Promoted by Dr. Karan Singh, its chairman, Dr. Ashok Khosla, and Dr. Lovraj Kumar, the People's Commission on Environment and Development (PCED) aims at maximising the people's participation in formulating the National Development Agenda and in adopting a working strategy that is open and transparent. To enable grassroot groups, regional bodies and concerned citizens to express their views on environmental problems and development strategies, the PCED Public Hearings are a means of ensuring the availability of a coherent package of national inputs to the preparatory process for the UNCED.

In his inaugural speech at the Auroville PCED hearing on 18th August, 1991, Dr. Karan Singh appreciated the contribution of the Auroville Greenwork Resource Centre in organising the public hearing in the open. He found it appropriate that a forum to discuss Sustainable Agriculture, Micro-watershed Management and Bio-region bio-diversity should be organised outdoors. In our battle against ecological despoliation and exploitation, he said, there is an urgent need for environmental education to help the human consciousness in transiting to a Global Society.

In his paper "The Road to Sustainable Advances in Biological Productivity", Dr. Swaminathan stated that sustainability is a dynamic concept, which means that we can produce what we need today but not at the expense of curtailed production potential in the future. To be sustainable, technologies, approaches and management procedures need to be fairly location specific with an element of local participation for group action, to supplement the individual initiative and individual action.

Jean Pouyet of the Palni Hills Conservation Council presented his case study on "Micro-watershed management in Palni". He revealed that the water table in the region was going down, perhaps due to destruction of vegetation by animal grazing, hunting, firewood collection, and the collection of honey and medicinal herbs by the local community. He said that they are currently working out a plan for "Interface Forestry" that will aid in watershed management.

"Bio-region Bio-vulnerability of Pondicherry" was the focus of Dr. Meher Homji's talk. He considered sustainability and vulnerability as two faces of the same coin. He said that Auroville presents a very good example of water management, since a lot of plantation has been done with bunding and the rainwater percolates to the groundwater table. The recycling of all waste water will also solve the water problem of the adjoining region to some extent. The climate in this bio- region is unique, which, in combination with an abnormal rainfall regime type, also results in a unique vegetation. These thickets do not harbour many timber species and are therefore being replaced by eucalyptus plantations or converted into agricultural land or factory land. These woodlands need to be preserved because of the wealth of medicinal plants and of the wildlife that can be found there.

After brief discussions and a question-answer session, the three commissioners (Mr. Sriram Panchu, Prof. Seshadri and Prof. Narayanan) shared their views on the public hearing. The Honorable Lt. Governor of Pondicherry, Har Swarup Singh, assured that the administration is very open and responsive to people's action that could translate ideas into environment friendly policies.

Dr. Swaminathan rounded off the hearing by saying that we must link the ecological security of India with the livelihood security of the poor. In conclusion, Edward Giordana of Auroville, offered a vote of thanks to all luminaries present and in particular to the people of Pondicheny for their participation.

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