"Revamp academic programme of IIT Kanpur to motivate students": Pandey

"IIT Kanpur must withdraw the expulsion order of students"

"Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur must withdraw the expulsion order of students and revamp its system so that the academic programme motivates students to learn and engage in engineering-related socially-useful work rather than go after non-engineering consumerist oriented jobs which are totally non-productive" asserted Dr Sandeep Pandey, Magsaysay Awardee (2002) and a former faculty member of IIT Kanpur and former member of Central Advisory Board on Education (CABE) of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India. Dr Pandey also launched a signature petition to mount further pressure on IIT Kanpur (petition is online here). Read more
"It is a shame that Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur has decided to expel 38 students belonging mostly to Scheduled Caste (SC)/ Scheduled Tribe (ST) category" said Dr Sandeep Pandey.

"While the general thinking of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) is in the direction of relaxing the examination system so that a more conducive learning atmosphere can be created for students, it appears that IIT Kanpur has yet to come out of the paradigm in which academic performance is used to penalize students" said Dr Pandey, who has been a former member of MHRD's Central Advisory Board on Education.

"Suicides among students are not very uncommon in IIT Kanpur and presently an unusually high number of students are receiving psychological counselling. The failure is not that of students but that of IIT system" said Dr Pandey.

"IIT Kanpur must withdraw the expulsion order of students and revamp its system so that the academic programme motivates students to learn and engage in engineering-related socially-useful work rather than go after non-engineering consumerist oriented jobs which are totally non-productive" reads the signature petition which he launched yesterday in support of the growing movement of students demanding withdrawal of expulsion order of students. To sign the petition, click here

Published in:
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Elites TV News, USA
News Trust News
Petitiononline.com
Tweetmeme.com
Dalitsrights.blogspot.com
Digg.com

Gandhians appeal to respect people's inalienable rights

"Freedom of expression is a fundamental right enshrined in the constitution of India. We are proud to live in a nation that believes in the ideal of universal human rights. However, sometimes the state expediently forgets its professed ideals and tries to ride roughshod over the rights of citizens. These transgressions have become more frequent as commercial, industrial and mining interests from all over the world have become more interested in the resources of this country" said veteran Gandhians Narayan Desai and Surendra Gadekar in a statement issued on DailySouthAsian. Read more

Narayan Desai is the son of Mahadev Desai who was Mahatma Gandhi’s secretary.

"Unfortunately, there has never been a dearth of local collaborators within this country who for the sake of a few personal crumbs are willing to sacrifice the future of a vast majority of our population to these foreign interests" say Desai and Gadekar.

"The adivasis of Chhatisgarh along with the poor in many parts of the country have been suffering exploitation and repression for a long time. Shri Himanshu Kumar, a long time Gandhian activist has gone on an indefinite fast in solidarity with his adivasi bretheren. The government, whether belonging to BJP in the state or the Congress in the centre has irrespective of political affiliation, chosen a path of brutal suppression of people's aspirations. The lure of wealth underground has proved stronger than the well-being of people living overground. It does not behove us as a people of a democratic nation to allow this brutality. I appeal to the government of both the state and the centre to respect the inalienable rights of the people and to rethink and realign their policies in line with people's wishes" further adds Narayan Desai and Surendra Gadekar.

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

Gandhians appeal to respect people's inalienable rights

Gandhians appeal to respect people's inalienable rights
"Freedom of expression is a fundamental right enshrined in the constitution of India. We are proud to live in a nation that believes in the ideal of universal human rights. However, sometimes the state expediently forgets its professed ideals and tries to ride roughshod over the rights of citizens. These transgressions have become more frequent as commercial, industrial and mining interests from all over the world have become more interested in the resources of this country" said veteran Gandhians Narayan Desai and Surendra Gadekar in a statement issued on DailySouthAsian. Read more

Narayan Desai is the son of Mahadev Desai who was Mahatma Gandhi’s secretary.

"Unfortunately, there has never been a dearth of local collaborators within this country who for the sake of a few personal crumbs are willing to sacrifice the future of a vast majority of our population to these foreign interests" say Desai and Gadekar.

"The adivasis of Chhatisgarh along with the poor in many parts of the country have been suffering exploitation and repression for a long time. Shri Himanshu Kumar, a long time Gandhian activist has gone on an indefinite fast in solidarity with his adivasi bretheren. The government, whether belonging to BJP in the state or the Congress in the centre has irrespective of political affiliation, chosen a path of brutal suppression of people's aspirations. The lure of wealth underground has proved stronger than the well-being of people living overground. It does not behove us as a people of a democratic nation to allow this brutality. I appeal to the government of both the state and the centre to respect the inalienable rights of the people and to rethink and realign their policies in line with people's wishes" further adds Narayan Desai and Surendra Gadekar.

Microbicide trial results signal end of one chapter, focus turns to promising ARV-based candidates

Microbicide trial results signal end of one chapter, focus turns to promising ARV-based candidates

While acknowledging disappointment in the trial results announced today, the Global Campaign for Microbicides noted that the failure of PRO 2000, a candidate microbicide gel, to show effectiveness against HIV was only the “end of the beginning” in the search for a safe and effective product. This comment came in response to the UK-based Microbicides Development Programme’s announcement that its MDP 301 trial, which enrolled over 9000 women in four African countries, has shown conclusively that PRO 2000 was safe but did not reduce women’s risk of acquiring sexually-transmitted HIV.

Microbicides are being developed as products that could be topically applied by a receptive sex partner to reduce risk of becoming HIV infected during sex. Microbicide candidates are being formulated as vaginal gels, suppositories, foaming tablets or slow-releasing vaginal rings.

Last February, the release of promising results from another PRO 2000 study, HPTN 035, signaled that PRO 2000 might be effective—a hope that was disproven by the MDP 301 results. “We all knew that the trend observed in HPTN 035 could have been due to chance,” noted Yasmin Halima, Director of the Global Campaign. “While we are deeply disappointed to learn definitively that PRO 2000 is not effective, it is our responsibility as advocates to turn our full attention now to the candidates currently in clinical trials”, she continued. “These candidates, being tested as oral pills as well as microbicides, contain antiretroviral drugs or ARVs, the same life-saving medications used as treatment by people living with HIV. In laboratory and animal studies, they appear to be many times more potent than any of the non-ARV-based candidates”, she added, noting that results of the first effectiveness results from this new class of products are expected next year.

Dr. Sheena McCormack, Principal Investigator for the PRO 2000 trial, observed that adherence rates (participants’ use of the test product as directed) were high in this study. “We know that women and their partners liked the gels and used them”, McCormack stated. The trial used multiple methods to determine how frequently women were using the gel and all indicated a high level of use. “Women reported that using it increased sexual pleasure and fostered intimacy by helping women talk about sex with their partners,” McCormack added, “So we know that we have the method right. Now we just need a product with the potency to stop HIV.”

Because the MDP 301 trial featured a much stronger social science component than any previous HIV prevention trial, it has also generated a substantial body of data on sexual behaviors that can be immediately applied to existing HIV prevention research and programming. The findings, which will be published over the coming months, confirm that the majority of trial participants liked using the gel, noting it made condom use easier and more pleasurable. “We have heard this in other large-scale microbicide trials as well”, Halima added.

Samu Dube, leader of the Global Campaign’s Africa team noted that, while communities participating in the MDP 301 trial are understandably disappointed by the trial results, they are nevertheless proud to have participated in it and determined to see microbicide and other prevention research continue. “As African women, we cannot afford to feel defeated,” Dube stated. “We know that research is a painstaking process and that the challenge of finding safe and effective products is not easy. But women are engaging in the process because we must find a tool to save the lives of our daughters and sisters. Giving up is not an option for us,” she said.

Reiterating this sentiment, McCormack quoted the words of one of the South African women who volunteered for the MDP301 trial participants who said that, “[e]ven though the gel proved not to be effective, we played a role in the fight against HIV. We learnt a lot about caring for ourselves, such as using condoms. We also learnt to encourage others to test for HIV and we gained confidence in helping those who were already infected.”

Global Campaign for Microbicides is a network of advocates and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working to expand HIV prevention options for women and encourage ethical research that involves civil society. Since 1998, GCM has worked to accelerate product development, facilitate widespread access and use of existing tools, and protect the needs and interests of users and communities, especially women.

Published in:
Thai-Indian News, Bangkok, Thailand
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
Elites TV News, USA
Modern Ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Bihar and Jarkhand News Service (BJNS)
Media For Freedom, Nepal
Banderas News, Mexico
Hivandhepatits.com
Withox.com

Microbicide trial results signal end of one chapter, focus turns to promising ARV-based candidates

Microbicide trial results signal end of one chapter, focus turns to promising ARV-based candidates

While acknowledging disappointment in the trial results announced today, the Global Campaign for Microbicides noted that the failure of PRO 2000, a candidate microbicide gel, to show effectiveness against HIV was only the “end of the beginning” in the search for a safe and effective product. This comment came in response to the UK-based Microbicides Development Programme’s announcement that its MDP 301 trial, which enrolled over 9000 women in four African countries, has shown conclusively that PRO 2000 was safe but did not reduce women’s risk of acquiring sexually-transmitted HIV.

Microbicides are being developed as products that could be topically applied by a receptive sex partner to reduce risk of becoming HIV infected during sex. Microbicide candidates are being formulated as vaginal gels, suppositories, foaming tablets or slow-releasing vaginal rings.

Last February, the release of promising results from another PRO 2000 study, HPTN 035, signaled that PRO 2000 might be effective—a hope that was disproven by the MDP 301 results. “We all knew that the trend observed in HPTN 035 could have been due to chance,” noted Yasmin Halima, Director of the Global Campaign. “While we are deeply disappointed to learn definitively that PRO 2000 is not effective, it is our responsibility as advocates to turn our full attention now to the candidates currently in clinical trials”, she continued. “These candidates, being tested as oral pills as well as microbicides, contain antiretroviral drugs or ARVs, the same life-saving medications used as treatment by people living with HIV. In laboratory and animal studies, they appear to be many times more potent than any of the non-ARV-based candidates”, she added, noting that results of the first effectiveness results from this new class of products are expected next year.

Dr. Sheena McCormack, Principal Investigator for the PRO 2000 trial, observed that adherence rates (participants’ use of the test product as directed) were high in this study. “We know that women and their partners liked the gels and used them”, McCormack stated. The trial used multiple methods to determine how frequently women were using the gel and all indicated a high level of use. “Women reported that using it increased sexual pleasure and fostered intimacy by helping women talk about sex with their partners,” McCormack added, “So we know that we have the method right. Now we just need a product with the potency to stop HIV.”

Because the MDP 301 trial featured a much stronger social science component than any previous HIV prevention trial, it has also generated a substantial body of data on sexual behaviors that can be immediately applied to existing HIV prevention research and programming. The findings, which will be published over the coming months, confirm that the majority of trial participants liked using the gel, noting it made condom use easier and more pleasurable. “We have heard this in other large-scale microbicide trials as well”, Halima added.

Samu Dube, leader of the Global Campaign’s Africa team noted that, while communities participating in the MDP 301 trial are understandably disappointed by the trial results, they are nevertheless proud to have participated in it and determined to see microbicide and other prevention research continue. “As African women, we cannot afford to feel defeated,” Dube stated. “We know that research is a painstaking process and that the challenge of finding safe and effective products is not easy. But women are engaging in the process because we must find a tool to save the lives of our daughters and sisters. Giving up is not an option for us,” she said.

Reiterating this sentiment, McCormack quoted the words of one of the South African women who volunteered for the MDP301 trial participants who said that, “[e]ven though the gel proved not to be effective, we played a role in the fight against HIV. We learnt a lot about caring for ourselves, such as using condoms. We also learnt to encourage others to test for HIV and we gained confidence in helping those who were already infected.”

Global Campaign for Microbicides is a network of advocates and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working to expand HIV prevention options for women and encourage ethical research that involves civil society. Since 1998, GCM has worked to accelerate product development, facilitate widespread access and use of existing tools, and protect the needs and interests of users and communities, especially women.

Published in:
Thai-Indian News, Bangkok, Thailand
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
Elites TV News, USA
Modern Ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Bihar and Jarkhand News Service (BJNS)
Media For Freedom, Nepal
Banderas News, Mexico
Hivandhepatits.com
Withox.com

Integrated community health services in Timor-Leste

Integrated community health services in Timor-Leste

After a two hour walk across several hills and through valleys in a mountainous part of Timor-Leste, have Paula and her four-year-old daughter Maria arrived at a simulation exercise of the integrated community health service. Driven by guilt she embarked on her tiresome journey with febrile Maria.

As I watch Paula line up amongst the many others jostling to register for health care in this remote sub-district of Marobo, I could not help but wonder where all these Timorese had come from. This is a western part of the country with very little in the way of facilities or even infrastructure. Today’s activities are being carried out on the grounds of a recently completed school, where a makeshift thatched roof of dried palm leaves is providing limited shelter from the scotching sun. In this covered area are several booths for the community to visit and receive basic medical care.

It begins with a registration booth. Many here proudly tell the assistants their names and where they have come from but the old swiftly fumble when asked their age. They are simple cannot remember. Shortly after they are given a slip of paper with their names written in bold, they are whisked away to the next booth. A couple of weighing scales are placed on the dusty ground and each individual is asked to stand on the weighing scales so that the health volunteers can take note of their weight and proceed to fill the next box on this slip of paper. Children too have come with their parents but many refuse to stand on these weighing scales, terrified of this strange object. This slows the pace as the health officials struggle to find a solution and finally a solution is in sight. Both parent and child step confidently on the scales, a record is taken. Then the child is swiftly removed from the parent for a split second. This is hardly sufficient time to take note of the parent’s weight but it is done just before the terrified child is aware he is in the hands of a stranger. The result shows that many of the adults and children are underweight, some grossly.


Booth number three dishes out information on reproductive health and family planning, evidently thin on patronage but nonetheless those manning the booth are gradually soliciting interest. A husband and wife, with their three children ranging from eight months to four years, are being coerced into better family planning. The young mother is shy and giggles occasionally but the father seemed noticeably perturbed, not by what the ladies at this booth are saying but the restlessness of the infant in his arms. After a sojourn of less than ten minutes they make their way to the next booth.

It is here where a little more enthusiasm ignites the children. They are each given a bar of soap to wash their hands and dirty little fingers. It’s the sanitation booth where parents and children are sensitized to the importance of basic hygiene. “You’ve got such a pretty little face but look at that black dirt beneath your finger nails,” exclaims the health worker who then embarks on cutting the child’s fingernails. Embarrassed by the comments, the child nestles her face into her mother’s armpits. She quickly perks up again when she’s given a tiny bag containing a small face towel and a bar of soap to take home.

There seems to be a longer wait at booth five, several rows of young and old men and women, already seated in line, waiting their turn to consult with the several doctors available. Waiting patiently is Paula and Maria. “I just hope the doctors can tell me what is causing Maria to be this sick. I want some answers. Maria has been unwell now with a high fever for the last four days and when it gets too much, she screams and I feel so helpless. I cradle her in my arms and kneel in front of our altar at home,” says the mother of three.

The simulation exercise is gaining momentum. “I’m pleased to see so many people here today. This is a good sign that SISCa is working,” comments the Minister of Health for Timor- Leste, Dr Nelson Martin. But could this be because the minister himself has come from the capital, Dili and the district chief and village heads have mobilized the community to welcome the guest and his entourage? “I’m convinced at least some of these people have come for their benefit and not because I’m here. That is my hope after all the aim of SISCa is about community participation for equitable distribution of health care. But I also believe only through greater advocacy will this service work better ensuring health care for all is possible” stressed Dr Martins who is observing the last of the simulation exercises to take place today in this sub-district located in the west of the country bordering Indonesia.

Meanwhile, Maria is pricked on her finger gently by the attending nurse so that a rapid test on her blood can be done to check against Malaria. It clearly does not hurt her but instead she is intrigued by the process. The prognosis is negative for Malaria. It’s a viral infection and because she has not had it treated till now, the infection led to the high fever. Paula listens intently to the doctor relieved so hear some answers. She takes note of what she should do with the medication she will receive from the pharmacists at the next booth and also how she can take simple steps at home to ensure this does not happen again to Maria or other members of her family.

“It will be awhile before we reach home now but I’m glad we came. Look even Maria is feeling better already it seems,” quips Paula as she places a bottle of water and some bananas in her a woven basket and begins her journey home.

What is SISCa?
Servisu Integradu da Saúde Communitária (SISCa) which translates from Portuguese to Integrated Community Health Services stands on the principle of “From, With and To the Community”, which signifies that it is the community who would help conduct the activity, mobilize people; men and women, children, youth, the elderly; together with all health workers to work side by side to give assistance, protect and improve the state of community health in the country.

Communities need to be part of this strong commitment to the importance of health. Hence, community leaders such as sub-district council members and chiefs, hamlet chiefs, youth organizations, women’s’ networks and other community leaders take the lead.

SISCa provides assistance in the areas of health promotion, prevention of diseases, treatment for sickness and rehabilitation as well as health interventions such as combating against infectious diseases, family planning, nutrition, maternal and child health and environmental health. It covers all sub-districts in all 13 districts in the country. Its activities are carried out once a month to ensure sustainability. The activities at SISCa last for a minimum of four hours, to ensure that communities will have time and the opportunity to participate. Community members play a role in deciding the schedule of SISCa activities.
- Citizen News Service (CNS)

Published in:
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Modern Ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Elites TV News, USA
Asian Tribune News
Media For Freedom, Nepal
Bihar and Jharkhand News Service (BJNS)
Timor News Network
World News Network (USA)
Banderas News, Mexico
The Colombo Times, Colombo, Sri Lanka
News Now, UK
World News Report
Tweetmeme.com
Allvioces.com
Twitter.com
Timor News
Inbox Robot News
World News Report

Integrated community health services in Timor-Leste

Integrated community health services in Timor-Leste

After a two hour walk across several hills and through valleys in a mountainous part of Timor-Leste, have Paula and her four-year-old daughter Maria arrived at a simulation exercise of the integrated community health service. Driven by guilt she embarked on her tiresome journey with febrile Maria.

As I watch Paula line up amongst the many others jostling to register for health care in this remote sub-district of Marobo, I could not help but wonder where all these Timorese had come from. This is a western part of the country with very little in the way of facilities or even infrastructure. Today’s activities are being carried out on the grounds of a recently completed school, where a makeshift thatched roof of dried palm leaves is providing limited shelter from the scotching sun. In this covered area are several booths for the community to visit and receive basic medical care.

It begins with a registration booth. Many here proudly tell the assistants their names and where they have come from but the old swiftly fumble when asked their age. They are simple cannot remember. Shortly after they are given a slip of paper with their names written in bold, they are whisked away to the next booth. A couple of weighing scales are placed on the dusty ground and each individual is asked to stand on the weighing scales so that the health volunteers can take note of their weight and proceed to fill the next box on this slip of paper. Children too have come with their parents but many refuse to stand on these weighing scales, terrified of this strange object. This slows the pace as the health officials struggle to find a solution and finally a solution is in sight. Both parent and child step confidently on the scales, a record is taken. Then the child is swiftly removed from the parent for a split second. This is hardly sufficient time to take note of the parent’s weight but it is done just before the terrified child is aware he is in the hands of a stranger. The result shows that many of the adults and children are underweight, some grossly.


Booth number three dishes out information on reproductive health and family planning, evidently thin on patronage but nonetheless those manning the booth are gradually soliciting interest. A husband and wife, with their three children ranging from eight months to four years, are being coerced into better family planning. The young mother is shy and giggles occasionally but the father seemed noticeably perturbed, not by what the ladies at this booth are saying but the restlessness of the infant in his arms. After a sojourn of less than ten minutes they make their way to the next booth.

It is here where a little more enthusiasm ignites the children. They are each given a bar of soap to wash their hands and dirty little fingers. It’s the sanitation booth where parents and children are sensitized to the importance of basic hygiene. “You’ve got such a pretty little face but look at that black dirt beneath your finger nails,” exclaims the health worker who then embarks on cutting the child’s fingernails. Embarrassed by the comments, the child nestles her face into her mother’s armpits. She quickly perks up again when she’s given a tiny bag containing a small face towel and a bar of soap to take home.

There seems to be a longer wait at booth five, several rows of young and old men and women, already seated in line, waiting their turn to consult with the several doctors available. Waiting patiently is Paula and Maria. “I just hope the doctors can tell me what is causing Maria to be this sick. I want some answers. Maria has been unwell now with a high fever for the last four days and when it gets too much, she screams and I feel so helpless. I cradle her in my arms and kneel in front of our altar at home,” says the mother of three.

The simulation exercise is gaining momentum. “I’m pleased to see so many people here today. This is a good sign that SISCa is working,” comments the Minister of Health for Timor- Leste, Dr Nelson Martin. But could this be because the minister himself has come from the capital, Dili and the district chief and village heads have mobilized the community to welcome the guest and his entourage? “I’m convinced at least some of these people have come for their benefit and not because I’m here. That is my hope after all the aim of SISCa is about community participation for equitable distribution of health care. But I also believe only through greater advocacy will this service work better ensuring health care for all is possible” stressed Dr Martins who is observing the last of the simulation exercises to take place today in this sub-district located in the west of the country bordering Indonesia.

Meanwhile, Maria is pricked on her finger gently by the attending nurse so that a rapid test on her blood can be done to check against Malaria. It clearly does not hurt her but instead she is intrigued by the process. The prognosis is negative for Malaria. It’s a viral infection and because she has not had it treated till now, the infection led to the high fever. Paula listens intently to the doctor relieved so hear some answers. She takes note of what she should do with the medication she will receive from the pharmacists at the next booth and also how she can take simple steps at home to ensure this does not happen again to Maria or other members of her family.

“It will be awhile before we reach home now but I’m glad we came. Look even Maria is feeling better already it seems,” quips Paula as she places a bottle of water and some bananas in her a woven basket and begins her journey home.

What is SISCa?
Servisu Integradu da Saúde Communitária (SISCa) which translates from Portuguese to Integrated Community Health Services stands on the principle of “From, With and To the Community”, which signifies that it is the community who would help conduct the activity, mobilize people; men and women, children, youth, the elderly; together with all health workers to work side by side to give assistance, protect and improve the state of community health in the country.

Communities need to be part of this strong commitment to the importance of health. Hence, community leaders such as sub-district council members and chiefs, hamlet chiefs, youth organizations, women’s’ networks and other community leaders take the lead.

SISCa provides assistance in the areas of health promotion, prevention of diseases, treatment for sickness and rehabilitation as well as health interventions such as combating against infectious diseases, family planning, nutrition, maternal and child health and environmental health. It covers all sub-districts in all 13 districts in the country. Its activities are carried out once a month to ensure sustainability. The activities at SISCa last for a minimum of four hours, to ensure that communities will have time and the opportunity to participate. Community members play a role in deciding the schedule of SISCa activities.
- Citizen News Service (CNS)

Published in:
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thialand
Modern Ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Elites TV News, USA
Asian Tribune News
Media For Freedom, Nepal
Bihar and Jharkhand News Service (BJNS)
Timor News Network
World News Network (USA)
Banderas News, Mexico
The Colombo Times, Colombo, Sri Lanka
News Now, UK
World News Report
Tweetmeme.com
Allvioces.com
Twitter.com
Timor News
Inbox Robot News
World News Report

Senior journalists to attend 'Media for Children' anniversary on November 13

Senior journalists to attend 'Media for Children' anniversary on November 13

India's Children's Day on November 14

Senior national and state journalists, including former BBC broadcaster Mr Satish Jacob, will be participating in the first anniversary celebration of Media for Children (M4C) on November 13. UNICEF chief of field staff, Uttar Pradesh, Ms Adele Khudr has also confirmed to attend.

Mr Augustine Veliath UNICEF communication specialist and Mr Pushpendra Kulshreta, secretary Press Club of India, New Delhi are the other panelists. On 13th November 2009, M4C celebrate the anniversary of what can be termed as ‘media movement for children’.
Media Nest, a Lucknow based pan –India forum of media professionals, has been organizing this bi-monthly event at the Uttar Pradesh Press Club with the support of UNICEF since November 2008.

The forum which works for the welfare of journalists and their family has veteran journalist Kuldip Nayyar as its chief patron. Naveen Joshi, resident editor, Dainik Hindustan, Lucknow, broadcaster KK Nayar, BBC state correspondent Ramdutt Tripathi and IANS contributor Sharad Pradhan are patrons of this media forum.

Media Nest has on this very special occasion invited all its members, as well as those NGOs and individuals who are working for children, to come together and jointly herald in India's Children’s Day in the true spirit of celebration.

"We have through this media event attempted to ensure that the children of Uttar Pradesh, especially those from the under-privileged section of society get a voice, their demands are heard and their pain shared," said Ms Kulsum Talha, secretary general of Media Nest.

The programme will begin with a presentation by Sahyog, a NGO working for women health and gender equality. The NGO will release a youth policy on the eve of India's Children's Day. The panelists will be former Vice Chancellor of Lucknow University - Professor Roop Rekha Verma - and Dr Neelam Singh.

The second part of the programme will focus on how media can be partners in promoting women and children issues. Media as voice of children and partners in development issues. The two hour programme will begin at 2 pm.

In the earlier 23 sessions M4C has focused media attention on AIDS-affected children, held an interaction with Dr Subodh Singh, the doctor who made Pinki Smile (girl with cleft lips), talked on how the state of sanitation is affecting the life of children in Uttar Pradesh, focused media attentions on the state of Minority children and their battle to get equal rights and full citizenships, UP's missing children, the state of justice in women's courts, and other key issues.

Kulsum Mustafa
(The author is a senior journalist and Secretary-General of Media Nest)

Published in:
Elites TV News, USA
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
Thai-Indian News, Bangkok, Thailand
Pakistan Christian Post, Karachi, Pakistan
The Brunei Times
Celebrifi.com

Senior journalists to attend 'Media for Children' anniversary on November 13

Senior journalists to attend 'Media for Children' anniversary on November 13

India's Children's Day on November 14

Senior national and state journalists, including former BBC broadcaster Mr Satish Jacob, will be participating in the first anniversary celebration of Media for Children (M4C) on November 13. UNICEF chief of field staff, Uttar Pradesh, Ms Adele Khudr has also confirmed to attend.

Mr Augustine Veliath UNICEF communication specialist and Mr Pushpendra Kulshreta, secretary Press Club of India, New Delhi are the other panelists. On 13th November 2009, M4C celebrate the anniversary of what can be termed as ‘media movement for children’.
Media Nest, a Lucknow based pan –India forum of media professionals, has been organizing this bi-monthly event at the Uttar Pradesh Press Club with the support of UNICEF since November 2008.

The forum which works for the welfare of journalists and their family has veteran journalist Kuldip Nayyar as its chief patron. Naveen Joshi, resident editor, Dainik Hindustan, Lucknow, broadcaster KK Nayar, BBC state correspondent Ramdutt Tripathi and IANS contributor Sharad Pradhan are patrons of this media forum.

Media Nest has on this very special occasion invited all its members, as well as those NGOs and individuals who are working for children, to come together and jointly herald in India's Children’s Day in the true spirit of celebration.

"We have through this media event attempted to ensure that the children of Uttar Pradesh, especially those from the under-privileged section of society get a voice, their demands are heard and their pain shared," said Ms Kulsum Talha, secretary general of Media Nest.

The programme will begin with a presentation by Sahyog, a NGO working for women health and gender equality. The NGO will release a youth policy on the eve of India's Children's Day. The panelists will be former Vice Chancellor of Lucknow University - Professor Roop Rekha Verma - and Dr Neelam Singh.

The second part of the programme will focus on how media can be partners in promoting women and children issues. Media as voice of children and partners in development issues. The two hour programme will begin at 2 pm.

In the earlier 23 sessions M4C has focused media attention on AIDS-affected children, held an interaction with Dr Subodh Singh, the doctor who made Pinki Smile (girl with cleft lips), talked on how the state of sanitation is affecting the life of children in Uttar Pradesh, focused media attentions on the state of Minority children and their battle to get equal rights and full citizenships, UP's missing children, the state of justice in women's courts, and other key issues.

Kulsum Mustafa
(The author is a senior journalist and Secretary-General of Media Nest)

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No land acquisition and excavation on Canals: Court order

No land acquisition and excavation on Canals: Court order

A Bench of Hon’ble Chief Justice Shri A.K. Patnaik and Justice Ajit Singh of the Madhya Pradesh High Court passed a major interim order today in the case of the Indira Sagar (ISP) and Omkareshwar (OSP) Canal Projects, their impacts on the environment and thousands of families affected by the twin projects, demanding compliance of environmental measures and upholding many of the contentions of Narmada Bachao Andolan on land acquisition and excavation for
the canals.

The Judgement has directed the Govt. of Madhya Pradesh, Narmada Valley Development Authority and Narmada Control Authority not to proceed with any land acquisition and excavation for the canals until all the requisite measures under the Command Area Development (CAD) Plans and the Resettlement and Rehabilitation Plans are prepared and submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Forests and other authorities concerned and are approved and implemented pari passu with the engineering works.

The decision on the CAD will first lie with the Committee of Experts to assess all studies/ plans/safeguard measures of Indira Sagar, Sardar Sarovar and Omkareshwar Projects which was appointed by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, in 2008. The Committee would scrutinize the plans, approve and guide the Government.

The Narmada Control Authority established and empowered through the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal Award, 1979 and the Narmada Water Scheme (1980 and 1987) would be responsible for the overall monitoring and will have to ensure that the environmental impact mitigatory measures and resettlement and rehabilitation measures are properly planned, resources for the same are made available and implemented as per the judgement.

In a clear and categorical position, the Court categorically ruled that the R & R policy of the State of Madhya Pradesh of 1989 (ISP) and 1992 (OSP), based on which the two dams sought and obtained environmental and investment clearances would be applicable and not the amendments made thereafter under which the canal affected families were excluded out of the original definition of displaced. The Court struck down this amendment as being ultravires, irrational
and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. Rightly interpreting the policy, the Court held that all persons / families to be affected by the project or any related work shall be treated as displaced, which includes the canals, and will be entitled to all the rehabilitation benefits, including land for land to those losing more than 25% of land holding, land provision to the
major sons and all other provisions on par with the submergence (reservoir) affected families, as also the benefits granted in the policy to the landless.

The Judgement also refers to the canals planned to be constructed in the already irrigated areas wherein there is no need for further irrigation through canals, such as villages already falling in the Sardar Sarovar and Maheshwar dam affected areas and directs the authorities to review the canal network and CAD Plan to minimize displacement, in the context of increasing people’s struggle and agitation against land acquisition for development projects across the country and considering that the affected people are losing faith in the State and its promises as well as capacity to rehabilitate them.

While the major interim order has emphatically entrusted the responsibility to the Narmada Control Authority to ensure monitoring of all the environmental safeguard measures and the implementation of R&R, it has also directed the State of Madhya Pradesh to establish a Grievance Redressal Authority for the purpose.

With reference to the PESA Act, 1996, the Chief Justice, while admitting its constitutional place and position for the Panchayati Raj in the scheduled areas and holding that the State is duty bound to incorporate the provisions therein, including consultation with the Gram Sabhas before land acquisition and before rehabilitation, held that since the petitioners haven’t challenged Section 14 (a) of the Madhya Pradesh Panchayati Raj evam Gram Swaraj Adhiniyam of 1997,
1999 and 2001 and since the state government has not amended its Panchayati Raj Act to include Section 4(i) of the Central PESA Act, the Act can’t be applicable unless the State legislature enacts an amendment to that effect.

Citing an earlier judgment by the same Bench, the High Court further ruled that when the land acquisition is under a Central Act (in this case the Act of 1894), consultation of Gram Sabhas prior to land acquisition is not to be mandatory for projects in Madhya Pradesh. The Order, however, notes that the State of Madhya Pradesh should have incorporated the provisions of the PESA Act including Section 4(i) in the State level Panchayat Act.

As regards procedural aspects of land acquisition, along with property valuation, the Bench held that the remedy of reference under Section 18 of the Land Acquisition Act would be available to the canal affected families and hence the Court is not to intervene in present writ petition, through the merits of the same may be argued and decided in separate writ. Thus the Order
leaves it open to the canal-affected to approach the Hon’ble Court with further details.

On the whole, the High Court’s order, is indicative of further progress of the Narmada project affected families, by extending the rights and privileges of R&R to all categories, beyond reservoir-affected and upholding the great value and importance of environmental measures, including command area development as pre-conditional to any work such as land acquisition and excavation of the canals, along with the principle of minimizing displacement, while planning of a development project. The case has been disposed with a direction to the Narmada Control Authority to submit three-monthly reports on implementation of all the social and environmental measures related to the Project by GoMP and NVDA.

Narmada Bachao Andolan respects and welcomes the judgement as highly progressive, Since it holds the environmental mitigatory measures as mandatory and pre-conditional , it expands the definition of the project affected, guaranteeing them the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution and admitting and the pressing need to review the Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar projects, towards minimizing displacement and saving prime agricultural irrigated land. The Andolan shall continue struggle at the legal level and on the ground to centralize the right of the adivasis and other nature-based communities for their right to informed consultation and consent with respect to all development planning projects.

The PIL was filed on July 18th and continued till the 28th of October, 2009. Medha Patkar pleaded at length for the petitioner-farmers and adivasis. Senior advocates Ravish Agarwal, Additional Solicitor General Naman Nagrath and Adv Arpan Pawar pleaded for the Government of Madhya Pradesh and NVDA while Advocates Radheshsyam Gupta for MoEF and Dharmendra Sharma appeared for NCA.

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No land acquisition and excavation on Canals: Court order

No land acquisition and excavation on Canals: Court order

A Bench of Hon’ble Chief Justice Shri A.K. Patnaik and Justice Ajit Singh of the Madhya Pradesh High Court passed a major interim order today in the case of the Indira Sagar (ISP) and Omkareshwar (OSP) Canal Projects, their impacts on the environment and thousands of families affected by the twin projects, demanding compliance of environmental measures and upholding many of the contentions of Narmada Bachao Andolan on land acquisition and excavation for
the canals.

The Judgement has directed the Govt. of Madhya Pradesh, Narmada Valley Development Authority and Narmada Control Authority not to proceed with any land acquisition and excavation for the canals until all the requisite measures under the Command Area Development (CAD) Plans and the Resettlement and Rehabilitation Plans are prepared and submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Forests and other authorities concerned and are approved and implemented pari passu with the engineering works.

The decision on the CAD will first lie with the Committee of Experts to assess all studies/ plans/safeguard measures of Indira Sagar, Sardar Sarovar and Omkareshwar Projects which was appointed by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, in 2008. The Committee would scrutinize the plans, approve and guide the Government.

The Narmada Control Authority established and empowered through the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal Award, 1979 and the Narmada Water Scheme (1980 and 1987) would be responsible for the overall monitoring and will have to ensure that the environmental impact mitigatory measures and resettlement and rehabilitation measures are properly planned, resources for the same are made available and implemented as per the judgement.

In a clear and categorical position, the Court categorically ruled that the R & R policy of the State of Madhya Pradesh of 1989 (ISP) and 1992 (OSP), based on which the two dams sought and obtained environmental and investment clearances would be applicable and not the amendments made thereafter under which the canal affected families were excluded out of the original definition of displaced. The Court struck down this amendment as being ultravires, irrational
and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. Rightly interpreting the policy, the Court held that all persons / families to be affected by the project or any related work shall be treated as displaced, which includes the canals, and will be entitled to all the rehabilitation benefits, including land for land to those losing more than 25% of land holding, land provision to the
major sons and all other provisions on par with the submergence (reservoir) affected families, as also the benefits granted in the policy to the landless.

The Judgement also refers to the canals planned to be constructed in the already irrigated areas wherein there is no need for further irrigation through canals, such as villages already falling in the Sardar Sarovar and Maheshwar dam affected areas and directs the authorities to review the canal network and CAD Plan to minimize displacement, in the context of increasing people’s struggle and agitation against land acquisition for development projects across the country and considering that the affected people are losing faith in the State and its promises as well as capacity to rehabilitate them.

While the major interim order has emphatically entrusted the responsibility to the Narmada Control Authority to ensure monitoring of all the environmental safeguard measures and the implementation of R&R, it has also directed the State of Madhya Pradesh to establish a Grievance Redressal Authority for the purpose.

With reference to the PESA Act, 1996, the Chief Justice, while admitting its constitutional place and position for the Panchayati Raj in the scheduled areas and holding that the State is duty bound to incorporate the provisions therein, including consultation with the Gram Sabhas before land acquisition and before rehabilitation, held that since the petitioners haven’t challenged Section 14 (a) of the Madhya Pradesh Panchayati Raj evam Gram Swaraj Adhiniyam of 1997,
1999 and 2001 and since the state government has not amended its Panchayati Raj Act to include Section 4(i) of the Central PESA Act, the Act can’t be applicable unless the State legislature enacts an amendment to that effect.

Citing an earlier judgment by the same Bench, the High Court further ruled that when the land acquisition is under a Central Act (in this case the Act of 1894), consultation of Gram Sabhas prior to land acquisition is not to be mandatory for projects in Madhya Pradesh. The Order, however, notes that the State of Madhya Pradesh should have incorporated the provisions of the PESA Act including Section 4(i) in the State level Panchayat Act.

As regards procedural aspects of land acquisition, along with property valuation, the Bench held that the remedy of reference under Section 18 of the Land Acquisition Act would be available to the canal affected families and hence the Court is not to intervene in present writ petition, through the merits of the same may be argued and decided in separate writ. Thus the Order
leaves it open to the canal-affected to approach the Hon’ble Court with further details.

On the whole, the High Court’s order, is indicative of further progress of the Narmada project affected families, by extending the rights and privileges of R&R to all categories, beyond reservoir-affected and upholding the great value and importance of environmental measures, including command area development as pre-conditional to any work such as land acquisition and excavation of the canals, along with the principle of minimizing displacement, while planning of a development project. The case has been disposed with a direction to the Narmada Control Authority to submit three-monthly reports on implementation of all the social and environmental measures related to the Project by GoMP and NVDA.

Narmada Bachao Andolan respects and welcomes the judgement as highly progressive, Since it holds the environmental mitigatory measures as mandatory and pre-conditional , it expands the definition of the project affected, guaranteeing them the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution and admitting and the pressing need to review the Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar projects, towards minimizing displacement and saving prime agricultural irrigated land. The Andolan shall continue struggle at the legal level and on the ground to centralize the right of the adivasis and other nature-based communities for their right to informed consultation and consent with respect to all development planning projects.

The PIL was filed on July 18th and continued till the 28th of October, 2009. Medha Patkar pleaded at length for the petitioner-farmers and adivasis. Senior advocates Ravish Agarwal, Additional Solicitor General Naman Nagrath and Adv Arpan Pawar pleaded for the Government of Madhya Pradesh and NVDA while Advocates Radheshsyam Gupta for MoEF and Dharmendra Sharma appeared for NCA.

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Punishing success in tackling AIDS: Funders’ retreat could wipe out health gains in HIV affected countries

Punishing success in tackling AIDS
Funders’ retreat could wipe out health gains in HIV affected countries

A retreat from international funding commitments for AIDS threatens to undermine the dramatic gains made in reducing AIDS-related illness and death in recent years, according to a new report by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) "Punishing Success? Early Signs of a Retreat from Committment to HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment."

The MSF report highlights how expanding access to HIV treatment has not only saved the lives of people with AIDS but has been central to reducing overall mortality in a number of high HIV burden countries in southern Africa in recent years. In Malawi and South Africa, MSF observed very significant decreases in overall mortality in areas where antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage was high. Increased treatment coverage has also had an impact on the burden of other diseases, for example tuberculosis cases have been significantly reduced in Thyolo, Malawi and Western Cape province, South Africa.

"After almost a decade of progress in rolling out AIDS treatment we have seen substantial improvements, both for patients and public health. But recent funding cuts mean doctors and nurses are being forced to turn HIV patients away from clinics as if we were back in the 1990s before treatment was available," says Dr Tido von Schoen-Angerer, Director of MSF’s Access to Essential Medicines Campaign.

International support to combat HIV/AIDS is faltering as reflected in significant funding shortfalls. The board of directors of the Global Fund, a key financer of AIDS programmes in poor countries is unable to respond to countries’ needs and will next week in Addis Ababa vote whether or not to suspend all new funding proposals in 2010; and PEPFAR, the US AIDS programme is flatlining funding for two more years.

"The Global Fund must not cover up the deficit caused by its funders”, says von Schoen-Angerer. “The proposed cancellation of the 2010 funding round and other measures to slow the pace of treatment scale-up are punishing the successes of the past years and preventing countries from saving more lives."

In 2005, world leaders promised to support universal AIDS coverage by 2010, a promise that encouraged many African governments to launch ambitious treatment programmes.

"What about the promise made to people with AIDS? We gave them hope and life. We have to be there for them, we all knew from the beginning that this treatment was for life," says Olesi Ellemani Pasulani, MSF Clinical Officer in Thyolo District Hospital, Malawi. "Passing on the bill for treating AIDS to very poor countries would be a colossal betrayal."

Reducing funding at this time will leave people in urgent need of treatment to die prematurely and can lead to dangerous interruption of treatment. In Uganda, cuts have already begun to hit home with some facilities forced to stop treating new patients with HIV. Other countries are backing away from their earlier treatment coverage targets. In Free State, South Africa, past funding problems that have now been resolved led to disruption of treatment and a moratorium on treating new patients which resulted in an estimated 3,000 deaths.

The report provides evidence that, particularly in high HIV-prevalence settings, treating AIDS has a positive impact on other important health goals, in particular maternal and child health.

"A stronger commitment to other health priorities must happen, but this should be in addition to, not instead of, continued, increased commitment to HIV/AIDS," adds von Schoen-Angerer.

At present, over four million people living with HIV/AIDS in the developing world receive antiretroviral therapy. An estimated six million people who are in need of life-saving treatment, are still waiting for access. MSF operates HIV/AIDS programmes in around 30 countries and provides antiretroviral treatment to more than 140,000 HIV-positive adults and children.

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Punishing success in tackling AIDS: Funders’ retreat could wipe out health gains in HIV affected countries

Punishing success in tackling AIDS
Funders’ retreat could wipe out health gains in HIV affected countries

A retreat from international funding commitments for AIDS threatens to undermine the dramatic gains made in reducing AIDS-related illness and death in recent years, according to a new report by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) "Punishing Success? Early Signs of a Retreat from Committment to HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment."

The MSF report highlights how expanding access to HIV treatment has not only saved the lives of people with AIDS but has been central to reducing overall mortality in a number of high HIV burden countries in southern Africa in recent years. In Malawi and South Africa, MSF observed very significant decreases in overall mortality in areas where antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage was high. Increased treatment coverage has also had an impact on the burden of other diseases, for example tuberculosis cases have been significantly reduced in Thyolo, Malawi and Western Cape province, South Africa.

"After almost a decade of progress in rolling out AIDS treatment we have seen substantial improvements, both for patients and public health. But recent funding cuts mean doctors and nurses are being forced to turn HIV patients away from clinics as if we were back in the 1990s before treatment was available," says Dr Tido von Schoen-Angerer, Director of MSF’s Access to Essential Medicines Campaign.

International support to combat HIV/AIDS is faltering as reflected in significant funding shortfalls. The board of directors of the Global Fund, a key financer of AIDS programmes in poor countries is unable to respond to countries’ needs and will next week in Addis Ababa vote whether or not to suspend all new funding proposals in 2010; and PEPFAR, the US AIDS programme is flatlining funding for two more years.

"The Global Fund must not cover up the deficit caused by its funders”, says von Schoen-Angerer. “The proposed cancellation of the 2010 funding round and other measures to slow the pace of treatment scale-up are punishing the successes of the past years and preventing countries from saving more lives."

In 2005, world leaders promised to support universal AIDS coverage by 2010, a promise that encouraged many African governments to launch ambitious treatment programmes.

"What about the promise made to people with AIDS? We gave them hope and life. We have to be there for them, we all knew from the beginning that this treatment was for life," says Olesi Ellemani Pasulani, MSF Clinical Officer in Thyolo District Hospital, Malawi. "Passing on the bill for treating AIDS to very poor countries would be a colossal betrayal."

Reducing funding at this time will leave people in urgent need of treatment to die prematurely and can lead to dangerous interruption of treatment. In Uganda, cuts have already begun to hit home with some facilities forced to stop treating new patients with HIV. Other countries are backing away from their earlier treatment coverage targets. In Free State, South Africa, past funding problems that have now been resolved led to disruption of treatment and a moratorium on treating new patients which resulted in an estimated 3,000 deaths.

The report provides evidence that, particularly in high HIV-prevalence settings, treating AIDS has a positive impact on other important health goals, in particular maternal and child health.

"A stronger commitment to other health priorities must happen, but this should be in addition to, not instead of, continued, increased commitment to HIV/AIDS," adds von Schoen-Angerer.

At present, over four million people living with HIV/AIDS in the developing world receive antiretroviral therapy. An estimated six million people who are in need of life-saving treatment, are still waiting for access. MSF operates HIV/AIDS programmes in around 30 countries and provides antiretroviral treatment to more than 140,000 HIV-positive adults and children.

Published in:
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Modern Ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Wikio.com, UK
World News Network, USA
Elites TV News, USA
Bihar and Jharkhnad News Service (BJNS)
Medecine Sans Frontieres
Thomson Reuters Foundation
Daylife.com
Twitter.com
Medworm.com
Worldaidscampaign.org
Soompi.com