Chakraborty accused the state of forcibly pushing projects without public consent, riding roughshod over environmental safeguards and community rights.
Published Aug 10, 2025 | 3:01 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 11, 2025 | 11:02 AM
Sreeja Chakraborty
Synopsis: Environmental lawyer Sreeja Chakraborty termed state-sponsored development projects a form of “neo-colonialism”. Chakraborty criticised the narrative of development being used to justify large-scale infrastructure projects.
In a scathing critique of current infrastructure plans along Karnataka’s coastline, as well as the expansion of railway lines in ecologically sensitive zones, environmental lawyer Sreeja Chakraborty termed state-sponsored development projects a form of “neo-colonialism”.
Speaking on the podcast “Let’s Talk Water”, hosted by South First Deputy Editor Nolan Pinto, Chakraborty accused the state of forcibly pushing projects without public consent, riding roughshod over environmental safeguards and community rights.
“You can no longer sell the idea that this is development because people’s concerns are not there with you. A development without people’s consent is colonisation,” she said. “This is exactly how neo-colonisation looks. You’re doing it with the help of the state police and the state machinery, aiding and helping you.”
Chakraborty criticised the narrative of development being used to justify large-scale infrastructure projects, such as the Keni port project, especially those located along the ecologically fragile Western Ghats and coastal regions.
She argued that such projects are imposed on communities without addressing their actual needs, like hospitals, schools, or legal infrastructure and only benefit corporate interests.
“My district does not have a law college. My district does not have proper schools. My district does not have human Development index infrastructures,” she said.
Chakraborty made it clear that her criticism was not aimed at any single political party, but at a systemic problem across the political spectrum.
“Every political party in India is ecologically illiterate,” she declared, adding that appointments to environmental regulatory bodies are routinely filled with “yes men” instead of genuine civil society representatives, including members from traditional fishing communities.
“Show me one coastal district in Karnataka where a legitimate fisherman sits on the District Coastal Zone Management Authority,” she challenged.
The controversial Hubballi-Ankola railway line has already faced judicial scrutiny, with the Karnataka High Court issuing a stay order during the very first hearing. Chakraborty credited Justice Oka, who, she said, came prepared with deep knowledge of administrative and environmental law.
“Justice Oka was one in a million. He read more than even the lawyers bringing the case,” she said.
Chakraborty emphasised that it is the judiciary, and not Parliament, that has kept India’s environmental law alive through landmark rulings, even as legislative bodies have actively worked to dilute protections.
While acknowledging the efforts of youth-led climate groups, Chakraborty called for greater awareness, community solidarity, and introspection.
“People from privileged backgrounds, like me, must use our position to support the real protectors of the land — Adivasis, fisherfolk, and forest dwellers. They are not distracted by Netflix or Instagram. They have a deeper connection with nature,” she added.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
