ETHICS
CASE STUDY (MAINS)
Q. You
are the Managing Director of Metro Rail Corporation (MRC) of a metropolitan
city and you have received orders and funding for construction of the metro
track and a parking space in a densely forested area of the city with houses of
few underprivileged families as well.
For the construction, the
forest has to be cleared and the families have to be moved to some other place.
The locals have started a protest after knowing about the order. They are
highly raged about cutting down thousands of trees and the affected families
have also joined them because the forest holds emotional value for them.
On the other hand, the
minister who directly controls the MRC is pressuring you to start the felling
process as soon as possible. You know that going against his orders will have
serious repercussions.
(a) What are the ethical
issues involved and the options available to you in such a situation?
(b) Also, suggest a
course of action you would like to follow. (20 marks)
You
are the Managing Director of Metro Rail Corporation (MRC) of a metropolitan
city and you have received orders and funding for construction of the metro
track and a parking space in a densely forested area of the city with houses of
few underprivileged families as well in it.
For
the construction, the forest has to be cleared and the families have to be
moved to some other place. The locals have started a protest after knowing
about the order. They are highly raged about cutting down thousands of trees
and the affected families have also joined them because the forest holds
emotional value for them.
On
the other hand, the minister who directly controls the MRC is pressuring you to
start the felling process as soon as possible. You know that going against his
orders will have serious repercussions.
(a)
What are the ethical issues involved and the options available to you in such a
situation?
(b)
Also, suggest a course of action you would like to follow.
Being the Managing
Director of the Metro Rail Corporation, my foremost duty is to maintain the
sustainability of project along with fulfilling my constitutional and ethical
duty towards the environment and the underprivileged.
As per Gandhian
philosophy, the public servants are the trustees of natural resources,
therefore the development process should be inclusive of the voice of all
without compromising on future developmental needs.
Stakeholders
Involved
●
Government
●
Underprivileged people living in the
forest area
●
Members of Civil Society protesting
against environmental damage
●
Metro Rail Corporation
●
Future commuters
Ethical
issues involved:
●
Development
vs Environment: As the population in cities is
increasing, infrastructural development is essential to accommodate the growing
demand, but environmental protection is a necessity for the sustainability of
life which cannot be neglected at any cost.
●
Rights
of Underprivileged: Development cannot be done at the cost of
marginalised section and their rights should be safeguarded at any cost. So,
evicting people’ from their homes is not just treatment.
The
various options available are
●
Starting
the felling of trees and eviction process as per the orders:
This option allows me to fulfil my duty of following the administrative orders.
But it violates the universal virtue by exploiting nature and legal rights of
underprivileged.
●
Stop
the felling of trees and eviction orders: It may fulfil my
duty towards the environment and will reflect my ethical concerns towards the
marginalized people. However, I may face punitive actions for not discharging
the official orders as the minister is personally involved in the case.
●
Forming
a committee to resolve the issue: It will provide an
opportunity to incorporate the views of different stakeholders and arrive at a
peaceful solution. It will make the development process more inclusive.
In such circumstances, it
would be necessary to ensure the sustainability of the project so that needs
and rights are not compromised on either side.
Firstly, proper two-way communication should be
established between the protestors and authorities so that both sides get a due
chance to present their views.
Secondly, a proper plan for rehabilitation of
underprivileged (to be evicted) should be put into action in order to
safeguard their rights, along with taking care of their livelihood and adequate
compensation. For this purpose, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Fund
could be utilized.
Thirdly, the design of the project should be
reconsidered in order to cause minimum harm to the environment. A pooled fund
could be created, where a certain percentage of revenues earned from the
project could be used for environmental restoration.
In fact, the protestors
should be motivated to help local authorities to create an even bigger green patch in the city and Compensatory
Afforestation Fund (CAMPA Fund) could be used by the local government for
afforestation.
Finally, the political
and public pressure can be averted by forming an independent committee involving the members from civil society,
environment experts, design engineers and government representatives to resolve
the issue as soon as possible.
Development
needs in this dynamic world cannot be compromised but
environmental protection as mandated by Directive Principles of State Policy is
also a State responsibility, therefore a proper balance between the two is
essential for a peaceful existence.