Annual Report 2011 - NTNU

JULY—OCTOBER 2011
NTNU GLOBAL
PAGE 5
Continues……...
Project seminar Transformation and friction in globalizing India was
held on 5th October at Dragvoll Campus. Six researchers including
key Indian research partners presented the results of
the sub-projects affiliated with the umbrella project, which is
financed by the Research Council of Norway. .
Professor Emeritus Amit Bhaduri (Council for Social Development,
New Delhi) presenting on Extraction of Natural Resources
and Patterns of Industrialization. Environmental Insecurity and Social
Friction: Case of Rural Odisha was the subject of the talk given by
Professor Haribandu Panda (Human Development Foundation,
Orissa), who identified several impacts of land degradation
due to the rapid development of India. For example, in
Koenjhal District, >60% of the people resided in areas surrounding
highly polluting mining activity. He also gave examples
of lost livelihood due to mining, the loss of natural springs
(4 major springs) damaged/affected due to on-going mining,
and suggested that the annual income of more than 40% of the
farmers was reduced significantly, and that rapid changes have
led to 35% of the traditional healer leaving their practice. Apparently,
mining activity has led to high instance of respiratory
& skin disease.
Presenting results of the sub-project, Migration Flows, Labour
Market Policies, and Social Friction Associate Professor Moushumi
Basu (Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi) showed how
rural poor migrant workers are exploited in different “informal
and unorganized ” sectors in urban India, primarily in Delhi.
Dr. D. Suba Chandran (Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies,
New Delhi) presented different Motivations and Organization
of Naxalite Violence in India while Associate Professor Jan
Ketil Rød (Department of Geography, NTNU) presented maps
that have been generated using data gathered for research in the
program. The maps showed a high correlation between mining
activity and the incidence of Naxalite violence, an issue that will
be closely researched by the team in the coming months. Finally,
PhD fellow from Heidelberg University Krishna Vadlamannati,
presented his research on what do we know and don't know
about the spread and organization of Naxalite violence.
Professor Jonathon Moses (Department of Sociology and Political
Science) chaired the seminar.
Map of Orissa: Relationship between the percentage of tribal people
and scheduled cast people living in the area and the number of violent
incidents.
Over: From left Dr. Suba Chandran, Professor Haribandhu Panda
Below: Professor Amit Bhaduri and PhD fellow Krishna
Vadlamannati
Moushumi Basu presenting the working conditions of informal workers in gold industry (left) and almond shelling industry (middle)