Development

To: Shri R.N. Ravi, Chairman, Governing Board, Auroville Foundation. Subject: The MoU with IIT Madras & Land Use Concerns Dear Shri R.N. Ravi ji,

Boris Verjoutski, who passed away in April of this year, regularly contributed his observations of the natural world and human behaviour to Auroville’s weekly “News & Notes” community newsletter.

In the recent ruling of the Supreme Court of India, the learned judge, regarding the need for Auroville’s development vis-à-vis environmental protection, stated that “…while the right to a clean environment is a guaranteed fundamental right under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India, the right to development through industrialization equally claims priority under fundamental rights particularly under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India.

On 6th January, 2012, Michael Bonke, along with Toine van Megen and Harald Kraft, made a presentation to the Auroville community about Auroville’s future energy and drinking water needs [published in AVToday # 271, February 2012].

The RA-WCom informed the community that the hearings in the Supreme Court of India on the verdict from the Madras High Court of 15th March 2024, which had invalidated the GB’s Auroville Town Development Council (ATDC) and had called for more collaboration between the GB and the Residents’ Assembly (RA), will probably take place in the second week of July.

In June, two members of the Funds and Assets Management Committee appointed by the Secretary of the Auroville Foundation (FO-FAMC) sent an email announcing that this FAMC will stop maintenance payments as well as the regular Forest budget to green workers from July onwards.

François Gautier came to India in 1969 at the age of 19, with the first Auroville caravan. Deeply impressed by Sri Aurobindo's writings, he chose to reside in the Sri Aurobindo Ashram for about seven years, after which he joined Auroville, where he has been living since.

The following is the first in what may become a series of articles featuring Aurovilians who hold the city deeply in their hearts, even though they may disagree about the details of its manifestation

The distant worlds of Zanskar, in the north Indian Himalayas, and Auroville’s coastal plains, met in December through the visit of Lobzang Wangtak, a Zanskari activist who journeyed down for the Auroville Learning Exchange (ALE).

The clearing of the Crown, Auroville’s main urban path, once again met with resistance after 25 years of discussion and waiting, on December 4.

Since the shock of the destruction of the buildings and forest clearance, the Youth Center (YC) has been receiving support and appreciation from the community.

By the end of October, the last houses in the new community of Soffio in the Residential Zone were completed. Auroville Today spoke to architect Dorle.

Joy of Impermanence (JOI) is an umbrella project that aims to create new communities in Auroville based on impermanence and sustainability.

We are fond of quoting Mother when she writes that Auroville will be a place for making experiments. But how easy is it to innovate in the Auroville of today?

For many years Paul Vincent has been involved with trying to protect the land of Auroville. Here he gives his views on the present situation in which private developments in the Auroville area are mushrooming, and suggests what can be done about it.

Looking at some of the old issues of Auroville Today, it’s fascinating to see how some of the articles could have been written just last week.

Survey markings in the Greenbelt installed by a consultant working for the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) revealed that plans were afoot to build a four-lane National Highway through the Auroville Green Belt for a length of 3.5 kilometers, crossing the Forecomers, Pitchandikulam and Aurogreen areas.

On May 7th, the Land Protection Group presented in a public meeting its findings on the best way to protect the land needed for the Auroville township from unsolicited development.

Michael Gransitzki first came to Auroville in 2008 and joined six years later. Here he talks about the problems of architecture, contracting, and the economic situation of Auroville.

The manifestation of the Hive, which was sanctified with a Bhoomi Puja on February 26th, has been suspended.

On the morning of February 21, at a beautiful ceremony held behind Santé, the Morning Star Birthing Centre was dedicated. The Centre, proposed to be ready by 2020, will provide Auroville with a specialized space for maternity and childbirth.

“The procurement of land for Auroville is the most urgent priority in order to ensure the future of the project in its original spirit,” says Sauro Mezzetti, member of the Working Committee and former overall coordinator of L’Avenir d’Auroville.

This is really two books in one. The first book is an introduction to Auroville, the vision, the history and its inhabitants. The second book is a passionate advocacy of the need to build the city as soon as possible according to the original Galaxy plan.

Louis Cohen, who first came to Auroville in 1971, is one of the original pioneers. He continues to be very active in the development of the town.

There are two possibilities. The first is a step-by-step procedure based on the need of the day. This more or less corresponds to how we tackle the problem at present, problems are solved as they come up.

Peter Klingspies, a young Aurovilian who returned to Auroville in 2012 and works in Sumark Construction, shares his thoughts on his life and what it means to work in construction in Auroville.

The Funds and Assets Management Committee, which is mandated to review the financial viability of proposed public buildings and housing projects, has stated that henceforth all projects in excess of Rs. 1 crore will need to submit a bill-of-quantities (BoQ).

In the spirit of ‘Unity in diversity’, Auroville International (AVI) invited all AVI members and Aurovilians on 15th February to a walking tour through the International Zone and a re-dedication of the Zone in an effort to rekindle its development.

On Sunday 6 November, 1988, a good number of us (taking advantage of a dry spell between downpours) went to the town planning meeting where the Album with the Master Plan required by the Foundation would be presented.