In focus weeks time Development Alternatives will be at Istanbul along with hundreds of other NGOs, CBOs, Habitat professionals and government representatives.  Is it for the fun of being at an international jamboree or the confidence and capacity built at Eco-summit 92 propel the organisation to be there?  There seems to be an obvious paradox in Development Alternatives presence at a City Summit when it perceives its vision to be creation of sustainable livelihoods in the rural sector for alleviating poverty through technology and action – by facilitating the pathway to formation of micro-enterprises based on local resources.  Perhaps the clue lies in the fact that Development Alternatives is concerned with ‘the human condition’ – by commitment & faith it is a caring organisation.  Its R&D, appropriate technologies, management and policy intervention capabilities are mere tools and instruments towards a better tomorrow particularly for the vulnerable and the disadvantaged groups.  What more intense image of the human condition is there than the dehumanised, soulless settlements in the cities where the low-income groups, mostly driven out from their roots by stresses of poverty, landlessness, lack of employment and many other social oppressions live in abominable misery.  For Development Alternatives not to be at Istanbul, not to share its concern for the crucial issues when its business is to promote appropriate shelter technologies, to design appropriate institutions of governance in suppression of the centralised failed mechanisms, not to offer its doable software and hardware would be a denial of its raison de’tre. 

The process of participation has been greatly facilitated by the Habitat II Secretariat who, at the behest of the UN General Assembly have extended invitation to NGOs, CBOs, and Habitat professionals to contribute their experiences, insights, knowledge, technologies, management skills side by side with the Govt. sector which inescapably suffers from operating in a straightjacket.  The acknowledgement that NGOs & CBOs are also partners is indicate of the desperation of the situation in the cities and a healthy sign that it is globally accepted that community and government have to join hands in finding solutions to problems of massive dimensions.  The community, government, business and industry, NGOs, ISOs have all much at stake and have something to offer and commit to in the process of building up partnerships.  Co-operation is the key to survival of the species ‘homo-sapiens’. 

To identify with the ‘goals’ of Habitat II needs no conscious soul searching.  Who can object to contribute to make the workd’s cities, towns and villages healthy, safe, equitable and sustainable? Development Alternatives believes in equity and sustainability and its efforts are aimed at creation of employment in villages, efforts to reverse the trend of rural-urban migration.  We are in the villages where we think real India.  Is.  Yet, we ought to be committed participants in designing urban settlements with a human face.  We believe we can contribute towards designing a better city environment, of a scale in which a person has an existence pursuing his vocation and avocations, reasonably free from diseases and ignorance and social, political and economic exploitation. 

Nomination of Development Alternatives as the pivot in Key NGO sector as a recognition of its past achievements and present activities in the shelter and sustainable livelihood sectors came as a clarion call and Development Alternatives responded positively as early as January 1995, full three months before the Prep-Com II.  The Newsletter became the vehicle of the organisation’s ideas on a few key issues.  There were a host of them particularly in the software areas of policy and plans, designing a healthy environment where the habitants had access to water, sanitation, education and health, infrastructures such as roads, drainage, energy and measures for alleviation of poverty through employment generation avenues. 

S.K. Sharma propagated the idea of ‘Responsible Right to Shelter’ calling upon the Community to administer its settlement – collection of taxes, rents & rates and paying for the services its receives or needs.  Here was a model of decentralised governance.  We talked of planning with nature-a very doable proposition that can change the city landscape toward an aesthetic environment of parks & commons.  Our sensitivity to habitat that is culturally relevant to lifestyles and values of the communities, the need for providing access to sustainable and affordable building systems and building materials, to preserve and follow traditional knowledge & building practices found expression through Geeta & Shrashtant Patara.  The obvious inputs for a country paper appeared in the January 95 newsletter without any fuss or ostentation.  Ashok Khosla wrote of the catalytic role of the Conferences in generating awareness and mobilising ideas for implementation.  He stressed on the need for pragmatism – for delineation of areas of responsibility amongst the principal actors – who is to do what, how and when. 

Throughout 1995, Development Alternatives is focused on housing particularly the vulnerable rural sector.  It is a key player in the National Rural Housing Exposition – ‘Gramawas 95’ held in Delhi.  Its technologies were on view and open to public appraisal.

Development Alternatives was called upon to organise a ‘SARC’ NGO consultation at short notice.  Its network with NGOs in the neighbouring countries and developing countries in Africa and Latin America brought together participants who presented their views, policy perceptions and case studies of replicable best practices on 19-20 January at Suraj Kund near Delhi.  There was neither time nor intention to evolve a common agenda, but it became obvious that there were grounds for consensus in areas of infrastructure and technology, transparency and participation in governance, and children’s and women’s rights. 

As we get closer to the Conference dates, we come to specifics of what we carry with us, how do we fit into the invitation, what do we offer.  A series of brainstorming sessions has resulted in evolution of a package revealed in the flow-chart given on this page. 

All this will be at the ‘Expo’ of good ideas for better cities.  The MCR Vibrator machine has already been despatched and probably riding the waves of the Mediterranean right now!

Dr. Ashok Khosla, grapevine reports, has shut himself up with his laptop preparing the Keynote paper on “Jobs in Cities” for the 10^th June NGO Caucus meeting! 

And, we have the Newsletter issue of June 1996 under preparation dedicated to Habitat II issues.  We have a whole lot of ideas & perceptions, but can do with more.  Like to join the think-tank?

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