Sir – To me, as an outsider, the discussion on ‘Bihar’ and or urban non-religion based inter-communal violence due to scarce resource came as a surprise.  It only shows that the world-wide religious dogmas concerning acceptance of poverty are self-limiting when economically marginal populations reach critical mass.

This is nothing new.  Historically, the poo either died or migrated.  Although economic migration continues to occur, any mass movement of poor peoples would be politically unacceptable and if attempted, spontaneously  or otherwise, would provoke  a violent reaction from the would be ‘host’.  Ironically, if an ethnic group became the specific target of violence inflicted by others, they could flee and obtain protection under the current logic of International Law (UNHCR and other agencies).

Apparently, the world wants people to stay where they are; and for the time being, there are no new safe haves, no new Americas or Canadas or Australias open for immigration of impoverished peoples.  I have often thought of the prospects of creating  “New Haven State” somewhere  on marginal waste land capable of being made habitable by technological means.  But that is another issue for another discussion.

My only question, again, as an outsider, concerns the article’s acceptance of the concept of ‘resource scarcity’.  Is it real or imaginary?  It seems that the political ‘caste’ cannot, by definition, be creative.   No politician  will risk even a single incident of experimental failure which is inherent in scientific methodology.  Technological advances often fall back one step in order to advance two.  Even a sympathetic  politician would ‘jump ship’ at that first ‘one step backward’ .  That is,  if he (or she)  would even consider taking that first step.  The political reality is that political opposition would seize  any opportunity  to identify  an opponent with a ‘failure’, where, in reality, ‘experimental failures’areonly part of the human sustainable  development process.  If it were otherwise, we would all be ‘Gods’.

Back to the question of ‘scarcity’.  What is scarce: the Sun? Marginal wasteland for alternative hydrponic agriculture? Marginal wasteland  for basic habitats?  Water? Labour willing to work to feed their families? Seeds?  Energy? The article on Bihar said that the rural – urban  migration was due to “Resource scarcities in many rural areas combined with inadequate opportunities for alternative employment…”.  There is no poverty when local rural communities can produce enough food to feed themselves and sell the surplus  to urban dwellers.  So if ‘alternative employment’ in rural communities is scarce, why now accept that fact.  Employment in rural communities should concern foodproduction and local needs locally supplied; such as your roof tile project.  With sustainable technologies, cannot some sort of  food or  fibre production be undertaken on marginal land provided there is adequate sunlight and water?

I do not accept that there are basic resource scarcities on this plant.  The scarcities are political, technical or at worse, founded upon human greed and private property.  There is enough land, water, sunshine (and other renewable  energy sources), material, and seeds to house, feed and cloth (and care for) all the people on this globe.  It has only to be envisioned.  We cannot get there if we cannot visualize a common world dream. 

Mitchell J. New Delman

Geneva, Switzerland

Sir –We have just received the recent issues of the ‘Development Alternatives’ newsletter.

It was indeed a pleasure to read a special article ‘Weaving A Magic Carpet’ and also an item ‘TARAat TRADEX’.   This was indeed a valuable information for those who amy be interested in promoting cottage industry in their areas.

We are interested in further information about the developed loom for weaving the carpet so that we can introduce the same in our area and encourage self-employment for the jobless.

V.J. Raghuvanshi

Ahmedabad

Sir – Thank you for your information material on the Water Testing Kit.  On behalf of our client, United Distillers, UK we would like to place an order for quantity six of Jal TARA Water Quality Monitoring Kit.

Good Relations (India) Ltd.

New Delhi

Sir – We read the article “An Aquatic Star is born – Jal TARA”.  This portable kit is very useful and can be used by students also.  As we are involving  school  children in our various health programmes, the kit would be helpful for testing the water quality easily.

For our school based programme, we want to purchase two kits of Jal TARA.

BAIF Development Research Foundation

Pune.

Sir – I am a student of Class VIII.  I am very much interested in your new Jal Tara  Kit for water testing.  Please send me further details about this.

Please let me know other inventions/ equipment details available with your office.

Parsoon Agarwal

Bhilai (M.P.)