Uproar over Udvada

"For quite some time now some individuals/groups with vested interests and/or hidden agendas have been endeavoring to disrupt the smooth functioning of the activities that we have undertaken. Unsubstantiated and unsustainable criticisms based on assumptions and presumptions have been bandied about…to instill fear in the minds of people and provoke them with fabricated comments,” lamented Dastur Khurshed Dastoor of Udvada, explaining the necessity of issuing a clarification as chairman of the Foundation for Development of Udvada (FDU).

Changes made in the trust deed of FDU, specifically as regards to clause 28 which reads, "To extend assistance, if or when the laws of the land permit for any humanitarian activities to be undertaken outside India” created misgivings in certain orthodox pockets. The orthodox grievances were voiced in The Times of India of November 5, 2005 where Jamshed Mohta, president of the Bardoli Anjuman was quoted: "All of us welcomed the original trust deed which was meant for developing Udvada and its vicinity. By widening the powers, these funds released by the government can now be sent abroad too. The whole objective has been defeated.” Similarly the editor of The Parsee Voice Adi Doctor alleged the "gameplan of the FDU seems to be ... to curry favor with the governments of India and Gujarat, get the initial grant, and then go for the big game in the name of public charity.”

Not satisfied with the clarifications issued by ex-Gujarat chief secretary P. K. Laheri, managing trustee of FDU Dinshaw Tamboly and conservation architect Pankaj Joshi noting that the objectives of the trust were changed only to enable the FDU to widen its scope of activities should the need arise, the orthodox convened a public meeting in Udvada on December 20, 2005 a report of which was carried in The Indian Express, Ahmedabad Newsline, the following day. About 100 to 150 Parsis from Surat, Bardoli, Valsad, Vapi, Navsari and Umbergaon attended this meeting when Bardoli’s Mohta and Parvez Mehta reiterated that the funds earmarked for the development of Udvada should be used explicitly for that purpose.

Mirza (center) launching second phase of sea wall construction as Pandol (left) looks on; (below) 1998 built sea wall repaired after monsoon damage (left); (far right) Dastoor (left) and Tamboly

According to Dastoor’s note, "The corpus of the FDU is just Rs 5,000. Funds for the project in hand at Udvada have been committed by Government of India (GOI) and Government of Gujarat (GOG) and are being released by Government of Gujarat as and when required for the work approved by them. The clause (28) referred to is an omnibus clause that would provide the FDU with flexibility to render aid in times of distress to places other than Udvada… The trustees of FDU take this opportunity to publicly record that funds received for Udvada would be utilized expressly for that purpose alone. Further no funds received for any specific project would now or ever be diverted for any other cause…The trustees of FDU are all individuals of high repute, integrity and impeccable tract record of successfully implementing various public welfare pro­jects.” Besides Dastoor and Tam­boly the others on the trust board are co-chairman Ahmedabad hotelier Jehangir R. J. Cama, Laheri, Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) chairman Minoo Shroff, BPP trustee Burjor Antia, social worker Homai Modi, president of the World Zarathushti Cultural Foundation Dr Homi Dhalla and the four invitees Pirojshaw Sidhwa, Behram Lakdawalla, Sudhir Mankad and Raval.

The FDU has also been faulted for utilizing government funds for setting up a museum in Udvada. Clarified Dastoor, "The project of establishing a museum cum cultural center was mooted not by the trustees of FDU but jointly by the GOI and GOG to publicly acknowledge the very constructive role of Parsis in nation building. Udvada was selected as the location by the GOG as their holy fire is perpetually maintained there and well frequented by Parsis…The objective of GOI and GOG is to project Udvada as a unique place in our country symbolizing traditions of tolerance, harmony and progress through active collaboration with the Parsi community.

"While funds amounting to Rs 121.59 lakhs have been sanctioned…the same are being utilized specifically for the objects specifically agreed/approved under the strict supervision and direction of the officials of the tourism department of GOG. Tenders have been floated by heritage architects Pankaj Joshi and Jamshed Bhiwandiwalla as per government norms. Besides funds have not been released in a block but are being released only as work progresses and after due verification laid down by the government has been followed. There is thus no truth whatsoever in the allegation about any possibility of misuse of funds in any manner.” The press note concludes, "The board of trustees have decided that till such time the government sponsored project at Udvada is satisfactorily completed, FDU will not be involved in any other activity.”

Activist Aban Bana pointed out that the Udvada village is faced with pressing problems: filth on the roads and beach, non availability of clean drinking water, erratic electricity supply, poor roads and transport, stray dogs and cattle. She forwarded to Parsiana a circular stating, "There is already a small museum (run by the World Zoroastrian Organisation) befitting a small village like Udvada; where is then the need for pouring so much money into a second museum when such problems… are not tackled first?…Let us make our Udvada gam (village) a true yatra dham (pilgrimage center) by placing the people of Udvada first on the priority list.”

In the mean time the Save Udwada Trust (SUT) commenced the second phase of construction of sea walls on the Udvada beach on December 25, 2005, reported SUT joint honorary secretary Dr V. M. Meher-Homji. Inaugurating this project, Dastur (Dr) Peshotan Mirza remarked there was a need for betterment of Udvada rather than its development. Prevention of damage due to tidal waves, prevention of thefts with better security and elimination of filth were the problems he felt needed urgent addressing. Chairman of the Trust Temas Pandol appreciated that the Gujarat government spent eight lakh rupees to repair the sea walls constructed earlier but damaged in the subsequent monsoons.

Although the Gujarat government has promised to contribute 85 percent of the cost of construction of sea walls, the SUT is still striving to raise the balance Rs 15 lakhs, notes Meher-Homji. The executive engineer of Ambica Irrigation Department R. M. Patel assured the use of superior quality materials and techniques for the second phase of the sea walls expected to be completed before the next monsoons. Trustee Vispi Dastur, honorary secretary Dr Meher Master-Moos, Meher-Homji and Dr Minoo Parabia of South Gujarat University also spoke on the occasion.

Behind the Iranshah are four acres of brackish low-lying wastelands. To prevent this area from getting flooded during the monsoons and by the Pariyali creek sea water at high tides, it was suggested that the planting of salvadora persica would result in environmental and economic benefits.