Department of Justice Speech (0627)
It is with a sense of great honor and privilege that I come before you today, as an American citizen. By the simple act of my standing here, without fear of reprisal for the free expression of my thoughts, you and I, and by extension, all Americans celebrate our great system of freedom. For we are a land of free expression, where ordinary citizens, no matter how celebrated, or how anonymous, may address members of our government in such free and open conditions. This then is a celebration of all our freedoms. This is an example of democracy at work.
So I proudly say, Good afternoon to you, members of the Department of Justice!
My name is Erin Brockovich and I am an ordinary citizen of this great country, the United States of America. Because of a movie made that had something to do with my life (but was not exactly my life story) and my work (with some unavoidable Hollywood smoothing-over, meant to cover the bumps and pot-holes of what was, in reality, a struggle that took a little longer than two hours) and with the notion of fate – how an accident that nearly killed me made me fight for a better quality of life for myself, my family and my fellow countrymen – I have become that great American phenomenon – THE REAL-LIFE CELEBRITY!
What does that mean? Well, on some levels, there is a sweetness that is purely American flavoring my life that feels more like a blessing than a happenstance. I freely admit that I have been blessed.
I am not an attorney, but I helped the law firm I worked for, win one of American jurisprudence' most astonishing victories against a public utility. And let me tell you, victory is sweet. And I managed without power; I managed without a moneyed constituency; I managed with zero corporate influence; but I managed to persevere.
I’d like to believe it was because I was on the right side of the issues and that the moral argument I put forth was infallible. On the one hand, I’ve been awarded an honorary JD and a Doctorate. And while that too is sweet, I am even more thrilled by what I have come to understand about the nature of the law, of justice that my work in the field has taught me. As a child, we are all told, warned really, that we cannot legislate morality. Of course, that proved not to be the case once I entered the very real world of judicial warfare. What is morality but the doctrine of conduct?
OF COURSE WE CAN LEGISLATE MORALITY. WE DO IT ALL THE TIME. OUR VERY SYSTEM IS BASED ON A MORAL LEGISLATIVE DOCTRINE. That doctrine is outlined quite clearly and profoundly in our guiding moral directive, The Constitution of the United States. If morality, in its simplest and perhaps most accurate definition, is doing the right thing, it is our Constitution that spells out what “the right thing” is. And it is the law which keeps our civilization operating at the high level ours does.
Our nation is guided as surely as other great peoples have been, by written moral guidelines that define our law. Moses gave his people the Ten Commandments, a set of “laws” that defined “Thou Shalt Not Steal” as both a moral and a legal statute. The Code of Hammurabi, one of the first sets of codified law, prescribed punishments to fit the crime in the ancient Mesopotamia.
In more recent times, the Magna Carta uncorporated the rights of the common man alongside those of the British Monarchy which set the stage for the laws of the United States.
The Department of Justice is a creation of the great American matrix of government. It does not decide issues of law, as many people may believe. That is the province of the Supreme Court. It does not introduce bills to become law. That is the province of Congress. It does not enact law. That is the province of the President of the United States. No, what justice does is something else, equally vital and perhaps infinitely harder: The Department of Justice insures that the machinery of established law runs smoothly and efficiently.
You are the guardian of all American right and privilege under the Constitution.
You protect us from tyranny and intimidation by upholding our individual rights by holding our rights to a standard.
You adjudicate a tangible, contemporary value on our precious Constitution that keeps it a living, throbbing document of freedom.
Or, as the great poet William Wordsworth so brilliantly put it, “The finest sense, say, of what is Honor? ‘Tis the finest sense of “Justice” the human mind can say…And guard the way…”Yes! Justice is honor and honor is the backbone of the morality of our system."
All this is why, as Erin Brockovich, private citizen, I can come here today and say, without fear, that our system doesn’t always work properly. In theory it should be perfect but in reality, nothing is. We are too often understaffed, over-burdened, and under-funded. If we allow these problems to eat away at our foundation, we are in danger of collapsing like a house of cards. We are better than that. We are stronger, smarter and more aware. That makes it all that much harder to put our heads in the sand and pretend that we don’t have problems. We do.
For example, we need to support the Clean Air Act and reduce pollution. We need to support the Clean Water Act to reduce water pollution and save our most valuable commodity. We need to enforce the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act to ensure that hazardous waste is properly managed: recycled, reclaimed, contained. We need to enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Lead Hazard Reduction Act, which directly protects the health and welfare of all Americans. We need to enforce the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act or Superfund, which requires those who are responsible for hazardous sites pay to clean up their mess. These are ambitious goals, but they are the necessary price of consequence and responsibility.
You know about that movie, something called “Erin Brockovich?” Hey, good title! Anyway, it’s the one that tells the story of the people in Hinkley, California who were getting sick from hexavalent chromium that they were breathing and ingesting at the hands of industry who concealed what they were doing. At the time, science had acknowledged that hex chrome was toxic by inhalation but argued heavily that there was no information on its toxicity and carcinogenic effects by ingestion.
Fortunately, even if we had to it with a lot of kicking and screaming, and believe me there was, Science caught up with the law, which means on one level that reality caught up with logic, and on another that morality allowed an imperfection to be corrected. And because this is America, we did it without a revolution in the streets. We did it by following the law. Today, the National Institute of Health has concluded that ingestion of hex chrome is causing malignant tumors. Those of us who were ahead of this curve may get to say “told you so,” but I am not interested in gloating.
I am interested in change; change for the betterment of all of our lives. There are no two sides to this argument. There is only one. The right side. The moral side. The side of life.
That is the reward for Hinkley and that is the way it should be. As for the many cases I am involved in now that are ongoing, there is no passing grade but 100. No room for compromise. When it comes to human lives, compromise means failure. Half a victory is no victory. Morality cannot be bargained over or compromised. And why not? Because that is what you ensure. The Department of Justice that protects the integrity of the law.
Ultimately, the power to make good things happen belongs to all of us. The government of our country serves the people, not the other way around. That is why I stand before you today and congratulate you, each and every one of you, for all the service you have provided for us, and that service you continue to provide now and on into the future; and that is why I urge you to use your power to enforce the laws that protect our air, our water, our land and our people.
Yes, we are all in this together, custodians of the earth, our only home. This planet is where we find shelter. It is what feeds us. It is only right that we take care of it, that we value and cherish our freedom to do so.
To neglect our responsibilities is to surrender our freedom, to abandon our morality, to give in to those who would cut corners and take advantage of situations for their own greed and profit--this is both immoral and illegal,. You cannot cut corners in the name of justice. It won’t work that way.
At the moment, I am involved in yet another dispute, this one between several known industry polluters and one very well known institution, Beverly Hills High school. Although the first twelve plaintiffs out of a thousand had their cases dismissed, this was only the opening moment of what looks to be a three act drama. Interestingly, although we may have lost the first battle, it appears that we may very well win the war. Hopefully the tide of public awareness will turn our way. Those students who came down with toxic-induced cancers can never be seen in terms of a victory. The only true victory is prevention.
Can we let such victims fall through the cracks of the law? Something has gone wrong and needs to be fixed. When the law fails us, it is a moral as well as legal failure.
The ongoing quest to which I have dedicated much of my professional career is seeking out what has gone wrong and helping to fix it. I insist on taking the high moral road. Even if I don’t always make it to the top, I must push on. Fighting for right is as important as winning. Morality is my map, my guiding light, my compass, my direction so that I don’t get completely lost on the way. I would like to give each and every one of you a copy of that map so that you could fill in your own path.
But that map is not printed on paper. It is imbedded in my spirit. And, I know, in yours. Let’s march together for the right cause–the cause of justice. Let’s lead each other down the right path so that when we look into the faces of children, into the faces of the men and women of tomorrow we can be sure that we have done everything possible to hand down to the next generation a vital ecosystem with vibrant flora and fauna, a clean earth, a pristine earth, an earth where nature again means a cool breeze of fresh air. I give to you my belief in your power to do the right thing, so that you may be successful in this non-political race which we must win; and in doing so, may you find for us all something more precious than anything that can be measured; OUR FUTURE.
I believe in the power that compels us to do right thing. I believe that ultimately, we will win; and in doing so, preserve and protect our world and our way of life. We all grew up saying those words in school – “with liberty and justice for all.” Let us leave something worthwhile for the inheritors of our planet so that they too will find courage, inspiration and a sense of higher morality in the meaning of those simple words that really say everything.
With liberty and justice for all!
Thank you.
Currently, I am the President of the consulting firm, Brockovich Research & Consulting, where I am involved in numerous major environmental cases 
Comments
Hi! I'm a young student who live in Milan,italy... this evening I see the film which told about your battle against PG&E... what a strong woman! I like very much the film... I think that film like this encourage the teenagers to look at a world that can be changed in its injustices...
have a nice day!!! bye,
anna
Posted by: Anonymous | June 29, 2007 5:19 PM
I am 100% behind what u are doing and have been for 20 years. However, I do worry that the environmental and green movements are under a grave threat from the far right. I heard the phrase "Have you been Greenwashed" recently and I posted aout it on my blog and recived lots of interesting emails. What do you think?
http://mcarthursrant.blogspot.com/2007/04/greenwashed-or-green-elite.html
Posted by: Scott McArthur | July 1, 2007 10:12 AM
Erin: I watch the movie with my husband. And he states that is you. But I have not made as big of an impact as you. Keep going.
I was glad to see you address the Dept of Justice. I recently filed a complaint with the DOJ concerning the ADA Title II. State and Local Governments not in compliant is in violation of the Federal Law 28 CFR 35. My question "How can the state and/or local governments receive federal funds if they are breaking the law?
Posted by: Georgia Hall | August 17, 2007 8:35 AM
What an absolutely terrific and inspiring speech. If it reads so passionately and with conviction, it must have been a real show-stopper for the DOJ. Keep up the good fight. You found your raison d^etre. One more voice amplified in the blogosphere that has to be heard.
Posted by: Susan Cartier Liebel | August 27, 2007 4:13 PM
Pollution due to highly bribed DPCC and Member Secretary.
There is a government body called Delhi Pollution control committe existing in delhi called DPCC basically established for controlling pollution in this national capital region(DELHI).
I being an environment friendly citizen applied for a unit in prime industrial area of New Delhi only after installing and succesfully running the required systems for controlling pollution and treatment of Water.
The concerned department ie DPCC which became active sometimes and became natent most of the time, tortured me and my family continously for one and half year asking for clarifications for the reason for our application.
Inspite of giving all possible proofs to the department they made our consent application a big issue and keep on demanding huge amount of money from us which due to no other option we keep on giving them the amount whenever demanded from them.
Since I had refused them bribe when they had their first visit after the application,they were exploiting us all the time. In the mean time they were providing consents to the people which were not having systems for controlling pollution installed at their polluting units at a nominal bribe of 12000 This procedure of providing consent to operate polluting manufacturing units after getting bribe and not installing pollution control measures is till today's date ie.08-01-2007 is kept on followed.
I complained this matter to CVC ( Central Vigilance commission ) and CBI( Central Beauru of Investigation) but of no use.
The member secretory Mrs.jaya seelan whose office is in secretariat building was continously abusing me with words i have never heard. She even was torturing me of what kind of science graduation i have attained in front of excise commissioner and then deputy commissioner of DPCC Mrs.Debashree Mukherjee. She was agreeing sometimes and abusing me and my family other time.
1) I had applied for a consent only when I had succesfully treated water continously for two years in Gagan Enterprises.
2) At the time of installation of the treatment plant , DPCC was not playing any active role in Delhi.
3) When I submitted my application form they tried to gramitacally figure out mistakes in that because at that time also they were recieving bribes from polluting units.
4) Even now there is no need to give you any media briefs for the kind and level of pollution in River Yamuna.
5) There are unlimited number of manufacturing units draining immense amount of UNTREATED water in Yamuna existing in Delhi.
6) Delhi face the threat of becoming a desert in the near future.
7) Ground water is being contaminated by toxic elements released by industrial untreated discharge. The disposal of industrial effluents into the Yamuna flood plain and water channels around Delhi, seepage through sewage dumps, agricultural waste, percolation of liquid wastes and general bad hygiene habits and poor sanitation provisions has led to this pollution.
8)Two decades ago Yamuna was a river,but what remains of it now is a sluggish flow laden with plastic,solid waste,untreated industrial water and corpses.
9)Japan Bank for International Co-operation extended a soft loan of Rs.700 crore for treating Yamuna.But due to collection of bribes by dpcc officials proprietors of industrial units are allowed to flush untreated water into sewer.
10)The biochemical oxygen demand(BOD),dissolved oxygen(DO) and colon bacillus colonies-three main parameters to gauge water quality-have worsened due to increasing corruption.
11)The courts are only concerned about removing encroachments and unauthorized colonies who discharge organic wastes.The untreated inorganic industrial effluents obviously make way into the river even if discharged by automatic machines or labours working in factories because industries are sources of huge bribe collection which fill pockets of jaya seelan also.
This criteria is not dependent on the place of residence of workers.
12) There is widespread pollution of Delhi's underground water system due to excessive seepage of toxic chemicals like arsenic, mercury and fluorides. This is not surprising when 19 industrial drains empty into the Yamuna flood plain alone.
13) The pollutants that have affected the environment due to this uncontrolled seepage are nitrates, potassium, phosphates and heavy metals like cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, nickel, lead and zinc.
14)People can be exposed to chromium through breathing, eating or drinking and through skin contact with chromium or chromium compounds. The level of chromium in air and water is generally low. In drinking water the level of chromium is usually low as well, but contaminated well water may contain the
dangerous chromium(IV); hexavalent chromium.
For most people eating food that
contains chromium(III) is the main route of chromium uptake, as chromium(III)
occurs naturally in many vegetables, fruits, meats, yeasts and grains.
Various ways of food preparation and storage may alter the chromium contents of food. When food in stores in steel tanks or cans chromium concentrations may rise.
Chromium(III) is an essential nutrient for humans and shortages may cause heart conditions, disruptions of metabolisms and diabetes. But the uptake of too much chromium(III) can cause health effects as well, for instance skin rashes.
Chromium(VI) is a danger to human health, mainly for people who work in the steel and textile industry. People who smoke tobacco also have a higher chance of exposure to chromium.
Chromium(VI) is known to cause various health effects. When it is a compound in leather products, it can cause allergic reactions, such as skin rash.
After breathing it in chromium(VI) can cause nose irritations and nosebleeds.
Other health problems that are caused by chromium(VI) are:
- Skin rashes
- Upset stomachs and ulcers
- Respiratory problems
- Weakened immune systems
- Kidney and liver damage
- Alteration of genetic material
- Lung cancer
- Death
The health hazards associated with exposure to chromium are dependent on its oxidation state. The metal form (chromium as it exists in this product) is of low toxicity. The hexavalent form is toxic. Adverse effects of the hexavalent form on the skin may include ulcerations, dermatitis, and allergic skin reactions. Inhalation of hexavalent chromium compounds can result in ulceration and perforation of the mucous membranes of the nasal septum,irritation of the pharynx and larynx, asthmatic bronchitis, bronchospasms and
edema. Respiratory symptoms may include coughing and wheezing, shortness of breath, and nasal itch.
15)Nickel is not known to cause any health problems when people are
exposed to it at levels above the MCL for relatively short periods of time.
Nickel has the potential to cause the following effects from a
lifetime exposure at levels above the MCL: decreased body weight; heart and liver damage; skin irritation.
16)Exposure occurs from lead's presence in air, food, water, soil, dustfall,paint, and other materials. Lead is readily absorbed by the body via the primary routes of entry, inhalation and ingestion. Studies indicate that 10% to 20% of inhaled lead enters the blood stream. In children, approximately 50% of ingested lead is absorbed as compared to 8% to 10% for adults. This is especially significant since much of children's lead exposure is caused by their normal habits of mouthing dirty hands, objects and materials.(A growing body of research suggests there may be no safe level of lead ingestion.)
Within the body, lead is found in circulating red blood cells, soft tissues(liver and kidney), and bone (where lead is accumulated). Blood lead concentrations are the most reliable indicator of recent lead exposure.Known health effects of lead poisoning include:
Anemia.
Brain and nervous system damage, which can include permanent mental and motor retardation and in extreme cases, death.
Severe kidney injury or failure.
Injury to the gastrointestinal system and the heart.
Damage to the reproductive system, including:
Ovarian and testicular dysfunction.
Impaired fetal blood synthesis, premature births, and other delivery
complications.
Long-term, low level lead exposure causes learning deficits and behavioral problems in children. The major source to children is through contact with the dust or chips from old lead-containing paint. However, significant airborne exposure may occur near manufacturing facilities emitting large amounts of lead.
At present, a child with blood lead levels over 10 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dl) is considered lead-poisoned. Exposure to air containing 1 µg/m3 of
lead is associated with a 5 µg/dl increase in blood lead; thus, long-term exposure to air containing over 2 µg/m3 could cause a child to become lead-poisoned.
Recent studies suggest that lead may be a factor in high blood pressure and subsequent heart disease in middle-aged white males.
Effects on Plants and Animals
At common low ambient concentrations lead does not usually pose a threat to plants and animals. However, exposure to high concentrations has adversely affected domestic animals, wildlife, and aquatic life. Areas near major emission sources are most susceptible. In past years,
small animals trapped near highways showed high lead levels.
Lead shot ingestion is a serious health problem in waterfowl. This has
prompted legislation to require waterfowl hunters to use steel shot, as well as studies on various other shot types.
16)Water is polluted with zinc, due to the presence of large quantities of zinc in the wastewater of industrial plants. This wastewater is not purified satisfactory. One of the consequences is that rivers are depositing zinc-polluted sludge on their banks. Zinc may also increase the acidity of waters.
Some fish can accumulate zinc in their bodies, when they live in
zinc-contaminated waterways. When zinc enters the bodies of these fish it is able to bio magnify up the food chain.
Large quantities of zinc can be found in soils. When the soils of farmland are polluted with zinc, animals will absorb concentrations that are damaging to their health. Water-soluble zinc that is located in soils can contaminate groundwater.
Zinc cannot only be a threat to cattle, but also to plant species. Plants often have a zinc uptake that their systems cannot handle, due to the accumulation of zinc in soils.
On zinc-rich soils only a limited number of plants has a chance of survival.
That is why there is not much plant diversity near zinc-disposing factories.
Due to the effects upon plants zinc is a serious threat to the productions of farmlands. Despite of this zinc-containing manures are still applied.
Finally, zinc can interrupt the activity in soils, as it negatively
influences the activity of microrganisms and earthworms. The breakdown of
organic matter may seriously slow down because of this.
17) Around 1393 mld of sewerage finds its way into river Yamuna through 19 major drains. Out falling into the river carrying 218 mls which includes 48 mgd of industrial effluent. BOD content of this water is 587 mld in all the 5 sewerage zones of Delhi. 64% of total BOD is from domestic sources. 10-15% of nutrients added to the soils through fertilizers eventually find their surface water system. The highest load occurs from the NCT Delhi (about 152 MT/day of BOD load) as compared to the loads of other cities which vary from 1 mt/day) as per Yamuna Action Plan. Everyday about 1880 mld of waste water is discharge into the river from Delhi through 18 drains. More than 95% waster water in Delhi is drained by 5 drains viz. Nazafgarh, Sen Nursing home, and power house drain.
18) The 48 km stretch of the Yamuna River in Delhi is heavily polluted by domestic and industrial wastewater.
19) Chemical contamination will lead to the spread of many lethal diseases like cancer in the near future.
20) There are 28 industrial areas in Delhi. Most of the small and tiny industries do not have individual facilities to treat liquid waste.
21) The alarming rise in chemical pollution last year too and consumption by humans is likely to cause a number of diseases. This process is never checked due to money and favour collection by Delhi Pollution Control Committe all the time they visit polluted industries. It is well-known that cadmium contamination causes anaemia, high blood pressure, liver trouble and hepatic and renal disorders. Nickel causes pneumonia, lung and nose cancer, headache nausea and vomiting. Lead may cause gastric problems, kidney diseases and nervous disorders. Zinc is toxic to plants.
22) The air pollution has increased in these years also.
23)Children have narrower airways than do adults. Thus, irritation or
inflammation caused by air pollution that would produce only a slight
response in an adult can result in a potentially significant obstruction of the airways in a young child.
During exercise, children, like adults, breathe with both their nose and
mouth rather than just their noses. When the nose is bypassed during the
breathing process, the filtering effects of the nose are lost, therefore
allowing more air pollution to be inhaled.
24)Sulfur dioxide not only has a bad odor, it can irritate the respiratory system. Exposure to high concentrations for short periods of time can constrict the bronchi and increase mucous flow, making breathing difficult.
Children, the elderly, those with chronic lung disease, and asthmatics are especially susceptible to these effects. Sulfur dioxide can also:
Immediately irritate the lung and throat at concentrations greater than 6
parts per million (ppm) in many people.
Impair the respiratory system's defenses against foreign particles and
bacteria, when exposed to concentrations less than 6 ppm for longer time
periods.
Apparently enhance the harmful effects of ozone. (Combinations of the two
gases at concentrations occasionally found in the ambient air appear to
increase airway resistance to breathing.)
Sulfur dioxide tends to have more toxic effects when acidic pollutants,
liquid or solid aerosols, and particulates are also present. (In the 1950s and 1960s, thousands of excess deaths occurred in areas where SO2
concentrations exceeded 1 ppm for a few days and other pollutants were also high.) Effects are more pronounced among mouth breathers, e.g., people who are exercising or who have head colds. These effects include:
Health problems, such as episodes of bronchitis requiring hospitalization
associated with lower-level acid concentrations.
Self-reported respiratory conditions, such as chronic cough and difficult breathing, associated with acid aerosol concentrations. (Asthmatic individuals are especially susceptible to these effects. The elderly and those with chronic respiratory conditions may also be affected at lower concentrations than the general population.)
Increased respiratory tract infections, associated with longer term,
lower-level exposures to SO2 and acid aerosols.
Subjective symptoms, such as headaches and nausea, in the absence of
pathologicalabnormalities, due to long-term exposure.
Effects on Plants
Sulfur dioxide easily injures many plant species and varieties, both native and cultivated. Some of the most sensitive plants include various
commercially valuable pines, legumes, red and black oaks, white ash, alfalfa and blackberry. The effects include:
Visible injury to the most sensitive plants at exposures as low as 0.12 ppm for 8 hours.
Visible injury to many other plant types of intermediate sensitivity at
exposures of 0.30 ppm for 8 hours.
Positive benefits from low levels, in a very few species growing on sulfur deficient soils.
Other Effects
Increases in sulfur dioxide concentrations accelerate the corrosion of
metals, probably through the formation of acids. (SO2 is a major precursor to acidic deposition.) Sulfur oxides may also damage stone and masonry, paint,various fibers, paper, leather, and electrical components.
Increased SO2 also contributes to impaired visibility. Particulate sulfate,much of which is derived from sulfur dioxide emissions, is a major component of the complex total suspended particulate mixture.
25) Diesel cars in 2006 represent nearly 20% of new car registrations in Delhi, up from 4% in 1999. While gasoline cars have increased at 8.5% annually, diesel cars have maintained a growth rate of 16.6%. It is shocking to note that diesel cars during the same period have increased by 425 per cent. The share of diesel cars, a mere 4 per cent of the total new car registration in 1999, has climbed to nearly 20 per cent in 2006. While petrol cars have increased at 8.5 per cent annually, diesel cars have maintained a growth rate of 16.6 per annum," the release added The cumulative effect is overwhelming the emissions benefits gained by the city's earlier phase-out of its 12,000 diesel buses. It is calculated that the 118,631 diesel cars on the city's roads are equivalent to adding particulate emissions from nearly 30,000 diesel buses. NOx levels are steadily rising.
26) Nine of every twenty residents suffer from lung, liver or genetic disorders due to highly-polluted air in the capital city of 16 million. It has been found that polluted air has also altered immunity and caused blood-related abnormalities among many of the victims
27) There is serious problems with the extremely poor monitoring capacities of government agencies because they collect bribe and so give wrong the data they generate is broadly indicative.
28) The way the government,the courts and Mrs.Jaya Seelan are proceeding, it is clear that the intention is not to fight pollution.
29) I had closed Gagan Enterprises in April 2004 itself.
30) DPCC and any environment groups in India only want media attention and no more devoted towards controlling pollution and forcibly closing polluting units even today.
31) If I was right in controlling pollution then the reasons for my application were also righteous,this means I was tortured. If I was wrong in the decision for application,this means DPCC is not acting even today,because consents are being provided to polluting units in delhi after getting bribes,Then also Human Right Commission should pay at least some attention to my complaint and do whatever is suitable to the greatest authority in this earth,to become true to your lord.
32) There is a difference between long term remedies and short temporary meastures for controlling pollution.
33) Dpcc is not following any of the above procedures because they are able to gather bribe from polluting units which thereby flourish more and thus polluting more,i being surviving in the same system along with maintaing huge expenses for pollution control devices also giving bribes.
34) The products manufactured in delhi are consumed in other states also.
35)The eligibility or intention of owner of any unit is the only criteria which is responsible for the methods that company employ in controlling pollution.
36)This factor is not dependent on geographic location of the polluting unit.Simply relocating industries means relocating pollution from the backyard of Delhi's elite to wherever human life can be found to be cheaper
37) My first claim is that inspite of relocating the polluting units,there should be ban on indivisuals to open any manufacturing unit whether polluting or not; in any area. If ohchr is ready to send me details of proofs required to show and proove my complaints i can send that through any medium and also through courier.
38) As I had already mentioned due to the torture faced by me when I was operating an industry in which all the pollution control measures were installed and succesfully being used continously for treatment and purification of water and air; for not giving bribe too often,I had to face more hassles and torture, I closed that unit in march 2004
39)Now i have opened an Electronic Goods showroom in september 2004
40) For no reason DDA officials visited this premises and told me that we are there to enchourage youngsters and we dont require small amount of bribe.
41)Since they dont use the exact words to demand money and talk like demanding gifts which is much a common way of harrasing and collecting bribe in delhi, and also I was in no mood to give bribe because of fewer resources and also less daily expenditure money I can utilise at any moment of time.
42)They(A Government Organisation) are again ready to exploit me and my family by demanding more and more money.
43) IF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES DON'T HAVE ENOUGH LAWS TO PUNISH AND FINE ANYONE WORKING IN THIS CITY,THEY CANT DISCOURAGE AND HARASS THEM BY SENDING INAPPROPRIATE AND INCOMPLETE NOTICES THAT CANNOT BE IMPONDED ON THEM, JUST BECAUSE THEY NEED MORE BRIBE.
44)I am explaining below three more(3 i had already explained) of domestic remedies i have tried to exploit as advised by you.
1)Government of Delhi Grievance Cell Complaint No. CMO/PGC/2006/515174
2)Supreme Court Of India Reference No. 1056(Civil Appeal) dt.12-03-2006
3)Hard Copy submitted To Political secretary Of Mrs.Sonia Gandhi Mr.Motilal Vohra (Home Ministry Of India Office) 10 Race Course New Delhi-01 35)
45) I am sending you more proof to place my complaint but my request for reply in the form of e mail is the same because i am not alone the sufferer,life of my only son can also be ruined who is only 4 years old in this process. I have just given one of the examples of domestic remedies which i had already exhausted before complaining to human rights commission Thus I am in no intention to repeat this kind of procedures of domestic remedies because they are of no use in the kind of society,system we are surviving in india. The level of ethics and commitment is almost nil in all government employees of india.
I am no longer able to continue to survive remembering that torture and humiliation.
Gagan Deep Maggo Reference G/SO 215/1 (human rights commission)
Posted by: Gagan | September 18, 2007 12:16 PM
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Posted by: Forexman | May 25, 2008 2:54 AM
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Posted by: Forexman | May 26, 2008 1:35 AM
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Posted by: Alex | August 15, 2008 7:43 PM