News & Notes 600:Working Committee report for May 2015

News & Notes 600 06 June 2015

Entity::Working Committee report for May 2015

Main topics dealt with in May 2015.

Meeting with GB members Dr. Karan Singh, Ms. Ameeta Mehra and Ms. Aster Patel in New Delhi on May 6th

The following topics were discussed.

• Restructuring the TDC. We informed the GB members about the letter sent by the Working Committee to the TDC, to the TDC Advisory Council and to the members who participated in the retreat on the town planning theme, requesting their views on the reconstitution of the TDC, and about our intention to collate their suggestions, discuss them with Shri .B.V. Doshi and then make a proposal to the Governing Board. (see the April report of the Working Committee).

• NTDA proposal. Dr. Doshi has proposed that Mr. Soli Sorabjee be contacted for a legal opinion on the dangers and desirability of having an NTDA for the Auroville area. Dr. Karan Singh disagreed with the proposal as this is not a legal issue per se, and supported a proposal to request Dr. M.S. Swaminathan to give his views, after hearing a delegation from Auroville consisting of members of the Working Committee and the NTDA Task Force.

• Sale of outlying lands. In view of the decision of the Governing Board made in its March meeting “The Board decided to step up the efforts to obtain permission to sell lands outside the Master Plan area, the proceeds of which will be used to exclusively fund the purchase of lands inside the Master Plan area.” we requested Dr. Karan Singh to write to the PMO office with the request to take a decision on the proposal made by the Foundation to the PMO Office some years ago that the Foundation be authorized to sell outlying lands on the condition that the sale proceeds be used for the purchase of lands within the city and greenbelt areas.

• Appeal against decisions of working groups. Dr. Karan Singh disagreed with a proposal that, similar to the provision contained in the Admission or Termination of Persons in the Register of Residents Regulations, a working group consisting of members of the Governing Board and some selected Aurovillians be formed to function as an appeal body against decisions of working groups. He proposes that Auroville create its own internal appeal body.

Meeting with members of the Envisioning Committee Ms. Ameeta Mehra, Ms. Aster Patel and Sir Mark Tully in New Delhi on May 5th

(Absent: Ms. Mallika Sarabhai)

The Envisioning Committee has been constituted by the Governing Board in its August meeting to prepare for the 50th anniversary celebrations of Auroville, and its constitution was reconfirmed in its meeting of March. It was agreed:

• That on behalf of the Envisioning Committee, the Working Committee will publish a call for ideas and suggestions in the News and Notes and on the Auronet and will send a note to those involved in the organization of previous festivals as well as to the Auroville International Centers.

• That the Working Committee will consolidate the proposals that come in, ask for details where required and ask for provisional budgets, if possible; and forward these to the Envisioning Committee

• That a follow-up meeting of the members of the Envisioning Committee and representatives of the Working Committee will be held in the second/third week of July, to be followed up with a meeting with the Chairman to finalize the request to be made to the HRD Ministry.

• There may be a possibility of asking for a special grant from the Government of India towards a program for the 50th anniversary of Auroville and related development. However, it is not at all certain that such a grant would be given.

Meeting with Mr. Rakesh Ranjan, JS HRD – on May 5th

The following topics were discussed.

• Admission or Termination of Persons in the Register of Residents Regulations. The approval of the Regulations by the HRD Ministry is still pending.

• Update on new Secretary: The Working Committee members were informed no suitable candidates had been identified. The JS suggested we recommend candidates. The Working Committee has meanwhile informed Dr. Karan Sign of other potential candidates to fill the vacancy.

• Green Campus housing project: The topic is still under consideration by the HRD Ministry.

Meeting with Collector on May 16

The following topics were discussed:

• The collector agreed to revive a sub committee consisting of representatives of the Collectorate, Vanur Taluk Office and Police to help resolve issues before they flare into large problems.

• Swachh Bharat Mission. We were informed that the Swachh Bharat (Clean India) Mission will include the Irumbai and the Bommaiyarpalayam panchayats.

• Road repair in Kuilapalayam. We were assured that the work to improve the road will be taken up soon.

Meeting with Dr. Senthil Velan I.P.S., Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Chennai on May 19

Topics discussed:

• The violation of the laws of India by a few Aurovilians, which has resulted in their blacklisting.

• A request of former Aurovilian Stuart Leard to be allowed to return to India.

• The status of volunteers. The FRRO confirmed that people on Tourist Visa cannot volunteer in India, and agreed to check up on the interpretation of the word ‘commerce’ in the 2005 visa regulation to see if foreign volunteers with an entry visa can volunteer in Auroville’s commercial units.

• The setting up of an RRO liaison office at the Auroville Foundation Bhavan. This proposal is still being considered.

• Invitation to visit Auroville. Dr. Senthil Velan will come to visit Auroville in June-July and he may give a brief lecture to the Aurovillians on the issue of Visa.

New member Land Board

The Working Committee has not received any substantial negative objections to the proposal that Sukrit replace Alain Grandcolas as member of the Land Board and has meanwhile recommended his name to the Secretary Auroville Foundation.

NTDA

The Working Committee is in the process, together with a representative of the AV Council and TDC, to get independent information on the desirability of an NTDA or the Auroville area.

Matej

Matej has informed the Working Committee he wishes to remain in Auroville permanently, while Monica has left for abroad.

Police Outpost

At the request of the Under-Secretary Auroville Foundation, the Working Committee, in consultation with the Land Board and the TDC, is in the process of identifying a piece of land along the main road between the Pitchandikulam bridge and the Service area, which can be used for a permanent police outpost. The views of the community will be sought before he plot will be recommended to the Secretary.

Appeal against a joint decision of the FAMC and Working Committee

The FAMC and Working Committee have agreed that one or more independent persons act as an ad hoc appeal body against the process leading to their joint decision regarding Sharnga Guesthouse. The members of the ad-hoc appeal group will be selected from the list of arbiters, and will work similarly to the process as outlined for arbitration in the Auroville Conflict Resolution Policy.

Auroville Security

In March 2015, the members of the security team announced that they all wished to resign by April 1, 2015. Consequently, the Working Committee jointly with the Auroville Council initiated a community process to find candidates for this position. A few Aurovillians have submitted their application, but none have been found suitable.

The process has shown that a rethink and reorganization of the security set-up may be necessary. Several Aurovillians have sent us their proposals on how to organize our collective security which will be used as starting point for a larger discussion. It has also become clear that at least one member of the present team should continue being involved in the new structure. We thank the present security team members for their willingness to continue their work till a new solution has been found.

Way Forward 2018

Action Groups that have started to function:

Theme AG	Working Since	Orientation status	Action Plan Status
Governance	March	Done	Not submitted
Youth	March	Done	Not submitted
Education	May	Done	Not submitted
Economy	May	Done	Not submitted
Land & Town Planning	May	Done	Not submitted
Growth	-	To be done	To be submitted
Bioregion	-	To be done	To be submitted

In the 2nd VTF meeting, held on the 20th of May, it was agreed that Action Plans must be formulated by June / July. The AGs should be able to report on actions undertaken by July/August, ahead of the next meeting of Governing Board / IAC, tentatively scheduled in the first week of October. This will enable the Governing Board to consider support or advise accordingly.

Windarra Conflict

In 2012, a conflict arose in Windarra Farm. In March 2013, the Farm Group requested the stewards of Windarra Farm to step out for a short time, and assumed the stewardship of Windarra to resolve the conflict. In November 2014, as no solution had been found, the Auroville Council brought the issue to arbitration. Three arbiters were appointed. They gave their decision in January 2015.

In accordance with the arbiters’ decision, the Auroville Council and the Working Committee have formed an Implementation and Monitoring Group to implement the arbitration decision. However, its work has been repeatedly frustrated by people who neither respect Auroville’s community process nor the arbiters’ decision and who have been trying to take matters in their own hands. One person, a non-Aurovillian, has moreover repeatedly threatened others with physical violence and issued death threats using abusive language.

Explanations for the non-cooperative attitude have not been given, and neither have apologies been offered for the threats and abusive language. The Working Committee has informed the Auroville Foundation recommending the removal of the non-Aurovillian from Auroville and will lodge a Police complaint against the non-Aurovillian.

The Working Committee has invited the Farm Group to discuss the matter.

The Working Committee is also involved in the following topics, which are still ongoing and not yet concluded:

• Aurovillians not living in and working for Auroville (jointly with the FAMC)
• Aspiration Sports Ground
• Sludge Disposal
• Pending case files (jointly with the Entry Service)
• Special Guests Coordination (jointly with the MM Access Team)
• Mailand Trust (jointly with the FAMC)
• Puducherry Rural Heritage Museum - Mohanam Cultural Centre
• Constitution of GOI Grant Sub-Group
• Rayapettei Asset (jointly with the FAMC)
• Auroville Health Services
• Land Sale Policy (jointly with the Land Board)

The Working Committee
(Angela, Carel, Elisa, Eric, Mandakini, Manohar, Ranjith)