Digest for bharat-chintan@googlegroups.com – 13 Messages in 12 Topics

Today’s Topic Summary

Group: http://groups.google.com/group/bharat-chintan/topics

‘Providing subsidised diesel to the owners of luxury cars and other highly profit making industries is against the spirit of the Constitution’ [1 Update]
Mocking Indians [1 Update]
[भारत-चिँतन:11968] Digest for bharat-chintan@googlegroups.com – 13 Messages in 12 Topics [1 Update]
NREGA: Workers have neither got wages nor work from 10 months [1 Update]
With monsoon teak smugglers active in Bastar, forest dept not bothered [1 Update]
Doctors helping primitive tribe Birhors are also misbehaved with… [1 Update]
End Rohingya Atrocities; Indian Muslims-Hindus-Buddhists Urge [1 Update]
PMARC : Dalits Media Watch-News Updates 19.07.12 [1 Update]
Agents abducting, selling transiting adivasis in Bhadrachalam AP [1 Update]
Fw: Invitation for suggestions on ‘ Development of Fisheries – A review’ – submission of suggestions – requesting to be called for oral evidence – Reg. [1 Update]
Bangalore: RTE quota students face discrimination [2 Updates]
Barb Weir: World Response to Knesset Member Destroying Bible [1 Update]

‘Providing subsidised diesel to the owners of luxury cars and other highly profit making industries is against the spirit of the Constitution’

Paadam Pm <paadam.pm@gmail.com> Jul 19 10:21PM +0530

Dear All,

The Delhi High Court has admitted yesterday, the petition which argues

against extending huge, unsustainable diesel subsidy to what I call

undeserving sections of society and which may be directly contributing to

an ever increasing burden of non-communicable diseases including cancer,

chronic bronchitis, cardio-vascular, neurological diseases,

asthma, allergy and even affecting the womb. This health consequences may

be affecting people cutting across socio-economic spectrum but certainly

those living and working on road margins such as the poor traffic

constable, auto rickshaw walas, two-wheeler drivers, etc etc. The micro

soot particles from the devil called Diesel is so small,2.5 microns, (as

much as 70% of particulate matter) that it penetrates all the defense

lines of your body and gets stuck permanently in your lungs. Attaching the

copy of affidavit, for those who have patience and interest.

Now, we have to watch if this clueless, spineless Govt has any energy left

to deal with the powerful diesel vehicle lobby, especially with the much

touted GDP growth story travelling south. It is not only the diesel

vehicles, but also the diesel gensets used by Telecom towers, malls, etc

which are polluting the air that we breathe so much. Now, the Court’s

pressure and public opinion which should take on the Govt and the powerful

lobbies to save the future. For the future’s sake, we have to retrieve the

space for public transport, cycles and pedestrian platforms in our cities

and towns. For this, we need a huge movement of public spirited persons and

organisations.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/article3655977.ece
http://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20120719/2027022.html

regards, Narayanan.A (9840393581)

Petition against huge subsidy on diesel*‘Providing subsidised diesel to the

owners of luxury cars and other highly profit making industries is against

the spirit of the Constitution’*

STAFF REPORTER

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The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Union Ministries of

Environment & Forests, Petroleum & Natural Gas and Finance and the Central

Pollution Control Board on a public interest litigation submitting that the

sudden rise in the use of diesel cars due to the huge subsidy on the fuel

had raised the pollution levels in the Capital and other cities in the

country.

The petitioner, social worker A. Narayanan, urged the Court to pass

directions to the Union Government to withdraw the subsidy to affluent

sections of society and prescribe stringent emission standards on all

appropriate parameters for diesel vehicles uniformly throughout the country

to control the pollution.

The petitioner further submitted that by providing subsidy on the fuel for

all types of diesel users without any differentiation, the Government of

India was creating conditions that would eventually cause serious short

term and long term health hazards to the people as well as increase the

already existing socio-economic inequity among the citizens of the country.

Providing diesel at the subsidised rate to the owners of luxury cars and

other highly profit making industries was also against the spirit of

article 39(c) of the Constitution, which mandates that “the State shall

ensure operation of the economic system in a manner that does not result in

the concentration of wealth”, the petitioner said. It was axiomatic that

providing subsidy to the rich resulted in the concentration of wealth, the

petitioner added.

The petitioner urged the Court to direct the Government to withdraw subsidy

on diesel for the affluent sections of society, for telecommunication

towers of the private sector, malls, supermarkets and commercial

establishments and bring in market determined pricing mechanism exclusively

for such users or impose an appropriate cess on these entities to

compensate for the huge loss to the public exchequer.

A Division Bench of the comprising Justice A. K. Sikri and Justice Rajiv

Sahai Endlaw asked the respondent to file replies to the petition by

September 5.

PIL seeks withdrawal of diesel subsidy to rich

New Delhi | Thursday, Jul 19 2012 IST

Delhi High Court has sought response of Central government’s entities on a

plea seeking withdrawal of diesel subsidy to the rich.

The court issued notices to the Union Ministries of Environment &Forests,

Petroleum & Natural Gas and Finance and the Central Pollution Control Board

on a public interest litigation, saying that the sudden rise in the

use of diesel

cars due to the huge subsidy on the fuel had raised the pollution levels in

the Capital and other cities in the country. A bench comprising Acting

Chief Justice AK Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw on Wednesday issued

the notices asking the respondents to file their replies by September 5 to

the PIL filed by social worker A Narayanan. The petitioner urged the court

to direct the Union Government to withdraw the subsidy to affluent sections

of society and prescribe stringent emission standards on all appropriate

parameters for diesel vehicles uniformly throughout the country to control

pollution. “Providing subsidised diesel to the owners of luxury cars and

other highly profit making industries is against the spirit of article

39(c) of the Constitution,’ the petitioner said. He further said that ” by

providing subsidy on the fuel for all types of diesel users without any

differentiation, the Government of India was creatingconditions that would

eventually cause serious short term and long term health hazards to the

people as well as increase the already existing socio-economic inequity

among the citizens of the country”. Mr Narayanan said Article 39(c) of the

Constitution mandates that “the State shall ensure operation of the

economic system in a manner that does not result in the concentration of

wealth.” The petitioner urged the court to withdraw subsidy to affluent

sections of society, to telecommunication towers of the private sector,

malls, supermarkets and commercial establishments and bring in market

determined pricing mechanism exclusively for such users or impose an

appropriate cess on these entities to compensate for the huge loss to the

public exchequer. UNI SNG SA 1818 NNNN

– (UNI) — 19DI31.xml

–

http://www.paadam.in

http://www.paadam-pm.blogspot.com

Regards

A.Narayanan (98403 93581)

Editor

Paadam, Monthly Magazine in Tamil for Development Politics

2/628, Rapid Nagar,

Gerugambakkam

Chennai – 602 101.

Mocking Indians

“Eddie” <gdigest@btinternet.com> Jul 19 05:28PM +0100

Westerners can find ample reasons for disrespecting and mocking Indians – the dirt and disorder in their country, the ramshackle structures, traffic chaos, primitive conditions (hygiene, drainage and sanitation), lack of civility and public manners, tendency to grovel, inability to stand up to westerners verbally or physically.

The same foreigners have no such problems when they visit the rest of Asia or even Africa. It is only in India they encounter a strange world that is struggling to come to terms with modernity.

The BBC has produced many documentaries on Indian customs and conditions. They may claim the purpose is educational but the net result is to show how backward the country still is.

In December 2011, top BBC personality Jeremy Clarkson (who earns £3 million a year) and his colleagues decided to stage their regular programme called TOP GEAR, about cars, in India and use it to promote British trade in India. But Clarkson had a sub-agenda of his own. He used the opportunity to comment and make jibes on India’s clothing, trains, toilets, food and history. [The programme was shown just two days after the murder of Indian student Anuj Bidve in Salford on Boxing Day.]

At one point, Clarkson removed his trousers to demonstrate to an Indian group how trousers have to be folded pressed. The group just meekly looked on or smiled wanly without objecting. (See below)

In order to ridicule the unhygienic conditions and lack of sanitation, he fitted his Jaguar fitted with a toilet in the boot and drove around the slums.

He advised tourists to do this, saying: ‘This is perfect for India because everyone who comes here gets the runs.’

Next, the Top Gear team erected huge banners across trains promoting British industry.

One read, ‘British IT is good for your company’. (see below)

But the messages turned rude when the carriages of the trains split.

Did the UK Indian residents protest. A few did but feebly using words like ‘tasteless’.

The Indian High Commissioner in London made a formal protest to the BBC and demanded an apology.

The BBC refused.

The BBC has staged the Top Gear programme in other countries such as Thailand and Vietnam with no problems.

Eddie

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2080152/Jeremy-Clarkson-accused-racist-India-toilet-jibes-Top-Gear-Christmas-Special.html#ixzz2158KXwj8

[भारत-चिँतन:11968] Digest for bharat-chintan@googlegroups.com – 13 Messages in 12 Topics

ananta ACHARYA <dafodwam@gmail.com> Jul 19 06:51PM +0530

GOOD WISHES FROM DAFODWAM[ DEMOCRATIC ACTION FORUM OF DALITS, WOMEN

AND MINORITIES] and SYMAD[ STUDENT YOUTH MOVEMENT AGAINST

DISCRIMINATION] –dafodwam@gmail.com…. 30–2 N P RD– KOLKATA- 700055..

WEST BENGAL

NREGA: Workers have neither got wages nor work from 10 months

CGnet Swara <cgnetautomailer@gmail.com> Jul 19 03:30AM -0700

Dear friends,

KM bhai from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh is telling us that at one side Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is calling NREGA a successful program whereas we have examples where laborers are not getting wages for months. He is telling us story of a village where laborers have neither got their wages for work done 10 months ago nor they are getting any new work. An enquiry has found their complaint to be true but they are still waiting for payments. For more KM bhai can be reached at 08756011826

http://www.cgnetswara.org/index.php?id=12553

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With monsoon teak smugglers active in Bastar, forest dept not bothered

CGnet Swara <cgnetautomailer@gmail.com> Jul 19 02:45AM -0700

Dear friends,

Imran Khan from Bhopalpatnam in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh is telling that with farmers, wood smugglers also wait eagerly for monsoon here. With monsoon the smugglers have started putting very expensive teak woods on the river side. They are waiting for water flow in river Indravati. The members of Forest security committee are earning and forest department is not concerned. Once there is enough water in Indravati these logs would go to Andhra and Maharashtra markets. For more Mr Khan can be reached at 09424280085

http://www.cgnetswara.org/index.php?id=12555

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Doctors helping primitive tribe Birhors are also misbehaved with…

CGnet Swara <cgnetautomailer@gmail.com> Jul 19 02:25AM -0700

Dear friends,

Raju Rana from Chatra district of Jharkhand is telling us about Birhor primitive tribals from his area. He says Birhors are hunter and gatherer but due to depleting forests they do not get much prey in forest and have started to live a settled life of farming and manual laborer from some time. They still go for collecting hunting 4/5 times a month but they mainly get some roots from forest. He says no one cares for them and he is telling a recent incident when a groupd of doctors came to help the Birhors they were also misbehaved by the powerful village leaders. For more Raju can be reached at 08651164322

http://www.cgnetswara.org/index.php?id=12556

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End Rohingya Atrocities; Indian Muslims-Hindus-Buddhists Urge

Feroze Mithiborwala <feroze.moses777@gmail.com> Jul 19 10:05AM +0530

http://www.islamonline.com/news/articles/2/End-Rohingya-Atrocities-Muslims-Buddhists-Urge.html

End Rohingya Atrocities; Muslims-Buddhists Urge

CAIRO – Muslim and Buddhist groups in India called Tuesday, July 17, for

the Indian government to intervene to end the ongoing atrocities committed

against Muslims in neighboring Myanmar.

“There are continuous news reports of atrocities and killing of ethnic

Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar which has caused a feeling of sadness amongst

large sections of the Indian Muslim community,” Muslim and Buddhist groups

said in a letter to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh cited by *Two

Circles* website.

“Many organizations have protested at various places across the country

against this widespread killing by the Myanmar Military junta.

Rohingya Muslims…An Open WoundUS Muslims Plea for End to Rohingyas Plight

“Common peace loving citizens of India are also worried about news of large

scale genocidal killings of the Rohingya Muslim community.”

Described by the UN as one of the world’s most persecuted minorities,

Myanmar’s ethnic-Bengali Muslims, generally known as the Rohingyas, are

facing a catalogue of discrimination in their homeland.

They have been denied citizenship rights since an amendment to the

citizenship laws in 1982 and are treated as illegal immigrants in their own

home.

Myanmar’s government as well as the Buddhist majority refuse to recognize

the term “Rohingya”, referring to them as “Bengalis”.

Sectarian tension escalated in Myanmar last month after Buddhist vigilantes

killed 10 Muslim pilgrims in an attack on their bus in the western state of

Rakhine.

The attack followed the rape and murder of a woman in the state, which

borders Bangladesh, with Buddhists blaming Muslims for that.

The violence has left dozens of people dead and tens of thousands homeless.

The official death toll of the rioting and its aftermath has been put at

78, although the real figure may be much higher.

Injustice

Indian Muslims and Buddhists called for New Delhi to play a role in ending

the plight of Rohingya Muslims.

“This massacre is against the principles of justice, peace and humanity,”

the groups said in the letter.

“Indian government as a responsible neighboring country and as a regional

and growing international power should act as a peacemaker and ask the

Myanmar Government to stop this violence against its Minorities.”

The letter was signed by Shahnawaz Warsi, General Secretary of the Muslim

Students Organization of India (MSO), Kishore Jagtap, President of the All

India Buddhist Council, Dr. Suresh Khairnar, National Convenor of the All

India secular Forum and Feroze Mithiborwala, President of the Bharat

Bachao Andolan.

“This act will also enhance the prestige and image of our country in South

Asia and in the International community,” the letter reads.

“Thus it is our humble request that the Government of India, appeal to the

Myanmar government to look into the grievous matter with the urgency that

it deserves and protect the life, liberty and property of helpless

Minorities.”

Discrimination against Rohingya Muslims has sparked international outcry,

with calls for intervention to end their decades-long plight.

Last week, the umbrella Islamic Society of North America called on

Myanmar’s Muslims to respect the human rights of Rohingya Muslims.The

Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has also condemned atrocities

against Rohingya Muslims, calling on Myanmar’s government to end violations

of human rights of the sizable minority.

Reproduced with permission from OnIslam.net

–

Feroze Mithiborwala

PMARC : Dalits Media Watch-News Updates 19.07.12

Arun Khote <arun.khote@gmail.com> Jul 19 09:43AM +0530

*Dalits Media Watch*

*News Updates 19.07.12***

* *

*Minor Dalit girl raped; villagers block JSpur

road<

http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/81465-minor-dalit-girl-raped-villagers-block-jspur-road.html

The Pioneer*

http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/81465-minor-dalit-girl-raped-villagers-block-jspur-road.html

*’Political corruption’ drives dalit leader to commit suicide in UP-** The

Times Of India*

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-16/india/32697570_1_suicide-note-dalit-leader-kanu-sanyal

* ‘Fakir Vaghela failed to utilise dalit funds’- DNA*

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_fakir-vaghela-failed-to-utilise-dalit-funds_1716188

*Classmate cut our hair, say students-** The Times OF India*

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Classmate-cut-our-hair-say-students/articleshow/15036409.cms

*On Maya turf, Dalits refused temple entry-** Hindustan Times*

http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/UttarPradesh/On-Maya-turf-Dalits-refused-temple-entry/Article1-890886.aspx

*Ten dalits injured in clash-** IBN Live*

http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/ten-dalits-injured-in-clash/1024599.html

* *

*The Pioneer*

Minor Dalit girl raped; villagers block JSpur

road<

http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/81465-minor-dalit-girl-raped-villagers-block-jspur-road.html

*Hundreds of residents of Dhanipur, Tarikunda, Jayasola and Ranahata

villages on Tuesday afternoon resorted to road blocked on the

Cuttack-Jagatsinghpur State Highway at Dhanipur Chhak demanding arrest of

the person who allegedly raped a minor Dalit girl. The girl is now

undergoing treatment at the District Headquarters Hospital here.*

The victim is daughter of Khokan Bhoi of Ranahat village and the accused a

married man of Balia village under Biridi block, who was a regular visitor

to the victim’s house.

On Monday, the accused approached the girl’s mother, an Anganwadi Worker,

to take the girl to his village, to which the woman agreed.

As the girl did not return home in night and the accused could not be

contacted, the girl’s mother lodged an FIR at the Jagatsinghpur police

station. On Tuesday morning, the girl was spotted near a tea shop near the

Astastambha temple at Hajipur, and the locals brought her to her house. The

girl complained of internal bleeding, after which she was shifted to the

hospital.

After the news spread in the locality, hundreds of people converged at

Dhanipur Chhak and staged the road blocked demanding arrest of the accused.

The police rushed to spot and assured the agitators that the accused would

be arrested in three days’ time. The road blocked was lifted at 5 in the

evening.

*The Times Of India*

*’Political corruption’ drives dalit leader to commit suicide in UP*

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-16/india/32697570_1_suicide-note-dalit-leader-kanu-sanyal

LUCKNOW: In a shocking and one of its kind incident, a political activist

committed suicide in the collectorate premises of Azamgarh district on

Monday as a protest against corruption in politics and hypocrisy of public

representatives. The deceased was a dalit leader associated earlier with the

Bahujan Samaj Party<

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Bahujan-Samaj-Party

(BSP) and at present was the member of the newly floated Ambedkar Samaj

Party.

According to Azamgarh police, 65-year-old Baliram Prasad, who was a former

BSP functionary and at present associated with Ambedkar Samaj Party,

sprinkled kerosene and set himself ablaze in the Ambedkar Park within the

collectorate compound. He was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to

injuries. The act left people shocked in the collectorate. Eyewitnesses

told police that the entire incident happened within minutes. They doused

the flames but by that time Baliram had suffered serious burn injuries.

*DNA*

‘Fakir Vaghela failed to utilise dalit funds’

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_fakir-vaghela-failed-to-utilise-dalit-funds_1716188

The state social justice and empowerment department has failed to spend

over 60% of grants it received to construct Ambedkar Bhavans for dalits in

all talukas of the state. This has come out in a reply to an RTI query

filed by Kirit Rathod, RTI activist and programme coordinator of Navsarjan,

a group working for dalit rights.

Demanding suspension of minister Fakir Vaghela, Rathod has revealed the

financial details of the department to the governor, Dr Kamla. He alleged

that one of the few scheduled caste ministers in Narendra Modi government,

Vaghela is of no use in the welfare of the schedule caste community and

should be removed from the post.

Information that Rathod could get through the RTI Act revealed that out of

the total Rs16.17 lakh allotted for the construction of the Ambedkar

Bhavans in the districts, Rs10.34 crore is lying unused.

Talking to DNA, Rathod said that it is very unfortunate that a dalit

minister has failed to utilize funds meant for the welfare of the Dalits at

the district level. The state government had made the provisions to

construct these Bhavans since the financial year 2004-05, however, since

then the department has failed in utilizing the funds.

The maximum fund was allotted in the year 2007-08 (Rs5.01 crore), while

Rs2.56 crore has been kept unutilised for this year. The application had

been submitted at the governor house on Monday.

*The Times OF India*

*Classmate cut our hair, say students*

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Classmate-cut-our-hair-say-students/articleshow/15036409.cms

BANGALORE: A day after a Dalit

organization<

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Dalit-organization

>alleged

that a private school in Bangalore had forcibly cut the hair of Class 1

children admitted under the RTE quota to distinguish them from others, the

children on Wednesday admitted that a mischievous

classmate<

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/classmate

had cut their hair.

On Tuesday, the Dalita Samrajya Sthapana Samiti had claimed that Oxford

English School in Nandini Layout of North-West Bangalore was discriminating

against children admitted in the 25% quota mandated by the Right to

Education Act. The Samiti accused teachers of cutting the children’s hair,

not giving them homework and marking their attendance, making them sit on

the last bench and checking their lunch boxes.

By Wednesday morning, mediapersons were talking to the children and their

mothers at the Samiti office to figure out what exactly had happened.

When two children, whose hair had been cut, were asked who had done it,

they said: “Sagar (named changed). Asked who he was, they said, “He’s our

classmate.”

Their angry mothers quickly butted in: “What was the teacher doing when a

boy cut my child’s hair? Today, it’s hair. What could it be tomorrow?

They’re not attending to our children at all.”

Next, Samiti members brought forward a girl and pointed to a healed wound

on her forehead. The child said: “Suresh (name changed) did that to me. I

was shaking the desk and he asked me not to. I shook it again and he

pricked my forehead with a pencil.”

D Narayan, the Samiti’s founder president, opened blank notebooks of the

children and alleged that the children were not being taught anything. “The

teacher doesn’t talk to them. They’re made to sit on the last bench. Their

names are not called when attendance is taken,” he alleged.

“These children are not being given homework. When we ask teachers, they

say ‘Just help them practise alphabets and numbers’. We’re not allowed into

the school. When we raise an issue, they say: “Bring it up at the

parent-teacher meeting,” said Reshma Banu, a mother of a student.

*Hindustan Times*

*On Maya turf, Dalits refused temple entry*

http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/UttarPradesh/On-Maya-turf-Dalits-refused-temple-entry/Article1-890886.aspx

A Shiva temple in Greater Noida’s Sunpura village allegedly turned away a

group of Dalit women devotees who had come to offer prayers there on

Tuesday.

The temple is barely a few kilometers away from former Uttar Pradesh chief

minister and Dalit icon Mayawati’s home. The police, however, ruled out a

caste angle and said it’s a case of personal rivalry.

Tuesday was an auspicious day of Mahashivratri.

Thousands of devotees came to the 500-year-old temple to offer prayers.

According to the officials, the Dalit women and their children were waiting

in the queue when Dharamvir Giri, the temple priest, asked them to step out

and leave the temple premises.

This angered other Dalit devotees present at the temple.

“They got involved in a heated argument,” said Jagdeep Nagar, director,

Osho Seva Sansthan.

The Sunpura village has been cordoned off to avoid any violence, Ashok

Kumar, SP (rural), said.

*IBN Live*

Ten dalits injured in clash

http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/ten-dalits-injured-in-clash/1024599.html

Chandauli (UP), Jul 18 (PTI) Ten dalits were today injured in a clash with

members of another backward community over a land dispute in Naugarh area,

police sources said here. 60-year-old-dalit Moti Chand, a resident of

Khutahan village, had mortgaged his land to Ramtahan, they said. Ramtahan

forwarded the possession of the land to one Baggi Yadav for agricultural

use. Last week, Moti returned the mortgage amount to Ramtahan and freed his

land, they said.

However, Yadav brought nearly two dozen people and started ploughing the

land to claim his ownership, the sources said. When Moti and his family

members protested, Baggi along with his supporters allegedly assaulted Moti

Chand, his wife Dulari Devi (45), his son Sanjay (25) and Shiv Kumar (28).

Two of Moti’s relatives and four other persons were also assaulted by Baggi

and his aides, the sources said. The situation was brought under control by

the police and the injured were admitted to a government hospital at Chakia

after which one of them was later referred to a hospital in Varanasi,

Superintendent of Police Krishna Mohan said. Security has been tightened in

the village to prevent any further untoward incident.

–

*ARUN KHOTE

PMARC*

Agents abducting, selling transiting adivasis in Bhadrachalam AP

CGnet Swara <cgnetautomailer@gmail.com> Jul 18 08:50PM -0700

Dear friends,

Dr Haneef in Bhadrachalam meets an adivasi from Odisha who was crying while walking alone in the forest. He tells him that a group of them from Matli in Malkangiri district in Odisha were going to Chennai for work but some agents brought them out from bus and have taken them away, only he could escape. Dr Haneef says that this has become a daily occurance in Bhadrachalam where agents are selling adivasis transiting to other areas which administration must look at. For more Dr Haneef can be reached at 09490353568

http://www.cgnetswara.org/index.php?id=12543

You can also listen to this post after leaving a missed call on 080 4113 7280.

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Fw: Invitation for suggestions on ‘ Development of Fisheries – A review’ – submission of suggestions – requesting to be called for oral evidence – Reg.

Nizam <consumernizam@yahoo.co.in> Jul 19 11:31AM +0800

— On Wed, 18/7/12, Nizam <consumernizam@yahoo.co.in> wrote:

From: Nizam <consumernizam@yahoo.co.in>

Subject: Invitation for suggestions on ‘ Development of Fisheries – A review’ – submission of suggestions – requesting to be called for oral evidence – Reg.

To: agricom@sansad.nic.in

Date: Wednesday, 18 July, 2012, 12:52 PM

To.

Date: 17 July, 2012

The Committee Officer,

Committee on Agriculture Branch,

Lok Sabha Secretariat,

Room No. 616,

Parliament House Annexe,

New Delhi. PIN 110 001.

Tel. No. 23034042, 23034146; Fax: 23093338.

Email: agricom@sansad.nic.in.

Respected Sir,

Sub: Invitation for suggestions on ‘ Development

of Fisheries – A review’ – submission of suggestions – requesting to be called

for oral evidence – Reg.

Ref: Your advertisement No.

davp/31201/11/0008/1213 dated 12th June 2012 as appeared in

newspapers on 25th June 2012.

With regards

to the above mentioned notice of invitation from your highly esteemed

Parliament Committee for Agriculture, I, the undersigned, on behalf of our

organization, which is working for the development of fisher communities, wish

to present the following suggestions for your kind consideration.

1. A separate Ministry for Fisheries and

Fisher Welfare

In the omnibus

Ministry of Agriculture., fisheries, at the moment, is just one-third of a

department. Even worse, the fisheries section of the department is weakly

staffed with around 25 persons, who are mostly generalists without

understanding of the needs of a vast and complex sector. Significant export earnings, the

constitutional obligation to manage marine fisheries in the EEZ, the fact of nature

that fish resources (and hence fishermen) are mobile and do not respect state

borders and the growing number of commitments to the international community on

management and conservation of fisheries—FAO Code of Conduct, Shark management

plan, Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, Convention on Bio-diversity, ILO convention

on work in fisheries, (proposed) international instrument to protect small

scale fisheries, etc.—have made the Government of India’s role very crucial for

the proper governance of this important sector. Fisheries contributes 1-2% of

GDP and a population of about 6 crores is dependent on fishing for livelihood

directly or indirectly. A separate

Ministry for Fisheries and Fisher Welfare is required at the Centre to do

justice to the needs of the sector.

2. A law to protect the rights of the

marine/coastal fishing communities

The fisher community is a sea going tribe and

like the forest tribe, need a separate legislation that understands their

plights. At sea, open access system and fisheries laws and

regulations that do not recognise the historical rights of the fishing

communities to fish resources. The

fisher rights are undermined in large

scale oil exploration, increasing incursion of shipping, sea level rise, etc.

Mandal Commission and Venugopal Commission have recommended that the fisher

community should be considered as tribal. It is in view of this that a law of

Parliament to recognise the rights of the fishing community on the coast and at

sea has become a strong demand. That the FRA provides a strong inspiration for

this cannot be denied. The MoA should

initiate the steps to formulate such a law. An independent ministry of fishing

with large and systematic consultation of the fisher communities will produce

an ideal law.

3. Sustainable fisheries with equitable

distribution of benefits

Marine fisheries

had been managed almost entirely by traditional fishermen institutions till the

1960s. While marine fish production has

increased five-fold since then, we are facing a serious crisis of sustainability

of the fish resources and an extremely unequal distribution of fish catches

between the so-called “mechanised boats”(mostly trawlers), and “artisanal

boats”. Uncontrolled trawling has become the bane of the fisheries sector

leading to overfishing of a number of species and destruction of bottom

habitats. It has also led to destruction of many other small scale and more

eco-friendly fishing methods. Purse seining in some parts of the coast is also

threatening the resources and the livelihood of those using other small

scale/artisanal fishing gears. A move

away from top-down fisheries governance is indicated and the new models of

governance like co-management need development.

4. Marine Fisheries Management Bill

A proper legal

framework for sustainable fisheries is absent at both national and state

levels. The MoA has failed to bring a legislation to govern the fisheries of

the EEZ beyond the territorial waters despite the fact that a significant

fishing effort is now expended in the EEZ by both domestic and foreign fleets

(both poachers and those who are using the loophole of the LoP scheme). The act should include: (i) objectives of

fisheries management, (ii) a set of principles that should govern fisheries

management, (ii) creation of a National Fisheries Management Authority

providing representation to all stakeholders including State Governments and

fishing communities, (iv) harmonising of different levels of management through

fisheries management plans at local, state, regional and national levels and

(v) greater harmony between fisheries laws and environmental laws.

5.Scrap LOP scheme

and reserve deep sea fishing for fishing communities

In view of the

fact that the domestic fishing fleet rarely ventured beyond a few kilometres at

the start of the development phase (1960s), the MoA has come up periodically

with schemes for deep-sea fishing. The

Murari Committee strongly recommended the scarping the scheme and to reserve

the exploitation of resources in the EEZ to Indian vessels. The LoP scheme is

an attempt to circumvent the Murari committee recommendations Greenpeace India has recently exposed the

actual working of the scheme and the way some vested interests are looting the

fish resources without any genuine benefit to the nation (foreign exchange, local

employment, fish for local consumption, local processing, adequate revenue

through licencing, etc.). The MoA should scrap the LoP scheme, withdraw permits

to vessels already fishing under the scheme, stop promoting corporate

involvement in deep sea fishing and reserve the deep sea resources for the

benefit of fishing communities.

Fisheries conflicts with

neighbouring countries

India has a serious problem of its

fishermen fishing in the waters of neighbouring countries, which causes great

deal of hardship on account of arrest and detention by those countries. This

problem is particularly acute in the Palk Bay on the Indo-Sri Lankan maritime

border and on the Indo-Pak border. India needs to find solutions to

trans-border fishing on each border with sensitivity to the problems of

ordinary fishermen on both sides of the border.

It is therefore important for the Govt of India to negotiate various

mechanisms like legalising the less harmful forms of trans-border fishing and

to work out systems for humanitarian treatment and quick repatriation of arrested

fishermen.

Unfair restrictions on fishing

through environmental laws

Ministry of Environment and Forests has

started imposing a number of restrictions on fishing, which have had serious

negative impacts on the livelihoods of fishermen, particularly the small scale

fishermen. National Parks and sanctuaries have been notified without proper

consultation with fishing communities or even the fisheries departments and

fisheries research institutions. Similarly, bans on fishing of specific species

have been imposed on fishermen without any consultation or an understanding on

the implications of such bans on livelihoods or even the practicality of such

bans. The Gulf of Mannar fishermen

including poor fisherwomen involved in harvest of seaweed are affected. The

Parliamentary Committee needs to strongly recommend to the MoEF the restoration

of fishing rights in the so-called national parks and sanctuaries and to revoke

bans that have been imposed without consultation or a proper plan for

livelihoods.

Recognition of the role of fisherwomen and protection of their

rights

Fisherwomen continue to play a

crucial role in sustaining the fishing communities. Their livelihoods and

incomes often make the difference between poverty and comfortable living for

many fishing households. However, the existing policies and schemes rarely

consider the impact they have on women and their livelihoods. There are the odd

schemes for fisherwomen which only reinforce the image of women being marginal

actors in the sector. Stereotyped schemes for employment—petticoats, pickles

and papads—that have often failed to make any impact. While ice boxes are

distributed for fishermen, the fish-vending women rarely have access to them.

Designs and sizes are unfavourable to their needs. Women fish-vendors are

suffering transportation, storage facilities or retail markets and unhygienic

markets without basic amenities. More meaningful schemes for strengthening

women’s livelihoods are needed. More importantly the impact of various policies

and schemes on women need to be taken into consideration.

Fisheries infrastructure—need for

stakeholder involvement, sustainability criteria

Fisheries

infrastructure is still grossly inadequate in India for proper fish handling,

processing and marketing and wasting public money. The coast is littered with

unused auction halls, ruined ice-plants and cold storages due to weak needs

assessment, improper site selection, bad designs, poor construction, lack of

management and lack of adequate involvement of local communities in planning

and management. An important criterion for investing in fisheries

infrastructure has to be the sustainability of fishing itself. Fishing harbours

occupy the pride of place in the fisheries budgets of both the Government of

India and the coastal states but sustainability of fishing is affected. Fishing

harbours tend to increase the number of mechanised boats and centralisation of

fish catches. Ill-advised spread of fishing harbours should be stopped.

Social infrastructure and community development

Education, health, hygiene, housing, drinking

water and other civic facilities are all still poor in most fishing areas. Education is emerging as the biggest felt

need of the community in most states. A gradual movement of a section of the

fishing community into other employment avenues is essential for reduction of

fishing pressure and to improve the productivity and incomes of those who

remain in fishing. The Ministry needs to develop special schemes to promote

quality education for the fishing community. School buildings is a must in many

villages. Health and hygiene in fishing villages remain a serious concern.

Groundwater contamination and its impacts on health can be the downside of

indiscriminate toilet construction. Fisher community should get sufficient

representation in the various fisher related departments and institutions,

including marine research institutions.

10.

Compensation for losses due to

disasters

Coastal fishing communities are

routinely affected by natural disasters like cyclones, unexpected tidal waves,

coastal erosion, etc. Tsunamis are a new addition to the list. Climate change

induced sea-level rise is the threat of the future. In addition, man-made

disasters cannot be ruled out as there is a rapid increase in industrial

installations on the coast due to the proliferation of ports, power plants and

SEZs. To this list of potential coastal disasters need to be added oil spills

and oil slicks at sea that can affect livelihoods. While there are well laid

out policies for compensation of farmers for losses during floods and droughts,

there are no similar policies or guidelines that specify the entitlements of

fishermen, fisherwomen and others involved in fisheries in the case of

disasters. It is important that these are developed.

11.

Lack of mechanisms for

consultations with fishing communities on policies and schemes

The importance of stakeholder

participation and consultations is being recognised in all democratic societies

and many Government agencies in India have also started formal and informal

processes to consult stakeholders. Unfortunately, the MoA has no forum at

present for the fisheries sector, especially fishing communities. It is important that the MoA establish both

formal and informal mechanisms for consultations with fishing community

organisations and other civil society actors in the sector. Workshops need to

be organised periodically on important policies, schemes and issues. It is also

important to understand that merely extending invitations for meetings is of

limited use as fishing community organisations may not have the capacity to

attend such meetings at short notice and without travel support. All consultation should be done after notice

given not less than 30 days ahead.

12.

Fisheries Statistics—need to

strengthen and make transparent

Fisheries planning and management

are hampered by the lack of detailed fisheries statistics in the public

domain. Information on the actual resource

availability (species wise, depth wise) in each state (even if many resources

are shared with neighbouring states) is crucial for every state to make its

plan not available. Gear wise-species wise catch data at the level of districts

and major landing centres is essential for any fisheries management plan. State

govt. should monitor changes in fishing, economics of fishing, socio-economic

changes, market information, etc., could be strengthened. National Fisheries

Development Corporation should have a fisher community rep as the Chairman.

National Fisheries Advisory Committee should have state wise representation.

13.

Sea safety and rescue

All fishing boats should be

provided by GPS and other communication measures. Communications means to be

sophisticated to reach fishers in deep sea and equipment to locate the missing

boats. Police should be ordered to give report of the effort to find the

missing persons periodically. The process of providing such information should

be coordinated well between the various departments. Action and investigation

on dead body found should be speeded up and streamlined. Helicopters should be

available in proportion of the fisher communities of the state. Compensation

for the missing person should be speeded up. Central government should provide

a control room in each of the state which is meant to coordinate the rescue cum

missing operation. All foreign vessels

crossing should be instructed to take effort to save the boats that are found to

be lost in sea and stranded, on humanitarian ground and following the

international codes. Compensation for fishers affected on oil exploration

should be ensured. Royalty for the fisher community should be made available.

Shipping channels that affect fishing and fisher ecology should be given up.

Navigation of ships should be beyond 25 nautical miles only.

14.

Defending interests of fisheries

sector and fishing community

Violations identification

Bangalore: RTE quota students face discrimination

“डा वी एन शर्मा” <vnsh44@gmail.com> Jul 19 05:19AM +0530

May like to read the Article in the link or the following text.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/bangalore-rte-quota-students-face-discrimination/272131-3.html

*Bangalore:* Is the Right to Education Act leading to more discrimination

and elitism by schools? That is what it seems like in Bangalore with some

six-year-olds at a school saying they’ve been tormented everyday by both

school officials and classmates.

They faced the torture because they got admitted under the 25 per cent RTE

quota.

When a 6-year-old girl returned from school last week with scars, her

mother Geeta was shocked, for her daughter had been poked with a pencil

stub by a classmate.

“I complained to the teacher, but she didn’t even turn to look at what was

happening,” said the girl.

And what’s worse is that it is not a one off case.

In June, eight children from the Laggere area of west Bangalore were

admitted to the Oxford English School under the 25 per cent quota for poor

children guaranteed by the RTE Act, but their joy was shortlived. Now,

there’s a tale of trauma and neglect hidden behind their innocent faces.

Three children say their classmates chopped off tufts of their hair during

class, but teachers didn’t bother to intervene. In fact, school officials

exclude them from many activities.

“These children are made to sit in the last bench, they’re not given

homework. They’re not allowed to participate in class like writing on the

board that other children do. Even when there was a test, our children were

excluded,” said Geeta.

“Our children haven’t been given the school tie and belt and the school

diary. Though we’ve repeatedly asked for it, they keep saying it’s not

available as the supplies are over, even if we offer to pay for it,” said

Reshma Bano, mother of another child.

“We feel they’re indirectly harassing the children so that parents will

just withdraw their children from the school voluntarily, instead of being

asked to. Of what use is the RTE then?” said Dalit activist Narayanswamy.

CNN-IBN repeatedly tried to contact the school management, but there has

been no response. However, the private schools association that Oxford

English school is a member of, now says it will not tolerate this.

“I condemn this act. The school will be removed from KUSMA,” said G S

Sharma, president, Karnataka Unaided Schools Management Association.

Worsening the situation for such children is that there has been no help

from the government either, with officials saying they’ll look into the

matter.

“I’ve asked for a report on this. We’ll take action after that,” said G

Kumar Nayak, Education Secretary, Karnataka.

The situation has forced the parents, who dreamt of an equal education for

their children, to wonder if they should just shift to a government school.

–

*डा वी एन शर्मा / Dr.V.N.Sharma

Cell No.9431102680,*

Convenor, Editorial Board,Talim Ki Ladai & Reconstructing Education,

Member, Secretariat, All India Forum for Right to Education (AIF-RTE),

Chairman, Jharkhand Vigyan Manch,

President, SAIL Ex-Employees Association

“Dr.V.N. Sharma” <vnsh44@gmail.com> Jul 18 05:05PM -0700

Do schools need education?

http://www.asianage.com/bengaluru/do-schools-need-education-520

Jul 19, 2012 – Shrinivasa M. And Darshana Ramdev<

http://www.asianage.com/category/author/shrinivasa-m-and-darshana-ramdev

- DC <

http://www.asianage.com/category/source/dc

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http://www.asianage.com/forward?path=node%2F172520

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http://www.asianage.com/print/172520

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- Right To Education Act<

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Elite schools may be reluctant to open their doors to poor students as

required under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, but are some being

actively prejudiced against the children they are forced to admit? Five

students from disadvantaged backgrounds who joined the prestigious Oxford

Indian School in Nandini Layout on June 6 with the hope of getting quality

education in a private school, claim their dreams were shattered the very

first day. They were given no place in the front rows of the classroom, no

uniforms, no textbooks, no library facility, no place in the playground or

even in the school assembly and were deliberately kept away from other

students, the children complain. But worse was to come, according to them.

On the instructions of the school teachers tufts of their hair were

allegedly cut to brand them as different from the other children. “It

happened Friday evening. The teacher told a student to cut our hair. He did

as told and the teacher later asked us to take the hair home and show it to

our parents,” says one child, Misba Shariff. Besides Misba, her friends,

Madina Kouser, Master Saleem, Sowvyashree and Shobha also claim to have

suffered the same humiliation. While Shobha is an orphan the parents of the

other students are auto drivers, push cart vendors and so on.

Digest for bharat-chintan@googlegroups.com – 13 Messages in 12 Topics

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