and thus being projected as a symbolic model of resistance against multi-national colonization. As a result, similar struggles against Coca-Cola and the exploitation of scarce groundwater resources for its sake, is gaining momentum in Sivaganga in Tamilnadu and in Orissa. All these struggles have to be viewed in a perspective that would unveil the ruthless exploitative face of globalization and its agents, the multi-national giants. Rugmini (46), a resident of Plachimada colony, says that she does not experience any water scarcity before the company started functioning.

 

"We live here for the last 20 years. Before two years we need not have to go out to fetch water. But today we walk a distance of two and a half kilometers to collect two pots of water. The Panchayath who is supposed to serve the people dose not take any action to resolve this problem".

 

They for more than one and a half years are agitating against the human rights violation of the factory. People representing the five most affected colonies adjacent to the factory, who belong to Eravala, Malasar tribal communities and other scheduled cast communities have been holding demonstrations and sit-in strike in front the factory for the last one and a half years .On April 22nd 2002,around2000 men, women and children dwelling around the Hindustan Coca-

Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd at Plachimada, picketed the factory and gave an ultimatum to the authorities to quit immediately. The Adivasi Gotrasabha leader Ms. C.K.Janu inaugurated the overwhelming function. The police arrested all the people participated in the function. Blockades, Dharna and Picketing were all resorted to during this continuous protest against

the wrongs of the mighty by the poor and the weak.

The police accusing them of raising slogans against the multinational company, blocking the workers from entering the factory and indulging in anti-social activities, registered several cases against these poor people and their leaders. The company filed a case (OP No.11598) in the High Court demanding police protection from these 'anti- social elements'. The accused were Vilayodi Venugopal (Chairman,Adivasi Protection Council),Veloor Swaminathan(Convenor, Action Council) Subrahmanyan, Murukesan, Kochikkadu Mani,and Pazhaniswmi. But the High Court accepted a counter petition in file submitted by the Action Council explaining that they were waging a very just protest and it was their legitimate right to demonstrate in a peaceful and democratic manner. The MNC was clever enough to influence the media not to give coverage to the struggle. Obviously the news papers except a few cannot go against the interests of the MNCs like the HCC. Political parties, irrespective of their ideologies for or against globalization and WTO, have wooed their best to protect the interests of the factory depriving the basic rights and physical existence of those who elected them to power. As the days went by the national media just cannot but to give due coverage as the struggle was gaining momentum and international media attention Cases were registered one after another but it didn't affect the morale or political will of the people whatever be the financial burden it rendered.The giant factory that can literally dictate terms to political rulers, law enforcement agencies, civil servants etc., used its money power and muscle power to silence the people and it has been partly successful so much so that the police department, despite the fact that the petition by the factory for Police protection was dismissed by the high court of Kerala, has mis-informed the people that the factory has been granted police protection by the high court. There is heavy deployment of

police at the gate of the factory threatening the poor people of dire consequences if any attempt is made against the smooth functioning of the factor.

THE STORY OF ANTI COCA-COLA STRUGGLE AT PLACHIMADA KERALA

http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:o8qxzrp5oicJ:org.ntnu.no/attac/dokumentene/cocacola/PlachimandaKerala_VAK.pdf+plachimada+issue&cd=18&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=in