Issue Nº406 – News in brief

As the editors of the Auroville News and Notes had received a message from the AVFO working group instructing them to stop publishing articles from the RA-selected working groups, threatening legal action against the editors if they did not comply, a News & Notes Community Edition has been launched. The Auroville Council explained that the new bulletin aims at being all inclusive and will contain all information from the RA selected Working Groups, as well as those of the FO selected groups, including eventually the reports from the Auroville Foundation Office, the Governing Board and the International Advisory Council. The Council underlined the need to publish the new edition in its integrity as a service to the whole community, stating that it is important as a historical reference and link between all residents, that its content must not be controlled by a faction of opinionated residents, nor by an administration outside of the Residents’ Assembly, and that freedom of expression is a fundamental condition for the realisation of a free society, and a pillar for the realisation of Auroville.

The bulletin will be distributed online. The distribution of paper copies will initially be limited to collective spaces in Auroville such as the library, restaurants. The weekly has the disclaimer that the opinions and views expressed on these pages are solely those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the editors or the larger Auroville community. The News & Notes Community Edition aims to provide a platform for the publication of diverse perspectives and voices from multiple sources within Auroville. “While we strive to ensure the accuracy of the information presented, we cannot guarantee that all information is free from error or omission. Additionally, we cannot be held liable for any alleged misinformation provided or offence caused by the content published’” the Council clarified. In the event of any dispute, readers are encouraged to consult with the Auroville Council, which reserves the right to suspend the publication of disputed material.

On April 22nd, Earth Day, Marc’s Coffee Learning Community opened, established on the newly-built first floor of Marc’s Café on the Kuilaypalayam road. The place offers lectures and workshops on coffee to teach participants if the coffee is good, medium or simply bad. They also learn about the history of coffee, what coffee means in the world economy today, and about the various ways of fermenting the cherries and drying, roasting, and brewing the beans. For more details see Auroville Today # 400, November 2022.

The ‘CRP3C’ (Conflict Resolution Policy, section 3 Coordination) group reminded Aurovilians to report cases of conflict such as violence or threats of violence, substance abuse (alcohol or drugs), psychological health issues, etc. The CRP3C group took shape during meetings in 2020, in response to a need to support the AV Council and the Working Committee to connect key city services (Working Committee, AV Council, AVSST, Maatram, AVCP, etc.) and resource people, with as objective to build a collaborative and coherent response to these cases.

Just two weeks prior to the planned performance, Bharat Nivas (BN) Trustees sent a letter to Miraculous Productions (MP) to inform them that they will not allow the play ‘Jane Bonda’ to go ahead at the Sri Aurobindo Auditorium as previously agreed. The Trustees stated that they received “significant negative feedback from various sections of Auroville” and that after a meeting at the AVFO – to which the MP team were not invited – they decided to cancel the performance.

YouthLink has conducted a work survey youth between 18-30 in Auroville. They received 116 responses from Aurovilian youth, which accounts for 24% of all youth in this age group. The main findings are that Auroville youth are highly educated: 90% have a high school degree, out of which 42% have a Master or Bachelors degree. 77% are working, 14% are studying or are out of Auroville, and only 9% are looking for work. Nobody said that they are not willing to work. For the working respondents, almost 90% of their jobs are in line with their interests. However, 39% do not want to continue their job for the next three years, the main reason possibly being that they cannot sustain themselves on an Auroville maintenance.

The Land for Auroville Unified (LFAU) group reports that last year 14 new plots were added to Auroville’s Master Plan area, and 2023 kicked off with the purchase of two new plots. Both are located in the City area near Certitude, adding 2.20 acres of new Auroville land.

The Entry Service has issued a call for Aurovilians to offer themselves as mentors of Newcomers. At present, an applicant needs two mentors to start his/her Newcomer process. These mentors are the bridge between Newcomers and the Entry Secretariat and the Entry Board. However, today many applicants are unable to start their Newcomer process due to the unavailability of mentors.

The Chairman of the AVI Board made a statement clarifying that the Board is not against the development of the City, nor even against the construction of the Crown Road. However, “it believes in a respectful and collaborative approach, which is apparently supported by the majority of the community”. AVI groups will continue to fundraise for Auroville projects and to provide support and encouragement for those interested to visit and to join the community, despite the difficulties which many Aurovilians are facing at the present time. The Board is happy to support any initiative involving dialogue and collaboration between all sections of the Auroville community.

The RA WC has filed a case at the Madras High Court against the 7 members of the FO WC for posing as the “Working Committee”. The case is called a Quo Warranto wherein these 7 persons have to prove in the Court that they are representing the RA and have valid grounds to call themselves the “Working Committee”.

A new journal, called Voice of Auroville has been released under the supervision of the RA Working Committee. It aims to provide well wishers and friends of Auroville across India and the globe with factual updates and crisp articles on what is unfolding in Auroville. The first edition included three articles that illustrate the ongoing challenges and positive initiatives at play in these very difficult times in Auroville.

The FO WC announced that they had received a communication from the Auroville Foundation that since Maёl had received a Leave India Notice, he would be removed from the Register of Residents (ROR).

The RA WC responded that “We would like to remind you all that Admission and Termination of residents in the Register of Residents (and from the Master List) is the exclusive prerogative of the Residents’ Assembly as per the Auroville Foundation Act, 1988 (Section 19(2)(a) and the Auroville Admission and Termination Regulations, 2020. Therefore, the Secretary and the individuals calling themselves the ‘Working Committee’, which were not selected by the RA, cannot make this decision according to the law and to our internal guidelines and mandates.”

Executives of a number of key Services, including SAIIER, Visitors Centre, Security, Eco Service, Auroville Arts Service, ACUR and the Guest House Trust, have been fully or partially replaced with no or minimal notice. Some had been managing their activity for many years. The FO WC and FO FAMC explained that, “Further to the findings of the Systems and Processes Audit, Code of Conduct 2017 and approved by the 57th Governing Board meeting, the Working Committee and the Funds and Assets Management Committee have jointly decided in discussion with the GB to change the composition of some of the teams looking after the different activities of Auroville.

Auroville is at that inflection point where all efforts to support and strengthen the activities for its growth and development need to be augmented. The intent of the team composition changes is to bring in greater accountability, efficiency and effectiveness, responsiveness including upholding the compliances of the laws of India and suggested operational processes and practices.”

A General Meeting of residents subsequently condemned the way this was being done. The RA WC noted that, “Due process is not being followed, according to their own Standing Order and the Code of Conduct of 2017 (approved by the GB). There have been no notices given, no hearings, no reasons, no written orders – in short no due process has been followed. Therefore we advise that no one considers handing anything over or stepping down until and unless the following is produced: a resolution from the relevant trust, a resolution from the ‘FAMC’ signed by the JSFA (Joint Secretary, Finance Advisor to Ministry of Education and ex-officio member of the GB) who is listed in the Office Order appointing the ‘FAMC’ according to Section 16 of the AV Foundation Act, and an Office Order from the Office of the Secretary.” On April 28th, a case was filed in the Madras High Court challenging these appointments.

An Aurovilian specialised in construction released another update report on the current status of the Crown Road work. Noting that a member of the FO ATDC had stated that the entire 2.1km stretch of road between PTDC and Youth Centre would be completed by 31st March 2023, he pointed out that “only 47.05 m of precast RCC slabs have been badly laid”. In another report he noted that the HT cable recently laid between Auromode and Darkali does not appear to follow the Galaxy Plan, instead “meandering” to follow the existing mud roads and looping around private land. He observes that “it is obvious that this cable will have to be removed later, when the service road will be built. Thus occasioning again wastage of funds and risk to damage the cable.”

The FO FAMC and FO BCC reported that it has been a challenging time for both groups over the last six months as they have been confronted with a number of problems and issues. One is that more than 400 Aurovilians are not contributing their individual monthly contribution of Rs 3800, thus creating a large hole in the income for the community. The groups also note that a large number of unit executives take much higher maintenance than the “standard” maintenance, and it has now reached a level where they have to bring in some regulation. Also, Aurovilians receiving a partial City Service maintenance would no longer be allowed to make extra income by working for commercial units which would exceed a CS maintenance.

In response to this announcement, members of the former BCC wrote that “We are concerned that these communications do not reflect a movement towards the ideals of Auroville, nor an attitude of care for the economic realities that people face at present. Instead, these communications are focussed on imposing rules and conditions. We do not feel that this approach can foster a new economy that embodies the spirit of Auroville.” They noted that in the current reality where Auroville is not meeting everyone’s basic needs, restrictions on maintenances only makes it harder for those with less financial means to be a part of this community.

The FO FAMC and BCC were also concerned that more than half of all existing financial liquid assets of Auroville are parked in bank accounts outside Auroville. They are working on solutions so that Financial Service accounts will have the same functions and facilities as a bank account. When this is ready they we will make a push to bring all Auroville financial liquid assets into the Auroville financial system.

On Saturday 1st April, the RA TDC held a general meeting where they informed the community that an anonymous donor has offered to fund the next steps in town planning in collaboration with the Dream-weaving process and Vastushilpa. The first step is to create a Masterplan 2025-2050, as the current Master Plan is in need of revision and expires in 2025. Those present showed enthusiasm for this way forward with a nearly unanimous show of hands. Subsequently, the RA TDC called upon “everyone to come together to help recreate and sustain a safe central ground for a meaningful and participative planning process to be held with Vastushilpa in the spirit of Dreamweaving”.

YouthLink invited everybody to celebrate Tamil New Year, also known as “Tamil Puthandu” together at the Youth Centre on 14 April, for an evening filled with cultural performances, delicious food, and a traditional pooja. Aurosangamam also invited all Auroville residents to celebrate the occasion by visiting the World Tamil Heritage Centre to enjoy the cultural programmes and exchange greetings with each other. Events included flower decoration, Kolam-making and a children’s dance programme , as well as a community dinner at the Solar Kitchen.

From the 4th-6th April, Auroville hosted a three day Y20 (youth) summit as part of India’s G20 presidency. The theme was ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’ and participants were addressed by Dr. R.N. Ravi, Governor Tamil Nadu and Chairman of the Governing Board. They also explored different parts of Auroville. It was announced that about 150 international youth delegates would be participating but most came from Tamil Nadu and other parts of India. It is reported that, apart from the initial welcome talk, Auroville youth were not invited.