February 5th, 2023

Feb 5, 2023

Arbitrary evictions.

The illegally appointed FAMC has started sending emails to several aurovilians demanding that they leave the place where they have been living for years and taking care of. See emails below.

The illegitimate and authoritarian FAMC (Funds and Assets Management Committee) which was illegal appointed  by the Auroville Foundation Secretariat and the Governing Board, while bypassing the Residents’ Assembly (RA) is pursuing their controversial actions. The RA has officially voted against the manner in which this group’s members were appointed, yet they are still pursuing the following controversial actions:
1. They are unilaterally attempting to remove a resident from the farm land she has been stewarding for more than 20 years. During a vulgar interaction with the resident, they told her of their intention to sell/exchange this land. No information around this situation has been provided to the community by the illegitimate FAMC. The resident received emails wherein threats were made that the “legal cell of the Auroville Foundation” would become involved if she did not comply in a strict manner.
It is illegal to sell/exchange Auroville land without prior sanction by the Ministry of Finance. Till now, Auroville policy has avoided land sales/exchange for numerous substantial reasons. Now it seems it is being pursued, and in a non-transparent manner!
2. Other residents have received similar emails with arbitrary requests to vacate their houses.
3. Many residents have received emails saying that their houses will be dismantled in the near future to make way for roads and that they should contact the ‘resettlement group’ as soon as possible.
The community opposes haphazard and top-down urban planning approaches. Furthermore, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ruled that no further construction can take place before Environmental Clearance (EC) and Detailed Development Plans (DDPs) have been completed. Although the Auroville Foundation Secretariat is appealing this ruling, in the meantime it is still valid.
4. The illegitimate FAMC is refusing to process routine adjustments around funding for Auroville forests and its stewards. Until the Forest Group ‘co-operates’ with the group to gather data, this funding will be restricted.
An email has also been sent to the forest group by the same. This email to the forest group states a clear intention of taking over the management of the forests which would enable this group of individuals supporting the takeover by the secretary of the GB to continue the destruction of Auroville forests. Not to mention that their letter is going against the charter, the very spirit of Auroville and its processes. See article and email below.

Email 1:

Dear M.,

You will need to vacate the house you are currently living in (in AuroAnnam.)

Dear friends from Housing Service,

Please put M. on the transfer list on high priority and do the needful.

In Her Service,
Smiles,
Chandresh and Kalya for FAMC

Email 2:

Dear A. and B.,

You will need to vacate the house each one of you is currently living in (in the campus of Afsanah Guest House.)

Dear friends from Housing Service,

Please put the above names on the transfer list on high priority and do the needful.

In Her Service,
Smiles,
Chandresh and Kalya for FAMC

Screenshot:

 

 

 

Email to the Forest group:

Dear friend,

Since June 2022, ever since this FAMC started functioning, we have tried to meet with the people involved in “greening” of Auroville. All of us appreciate the greening work that has gone on for years in AV but we have information that needs to be gathered. We are looking into revisiting the functioning and managing of the green cover and parks and stewardship issues. Currently BCC is paying Rs. 4.6 lakhs per month as a recurring budget for non-agri green work and giving maintenance to 47 people, with total monthly outlay of Rs.11.92 lakhs for this sector. It is imperative that we have proper information about people involved in this work and the work they are doing for the green area under their care before funds are released for the coming financial year. An annual work plan is required to be prepared for the green belt park areas. Since we have not managed to sit with those receiving maintenance for green work – aka green belters (despite us reaching out to them a few times) we ask these questions by email. In case you are involved in non-agro green work in the green belt area of the Master Plan, please send us the following details before 15th February latest.

Your name
Name of the site & number of acres you are responsible for on that site
Current canopy cover on the land under your responsibility % of the total land (FMB to be provided if you have it)
Biomass
Biodiversity
Vegetation profile of the land (for maximum water percolation)
What are the activities you are involved in within Auroville? (Other than green work)
Number of hours per day you spend working actively on taking care of the land
Do you have gardens/kitchen gardens/ horse yards in the land? If so, what are the exact acres for these other use?
Do you operate guest facilities on this land? Is it a registered guest house?
What are the forest-products from the land?
How are they accounted for? Where are they accounted for?
Who takes care of the security on the land? Do you have salaried staff? How many?
Do you have volunteers working for you to take care of the land? How many at this time?

In Her Service,
Smiles,
Chandresh and Geeta for FAMC

Screenshot of the email to the forest group regarding the maintenances :