llegal mining in Gir: HC asks principal secy to appear on Jan 21

The IndianExpress 22/12/2010

THE Gujarat High Court (HC) on Tuesday ordered the Principal Secretary (Mines & Minerals) to appear before it on January 21 in connection with a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by slain activist Amit Jethava.

Jethava had sought directions to check the illegal mining activity in the periphery of
Gir Wildlife Sanctuary.Jethva was killed in an audacious armed attack in front of the HC building in July after filing the PIL.
The Division Bench, headed by Chief Justice S J Mukhopadhaya, ordered the Principal Secretary to appear in person before the court to answer certain queries, which the state government failed to put before the court on affidavit. The queries were re
lated to fixing accountability of the concerned government official under whose jurisdictional areas the illegal mining is going on.E Shailaja, the lawyer representing the petitioner, said the court — in its earlier order — had asked the state government to come up with an affidavit on the issue of making people accountable for illegal mining.
In its affidavit, the State
Government had stated that they have formed a task force to check the menace.Though, the bench was not satisfied with the affidavit and asked the state counsel as to what if the task force does not perform the duty well.
The court also asked if the concerned government officials like mamlatdars and police sub-inspectors are being held responsible for the illegal mining in their areas.

જેઠવા હત્યાકેસના આરોપીઓને જેલમાં સગવડો અપાતી હોવાનો આક્ષેપ

divyabhaskar-22/12/2010
આરટીઆઇ એકિટવિસ્ટ અમિત જેઠવાના ખૂનમાં પકડાયેલા જૂનાગઢના સાંસદ દીનુ બોધા સોલંકીના ભત્રીજા શિવા સોલંકીને સાબરમતી સેન્ટ્રલ જેલમાં સુવિધા અપાઈ રહી હોવાનો આક્ષેપ તેના પિતા ભીખાલાલ જેઠવાએ કર્યોછે અને આ અંગે તેમણે જેલના ભાઇજી પી. સી. ઠાકુર સહિત મુખ્યમંત્રી, વિરોધપક્ષના નેતાને પણ પત્ર લખીને તપાસ કરાવવા રજૂઆત કરી છે.

શિવા સોલંકી વર્તમાન ભાજપ સરકારના નાણામંત્રીના વેવાઇના પુત્ર તેમજ જૂનાગઢના ભાજપના સાંસદે દિનુ સોલંકીનો ભત્રીજો છે. કોડીનાર નગરપાલિકાનો ભાજપનો પૂર્વ સભ્ય અને પૂર્વ નગરપતિ રહી ચૂકયો હોવાથી સરકાર પોલીસ ખાતામાં અને મંત્રીઓમાં મોટી વગ ધરાવે છે. તેના સગા કાકા દીનુ સોલંકી હોવાથી સાબરમતી સેન્ટ્રલ જેલમાં મોબાઇલ ફોન, લેપટોપ સહિતની સુવિધાઓ મળી રહી હોવાનું જાણવા મયું છે. સાબરમતી જેલની ઓચિંતી તપાસ કરવામાં આવે અને જે બેરેકમાં શિવા સોલંકીને રખાયો છે. મુલકાતીઓનું રજિસ્ટર તથા ગેરકાયદે શિવાને મળવા આવતા તેના મળતિયાઓ તેમજ જેલની આસપાસ લગાવેલા મોબાઇલ ટાવરની તપાસ કરવામાં આવે તો કોડીનાર, રાજકોટ, ગાંધીનગર, જૂનાગઢ, કેશોદમાં કેટલા ફોન થયા તેની માહિતી મળી

ગેરકાયદે માઇનિંગ મુદ્દે ખાણખનીજના અગ્રસચિવને હાઇકોટર્નું તેડું

Divyabhaskar-22/12/2010

અમદાવાદ : રાજયમાં ચાલી રહેલા ગેરકાયદે ખનીજ ઉત્ખનનના મુદ્દે ખુલાસો કરવા માટે રાજયના ખાણ અને ખનીજ વિભાગના અગ્રસચિવને ૨૧ જાન્યુઆરીએ હાજર રહેવા હાઇકોટર્ના ચીફ જસ્ટિસ એસ. જે. મુખોપાઘ્યા અને જસ્ટીસ કે. એમ. ઠાકરની ખંડપીઠે હુકમ કર્યોછે.

આરટીઆઇ એકટીવિસ્ટ અમિત જેઠવાએ કરેલી જાહેરહિતની અરજીની સુનાવણી હાઇકોટર્માં યોજાઈ હતી. જેમાં રાજય સરકારે એક સોગંદનામું કરીને ગેરકાયદે ખનીજ ઉત્ખનનના મુદ્દે સરકાર દ્વારા લેવાયેલાં પગલાંથી હાઇકોટર્ને વાકેફ કરવા પ્રયાસ કર્યોહતો, પરંતુ ચીફ જસ્ટિસે વળતો સવાલ કરતાં જણાવ્યુ ંહતું કે ગેરકાદે માઇનિંગ અટકાવવા માટે જવાબદાર અધિકારીઓ સામે સરકાર કેમ પગલાં નથી ભરતી? અથવા તો તે લોકોની જવાબદારી કેમ નક્કી કરતી નથી? આ અંગે ખુલાસો કરવા માટે ખાણ અને ખનીજ વિભાગના અગ્રસચિવે કોટર્માં હાજર રહેવાનો નિર્દેશ કરવામાં આવ્યો હતો. ઉલ્લેખનીય છે કે અમિત જેઠવાએ ગેરકાયદે ખનીજ ઉત્ખનન અંગે કોટર્માં જાહેર હિતની અરજી કર્યા બાદ ખાણ માફિયાઓ દ્વારા તેની હત્યા કરવામાં આવી હતી.

PIL against illegal mining in Gir: HC summons secretary

Times of India 22/12/2010
Ahmedabad: The Gujarat high court on Tuesday directed principal secretary of the mines and minerals department to remain present before the court to explain the ‘inaction’ on the issue of illegal mining in the state. The officer has been summoned on January 17, when further hearing on the PIL against illegal mining has been kept. Acting on a PIL filed by slain Amit Jethwa against illegal mining in and around the Gir sanctuary, a bench headed by the chief justice sought to know what actions have been taken by the government in this regard. The high court had earlier proposed that strict actions should be taken against erring police officials and revenue officers. The state government intimated the court that a task force has been monitoring illegal mining across the state. However, the court was not satisfied with the progress made in curbing illegal mining. The court wanted to know the state government’s proposed action on ecological imbalance caused due to illegal mining. TNN

Who killed Amit Jethwa?.. its Dinu Solanki and company

TIMESNOW
Shocking revelations three days after RTI activist Amit Jethwa was murdered, who was killed in front of Gujarat High Court from a point blank range by two assailants. Jethwa, known as the green crusader was fighting the latest battle against the mining mafia. The opponent BJP MP Dinu Solanki accused of running illegal mining in Gujarat. Solanki has not surfaced ever since Jethwa’s murder and now a top lawyer from the Gujarat High Court has said Jethwa knew he would be killed. 

Jethwa's friends and family claims he was on the verge of exposing an illegal mining racket near the Gir forests running into crores and he was silenced for his honesty. For a state government already under pressure with the Sohrabbuddin encounter case, these fresh allegations come as another blow. The PIL against illegal mining on the periphery of Gir forest area has named Solanki and his family members. An Ahmedabad police team has now left for Junagad to investigate the charges. 

“Police are investigating all aspects linked to Jethwa's murder, including the name of persons figuring in the PIL on illegal mining filed by him," DCP Brijeshkumar Jha said. "We have found that the bike used by the assailants was stolen from Dholka town," Jha said, adding that the bag left by the two at the site of the incident had clothes with marks of a Junagad laundry. But the question is where Solanki is? Why has no official FIR been filed against him and why have Jethwa's revelations of the threat to him not been considered? 

Indian activists risk death

TheEcologist London

Environmental activist Amit Jethva was murdered after campaigning against illegal mining in a national park

The recent death of Indian environmentalist Amit Jethva was the latest in a growing number of disturbing incidents of brutality and violence against activists, report Ambika Hiranandani and Tom Levitt

On 20 July 2010, forest campaigner Amit Jethva was shot dead at point blank range by two assailants on motorbikes as he was leaving Gujrat High Court following a meeting with his lawyer. 



In a country facing an acute environmental crisis as it rapidly industrialises, his assassination was no stray incident but one of a rising number of attacks on activists. Theheadline-grabbing decision to ban the British mining company Vedanta from opening a bauxite mine on tribal land in eastern India was only achieved after an unprecedented amount of national and international media attention. 

Elsewhere decisions have not been so favourable. Recently approved plans for a new airport in Mumbai will destroy 170 hectares of critically important mangroves. Conservation groups say alternative sites were not properly considered and that their objections were given little consideration. But being ignored is perhaps better than the fate many environmental activists face in India today. 

In January 2010, Satish Shetty, a whistle blower and anti-corruption campaigner, who brought to light land scams in West Indian state Maharashtra, was murdered, while Shanmughan Manjunath suffered the same fate after exposing petrol pumps that sold adulterated fuel. Activists say that in contrast to the image India portrays - of a nation that prioritises environmental issues - the reality is in fact very bleak. 

‘Activists in India are constantly at risk. Stories of activists being killed are a moral setback to all of us. Ruffle the wrong person’s feathers and it could be you next,’ says Stalin D, project director at the environmental NGO Vanashakti. Ravi Rebbapragada, executive director of Samata, a tribal rights and environmental NGO, believes that as India continues its rapid industrialisation, things are likely to get worse, ‘as the stakes go higher the risk to the activist goes higher,’ he says. 


Anti-mining activist killed

At the time of his death Amit was campaigning to protect against forest encroachment. He was heavily involved in the Gir National park, the only home of the Asiatic lion and a protected forest area in western India that covers more than 1,400 km sq. His efforts to expose illegal mining in the forest were rewarded last week with a special posthumous award. Before his death he had filed a lawsuit (Public Interest Litigation) against illegal limestone mining in the buffer zone around the National Park. His application had named a local MP Dinu Solanki from India’s Hindu Nationalist Party and the case was said to, ‘openly expose his link with illegal mining operations’.



Amit was well-known for standing up for environmental issues and had even taken on Bollywood actor Salmon Khan for shooting an endangered Blackbuck. As such he had many enemies in the government, according to his friend and environmental lawyer Manish Vaidya. His family and friends say he had been under threat ever since he started investigating illegal mining operations in and around Gir National Park. 

‘A couple of years back, Dinu Solanki’s men physically assaulted Amit at a family wedding,’ recalls Alpa Amit Jethva, his widow, who says Amit had complained to the police after one incident but nothing happened. Dinu Solanki was unavailable for comment but a police investigation since Amit's death found that he had ‘no role to play’. The police confirmed to the Ecologist that his nephew Shiva Solanki has been charged with conspiracy to assassinate Jethva and a second man with his murder.



Lack of support from police

Activists in India say support is often lacking from the police when they try and initiate proceedings against their attackers. In March 2010, while exposing illegal sand mining in the state of Maharastra, Sumaira Abdulali, a trustee of the Awaaz Foundation, an environmental NGO, was followed, threatened and physically attacked by mafia linked to sand dredging in the area. Sumaira and her team went out on a boat to photograph illegal sand mining in an ecologically sensitive creek, where they saw over fifty dredgers within a span of one kilometre. After they took the photographs and left, they were followed by thugs. 

NDTV-Toyota Eco Awards to martyr Amit Jethwa

THE HINDU

President Pratibha Patil presents the NDTV special jury award for RTI activist Amit Jethwa (posthumous), to his wife Alpa Jethwa in New Delhi on Tuesday. Photo: Sandeep Saxena

Stressing the need for prudent management of the planet's resources, President Pratibha Patil on Tuesday warned that rapacious hunger could fast diminish them, and reduce space for nature and various life forms it supports.

“The manner in which we are consuming we seem to have forgotten that many resources are finite. Are we striking at the very roots of our sustenance? Our unrelenting withdrawal of the earth's resources has adverse impacts on the earth itself. If not, such a study should be undertaken. Our generational responsibility also demands that we do not consume in a manner that we leave a depleted legacy for our children and grandchildren. We should use resources economically and optimally by consciously adopting practices that are environmental friendly and avoid wastage.”

The President was speaking at the presentation of NDTV environment awards, “The Greenies,” here.

Referring to the Roshni programme she has undertaken on the Presidential Estate, Ms. Patil said it was meant to foster a sustainable habitat. “The initiative has waste management, energy efficiency and usage of new and renewable energy as essential components. The effort was to create awareness and a sense of involvement in each individual living in the Estate in managing our environs in a responsible manner. We must create awareness of environment in both urban and rural areas. It should be discussed in Panchayati Raj institutions, municipal bodies and the NGOs.”

Pointing out that India needed international backing in its endeavour for ecological sustainable development, Ms. Patil said the international community should collectively support the efforts of developing countries through financial resources and technology transfer.

In a live interaction with Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra, who was one of the anchors, Minister of State for Environment Jairam Ramesh, speaking from Cancun, asserted that India was a problem solver and bridge to narrow differences between contending parties. The Minister was given an award for his commendable work on the environmental front.

Making it clear that he did not have much hope from the Cancun climate change summit, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah said India should save energy and take green initiatives on its own. “People want to make a difference. We have got to make solar energy cheaper so that we can have it in all our homes. It is a big task but we have to fulfil it.”

Earlier, NDTV chairman Prannoy Roy said the President had put her stamp of approval on people (award winners) who were playing a crucial role in the future of the country.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Veer Bhadra Mishra for creating awareness of the threats posed to the Ganga. The Best Green celebrity award was presented to Bollywood actor John Abraham. RTI activist Amit Jethwa was posthumously given a special jury award for exposing illegal mining in the Gir forest in Gujarat. There were winners from different fields in other categories.

Goon who shot at RTI activist held in Mumbai

Ahmedabad Mirror

After recovering a revolver from Shailesh Pandya, the Mumbai Crime Branch booked the 36-year-old from Patan under the Arms Act. He will be produced before a magistrate in Mumbai on Wednesday.


The person who  shot dead prominent RTI activist Amit Jethava outside Gujarat High Court in July this year, was arrested in Mumbai on Tuesday. Shailesh Nanalal Pandya alias Sanjay Rabari was arrested by the Kurla unit of Mumbai Crime Branch.

They recovered a revolver from his possession. The 36-year-old accused hails from Patan. 

The Mumbai Crime Branch has booked Pandya under the Arms Act and will produce him in a local court on Wednesday. He will be subsequently handed over to the Gujarat police, Mumbai’s Additional Police Commissioner Deven Bharti said.

According to police, Inspector Agarwal and API Ghuge of the Kurla crime unit rounded up Pandya on a tip-off at Kapadia Nagar Society in Kurla West on Tuesday. During preliminary investigation, Pandya is alleged to have claimed that he shot dead Jethava on the directions of some person. Mumbai police officials, however, are not ready to divulge more details.

green crusader’s death

Jethava, a known RTI activist and a ‘green crusader’ was spearheading a campaign against alleged illegal mining in the Gir Sanctuary of Saurashtra, which was allegedly supported by some politicians. Jethava had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Gujarat High Court in May this year alleging that mining activities were being carried out in Una and Kodinar of Saurashtra allegedly by Junagadh BJP MP Solanki and his relatives.

On August 20, two motorcycle-borne persons killed Jethava near Satyamev Complex opposite Gujarat High Court at 8.45 pm. 


Since then constable Bahadursinh Wader, Shiva Pachan alias Shiva Solanki and Sanjay Chauhan have been arrested. Earlier, on September 7, Shiva Solanki, a nephew of Junagadh BJP MP Dinubhai Boghabhai Solanki was arrested by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch for his alleged role in the murder.

Another shooter held

Pandya’s name as the shooter had cropped up during interrogation. Uday Thakor, who was with Pandya when the latter shot dead the RTI activist, was caught at Geeta Mandir on October 2.

As per the Ahmedabad Crime Branch, the conspiracy to kill Jethava was hatched at Shivalaya Complex office of Shiva alias Pratap Solanki in the presence Wader, a former constable. According to cops, Pratap, a former vice-president of Kodinar panchayat, and the constable are childhood friends. 

Crime Branch inspector S M Choudhary said Solanki ‘hired’ Wader to find a shooter, and he was ready to spend any amount of money required to eliminate Jethava. He said Jethava was a thorn in the flesh for the Solankis owing to his opposition to ‘illegal’ mining in which the Solankis are alleged to have a major stake.

Choudhary said Solanki had given Pandya Rs 11 lakh to kill Jethava and the police were trying to trace the source of the money.  Pandya, a former teacher, also faces an attempt to murder case in Gujarat, police added.

Another challenge before the sleuths is to determine the motive and the political pressure behind the killing of the RTI activist. The police have not recorded Dinu Solanki’s statement till now.

RTI activist’s killer nabbed from Mumbai

The Times of India

Martyr to transparency

Ahmedabad: Mumbai crime branch officials nabbed Sailesh Pandya, the man who had shot RTI and environment activist, Amit Jethava. Pandya was absconding since Jethava’s murder on July 20. He was nabbed on Tuesday on the basis of a tip-off received by Mumbai cops about a gang of criminals operating in the area. The cops have also seized a revolver from Pandya. Police sources say that it is the same weapon used to kill Jethava opposite Gujarat high court. 
    According to sources, Pandya was hiding in Mumbai and was in touch with other criminals. Sources added that Rajiv Kadam, additional commissioner of police (crime), Mumbai had got information about a criminal and found Pandya during a search. During questioning, he said that he was wanted in Gujarat in connection with a 2010 murder case and two attempt to murder cases of 2008. 
    When TOI contacted city crime branch officials, they feigned ignorance about the development. However, later, after contacting their counterparts in Mumbai, city police officials confirmed the arrest. According to a senior official, a team will start off for Mumbai early on Wednesday to get custody of him, after Mumbai police completes the formalities. 
    Jethava was shot dead at point-blank range by Pandya, along with another man, Pachan Shiva. The duo came near Jethava when he was coming out of Satyamev Complex opposite HC on July 20. Officials said that Jethava’s role as an activist had hindered some projects in protected forest areas. This had irked the powerful mining lobby. 
    In subsequent investigation, four persons were arrested for the murder, including Shiva Solanki, nephew of Junagadh MP Dinu Solanki, Bahadursinh Vadher, a police constable, Pachan Shiva, Vadher’s friend and Sanjay Chauhan, who pointed out Jethava to Pandya.

how he did a great help in filing RTI applications

DNA archieve- Wednesday, Dec 2, 2009

Justice KS Jhaveri of the Gujarat high court has issued notices to the state government and others pertaining to a writ petition seeking to accept Indian Postal Order (IPO) as one of the modes of payment to deposit fees during the filing of applications under Right to Information Act.

Bringing the issue to notice, the petitioner Amit Jethwa, a social worker, stated that the state government has not issued a notification to accept fees through IPO despite it being acceptable in all other states of the country.

“Payment through draft is expensive for the applicant while IPO is the cheapest way to deposit the amount,” said Vijay Nangesh, counsel for Jethwa.

According to the petition, Jethwa had moved an application before the public information officer (PIO) of the energy and the petrochemical department.The PIO asked Jethwa to deposit Rs108 as fee for the 54 pages of information.When Jethwa sent the fee of Rs110 through IPO, the PIO refused to accept the money and directed him to make payment by cash or demand draft.

Thereafter, Jethwa approached the chief information commissioner.

The commissioner issued suggestion to the general administration department to accept the IPO as a mode of paying fees.

Despite the suggestion, the government has not added IPO as a mode of payment in the RTI Act.Nangesh further submitted in the petition that the banks are charging more than the IPO.For instance one has to pay Rs30 for a Rs20 demand draft or pay order while the post office charges just Rs2 for the IPO of the same amount.

Gujarat govt agenda.. Save Dinu Solanki

DNA newspaper

The Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) on Wednesday filed the charge-sheet in the Amit Jethava murder case, in the metropolitan court. It is interesting that the charge-sheet mentions that Jethava's murder was a 'contract killing' but is silent on the alleged role of the BJP MP from Junagadh, Dinu Solanki.

Incidentally, Jethava's father has repeatedly alleged that the MP was involved in his son's murder. Amit Jethava, who was an RTI activist, was killed in cold blood in front of the Gujarat high court complex.

During the investigation, it was revealed that the main accused, Shailesh Pandya, and his accomplice, had fired at the RTI activist when he was killed. At the time, Jethava was returning after meeting his lawyer Vijay Nangesh at the Satymev complex located in front of the high court.

According to the charge-sheet, Pandya was paid to eliminate the RTI activist. He was given money in two instalments - the first of Rs2.5 lakh and the second of Rs1 lakh - through an angadia (local courier service provider).

The DCB had recorded the statement of the owners of the angadia firm.

The DCB has arrested Dinu Solanki's nephew, Shiva Solanki, police constable Bahadursinh, Sanjay Chauhan and one Shiva Panchan. The police constable was a close ally of Shiva. 
The police also took the statement of Jethava's family members, local people of Junagadh and Amreli, and also of the doctors who had conducted the post-mortem on Jethava.

However, the charge-sheet says nothing about the alleged role of Dinu Solanki. Now the accused in the case are likely to file for bail on the ground that as the charge-sheet had been filed and the investigation in the case had concluded, they ought to be released on bail.

Amit Jethava was killed allegedly because he blew the whistle on the illegal mining going on in the Gir reserve forest area. He had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) petition in the Gujarat high court in this regard but he was killed before the high court could take any action in the matter.

Jethava's father has moved an application in the high court (through lawyer Anand Yagnik) seeking a CBI investigation into his son's murder.

The high court has asked the DCB for its probe 
report in the case. The charge-sheet includes a mammoth record of telephone call details, 93 
witnesses of Saurashtra and Ahmedabad, and 50 Panch witnesses.

Chargesheet silent on BJP MP’s role

the times of india

activist Amit Jethava

Ahmedabad: The city crime branch, which investigated the murder of RTI activist and whistle blowerAmit Jethava, has given a clean chit to BJP MP from Junagadh Dinu Bogha Solanki. In the chargesheet filed on Thursday, constable Bahadursinh Vadher and Solanki’s nephew Pratap alias Shiva Solanki have been held wholly responsible for the killing. The chargesheet also says that Jethava was killed for a supari of Rs 11 lakh. 
    The chargesheet, filed against five persons, is silent on the parliamentarian’s role in the incident, though Jethava’s family members have been claiming that it was Solanki who was behind the murder. Anticipating that the Gujarat police would not ‘touch’ the sitting MP, Jethava’s father has even sought transfer of investigation to a central agency. The murder took place a few days after Jethava filed a PIL against the MP’s alleged illegal mining activities in the prohibited Gir sanctuary. 
    The probe agency did not even record the MP’s statement and his name does not figure in the list of 142 witnesses in the case. The chargesheet claims that Vadher and Shiva conspired to eliminateJethava at Kodinar because Jethava was troubling them by using RTI to cause major damage to their businesses. 
    The chargesheet narrates how a mine purchased by Vadher’s family in Alidar village in Gir sanctuary could not function because of Jethava’s numerous complaints. The mine had to be sold out ultimately. The probe agency also highlighted that since Vadher and Shiva were in the business of renting plots for installation of cellphone towers, their alleged illegal installations in and around Una and Kodinar towns were under scanner because of Jethava’s activism. Fed up with Jethava, the duo planned to eliminate him. 
    As per the plan, Vadher hired absconder Shailesh Pandya offering him Rs 11 lakh. Pandya tried to kill Jethava on July 11, but failed. Ultimately he succeeded on July 20, when with help of one Udaji Thakor; he fired at Jethava in front of the Gujarat high court premises on the busy SG Highway. The amount for contract killing was paid in two installments through courier services, out of which Pandya got Rs 3.5 lakh. The chargesheet also describes how the SIM cards purchased to execute the conspiracy were thrown in the Hiral River in Gir sanctuary. 
    Adivision bench in the high court, which hears the PIL, is also supervising the investigation.

biography of activist

http://freeblogin.com/amit-jethwa-rti-activist-and-green-crusader/
Amit jethwa ( also Amit jethava ) was an Indian environmentalist and social worker active in the gir forest area- natural habitat of Asiatic lion near Junagadh, Gujarat. Amit jethwa was a amazing force by himself. A young tall well built environment activist had dynamic personality who was active in Gujarat state on environment issues.

prominent activist Amit jethwa

He started his carrier as a pharmacist in government hospital. from then he observed corruption and malfunction in government system. As a native person of gir forest area he was emotionally attached to lions and environment. He was founder president of regional local youth club named Gir nature youth club of young environmentalist. The group has grown large with more than 4000 active members. Club has its own vigilance team to keep an eye on illegal hunt and killing of sea turtles, whale shark through out the coastal area of gujarat.He had organized a nature lovers yatra in southern Saurashtra belt. Be it about saving marine turtles,or Chinkara, lion, leopard, tree, birds or crocodile, Jethwa was there at service in Kutch, Saurashtra and Ahmedabad. He was one stop resource for any information regarding Gir forest and forest department’s handling of affairs there. He had amazing grip over South western Saurashtra areas, especially ecological and environment related issues.

In the lion poaching case of 2007, Jethava was among the first to blow the whistle on the mysterious deaths of lions in Gir forest. He later campaigned against shifting of lions to the Kuno Palpur national park in Madhya Pradesh. In the Aamir Khan chinkara poaching incident Jethava had earlier filed a writ petition in HC seeking quashing orders against a Bhuj court which stayed an inquiry against Khan.

Be it lion poaching, illegal mining, the famous Aamir Khan-chinkara poaching case, the appointment of information commissioners in Gujarat—Jethava used RTI and public interest litigations (PIL) as weapons to fight for public issues. In his latest case Jethava had dragged the state government to Gujarat High Court regarding the appointment of an ombudsman or Lokayukta for Gujarat which has been pending since 2003.

He started a program called ‘mahiti adhikar nagarik mandal (peoples group of right to information)’ to aware people about use of new act. Since 2006 Jethava spearheaded the RTI campaign in Khamba. Every month he and his team would organise mass awareness programmes regarding the new law. From school students to retired employees, women and small traders had been using this new tool in his taluka to get their rights. He also actively pursued the provisions of the RTI Act for addressing grievances, and conducted workshops on the procedure to file requests under RTI to prevent corrupt practices and other mal-administration.

Since 2008, he had filed a number of RTI applications probing the activities of an illegal mining lobby operating in the protected forest area just outside the Gir National Park. In mid 2010, he also filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Gujarat High Court, citing evidence found through RTI naming BJP MP Dinu Solanki and his several relatives, for involvement in the illegal mining in the Gir Forest.

Jethava had spearheaded the campaign against rising case pendency in the Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) due to lack of commissioners. It was on his petition that the HC directed the state government to complete the appointments within a stipulated time. He had also filed a PIL petition questioning the state government’s inaction over the appointment of Lokayukt.
He again came to the rescue of thousands of RTI users by filing a writ petition in the HC and made the government accept Indian Postal Order (IPO) as one of the modes of payment to deposit fees while filing of RTI applications.

With the suitable use of RTI, he had filed several court cases against illegal mining in the protected area, by which a large number of influential persons of that area, including Dinu Solanki, the BJP MP from Junagarh, were getting adversely affected. His fight against encroachment of forests and poaching had become legendary in that area.In beginning of July 2010 he filed case in gujarat high court against illegal mining naming BJP MP Dinu Solanki and his nephew Shiva solanki as the respondant. soon after this PIL he was shot dead by two motor cycle born assailant on 20th July 2010 right opposite side of gujarat high court. his father named Dinu and Shiva Solanki as the persons who gave contract for eliminate green activist.

Amit was irreplaceable. He was a force, rare in this time. He was not facebook or twitter or blogger activist, he was an activist on ground equipped with all needed tools to fight for truth. His murder is very shocking. He could do more for Gujarat. It’s a tremendous
loss.The National RTI Forum of India presents the Satish Shetty RTI Gallantry award to Amit Jethwa posthumously.

Murder of Truth by Governments in India

http://matheikal.wordpress.com/2010/08/31/murder-of-truth/

Amit Jethava

Amit Jethwa, 33, was killed in broad daylight near the Gujarat High Court on July 20.  He had been campaigning to prevent mining around the Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary.  He used RTI and other legal provisions to advance his campaign.  He received many threats from the ruling BJP’s MP from Junagadh.  The BJP Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi, is acclaimed for bringing industrial development to the state.  He is also famous for eliminating large numbers of people for political benefits for himself and his party.  Modi may not be directly involved in the murder of Jethwa.  But can he and his party not bring development to the state without murdering people, especially people who stand for truth and justice?

The malady is not confined to Gujarat alone, however.  Satish Shetty, Dattatraya Patil, Arun Sawant and Vitthal Gite are victims of the murderers of truth in Maharashtra.  Shashidhar Mishra of Bihar, Vijay Pratap of UP and Sola Ranga Rao of AP also fell victims to mafia attacks because they all questioned certain corrupt practices using RTI.

Frontline quotes Arvind Kejriwal, RTI activist and Magsaysay award winner: “Those who indulge in corruption have become so aggressive, so bold and so intolerant that they don’t even fear the law and order machinery.”

The hijacking of law and order by criminals in connivance with the authorities who are supposed to uphold law and order is what is appalling.  When the government itself becomes an embodiment of criminality what will the citizens do?  Who but the government will be responsible for the emergence of extremist groups like the Maoists?

Instead of rectifying the situation by cleaning up the stables, the governments are trying to reign in the provisions in RTI.  Many amendments are being sought in the RTI Act.  Eventually the Act will be made ineffective by the governments.

George Bernard Shaw said, “Power does not corrupt men; but fools, if they get into a position of power, corrupt power.”  India seems to have become a country where power is corrupted absolutely.

RTI should not be casualty of corrupt bureaucrats

The Pioneer

The Right To Information (RTI) should not become a casualty of corrupt bureaucrats and others and it is quite disturbing to hear about threats to RTI activists, Law Minister M Veerappa Moily said on Monday.

Reacting to murder of Right To Information activists in parts of the country, he said, “There are instances of attacks on Right To Information activists. Some of them are Amit Jethwa, an environmentalist in Gujarat, and Satish Shetty, an activist in Maharashtra. These attacks and killings have to be taken seriously and dealt with an iron hand,” Moily said at the 5th annual convention of Central Information Commission. 

selective amnesia

the pioneer

The Congress was quick to return fire on the Geeta Johri issue. Party spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters, “The issue of CBI misuse was raised...It is selective amnesia. I want to ask the BJP, the CBI was right in Haren Pandya case but wrong in the case of Amit Shah. They are now citing Geeta Johri but forgetting the father of Haren Pandya, who had pointed a finger at Narendra Modi.”

The BJP has “double standards” on the issue, Tewari said, adding that RTI activist Amit Jethwa’s father wanted his murder case to be handed over to the CBI as he did not trust the State Government, “descri-bed as a modern day Nero by the Supreme Court”. 

Jethava murder culprit nabbed

http://www.dailypioneer.com/281534/Jethava-murder-culprit-nabbed.html


The main culprit in the murder of RTI activist Amit Jethava was arrested from Rajkot airport on Tuesday. Shiva Solanki, whose illegal mobile tower and minerals transport businesses were severely affected due to Jethava’s activism, was nabbed by the Crime Branch cops minutes before he was about to board a Mumbai bound flight from Rajkot.

He is the nephew of Junagadh MP Dinubhai Solanki whom slain Jethava’s father had blamed for the RTI activist’s murder outside the Gujarat High Court on July 20.

The police had earlier arrested a constable who had allegedly arranged the contract killing with a payment of `10 lakh.

Further investigations have revealed that the main kingpin of the contract killing was Shiva Solanki whose illegal mobile tower business had suffered losses due to the RTI activist’s petitions, police sources said. 

Cops soft on Dinu, call in CBI, says Jethava's father

http://epaper.indianexpress.com/IE/IEH/2010/10/15/ArticleHtmls/15_10_2010_603_023.shtml

BHIKHABHAI Jethava, father of RTI activist Amit Jethava who was shot dead outside the Gujarat High Court in July this year, has moved a petition in the HC seeking a probe by CBI or any other independent agency or Special Investigation Team consisting of IPS officers from other cadres into the murder of his son.Jethava was killed on July 20 outside the High Court, a few days after he filed a PIL seeking court’s intervention in connection with illegal mining in the periphery of Gir Lion Sanctuary.
In his PIL, Jethava had made direct allegations against sitting BJP MP from Junagadh, Dinu Solanki, holding him responsible for the illegal mining activity.
Shortly after the murder, investigation of the case was handed over to the Ahmedabad City Detection of Crime Branch (DCB), which arrested several persons, in
cluding nephew of Dinu Solanki, Shiva.In his petition filed through his lawyer Anand Yagnik, Jethava's father said the investigation of the case has deliberately not been progressing beyond Shiva Solanki and that despite a number of witnesses indicating at the suspicious role of Dinu Solanki in the case, the DCB has not questioned him so far.
Bhikhabhai also contended that Shiva is only a puppet and it was Dinu Solanki who hatched the conspiracy to kill his son. He added that at tempts are on to save Dinu.
Stating that since Dinu Solanki is an influential politician having close links with former minister of state (home) Amit Shah, in jail in connection with Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, the DCB would not do an impartial investigation, especially when the police wing itself is facing serious allegations over of a number of fake encounters.
To highlight the alleged influence of Dinu Solanki on Gujarat Police, the petitioner has produced a confidential
letter by the then Range Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of Junagadh district addressed to the Director General of Police.In his letter, the DIG has stated that Dinu Solanki is involved in many anti-social activities. The letter added that Dinu is interested in his complete hegemony and is so arrogant that if things do not go as per his expectations, he can make false and frivolous allegations beyond limits against police.
The petitioner also contended that Dinu Solanki is hand-in-glove with the local mining mafia against which his son Amit Jethava had filed the PIL.
The petition was taken up for hearing on Thursday by the court of Justice Akil Kureshi. However, since Jethava’s PIL on illegal mining is pending before the court of the Chief Justice who has sought report from police on Jethava’s murder once, Justice Kureshi shifted the petition for hearing before the court of the CJ.