Our History
This is about greed, human nature.. and a community.
In 2009 a crafty Indian business man set up a goal to amass billions.
He came down to the fringes of a national wildlife reserve, beside virgin forests of the western ghats - by the gentle foothills of one of South India's popular hill resorts. He acquired a few hundred acres of grazing grasslands along the hill slopes (over a million sq metres) of them from poor, illiterate shepherds for prices as low as a few cents/sq meter.
He then went about the art of charming big brands to sign up. Soon he managed to get an entire township approved with all the big brands on board - a leading global retirement community and property Manager, an award winning Golf course designer, a 5 star resort and spa, a leading corporate and ayurvedic hospital , an international education chain, a sports and leisure company etc.
He even went on to be anointed as the "World's Best Retirement Development".
He soon raised the prices to over a hundred USD /sq meter). He bandied his big awards and brands through multiple media channels and the press - across languages and geographies. Senior Indian citizens from across the world took note and on seeing the sheer weight of the awards and brands - bought into the scheme.
A new operation was then commenced in an Indian metro. Many more aged citizens, while looking at the flashy awards and big brands inked themselves, like their gullible friends earlier, into a one sided contract. They have realized now that the gates are closed and it's too late to run. There is no way out.
Like unscrupulous businessmen anywhere, after sufficient noise and interest was drummed up, all the big names just vanished into thin air. The advertisements and banners, oozing media coverage, hoopla and bandwagons disappeared. Like film sets they have been methodically dismantled and taken away, to start afresh at some other vantage time and place. What is left behind are frozen, disheartened and stunned buyers.
In 2016, environmental activists discovered that the project was violating every rule book on the environment. They filed a case with the National Green Tribunal, which is seriously looking at the process by which sanctions were obtained.
The area is a natural habitat for small wild mammals and reptiles. Many are routinely killed. Feral dogs, some from surrounding villages, made the area their home. Many were taken up by residents for feeding and upkeep. Just a few months back, irate residents filed seven police complaints against the management for savagely and violently culling off over 20 dogs. It transpired that this was a regular feature. Animal welfare organisations intervened. Inspite of it being a blatant crime in India, these violations are routine.
Alarmed, angered, anguished, cheated, harassed and tormented - helpless aged citizens with many octogenarians, and septuagenarians rose in one last feeble attempt to fight. They formed a group christened as "Bad & Beautiful Country - Save Our Souls"(BBC-SOS).
We are their voice. We know there are thousands of such stories and millions of you, chained by these unscrupulous businessmen, and unable to get justice, many because of their inability to form larger numbers. We hope to get these victims from across the country together - to oppose this at every level, through every layer of society. We know there are laws for every sector, but money and privilege helps crush and trash them. Our voice is small. We are reaching out to you, to help us collectively raise it.
We might achieve very little, as the trail is steep and treacherous. But for the souls of our friends - both humans and animals that will wither and pass away in time - for them and for the countless other lives that are already lost, we can proudly say - "we tried".
...and then for all those poor shepherds and marginal farmers and landless labour - for all those eking out a living on the fringes - we asked ourselves "What can we do to transform their lives?" We realised there is much that we can, only if we put our minds to it. Our hearts are there. You are reading this because your heart is there too. Let's hold hands to make it happen.
We invite you to join us. You need to do nothing more than enter your details at https://websites.godaddy.com/contact-us We need to stop this exploitation of helpless humans, animals, and nature.
Join us... please.
Can we request you to spare ten minutes to hear our story?
At the end of it you will realize that this is a common narrative. The power of ill gained wealth, blighted by dirty politics and privilege - beggars all , not just the poor. You guessed right. This could happen to you or to others you know in the future, just as it has to millions across the world. Thank you for your time.