Jabalpur High Court acts on complaint of Justice Jha Commission on non-provision of funds by MP Govt

A Division Bench of Justice Shri K K Lahoti and Justice Shri Ajit Singh, issued notices to the Principal Secretary, General Administration Department and Principal Secretary, Department of Finance of the Government of Madhya Pradesh to show cause and reply to a letter from Justice S S Jha Commission of Inquiry regarding the lack of adequate funds and support being provided to the Commission to carry out its investigative work into the massive corruption of hundreds of crores in the rehabilitation of the Sardar Sarovar project affected families. Read more

The Court had issued this direction, acting on a complaint made by the Commission to the Hon’ble Court, through a letter dated 18th May, 2010 addressed to the Registrar of the High Court. The Commission had leveled a specific allegation against the Madhya Pradesh Government that adequate
budgetary allocations are not being made to the Commission and also that the allotment was not being made in the manner prescribed by the Hon'ble High Court, i.e. routing through the Court’s Registrar.

Taking cognizance of the seriousness of the issues and the history of lack of compliance of its orders, the Court directed the Principal Secretary, General Administration Department and Principal Secretary, Department of Finance, GoMP to file it reply as well as comply with all its previous orders in this regard by 24th June and file its affidavit on or before 25th June, 2010, failing which the Court will have to initiate strict action against the State Government.

NBA welcomes the Court’s position and directive, in a context when the state government has repeatedly disregarded the Court’s orders with regard to providing necessary funds, staff and infrastructure to the Commission. The timing of this order is also crucial since the work of the Jha Commission is at a critical stage of evidence-recoding in the cases of hundreds of fake land
registries which proves how the whole process of rehabilitation has derailed, being marred with corruption and irregularities, thereby justifying a speedy, effective and independent investigation by the Commission.

Shabana Azmi joins Sathenagar slum-dwellers' demand for justice

MUMBAI'S POOR MARCH TO HIRANANDANI GARDENS: EXPOSE REAL ENCROACHERS
As the indefatigable Satyagraha of thousands of Mumbai’s slum-dwellers, including dalits, labourers and urban poor women & men entered its eighth day, their Andolan for justice received immense support from acclaimed Parliamentarian, social activist and actress Shabana Azmi. Read more



It is know that the residents of Anna Bhau Sathe Nagar have been on an indefinite peaceful mass action for past 8 days now, protesting the illegal and inhuman demolition and burning down of more than 500 hutments by the Government of Maharashtra and have been joined in solidarity by their fellow brethren from Rafiqnagar, Jai Ambe Nagar, Mandala and other bastis, challenging the amplifying corporate-builder-politician nexus in the state.

Congratulating the people on their resilience in the face of state-sponsored adversity, Shabana Azmi emphasized that is due to the sweat more than 60 lakh people who stay in slums, that a 'happening city' like Mumbai functions and without their labour it cannot work and 'grow' even for a day. It is utter nonsense and the height of insensitivity to allege that people who slog day and night can burn their own houses, she said. Ms Azmi added that the land on which Anna Bahu Sathe Nagar stands is the Collector's land which means it is Public land and thus the people, who have no other alternative, have every right to stay on it. Connecting with the women and children from the numerous bastis, assembled and staying put despite the hostility of the State and the summer heat, Shabaniji said "all you women and children who keep the struggle for justice alive and take it ahead are my real source of inspiration and now this struggle is not only yours but also mine."

Senior architect Shri PK Dass also visited the dharnasthal and expressed gave out his heartfelt support to the slum dwellers. He felt that it is incomprehensible for the State not to make positive attempts to redress the grievances of the people on whose human-resource the city and state functions.

The slum-dwellers, though keen on the meeting that is to be held tomorrow with concerned Ministers and officials of the Maharashtra Government, are also proactively using all form of peaceful sataygraha to highlight the innumerable injustices in today's urban set-up and everything that passes off in the garb of 'development and renewal.' This pro-activeness forced the local Member of Parliament to submit a public apology and the people to challenge corporate builders like Hiranandani, once again.

Environmental Expert Committee submits its report indicting government of Madhya Pradesh

Devendra Pandey Committee has submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) its 3rd interim report, especially on the Command Area Development (CAD) Planning and canals of Indira Sagar, Omkareshwar (Narmada Dams), which brings out unbelievable non-compliance by Govt of MP and Narmada Valley Development Authority (NVDA) on CAD planning. The report says only draft report on CAD plan in Indira Sagar Project (ISP) & a brief interim report on Omkareshwar Project (OSP) are submitted and not even the final plans. Read more

What is submitted are not CAD plans but 'Expression of Interest'.The "plans" can not be approved and no further construction at the cost of environment should be permitted till compliance on prerequisites is obtained.

The report was submitted after the Supreme Court's endorsement of the Committee’s role and MoEF’s position as a sanctioning authority in its interim order in the case of Narmada Bachao Andolan (appeal in the SC against High Court – M.P.'s judgment by Govt of M.P.) dated 25-02-2010 which directed
that the canal work can proceed only with approval by the Devendra Pandey Committee and MoEF. It granted maximum of six week time to Pandey Committee and four weeks to MoEF.

Pandey Committee report clearly brings out that no full and final CAD Plans even for Omkareshwar, were submitted in 1992, as was argued by the Govt of M.P. in the Supreme Court and not one for ISP. Plans submitted in Oct 2009-Jan 2010 are also not for all distributaries and canals. For Omkareshwar, only brief interim report on CAD for left bank canal is ready and submitted.

The report further brings out that almost 60% of ISP command area is likely to face the danger of water logging & Stalinization and similarly large part of OSP command also is prone to drainage problem for which no mitigation measures are planned.

Calling such non planning and lack of planning, with the wanton proliferation of new projects as the biggest single malady in the major and medium irrigation sector, the Pandey Committee has disapproved the fact that there is still a tendency to restrict focus of CAD plan, to the traditional concerns regarding
distributory and optimal use of water, not the ecological impacts.

No implementable micro plans, disributory wise are submitted till date, the Committee has disclosed against all contrary pleadings by the state Govt before the HC and the SC, and hence balanced use of surface & ground water is far from planned. Very high water efficiency of 80% (as against less than 40% as the national average) is presumed without any supporting data. The report brings out this and much more and concludes as follows:

"For reasons detailed above, the Committee does not consider the draft command area development plans for Omkareshwar and ISP, submitted to the MoEF by M.P. in October 2009, as adequate in terms of conditions laid down as part of the environment clearance, and the subsequent stipulations by the MoEF and the NCA ESG. These plans detail only some of the engineering aspects of the CAD activity and the environmental safeguard measures essential for sustainable irrigation development as not been dealt with. Similarly the impact of construction of canal is not provided in the plan and therefore the committee could not assess the impacts of construction on environment such as loss of biodiversity, noise, water and air pollution etc. Therefore, these plans are incomplete and can not be approved."

MoEF letter to NVDA, M.P: Notice demanding response in four weeks:It is on the basis of the above report that MoEF has sent special letter to the vice chairman, Mr O. P. Rawat, NVDA, M.P. to submit its comments if any within our weeks. This letter can be treated as a notice, although MoEF, is even today, in a position of authority to issue stop work notice. While this is a welcome move, why is the ministry not taking an action under the environmental clearances to ISP (1987) and OSP (1993) as well as the Environment Protection Act 1986, without wasting time and not permitting any permanent damage, people question. Yet we look forward to the action at the earliest.

Narmada Control Authority accepts Sardar Sarovar oustees' demands: Medha Patkar

NCA ACCEPTS AND FORWARDS SARDAR SAROVAR OUSTEES’ DEMANDS TO STATES
After 13 days stay and struggle at the Office of the Narmada Control Authority (NCA), Indore, hundreds of adivasis and farmers, with fisher people and potters from the Sardar Sarovar affected villages in the Narmada valley moved to Bhopal. They left NCA’s headquarters after Mr. V.K. Jyoti, Executive Member and Mr. Afroz Ahmed, Director (Rehabilitation) admitted that the people’s demands are within the framework of the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal ward (NWDTA), state’s R&R Policies and the Supreme Court’s Judgments. Read more

SSP, Jobat dam osutees and the canal-affected farmers and adivasis of Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar canals decided to challenge NVDA on various issues including land-based rehabilitation and non-compliance concealed to push the SSP dam height and the legality and logic of destroying prime agricultural lands. Despite the non-receptive attitude of NVDA officials, the people made their way into the ‘Narmada Bhavan’ today afternoon and had an intense face-to-face on the burning reality of submergence with no rehabilitation and massive corruption. The Vice-Chairman Mr. O.P. Rawat had to come down and dialogue with the people for an hour and he said that he will try to look into the concerns raised. People asserted that the Vice-Chairman must listen to their issues and grievances and resolve them at the earliest, else they would have to launch a do-or-die battle.

Andolan, through their hours long dialogue with the NCA officials and meetings at the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE) and Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) held by a delegation that went to Delhi last week received assurances that there is no decision as yet to erect the gates on the 122 mts high dam.

The Environment Sub-Group of NCA led by the Secretary, MoEF has taken a position that since the Central Water Commission (CWC) has not given in writing that there would be no additional submergence due to erection of gates, no final clearance is granted by the Environment Sub-Group. The Social Justice Ministry has also assured that when no rehabilitation with land to at least 5000 eligible families, fisheries rights to the fish workers and river bank land to the potters is yet ensured, the issue of granting clearance to increase the dam height further by the R&R Sub-Group does not arise.

After the people’s action, the NCA had to take cognizance and write to all the three states to take action. The oustees’ have asserted that for those who have lost their agricultural land in 1990’s when the dam height was below 80 mts and others who are in the submergence at the present height, have the right to ‘rehabilitation villages’ with a farmland and house plots with all civic amenities.

The project-affected families specifically demanded that the Madhya Pradesh Government must purchase private land, as is being done in Maharashtra and Gujarat and the NCA has in turn written to the NVDA, M.P. This letter by the NCA, to the Vice-Chairman, NVDA was read out before the Sardar Sarovar and Jobat affected adivasis and farmers at 7:45 a.m. today morning when the people warned them of all the pending tasks relating to rehabilitation and environmental compliance and the fact that there are still 2,00,000 and more people living in the submergence area in the hilly communities and the densely populated villages. They also reminded them of the NCA’s powers under the Narmada Tribunal Award, the Narmada Water Scheme, 1987 and the Supreme Court’s Judgement of 2000.

The State can’t permit anyone’s land and property to be submerged without full and fair rehabilitation, people asserted. SSP is at a standstill since 2006 and has to remain so, even now, until all the conditions on rehabilitation and environmental mitigation are fulfilled.

The adivasis of Jobat dam have also risen up and asserted their right to land and the duty of the NCA to monitor their full and fair rehabilitation in a situation where no land but meager cash and no resettlement sites are provided to them, till date.

All these adivasis, farmers, fisher people, potters from the Narmada valley have warned the NCA and the NVDA that if they do not take up the promises and the process forward towards full compliance, the people will come out of the valley and plunge into the ultimate battle to attain their constitutional,
legal and human rights.

Surbhan Bhilala    Janaki Gulalia     Madubhai Machuara   
Pushpa Prajapati   Tekambhai     Kailash Awasya     
Ashish Mandloi     Kamla Yadav       Yogini Khanolkar
Medha Patkar

Narmada Jeevan Adhikar Yatra storms NCA Indore Office for justice

Sardar sarovar and jobat displaced storm NCA office to demand their rights

Indore citizens express full solidarity with Narmada Jeevan Adhikar Yatra
After two full days of non-stop action and travelling through various villages and towns creating awareness on the enormous social and environmental impacts of large dams in the Narmada Valley, the indefinite Jeevan Adhikar Yatra of the thousands of adivasis, farmers, fish workers affected by the Sardar Sarovar and Jobat Dams reached Indore today morning. At every village and in every meeting,
the people raised pressing issues concerning their fundamental right to life and livelihood and challenged the State, asserting that it cannot move ahead, even an inch, with these ‘monuments of mismanagement and injustice’ if it fails to ensure land and livelihood to the affected people. Read more



Slogans of “Narmada Ghati ka ek hee naara, nahi, chodenge narmada Kinaaraa” (The only slogan of Narmada Valley – We shall not leave the river bank) and “Vikas ke naam par Gaaon ka katl-e-aam band karo” (The State must stop massacre of villages in the garb of development) rent the air as the Yatra trucked through in 16 vehicles with blue buntings of the Andolan from Dhamnod to GPO, Indore where it received an encouraging welcome from the Indore Solidarity Group, a network of numerous citizens’ organizations, academics, intellectuals and professionals.

Addressing the large gathering at the GPO Ground, Dr. Bharat Chaparwal, Former Vice Chancellor of Devi Ahilya Vishwaya Vidyala, Indore, conveyed his full support to the people in their genuine struggle and assured that their non violent way to assert their rights will surely earn them more support from the civil society and the State will have to relent. Shri Kalyan Jain, Former Member of Parliament, Samajwadi Party expressing his full solidarity with the struggle said that there was never an iota of misgiving in his mind about the Andolan which has been raising very pertinent issues concerning people’s rights and the environment and it is in fact in the best interest of the State
that these issues are resolved at the earliest. Shri R.D. Prasad, senior academic said that the Sradar Sarovar Dam has been totally exposed today and the government’s own Reports such as the Devender Pandey Report on environmental non-compliance is highly damaging. The Government cannot go ahead with raising the dam height in this stage and if it still does, the people have no other alternative but to give an open challenge and get on to the streets and the common citizens will support them. No one can dare stop this.

Dr. Ranjana Sehgal and Dr. Mahesh Shukla , Professors at the Indore School of Social Work and the National Association of Professional Social Workers (Indore Chapter) who are actively supporting the people’s struggle along with their students said that the movement of the common masses is itself a university of learning and values for those in the academic circles. Shri Tapan Bhattacharya from the Association of Voluntary Agencies for Planning and Development also expressed his solidarity with the people. Dr. Arun Kumar, Lecturer of Political Science from Kerala and students from Madurai also joined the action today.

NBA storms NCA Indore Office: Demands Immediate Justice
Marching ahead, the Yatra resumed from GPO to Vijay Nagar, where the Narmada Control Authority (NCA) is head quartered, passing through the main streets of Indore and spreading its message to thousands of the city’s denizens. Not surprisingly, the gates at NCA were barricaded beforehand, displaying the defensive attitude of the State. However, the people asserted that they will have to be heard and made their way into the main verandah of the Office. Upon entering, the people were told that the senior officials were not present and briefly interacted with the Deputy Director, Mr. Ashish Fulandikar.

NBA expresses its dismay at the fact that the senior officials of the NCA i.e. the Directors of Rehabilitation and Environment could not make themselves available for a dialogue with the hundreds and hundreds of people who had come from the three states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, despite having been informed of the same well in advance. In any case, the people have
come prepared for an indefinite action and shall not budge without meeting up with the concerned authorities and seeking answers that shall determine their right to life.

Addressing the gathering of the fiery adivasis and farmers inside the NCA premises, Vimal Bhai of Matu Jan Sanghatan working with the Tehri and Bhagirathi dams displaced condemned the recalcitrant attitude of the State in forging ahead with giant projects on virtually every single river, thereby
killing the riverine communities and causing permanent damage to the ecology.

People in every single river valley are facing this challenge today to save their livelihoods and the valley and we shall together fight until our last breath, he said. Suniti S.R. from Visthapan Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti, a coalition of people’s struggles against displacement in Pune congratulated
the Andolan for its unflinching faith in the peaceful way of struggle to achieve its natural and human rights despite heavy odds by the State and its inability to engage with social movements that are raising right (though uncomfortable) questions which is only towards facilitating positive alternative change.

The Andolan is thankful to senior freedom fighter Shambhunathiji who has been travelling with the Yatra for the past three days, Shri Anil Trivediji, senior advocate and activist for his guidance and support despite his ill-health, Pairindaji, Johar Chand Dasaneji, Kumar Siddharth, Samyak and Chinmay Mishraji from Sarvoday Press Service, the small railway caterers, including Jitubhai and
all saathis of Indore Solidarity Group and also who are actively supporting the people’s just cause in different ways.

Marking Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanthi tomorrow, the people will take an mass Sankalp at Ambedkar Pratima statue tomorrow at 11 in the morning re-affirming their vow to strive for their constitutional right to life.

The struggle from the valley has moved to Indore and will not go back without justice…

Published in:
Elites TV News, USA
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
Twitter.com

Jabalpur High Court declines interim relief to MP state government

A Division Bench of Justice R.C. Lahoti and Justice Sanjay Yadav of the Jabalpur High Court today, passed an Order declining to grant interim relief to the Government of Madhya Pradesh (GoMP) on an application filed by it, seeking modification of the Order of the High Court dated 12-11-2009 in the public interest writ petition filed by Narmada Bachao Andolan on crores of rupees corruption in the rehabilitation of the Sardar Sarovar Project affected families. By the Order of 12-11-2009, the Court had directed that all requisitions and funds for the Justice Jha Commission of Inquiry shall be placed with the Registrar General of the High Court and all grants by the State will also be routed through him. Read more

The GoMP filed an application, taking objection to this Order on false and fictitious grounds that such routing would cause ‘greater delays’ in the disbursal of funds to the Commission and would create complications in the audit and accounts process of the Court. They had also challenged the directive as being inconsistent with the Commission of Inquiry Act.

Medha Patkar, appearing for the Respondent (Narmada Bachao Andolan) pleaded that the application filed by the GoMP is totally misleading and baseless. She briefly placed before the Court the history of violation by the state government in notifying and grating funds, facilities and staff to the Commission from the date of the High Court’s Order appointing the Commission (21-08-2008). It was only after a series of applications were filed before the High Court by NBA and upon the Courts’ intervention that the Commission became functional, at least to an extent.

Ms. Patkar argued that the High Court’s Orders on routing the funds, which were issued by invoking its inherently wide powers under Article 226 are absolutely rational and just, since the Government has been the actual cause of deliberate delay in the disbursal of funds to the Commission. In fact as late as in January, the State Government has imposed a restriction on the Commission with respect to expenses on purchase of equipments and other infrastructure necessary for the inquiry. This itself reveals the Government’s intentions,
as far as its claims of ‘allowing the Commission to function smoothly’ are concerned. Further, the GoMP has challenged the Commission itself by filing a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court and has all the while exhibited its hostility towards any independent inquiry in the massive corruption in the R&R process, affecting the very right to life of thousands of oustees.

It cannot be expected anymore that the Government has the political will to allow the Commission to function effectively and it was taking cognizance of this fact and situation that the High Court issued its reasoned and fair orders. It was also pointed to the Court as to how the GoMP has committed contempt of the Court’s Orders. Despite the Order of 12-11-2009 clearly directing that all funding shall be routed through the Registrar General, the Government made some direct payment to the Commission in January 2010. Ms. Patkar also pointed out, with latest information, as to how the Commission’s work has been severely paralysed due to the lack of timely funds, office equipments and a team of special investigators (such as police, revenue and PWD officials), which is again a violation and contempt of the Court’s earlier
Orders.

Upon hearing the parties and recording the pleadings, Court observed that the High Court’s Orders were indeed reasonable and need not be modified. However, the Bench directed the GoMP to file its response to the detailed Reply Affidavit filed by NBA.

Court also declines interim relief on Intervention Application:

The Court also briefly heard an Application for Intervention filed by Mr. Gattulal and two others seeking a direction to the Jha Commission to allow the second instalment of Special Rehabilitation Grant due to them. Ms. Patkar pointed out to the Court that since all the policy matters are pending before the Supreme Court and all issues of corruption before the Jha Commission, the Court’s intervention, until such time that the Commission submits it Report would be inappropriate. She pointed out two Orders of the Supreme Court, one which had directed the state government to prove that the PAFs are actually being able to purchase land through cash compensation and another where in the Court had upheld the PAF’s right to approach the GRA or the Supreme Court itself in case of any grievance.

The Court recorded the submission of Ms. Patkar and directed counsel for the Intervenors to file their response to the Reply Affidavit filed by NBA within two weeks.

Both these applications will be heard on the 9th April, 2009 Senior Counsel Mr. Shekhar Bhargav pleaded for the Government of Madhya Pradesh along with Mr. Vivek Patwa. Mr. Syed Naqvi, along with Mr. Dharmendra Sharma appeared as Counsels for the Narmada Control Authority and Advocate R.N. Singh pleaded the case of the Intervenors.

Published in:
Elites TV News, USA
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
News Trust, New Delhi, Delhi
Reddit.com
Wikio.com, UK

Canal work is subject to Expert Committee approval: Supreme Court

Supreme Court conditionally permits Narmada canal construction work on Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar canals subject to scrutiny and approval by Experts Committee and Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF). The case of Narmada canals came up for hearing in the Supreme Court recently, wherein the issues related to the displacement, rehabilitation and environmental impacts and mitigative measures, especially command area development were raised by Narmada Bachao Andolan before the High Court of Madhya Pradesh. The High Court had stayed the land acquisition and excavation in the Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar Projects, through its well-considered judgment dated 11-11-2009. Read more



The appeal against the High Court judgement filed by the Government of Madhya Pradesh was heard today by the Bench of Hon’ble Chief Justice Shri K.G. Balakrishnan, Justice J.M. Panchal and Justice B.S Chouhan. Narmada Bachao Andolan, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and the Narmada Control Authority (NCA) are the Respondents in the case.

On behalf of Narmada Bachao Andolan, Advocate Sanjay Parikh and Medha Patkar, appearing as petitioner in person and on behalf of the thousands of canal affected adivasis and farmers, it was pleaded that the Court should not permit land acquisition and construction without the necessary planning of social and environmental measures, which are the statutory conditions and pre-requisites
as per the environmental clearance and rehabilitation policy. NBA put forth all official documents, correspondence as well as data and proved that comprehensive CAD plans as required by law and clearance were not submitted in time to the Ministry. It was only in October 2009 towards the fag end of the case that Draft/Interim Plans were submitted to the MoEF the same is yet to be scrutinized and approved by the Experts Committee and MoEF.

The Chief Justice Bench heard the parties on the environmental issues, but not yet on the rehabilitation aspect. After hearing NBA and MoEF today, who submitted their response to the GoMP’s arguments against the High Court’s Judgement, the Bench passed an interim order conditionally permitting the canal work, making it clear to the State of Madhya Pradesh that this will be subject to approval by the Dr. Devendra Pandey Committee of Experts for environmental assessment of Sardar Sraovar, Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar Projects. The Court ordered that the Expert Committee shall give its assessment of the CAD plans within six weeks from today and the MoEF shall take a decision, thereupon within the next four weeks.

The digging of canals after invoking urgency clause was objected to by the MoEF. The further digging of canals will only add to the problem and perpetuation of illegality. NBA feels that during the period the CAD plans were under consideration by the MoEF, no excavation should have been allowed. In case the MoEF refuses to grant approval or finds that the canal excavation done so far will lead to water logging/salanization and other environmental problems, not only will it be a great loss to the environment but a huge loss to the public money besides casing suffering and displacement to the farmers.

The environmental clearances are granted under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and if there is violation of any condition, the MoEF has the statutory authority to vey cry halt to the project.

It is now time for the MoEF to take firm action in accordance with law keeping in view violation of environmental clearance by the State of M.P, including the CAD. This would only be in pursuance of the findings and recommendations of the Pandey Committee (February 2009) which has already concluded grave and serious non-compliance on many environmental aspects including the command area development for the SSP and ISP.

It will be a great disaster if the river valley projects are allowed to go ahead in an arbitrary manner without the plans being approved. NBA regrets this Interim Order which has cleared the excavation, even if for a limited period and in a conditional manner. This Order would re-open the canal construction in the fertile and irrigated black cotton soil and irrigated lands, which can cause irreversible impacts while even the basic planning and execution is pending, and serious irreversible impacts on the land, flora and fauna, agriculture, health can occur. Many farmers from the affected villages who are already affected by the Sradar Sarovar and Maheshwar Projects were also present in the Court today and feared that the project work would further deepen displacement in the valley, while the delay in the project work for 15-20 years after clearance is due the sheer negligence of the state government.

While Medha Patkar and Av. Sanjay Parikh appear for the petitioners, senior Counsel Mr. Mari Arputham pleaded the case of MoEF and senior counsel Andyarjuna pleaded for the Government of Madhya Pradesh. The next date of hearing has been fixed for the 25th March when the issues of the rehabilitation is also to come up before the Court.

Medha Patkar

Published in:
Elites TV News, USA
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
Wikio.com, UK

Mounting pressure on UP state government to set up Child Protection Unit

Mounting pressure on UP state government to set up Child Protection Unit

The fight for child rights got a fillip with a the media fraternity in Lucknow joining hands with Saaksham Foundation, an organization addressing violations of child rights in Uttar Pradesh, to fight for the rights of child facing inhuman attacks. Journalists from all the leading news papers in the city including The Times of India, The Hindustan Times, Dainik Hindustan, The Indian Express, The Pioneer, Aaj Tak and Times Now gave their support to the petition to setup a Child Protection Unit in the state.

It is noteworthy here that as per the Juvenile Justice Act 2006 amendment it is mandatory to set up social police to address cases related to children. Furthermore as per National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Directions and Guidelines a social police station and a child friendly police personnel is a must in every state. But UP as of now has none.

In a jointly signed petition that demanded setting up a Child Protection Unit in the State to address the increasing numbers of brutal attacks on children, scribes and the social organization also sought the provision of child friendly police station and police personnel.

The petition has been submitted to Additional Cabinet Secretary Vijay Shanker Pandey and to the Chief Minister's office on December 8. On receiving the petition and going through the contents Mr Pandey expressed his concern over the issue and assured the Director of Saaksham Foundation that he will be looking into the matter and also call a meeting on the issue of seting up a Child Protection Unit in UP soon.

A copy of the petition was also handed over to UPCC Chief Rita Bahuguna, on December 6 at the Congress Party office. She promised her full support to the issue and also said that she would hand over the petition campaigning for the cause of protection of children to Rahul Gandhi on his visit to the state capital on December 8.

Ms Shantha Sinha, Chairperson, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) was also given a copy of the petition on December 8 when she was in town to attend a State Level consultation on the Right To Education Act. She expressed her concern over the fact that children were being subjected to such brutal attacks and said she will take up the matter strongly and also expedite the process of setting up a State Commission for Protection of Child Rights in UP.

Anjali Singh
(The author is a Special Correspondent to Citizen News Service (CNS) and also the Director of Saaksham Foundation. Email: anjali@citizen-news.org)


Published in:
Elites TV News, USA
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
Wikio.com, UK
Gasta.TV News

Mounting pressure on UP state government to set up Child Protection Unit

Mounting pressure on UP state government to set up Child Protection Unit

The fight for child rights got a fillip with a the media fraternity in Lucknow joining hands with Saaksham Foundation, an organization addressing violations of child rights in Uttar Pradesh, to fight for the rights of child facing inhuman attacks. Journalists from all the leading news papers in the city including The Times of India, The Hindustan Times, Dainik Hindustan, The Indian Express, The Pioneer, Aaj Tak and Times Now gave their support to the petition to setup a Child Protection Unit in the state.

It is noteworthy here that as per the Juvenile Justice Act 2006 amendment it is mandatory to set up social police to address cases related to children. Furthermore as per National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Directions and Guidelines a social police station and a child friendly police personnel is a must in every state. But UP as of now has none.

In a jointly signed petition that demanded setting up a Child Protection Unit in the State to address the increasing numbers of brutal attacks on children, scribes and the social organization also sought the provision of child friendly police station and police personnel.

The petition has been submitted to Additional Cabinet Secretary Vijay Shanker Pandey and to the Chief Minister's office on December 8. On receiving the petition and going through the contents Mr Pandey expressed his concern over the issue and assured the Director of Saaksham Foundation that he will be looking into the matter and also call a meeting on the issue of seting up a Child Protection Unit in UP soon.

A copy of the petition was also handed over to UPCC Chief Rita Bahuguna, on December 6 at the Congress Party office. She promised her full support to the issue and also said that she would hand over the petition campaigning for the cause of protection of children to Rahul Gandhi on his visit to the state capital on December 8.

Ms Shantha Sinha, Chairperson, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) was also given a copy of the petition on December 8 when she was in town to attend a State Level consultation on the Right To Education Act. She expressed her concern over the fact that children were being subjected to such brutal attacks and said she will take up the matter strongly and also expedite the process of setting up a State Commission for Protection of Child Rights in UP.

Anjali Singh
(The author is a Special Correspondent to Citizen News Service (CNS) and also the Director of Saaksham Foundation. Email: anjali@citizen-news.org)


Published in:
Elites TV News, USA
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
Wikio.com, UK
Gasta.TV News

Local Welfare in a Global Context: Slums and Urban Welfare in Karnataka’s Development

Local Welfare in a Global Context: Slums and Urban Welfare in Karnataka's Development

In September 2009, CIVIC organized the above public meeting in Bangalore with Dr. Supriya Roy Chowdhuri, Professor ISEC, Bangalore and Mr. Narayanswamy, Joint Director, Karnataka Slum Clearance Board (KSCB).

The former shared findings from ISEC's National Foundation of India supported 2007 project on the Impact of Globalization on Slums and Urban Poor in Karnataka. It highlights globalization's impact and NGO's/CSO's role in reducing disparity especially in Bangalore which expanded rapidly since the 1990's through the Information Technology and Biotechnology industries.

Although Bangalore's economy grew with the knowledge sectors, semi-skilled/unskilled people find minimal jobs. From the mid 1980's, in urban Karnataka: · Small scale industries' manufacturing jobs reduced · Public Sector Undertakings (PSU's) started closing since the 1990's or began hiring contractors ·

The voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) and similar policies increased unemployed and semi-skilled numbers. In 21 class I cities, population decreased but poor increased ISEC's 1973 poverty and employment ratios survey in 11 Bangalore slums and 1990 repetition in 8 found child and coolie labour increasing from 30% to 36% and 26% to 30% respectively and clerical jobs decreasing from 13% to 11%. Studying housing, livelihood, education, health, etc. in 380 households across 6 settlements (including 5 'legalized' ones) in J.C. Nagar, Bangalore through direct questions and focus group discussions in 2007 revealed: · Education, development levels vary widely with no specific job or economic clusters in a ward · Some residents are partly integrated into Bangalore's economy · Occupations: garbage pickers, 26.1 % coolies, 26.5% self-employed (plumbers, mobile/stationary vendors, etc.).

Women - housemaids, cooks, nannies, etc. · 52.6 % of the poorest/unskilled earned between Rs. 1386-3372 · Poverty Ratio: Ramanna Garden - 80%, Papanna Garden - 58%, Average: Bangalore - 56% Karnataka - 26%. Some facts about 2 of the settlements surveyed K.S. Garden · Least Below Poverty Line (BPL) cases · Employment: some in NGO/government/private sector getting Rs. 6000-12000/month and benefits (receptionists, drivers, etc.); other and skilled labour - 33.6%, low income - 52.3% · 'Push factor' - a male relative was a government employee or individuals acquired technical/English skills privately · Fringe population - unskilled, aged, alcohol/drug addicts, infirm Cement Huts · High poverty ratio · Jobs: rag pickers for 70-80 years earning Rs. 3000-4000 monthly through wholesalers or individuals getting Rs. 1500. · Women - 80% aged 40-70 married within the slum and rag pickers nearby or in Chikpete earning Rs. 1800/month. (Ironically, this is the heart of the city beside the Labour Commissioners's erstwhile office).

A street side florist

Around 20 households revealed that their lives remained unchanged for 2 decades. · NGO's Mythri and Waste-Wise's education and vocational training to about 100 families increased their monthly income from Rs.1000 to Rs. 1600. 28% of Bangalore's slum dwellers especially young unmarried women toil long hours in the garment and electronics/electrical factories in hazardous conditions earning below Rs. 2300/month (minimum wage). Such unregulated, capital intensive and mainly export oriented industries exploit the urban poor. Urban Karnataka has less access to credit through Self Help Groups than rural areas or other Indian states although this does not deter them from self-employment as they cannot afford joblessness. Further, government schemes focus on education, sanitation rather than employment generation while most poor people prefer jobs over handouts. Housing campaigns have only provided a "roof over poverty."

Mr. Narayanaswamy with merely 9-10 months in his present role stated that:

- Before 2006, National Slum Development Programme (NSDP) and Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) were the only slum development schemes unlike the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) which has Basic Services to Urban Poor (BSUP) and Swarna Jayanti Sahari Rozgar Yojna (SJSRY) for training and employment.
- Residents of Bangalore's areas like Sanyasikunte or Sanitorium may struggle for jobs but NGO's could help such cases
- Only notified slums qualify for welfare schemes - those located on 'illegal' land are unrecognized
- Among Bangalore's 540 settlements with 2 lakh households, 200 are notified. Ragigudda in southern Bangalore, the largest, is still under dispute.

KSCB's staff shortage (only 5 AE's city wide) is slowing attempts to legalize the rest - it requests NGO's to assist its efforts. Many slum dwellers use private healthcare as Primary Health Centres (PHC's), anganwaadis, etc. are ineffective or unavailable.

Also, government hospitals often demand money for 'free/discounted' services. Most government schools' poor standard denies them basic education. Only settlements like K.S. Garden where NGO's like Mythri run an anganwaadi or others, having free tutoring centres benefit. Minimal access to education, livelihood, healthcare and critical developmental schemes precipitates problems in slums. Despite lessening starvation, small jobs don't improve the socio-economic condition. Residents are disillusioned as politicians have rarely helped - some boycotted the 2004 parliamentary elections. While most slum residents know the various government schemes/benefits available to them like Bhagyalakshmi, BPL card, etc. they can rarely access them without NGO/CBO intervention.

Pushpa Achanta
(The author is a freelance writer, a Fellow of Citizen News Service (CNS) Writers' Bureau, and a community volunteer based in Bangalore, India)

Published in:
Thai-Indian News, Bangkok, Thailand
Elites TV News, USA
Modern Ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Media For Freedom, Nepal
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
World News Network, USA
Bihar and Jharkhand News Service (BJNS)
Banderas News, Mexico
Little About News
Twitter.com
Inbox Robot.com
Connect.in.com

Local Welfare in a Global Context: Slums and Urban Welfare in Karnataka’s Development

Local Welfare in a Global Context: Slums and Urban Welfare in Karnataka's Development

In September 2009, CIVIC organized the above public meeting in Bangalore with Dr. Supriya Roy Chowdhuri, Professor ISEC, Bangalore and Mr. Narayanswamy, Joint Director, Karnataka Slum Clearance Board (KSCB).

The former shared findings from ISEC's National Foundation of India supported 2007 project on the Impact of Globalization on Slums and Urban Poor in Karnataka. It highlights globalization's impact and NGO's/CSO's role in reducing disparity especially in Bangalore which expanded rapidly since the 1990's through the Information Technology and Biotechnology industries.

Although Bangalore's economy grew with the knowledge sectors, semi-skilled/unskilled people find minimal jobs. From the mid 1980's, in urban Karnataka: · Small scale industries' manufacturing jobs reduced · Public Sector Undertakings (PSU's) started closing since the 1990's or began hiring contractors ·

The voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) and similar policies increased unemployed and semi-skilled numbers. In 21 class I cities, population decreased but poor increased ISEC's 1973 poverty and employment ratios survey in 11 Bangalore slums and 1990 repetition in 8 found child and coolie labour increasing from 30% to 36% and 26% to 30% respectively and clerical jobs decreasing from 13% to 11%. Studying housing, livelihood, education, health, etc. in 380 households across 6 settlements (including 5 'legalized' ones) in J.C. Nagar, Bangalore through direct questions and focus group discussions in 2007 revealed: · Education, development levels vary widely with no specific job or economic clusters in a ward · Some residents are partly integrated into Bangalore's economy · Occupations: garbage pickers, 26.1 % coolies, 26.5% self-employed (plumbers, mobile/stationary vendors, etc.).

Women - housemaids, cooks, nannies, etc. · 52.6 % of the poorest/unskilled earned between Rs. 1386-3372 · Poverty Ratio: Ramanna Garden - 80%, Papanna Garden - 58%, Average: Bangalore - 56% Karnataka - 26%. Some facts about 2 of the settlements surveyed K.S. Garden · Least Below Poverty Line (BPL) cases · Employment: some in NGO/government/private sector getting Rs. 6000-12000/month and benefits (receptionists, drivers, etc.); other and skilled labour - 33.6%, low income - 52.3% · 'Push factor' - a male relative was a government employee or individuals acquired technical/English skills privately · Fringe population - unskilled, aged, alcohol/drug addicts, infirm Cement Huts · High poverty ratio · Jobs: rag pickers for 70-80 years earning Rs. 3000-4000 monthly through wholesalers or individuals getting Rs. 1500. · Women - 80% aged 40-70 married within the slum and rag pickers nearby or in Chikpete earning Rs. 1800/month. (Ironically, this is the heart of the city beside the Labour Commissioners's erstwhile office).

A street side florist

Around 20 households revealed that their lives remained unchanged for 2 decades. · NGO's Mythri and Waste-Wise's education and vocational training to about 100 families increased their monthly income from Rs.1000 to Rs. 1600. 28% of Bangalore's slum dwellers especially young unmarried women toil long hours in the garment and electronics/electrical factories in hazardous conditions earning below Rs. 2300/month (minimum wage). Such unregulated, capital intensive and mainly export oriented industries exploit the urban poor. Urban Karnataka has less access to credit through Self Help Groups than rural areas or other Indian states although this does not deter them from self-employment as they cannot afford joblessness. Further, government schemes focus on education, sanitation rather than employment generation while most poor people prefer jobs over handouts. Housing campaigns have only provided a "roof over poverty."

Mr. Narayanaswamy with merely 9-10 months in his present role stated that:

- Before 2006, National Slum Development Programme (NSDP) and Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) were the only slum development schemes unlike the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) which has Basic Services to Urban Poor (BSUP) and Swarna Jayanti Sahari Rozgar Yojna (SJSRY) for training and employment.
- Residents of Bangalore's areas like Sanyasikunte or Sanitorium may struggle for jobs but NGO's could help such cases
- Only notified slums qualify for welfare schemes - those located on 'illegal' land are unrecognized
- Among Bangalore's 540 settlements with 2 lakh households, 200 are notified. Ragigudda in southern Bangalore, the largest, is still under dispute.

KSCB's staff shortage (only 5 AE's city wide) is slowing attempts to legalize the rest - it requests NGO's to assist its efforts. Many slum dwellers use private healthcare as Primary Health Centres (PHC's), anganwaadis, etc. are ineffective or unavailable.

Also, government hospitals often demand money for 'free/discounted' services. Most government schools' poor standard denies them basic education. Only settlements like K.S. Garden where NGO's like Mythri run an anganwaadi or others, having free tutoring centres benefit. Minimal access to education, livelihood, healthcare and critical developmental schemes precipitates problems in slums. Despite lessening starvation, small jobs don't improve the socio-economic condition. Residents are disillusioned as politicians have rarely helped - some boycotted the 2004 parliamentary elections. While most slum residents know the various government schemes/benefits available to them like Bhagyalakshmi, BPL card, etc. they can rarely access them without NGO/CBO intervention.

Pushpa Achanta
(The author is a freelance writer, a Fellow of Citizen News Service (CNS) Writers' Bureau, and a community volunteer based in Bangalore, India)

Published in:
Thai-Indian News, Bangkok, Thailand
Elites TV News, USA
Modern Ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Media For Freedom, Nepal
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
World News Network, USA
Bihar and Jharkhand News Service (BJNS)
Banderas News, Mexico
Little About News
Twitter.com
Inbox Robot.com
Connect.in.com