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Update & Report
May - July 2024
Dear residents,
We are happy to share with you an update on topics which we dealt with in May, June &
July 2024. We hope you will take the time to read.
Please feel free to visit or email us if you have any questions or would like more information
about topics on our table. Our Open House hours are from 10 to 12 on Tuesdays, in the
former Koodam Office (parking and entrance opposite the Auroville Library) and our email
address is workingcom@auroville.services.
Earlier reports
➔ January & February 2024: click here
➔ March & April 2024: click here
For older reports, please contact our office by email at workingcom@auroville.services
Auroville Foundation internal functioning
Residents’ Assembly (RA)
We remain committed to upholding the voice of the Residents’ Assembly as a statutory
body of the Auroville Foundation, in accordance with our mandate. This includes doing all
we can to ensure that decisions of the Residents’ Assembly are respected and taken into
account.
Meetings with residents
Members from the RA Working Committee continue to be present at the weekly
‘Wednesday meetings’ organized in the Tibetan Pavilion. Additionally, members and
resource persons of the RA Working Committee were also present at the many meetings
organized by the Auroville Council in outlying Auroville communities, on the topic of land
exchanges. We would like to express our gratitude to the Auroville Council for organizing
these much needed meetings.
Emergency RAD on land exchanges
As the Governing Board has approved the Secretary’s proposal to exchange 1071 acres of
Auroville land located outside the Master Plan area, we have called an Emergency RAD on
28/06 to ask the Residents’ Assembly to express their views on this issue, since it would
directly impact all Aurovilians at various levels.
Report - May, June & July 2024
Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly
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On 01/07 we sent an open reply via massbulletin to five residents illegally impersonating
us, replying to their statement published via auroville.org.in massmail on 30/06, in which
they called on the community not to participate in the Emergency RAD, calling it an
“anonymous and unqualified RAD”. In our letter we emphasized that this RAD is not about
blocking progress. It's about ensuring that any land exchanges or sales are conducted fairly,
transparently, humanely and in the best interests of Auroville as a whole.
Community Gathering at Certitude Sports Ground
A Community Gathering was organized on 06/07, where a platform was given to residents
to express their concerns and ask questions on the topic of land exchanges. Prior to the
event, a video was also created and published on YouTube to draw closer attention to the
matter and invite as many Auroville residents as possible to attend this gathering and get
clarity about the planned land exchanges. An RAD participation station, managed by RAS
members, was also set up on the premises to help residents register their opinion
in-person. The event was attended by about 1000 persons
E-RAD Outcome
The Emergency RAD ran until Sunday 07/07 midnight and a total of 945 valid ballots were
received, out of which 933 participants were in favor of the resolution, 4 participants
rejected it and 8 abstained from making a decision on the matter at hand. The official
results of this Emergency RAD were published by the RAS by massmail.
New Online Directory
On 21/05 we announced the creation of a new Online Directory of Aurovilians via mass
bulletin to the community. This new directory was created following the discontinuation, by
AVFO appointees, of the previous one. The new one can be found at
https://directory.auroville.services. To access it, you will need to login via your
@auroville.community address.
A statement was sent by massbulletin (auroville.org.in) on 13/06 and later posted on Auronet
on 15/06 by those impersonating the Working Committee with the support of the AVFO,
accusing us, the RA WCom, of misleading the community with our announcement of the new
Auroville Online Directory. On 12/07 we responded officially to these allegations, explaining
our reasons for the creation of this new directory to the Auroville community via massbulletin.
Report - May, June & July 2024
Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly
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Governing Board (GB) & International Advisory Council (IAC)
67th Governing Board meeting
The Governing Board met on 31/05/2024 at the Auroville Foundation Office for the 67th
Governing Board meeting. We have written to the Chairman and its members on the 29/05
to obtain the agenda of the meeting and again on the 30/05 to request the inclusion of the
topic of the recently framed Donation Channeling Process for which we, the WCom of the
RA, have not been consulted. No reply was received. The minutes of this meeting will be
published as soon as available on the Auroville Foundation website.
Communications with GB & IAC
In May, June and July 2024, we sent a number of letters to the Governing Board which all
remained unacknowledged and unanswered.
The International Advisory Council sent a communication on 09/06 to the Auroville
community that was published via massmail at their request.
Here is the list of communications sent out during the past 3 months:
➢ 06/05/2024, To the Chairman and members of the GB, members of the IAC,
Auroville Foundation Office - Selection of new members for the 3 Working Groups
of Auroville
➢ 29/05/2024, To the Chairman and members of the GB - Agenda Request for the
67th GB meeting
➢ 30/05/2024, To the Chairman and members of the GB - Donation Channeling Group
and Processes
➢ 14/06/2024, To the Chairman and members of the GB, members of the IAC - 6th
issue of Voice of Auroville
➢ 22/07/2024, To the Chairman and members of the GB, members of the IAC -
Access blocked for the residents of AuroOrchard
➢ 23/07/202, To the Chairman and members of the GB - Strong objection for
re-organising Auroville’s service structure into new units.
Visas
Pending visas
During the period of May, June and July 2024, several pending visas were issued.
Aurovilians concerned received 1-year visa extensions, while most of them would usually
be eligible for 5 years. Since the previous visa of some of these residents had already
Report - May, June & July 2024
Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly
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