1. A People’s Critique-- The Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2005

(box)Imagine there's no countries,
It isn’t hard to do,
Nothing to kill or die for,
No religion too,
Imagine all the people
living life in peace......

You may say I’m a dreamer,
But I’m not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us,
And the world will live as one- John Lennon

Anti-communal groups, human rights organizations and women’s groups expressed their strong opposition to the Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill which the UPA
government recently tabled in Parliament. Earlier drafts of this bill were rejected by these citizen groups, but few of their concerns have been addressed in the Bill which was hurriedly tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Dec 5.

A demand for such a bill had been made in light of an increasing atmosphere of communalisation across the country and particularly in light of the events of Gujarat 2002. On neither front does the Bill deliver.

The Bill does not respond significantly to the criticisms and fears voiced when its first draft was released a few months ago outside Parliament. The government instead appears bent on diluting, even subverting the spirit of one of its most important commitments on being voted to power.

The basic problem with the Bill is with the foundation of objectives on which its entire edifice is constructed. The preamble of the Bill itself states that the Bill aims ‘to empower the State Governments and the Central Government to take measures to provide for the prevention and control of communal violence which threatens the secular fabric, unity, integrity and internal security of the nation and
rehabilitation of victims of such violence’.
What people needed instead was a law that enhanced the powers of citizens in relation to such governments, and not of the governments in relation to its citizens.
They needed a law that did not merely enable their governments to act when communal violence unfolded. They needed a law which made it mandatory for the government to act, and which made failures of these
governments to act, criminal acts for which they can be
charged, tried and punished.
There is virtually nothing in the law that does this; indeed, this is not even the stated intention of the law. That is why this Bill needs to be rejected in its entirety and replaced by a law of very different objectives, which genuinely protects the human rights and security of citizens in communal contexts and enables them to hold their governments accountable for their acts of omission and commission.

The Bill does contain one clause for punishment of public officials who fail to perform their duties.
There are however two fatal catches to this otherwise promising segment of the Bill. It neglects to hold accountable the command authority of elected leaders like the chief minister and home minister for these lapses, and at best can result in the mild punishment of some junior policepersons. Even more fatal is the proviso that no court shall take cognizance of an offence under this section except with the previous sanction of the state government. In the context of state governments with communally driven malafide intent, the chances of even police officials being punished under this clause are very remote.
In any case sections 217 to 223 of IPC cover offences by public servants such as the shielding of criminals, preparing false records, making false report in courts, initiating false prosecutions and allowing criminals to escape.
It is critical that the immunity granted under sections 195, 196 and 197 of the Criminal Procedure Code be omitted in any statute on communal crimes. No junior officer should be allowed to take the defence that he was ordered by his superior to commit the crime. Nor should any commanding officer be allowed to take the defence that he or she was unaware of the crimes that were committed on one’s beat.
ANHAD, HRLN, Jan Vikas. Contact ANHAD 011-23327367 email anhadinfo@yahoo.co.in

For the tribal communities in Kalinganagar in Orissa, the year began with the brutal killings of 12 of their own, simply because they disagreed with the Orissa Government's and Tata Steel's
proposal to set up a massive steel plant on their land. For long, communities displaced for mining and industrialisation have not been adequately compensated or rehabilitated, including by Tata Steel.
Fearing their fate would be the same, the project- affected communities of Kalinganagar wanted to be properly compensated first before being dispossessed.

Tata Steel Ltd (TSL), has been allotted 2400 acres in Kalinga Nagar for the construction of a six million tonne plant. The land that the government purchased at the rate of Rs. 37,000/- per acre in 1994
was sold to the Tata Co. for Rs. 3,35,000 per acre (The current market price ranges between Rs. 5,00,000 to 7,00,000 per acre). It was this dispute over compensation that was on the negotiation table till
Jan.2 and was the reason why the people had assembled-- to prevent the bull-dozers from destroying their houses and taking over their lands that fatal day. On the land-rights question the Adivasis were
in possession of the land making any entry on their land illegal. They were in their right to question the operations of the Orissa Government and Tata Co. on their land on that day.

At the time of the talks, one of the tribals tripped on a string of a dynamite planted by Tata Steel in the football field where people had gathered. The dynamite went off destroying his leg and caused panic. As anger spread, the police started lobbying tear gas shells and also opening fire without warning.
Six innocent bystanders, including women and children were shot through the back, clearly indicating they were retreating. Six injuredwere taken by the police ostensibly to a hospital. But they never
came out alive. Their bodies were returned later and found to be without hands, breasts (in the case of women) and genital organs in the case of men.

Tata Steel has disowned any responsibility in this crime. Sanjay Choudhry, a Tata spokesman has commented in an email: "…industrialization is imminent and the only way to improve the standard of life of all the people of the area. The only issue is that of resettlement and rehabilitation at mutually agreed terms."

To ensure that Tata Steel took some responsibility for the brutal massacre,
in Bangalore, representatives from Environment Support Group, Equations, CIEDS
Collective and various individuals walked into the Tata Steel office to submit a representation on Jan 30- Martyrs Day.

Three children aged 4, 5 and 8, nine women and five men walked into the Tata Steel office in Bangalore peacefully holding placards with messages such as: Tatas: Making Steel out of Blood; Tatas Benefit
over Tribal Rights; Tata Steel: Strength over Justice; Tatas: Look your Hands are Bloody!; etc. The office was filled with over fifty men of Tata Steel who surrounded this group, shouting violently
at the women and children. Tata Steel was reminded that they were well within their rights to call the police if they wished to. Then, two women, three children, and four men were locked in.

Tata Steel employees were repeatedly told that the purpose of this entry into their office was to submit a representation, in protest against the Kalinganagar killings, to a key representative. Eventually, women police were called in about an hour after the protestors had been locked inside and were allowed to go.

A symbolic peaceful protest in memory of the 12 killed in Kalinganagar became an issue, for the people of Kalinagar now proclaim: "We will not allow OUR habitat - land, water and forest-that supports our life- to be overrun by industrialists or the State" .(Shades of ‘Rang de basanti’!!!)
We demand immediate halting of the plant, punish the guilty police and district administration officials and engage in a dialogue with the people. The state should give priority to the life and livelihood of the tribals, dalits & common people and must not hand over land, forest, water and other natural resources to corporate powers.

National Alliance of Peoples Movements, Lok Raj Sangathan, Kashipur Support Group, India Centre for Human Rights and Law, Shoshit Jan Andolan, Initiative, Samajwadi Janparishad, Girangaon Rozgar Haq Samiti, Peoples Political Front, Ladaku Garment Mazdoor Sangh, Narmada Solidarity Group, Zhopadi Bachao Andolan, Hind Navjawan, Chemical Mazdoor Sabha ICHRL" <documentation@ichrl.org>
Environment Support Group Bangalore Telefax: 080-26341977 Email: esg@esgindia.org

 

Kottayam Environmental activist Medha Patkar has asked Left parties to take a firm position against the machinations of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), International Monitory Fund (IMF), World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) whose funding programmes ``are aimed at changing our priorities and culture.''

Addressing a public meeting, Ms. Patkar stressed the need to turn to `desi' alternatives wherever possible and pointed out that political and administrative establishments were part and parcel of the globalisation drive. "We may not be able to change it overnight, but it is time to take a stand in favour of `desi' alternatives in our country," she said.

Ms. Patkar said local struggles against exploitation could no longer be seen as micro-level agitations. "They are part of the larger struggle against encroachment on the sovereignty of the nation and the
freedom to take decision on our own terms," she said. She urged people not to give in to the propaganda that `there is no alternative' to the prescriptions of the WTO, World Bank, IMF, ADB and other multilateral
and bilateral lending agencies who are here with “their own agenda of privatisation and maximisation of profit”. By pumping money into India in the name of Urban Renewal Mission or River Linking Projects, they are trying to privatise land and water.

Delhi: Greenpeace, Corporate Accountability Desk and trade unions celebrated President Jacque Chirac's decision to call back the decommissioned toxic aircraft carrier Clemenceau to France. The Clemenceau has become an icon of toxic trade between the developed and developing countries. President Chirac's decision shows how governments, when confronted with the truth and pressurized by public opinion, take corrective action.

" This incident should set the precedent not just for ship-breaking, but for all toxic trade, from electronic waste to biomedical wastes and beyond," said Ramapati Kumar, "With the Clemenceau, both France and India have had a close brush with international law. Although we've successfully avoided a transgression in this case, it nonetheless points to the need for governments worldwide to commit themselves to protecting human rights and the environment, and ensuring that multilateral agreements like the Basel Convention are upheld with the strictest discipline."

"It is a victory for the workers in the ship breaking yards across Asia who will be beneficially impacted by this decision," a CITU spokesman said.

"The French President has eventually capitulated to a demand that the Indian government should rightfully have made, but failed to do. The MoEF, especially, has shown itself up as indecisive and dysfunctional. Instead of fulfilling it's assigned role, the ministry positions itself as a clearing house for industry and has shown that it can no longer be trusted as the custodian of our environment," said Kumar.
Ramapati Kumar, Greenpeace Toxics Campaigner 09845535414
Caption: Greenpeace activists board the carrier ship Clemenceau 50 nautical miles off the coast of Egypt hanging a banner that reads 'Asbestos carrier stay out of India.’Greenpeace was protesting against the decommission of the Clemenceau, which was being sent to India for decommissioning despite widespread outrage at the highlevels of asbestos and other hazardous materials it contains.

Mumbai: Chandrakant Pathak has invented power-generation gadgets tailored especially for rural energy needs. As Pathak's gadgets are gaining popularity in rural areas of Pune district and several neighbouring districts in Maharashtra, state energy development agencies are taking note.
. "Free electricity for farmers is quite an easily achievable goal," remarks Chandrakant Pathak casually, "What is more, the costs too are nominal.". He has invented power-generation gadgets that can be operated manually or by bullock power, and even installed into bullock-cart wheels. He has modified power-consuming gadgets of every-day use, like motor pumps, flour mills and even electric vegetable shredders to run on manual power.
Tailored especially to suit rural energy needs, Pathak's gadgets are recognised and subsidised by the Maharashtra Energy Development Agency, and he has received several awards for his work.
In 1995, Pathak started his own institute, the Modern Technical Centre, in Pune, with the aim of devising gadgets for power self-sufficiency in rural areas.Today, his first bicycle pump has evolved into several varieties of bicycle-operated lift and spray pumps to suit different needs. Some of the pumps are powerful enough to draw water from a depth of fifty feet and pump it up to a height of 100 feet. Anything between 15-40 litres of water can be pumped per minute.
After the bicycle, Pathak turned his attention to the other source of rural power, the bullock, and invented a bullock-cart-mounted and powered 'Jaladhara pump', a mechanical contraption which can be used to spray insecticide and to run four sprinklers simultaneously forspray irrigation. The pump is powered by the motion of the bullock cart, and is mounted on the cart itself, along with a barrel for water or insecticide.
He also found ways to operate other rural machines requiring electricity, like the floor mills, winnowers and threshers on manual and bullock power. He also devised a floating turbine that uses the power of a running river or stream to pump water from the same stream. Generate power, don't buy it, he says.
Run in the same way as the oil-presses of old (Kolhu in Hindi, Ghani in Marathi one of his machines converts the 2 RPM input from a bullock into a 1500 RPM output with the help of a simple gear box.
This machine is extremely versatile -- it can be used to run a fivehorse-power centrifugal pump, and all small machines like a 1 KVgenerator, a flour mill, an air compressor and so on. A single machinecan run the entire water supply system of a small village. Run for two hours, it can keep ten street lights burning for the whole night.
On a sudden inspiration, Mr Pathak landed on the swing "The to and fro movement of the swing can be used to run a piston pump ten times as powerful as a hand-pump," says he. The swing pump is Mr Pathak's latest innovation,and can pump water from a depth of 10 metres and up to a height of 30metres at the rate of 20 litres per minute. Some 10-12 schools in thePune and Ratnagiri districts are using this pump effectively to pump their drinking water. The swing also has great potential in the area of air-compression and power generation, and Pathak is currently exploring these possibilities.
. The bullock energy machine, for example, the most expensive of his gadgets, costs just Rs 20,000. Theproducts further save the farmers a packet in electricity bills in the bargain, have found wide acceptance among the rural people of WesternMaharashtra. What distinguishes Pathak from other inventors is the fact that he has not drawn a patent on even a single one of his inventions. "These machines are all based on very simple principles. I want to spread this knowledge, not hoard it." Recently, at an agricultural fair in Latur, 100bullock power machines were booked by farmers, personally as well as collectively by villages or communities.
His own institute, the Modern Technical Centre, employs 9 people., but for the past two years, the Maharashtra Energy Development Agency has been giving subsidies of 50 per cent on the products. The Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Agency and the Punjab Energy Development Agency are also interested.Contact .Modern Technical Centre is at: 114 Narayanpeth, Kasat Chowk, Kelkar Road, Pune 411030. Tel: +91-20-4452620/4452448.

New Delhi: Delhi Jal Board (DJB) officials assure that Delhi has enough water for its residents. The scarcity then is artificial and the result of the theft of public utility supplied water. The leaked water finds itself into commercially bottled drinking water bottles, water tankers and water cans, available round the clock, but of course at a price. The turnover, by all reckoning, is impressive.
The fact is that a powerful nexus of politicians, officials and water traders is actively engaged in profiteering through sale and theft of water. It is this water mafia who in collaboration with the enforcement cell of the DJB is keeping the government taps dry..
After the Delhi government abandoned its plan to privatise the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), the next step of the Sheila Dixit government has been to set up an expert committee to examine water sector reforms in Delhi. It has invited Right to Water Campaign, an NGO, which had carried out a robust campaign against the Delhi government's decision to privatise the DJB. The idea that competition in the market forces the private players to provide quality service and the market decides the price of the product is not possible in case of a public utility monopoly. Arvind Kejriwal, president, Parivartan, an anti-corruption group warns, "the privatisation of monopolies can never work. Private sector monopoly can become a great demon and play havoc in the lives of ordinary citizens."
The Delhi water privatisation fiasco holds lessons for the other 20 states and union territories where the privatisation of water boards is in various stages of completion. Water supply in three districts of Karnataka has already been privatised. The experience the world over has proved that water tariffs had shot up wherever water utilities had been handed over to private water companies, be it Manila, Cochabamba (Bolivia), Sofia (Bulgaria) or Valencia (Spain) and the experiment has proved disastrous.
Delhi's problem is not technical. What is needed is mere internal accountability. Delhi has 670 million gallons per day (MGD) of water supply (which would go up to 810 MGD after the Sonia Vihar project). And if divided by the 150 million people, the population of Delhi, it comes to 220 litres per capita per day (almost 11 buckets). No city has this kind of availability of water. Government says that they lose 50 per cent of water. If so, where is this 335 million gallon of water going? If it goes underground, the water table should rise, which is not happening. So where exactly is the water going? Where is this water?
The serious lack of accountability is quite evident in case of Delhi Jal Board functioning. Delhi has been divided into 21 water zones, each headed by an executive engineer who is provided with the fixed amount of water and a budget for his zone. Yet, he is not held responsible for the water/money invested in his zone. There is no functioning bulk water metre in the zones--Who can tell who is getting how much?
- Sandeep Yadav Delhi

26 per cent or about 260 million (193 million in rural areas and 67 million in urban areas) — of Indians are still below the poverty line, according to India's first Social Development Report. Punjab has the lowest incidence of poverty (6 %). Orissa has highest population below poverty line(47%).
Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan account for two-thirds of the infant mortality rate in the country .Rural Kerala tops the States in social indicators. In the urban scenario, Himachal Pradesh tops the list. The 21 indicators taken into account while grading the States included demography, health care, education, unemployment, poverty and social deprivation.
Kerala has the lowest infant mortality rate of 11 deaths per 1,000 births. Orissa has the highest IMR of 83 deaths per 1,000 births.
Among disadvantaged classes, the IMR is higher among Scheduled Castes (83). A similar trend is witnessed with regard to the mortality rate of children under five, underweight children, children and women with anaemia.
Kerala has the highest literacy rate of 91%. Bihar has the lowest literacy rate of 48%. Rajasthan has shown a large gap in gender literacy of 32 %age points.
Punjab has the lowest child sex ratio of 798 girls to 1,000 boys.The traditional societies, including tribal communities, have an impressive sex ratio of 975 girls to 1,000 boys (Chhattisgarh).

 

Janaki Devi Award
Smt Chetna Gala Sinha, founder Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank Ltd, Satara District was awarded the Jankidevi Bajaj Puraskar 2005 for Rural Women Entrepreneurs, for successfully developing a culture of micro-entrepreneurship among women in the drought prone areas of Maharashtra. The Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank Ltd founded in 1997 was the first rural women’s bank to get a license from the RBI to operate in Maharashtra. The co-operative bank run by and for women has provided the tools for achieving financial independence and self-sufficiency. The Mann Deshi Umbrella also has two other organizations in its fold: The Mann Vikas Samajik Sanstha which gives scholarships and vocational skills training, and the Mahila Bachat Get Foundation which currently caters to 300 SHGs. The award function was organized by the Ladies Wing of the Indian Merchants Chamber.

Nominations for Outstanding Women Panchayat Leaders 2006

The Institute of Social Sciences seeks nominations for the Outstanding Women Panchayat Leader Awards 2006. These awards were instituted in 1999 to recognize women panchayat representatives' contribution to public life and development of their panchayats. The 2006 awards will be presented on the occasion of Women's Political Empowerment Day Celebration that will be organized in Delhi on April 2-25, 2006. The last date for submission of nominations is 1 March 2006. Contact: Dr. Bidyut Mohanty, Institute of Social Sciences, Tel. (011)26121902, 26121909, Fax: 26137027 Email: issnd@vsnl.com;

Padmashree Award
India's national government recently awarded Sister Sudha Varghese the Padmashri --the country's highest civilian award, -for providing education to girls from the Musahar community in the village of Jamsaut, Bihar. These girls belong to one of the most destitute and marginalised groups in Bihar and Sr Sudha Varghese has been sending girls to school from the Musahar community for 20 years. Her institution, Nari Gunjan, has more than 1,500 girls enrolled and runs over 50 centres.

Oracle Excellence Awards
Twenty-two Indian e-Government projects were declared winners of the Oracle Excellence in e-Governance awards at the Oracle Open World . The 22 award-winning projects included Andhra Pradesh government's the rural e-Seva project, e-Panchayat and the land record management information system (LR-MIS), IT in judiciary, the customs department, the passport division and the computer-aided Administration of the Registration Department (CARD), among others.

Winner of Animal welfare award
The VMAAF awards are an attempt to appreciate the hard work and efforts by individuals and organisations in the field of animal welfare. They are also aimed at sensitising the general public about animal rights and creating a much-needed awareness about animal care. The Venu Menon National Animals Award is the principal award that recognises the work of an individual who has contributed most significantly to the cause of animal welfare
Twenty nine year old Rahul Sehgal gave up a lucrative career in the hotel management industry to devote his time to the care of animals. Within a short span of three and half years, he has helped set up an organisation that has 28 employees, three veterinary doctors and ambulances, has treated over 18,000 animals and birds, and completed over 10,000 sterilisations. He has played an important role in stopping the sale of exotic pets by the Ahmedabad zoo and the passage of a car rally through the prime habitat of the endangered wild ass. In a state that is known more for its extremes, Rahul Sehgal, comes as a breath of fresh air. http://www.vmaaf.org/pages/award_vmaaa.htm
© 1999-2005 VMAAF.. All rights reserved. Contact: vmaaf@yahoo.com.

 

Films
One Show Less - Hindi/19mins/MiniDV/2005
Dir by Nayantara.C.Kotian/National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad/ India. The film won the first prize at the 9th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) in February 2006 and is about the increasing numbers of single screen cinemas that are shutting down all over the country because of the multiplex invasion, depriving the masses of the incomparable experience of watching cinema on the big screen.

Fight for Survival - Gujarati-Hindi/MiniDV/20minutes/2004
Dir: Dakxin Nandlal Bajarange. It won the second prize at MIFF, and is about the Madari community in Gujarat which depends on traditional business of snake exhibition and performance in villages and cities, fairs and haats. However, the Animal Cruelty Act and other animal Acts have made it difficult for the madaris to keep snakes for public performance and it has now become a question of survival for the entire community.

In Search of a Job - Assamese-English/14 minutes/Beta/2005/
Dir:Mrinal Talukdar

Assam has a long tradition of domestic elephants used for logging business for centuries. The 1997 Supreme Court order of banning all sorts of felling of trees has changed the whole scenario. Overnight these elephants and their mahouts have become jobless and helpless as law does not allow transfer or sale of any animal like the elephant.

Research internships
The Center for Civil Society (CCS) organises “Jeevika” with multiple objectives: to take stock of films already made on livelihood issues; to encourage established filmmakers and particularly the youth to find interest in livelihood issues and make documentaries on them; and to provide them a
platform to maximise the impact of their documentaries. CCS is a research and educational think-tank working for sound public policy solutions in the areas of education, livelihood, governance, environment, globalisation and rule of law. CCS is offering research internships for students and recent graduates who are interested in working on related issues. Contact: www.ccsindia.org.

City Farming - film on Urban Agriculture
Duration 16 mins - Produced by Centre for Education and Documentation (CED)
City farming is an innovative technology which deals with farming in urban areas --on terraces, balconies and even on the walls of civil constructions. Dr. R T Doshi has perfected a method of growing fruits and vegetables for domestic consumption, which involves relatively low labour input, organic production methods and very high yields. For a copy, write to nalini@doccentre.org

Namma Kadalkarai, Namma Urimai (Our Coast, Our Right) was screened in various parts of the Tsunami affected areas. CED has edited the film and the new version includes the feedback of people and activists. This film is aimed to educate local communities, promote the right to information, people’s right to know, determine and participate in their own development particularly their re-development/rehabilitation. Contact: nalini@doccentre.org

Film festival on environmental issues
This year's film festival is slated for the first week of November 2006 on environmental documentary films both Indian as well as international made between 2004 -2006. Interested filmmakers contact Mob. 9811864256, Email: pragya@toxicslink.org

International Community Film Festival 2006

Submissions are invited for the Northampton International Community Film Festival 13-16th July 2006, University of Northampton, Great Britain. The Festival showcases the best community film-making from around the world and is looking for short documentary or promotional films that deal with one or more of the festival’s nine themes for 2006:
* Community empowerment projects
* Citizenship and local democracy
* Neighbourhood renewal
* Combating prejudice or discrimination
* Voluntary groups or charities - making a difference
* Building social capital
* Equality and diversity work
* Improving community cohesion
* HIV/AIDS

Films of 8-15 mins, (shorter or longer submissions may also be accepted) must be submitted on Mini-DV tape or DVD and arrive before 24th April 2006. Free festival tickets and bursary opportunities will be awarded to the top ten community film makers. Contact: Dr Ian D. McCormick, Festival Director, Email: ian.mccormick@easynet.co.uk

Student Film Awards
Hitesh Kewalya, a NID Film & Video student, won the Best Fiction Film up to 75 mins / National Competition Award (he gets the Golden Conch and a cash prize of Rs.1,50,000/-) for his NID Diploma film "Nothing Happens on this Turn / Is Modh Par Kuch Nahin Hota" at the 9th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) for Documentary, Short & Animation films held in Mumbai this Feb. Amit Shah also a NID Film & Video student jointly shared with another documentary film the National Jury Award for his NID Diploma film 'Hoon'. He gets a cash prize of Rs.50,000/-.
Plays
Host a performance
"Laadli - A voice of countless unborn girl children” - a play on sex selective abortion in Hindi is available for staging in March 2006. The play is written and directed by Manjul Bhardwaj and performed by The Experimental Theatre Foundation. The duration of the play is one hour, and 20 minutes on the street or open space. Contact: 9820391859, Email: etf@bom3.vsnl.net.in
Photography exhibition (pix)
With the objective of changing the world through images, Drik India is presenting two photography exhibitions related to social conscience on the theme 'Women' with the support of Chobi Mela III, the International Festival of Photography in Asia, a unique initiative of Drik Bangladesh. Both works have a commonness, the very distinctive representation challenging typical 'western image of eastern women'. The exhibition, Naxal Women, an ongoing project of the renowned photographer, media-activist and entrepreneur Dr. Shahidul Alam, seeks to understand and evaluate the rightful role of Bangladeshi women activists in the Naxalite Movement by recording their stories and lived experiences.
In Returning the Gaze by the noted Iranian photographer, Shadi Ghadirian, photographs are constructed images to depict the monotonous and paradoxical lifestyle the women lead: materially surrounded by modern paraphernalia and psychologically burdened by cultural shortsightedness. Like Every Day is another series which place women in her domesticity where she is identified with pots, pans and vacuum cleaners which inevitably find their way in her life after marriage. Contact: Suvendu Chatterjee, Drik India, Tel. (91-33) 2454 5596, 2475 5391, Mob: 9831035158 , email:office-india@in.drik.net www.drik.net , www.drik.com
Books/Publications
SCARRED: Experiments with Violence in Gujarat
by Dionne Bunsha,
Penguin Books India
This book was released at a function Feb 8 at Wilson College, Mumbai, followed by a discussion on Life in Gujarat's Hindutva Laboratory. N. Ram, Editor-in-chief, The Hindu Group of Publications presided over the function with speakers Haseena Sheikh, community worker and refugee from Pavagadh village Bharat Panchal who lost his wife in the Sabarmati Express tragedy Tanvir Jafri son of late Ahsan Jafri, ex-Member of Parliament and Rohit Prajapati peace activist, Paryavaran Sukarsha Samiti, Vadodara. Contact: Tel. 98203-01643, 98201-91197, email: dionnebunsha@gmail.com
Small Change- (pix)
(pix) SopanStep- “the Mouthpiece of Rural India”--probably the first glossy on India’s rural life, published by INFORDS ((India Foundation for Rural Development Studies) in Hindi and English. Editor: K.A. Badarinath. Feb Issue discusses the proposed bill on land rights for tribals, the rising in Kalinga. Pages 48, Rs. 20. Published from Delhi, contact 011-41607472, email sopanstep@gmail.com
Issues in Islamic Feminism by Asghar Ali Engineer, Islam and Modern Age, Feb. 2006

This article in the Feb issue provides a deeper examination of Qur’anic verses makes it clear that it firmly upholds dignity of women as that of men. It does not discriminate between two sexes. In fact it was social environment in which Shari’ah formulations were made that affected Islamists’ viewpoint about women rather than the Qur’anic teachings. Today’s social environment is radically different and women awareness of their rights has increased phenomenally. There is nothing wrong in revisiting Shari’ah formulations regarding women today and attempt to reformulate issues in the light of contemporary social milieu. Contact: csss@mtnl.net.in

CED Publications

The Centre for Education and Documentation (CED) is bringing out four monthly dossiers - collections of clippings on issues of slums, child rights, textile industry and tribal issues. Other DocPost volumes are available on Legal Rights, Habitat, Disasters and Critical Concerns. Contact : Jacintha, Tel. (022) 2202 0019, Email: jacintha@doccentre.org.

CED & RDCs

CED, in association with Architecture and Development (A & D), Praxis & ISED is setting up resource development centers (RDCs), focusing on the rehabilitation and the long-term development needs of tsunami-affected communities in South India. They have launched a website aiming at information dissemination among its partners, local organisations and activists. For more details check website www.rdc.net.in Contact: CED (022) 2202 0019, Email: jacintha@doccentre.org

Development Digest

The latest issue of Development Digest #12 examines the following:
The Business of Hunger by Devinder Sharma
Water! Water!! Everywhere!!! But for Everyone?
Bhakra Dam - A Different View, Siddharth Narrain reviews Shripad Dharmadhikary's Unravelling Bhakra: Assessing the Temple of Resurgent India
Managing Water, A. Vaidyanathan reviews Ramaswamy R Iyer's Water: Perspectives, Issues, Concerns Water Sector Reforms in Mexico: Lessons for India's New Water Policy by Tushaar Shah, Christopher Scott, Stephanie Buechler
Leapfrog Beyond 'Modern' Water Paradigm by Sunita Narain
Contact: Tel. (022) 2202 0019, Email: jacintha@doccentre.org.

Gender-responsive budgeting in education
Authors: Oxfam, Produced by: Oxfam (2005)

This paper uses the Gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) approach to explain how governments and donors can promote gender equality in education through their financing decisions.

The paper deals with three categories of GRB to discuss how education budgets in different countries have tried to promote gender equality:
* gender-targeted expenditures: e.g., special scholarships for girls
* staff-related employment-equity expenditures, e.g. spending on training for female teachers' career development
* mainstream expenditures, e.g. spending on compulsory education and the provision of early childhood education.

The paper concludes with some recommendations for governments and NGOs. Available online at: http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc=DOC20776

Women, HIV/AIDS and Human Rights
Indian Anthropological Association, Delhi has brought out a special volume of its journal Indian Anthropologist on Women, HIV/AIDS and Human Rights, vol.35, no.1& 2, 2005. Contact: E.mail iaadelhi@rediffmail.com www.indiananthropology.org

Achhut Kanya, 1936. Visualising Indian Women
Edited by Malavika Karlekar
Oxford University Press
Pages 121, Rs. 1500

Directed by Franz Osten, this Hindi film, Achhut Kanya, belongs to the genre of the ‘classic’. It made Devika Rani and Ashok Kumar the most famous screen pair of the times. In a period of political and social unrest, the pertinent theme of tragic love between an untouchable girl and a Brahmin youth touched a chord of sympathy amongst the audience. The book Visualising Indian Women edited by Malavika Karlekar, captures the different facets of the life of women in India from 1857 to 1947. Arresting visuals of prominent women and their role in social and political history make this book a collector's pick.

Special issue on Urban Poverty in India, Web journal E Vikalpa December 2005 by,Vikas Adhyayan Kendra, Mumbai. See the website http://www.vakindia.org

Because I have a Voice
Edited by Arvind Narrain and Gautam Bhan.,
Yoda Publications.
This is a collection of essays ranging from the conceptual to fiercely personal. The introduction puts forward the salient debates of the Indian queer movement, situating it not as a minority politics but in the larger framework of human rights and the politics of class, gender and religion. They delineate ways in which the movement has become more visible - in fighting discriminatory laws; undertaking protests; queering culture through the arts and the media. This same sex love includes not just gay men and lesbians, but any identity based on non-heterosexual desire. Contact: gbhan02@yahoo.com

Muslims and India
by Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer.
Published by Gyan Publishing House, 2006,
price Rs 540. (Tel.011-23261060/ 23282060, gyanbook@vsnl.com)

Includes seven chapters on Historical Backdrop, Socio-Political context, Muslim Women and Modern Society, Contemporary politics, Secularism and Riots, Gujarat Imbroglio and Legal Framework. Contact: Centre for Study of society and secularism Tel (022) 614 9668) Email: csss@vsnl.com www.csss-isla.com

 

BOOKS

Management Development in NPOs (pix)
By Vijay Padaki and Manjulika Vaz
Pgs: 283
Rs. 480
Publ. Sage Publications www.indiasage.com

The Governing Board of an NGO can play an important part in the development of any NGO but because NGOs consider themselves to be “action-oriented”, this area invariably is neglected This book draws upon the author’s broad experience in consultancy to identify the needs of governing boards and offers a programme designed to meet their needs. It is a practival, comprehensive reference manual for board members using an FAQ format.

For organic farmers
The book, Krushi Jnana Pradeepike (KJP), now available in print, is unique. It was written based on the time-tested practical knowledge of farming. Ghanamatha Nagabhushan Shivayogi Swamiji, the author of this book, hailed from Daroor, in Andhra Pradesh. He had spent a good part of his life in northern Karnataka. The 350-page text is full of practical information to help farmers grow a variety of crops, to prepare manure and to conserve soil and water. Ten pages are allotted for soil and water conservation and drought-proofing. The book, in Kannada, was published only after Shivayogi Swamiji's death. So far, it has sold more than 40,000 copies. Says D.D. Bharamagaudra, a well-known organic farmer of Yelavatti, Karnataka, "KJP is the scripture for the farmers pursuing dry land agriculture in Karnataka.”

In 1969, Mallikarjuna Swamiji of Sangapura Mutt, Gangavathi, realized the importance of the book, and had it published. Since then, it has seen 9 editions, and has already been translated into English. Efforts are on to bring it out in Hindi and Telugu as well. Mallikarjuna Swamiji can be contacted for copies of KJP in Kannada or English, at (08533)321168

Drought proofing-India style
From decades, farmers of Hungund taluk have been spending 20 to 30 lakh rupees annually for soil and water conservation as well as drought-proofing. At least half a dozen workers trained under the late Shankranna Nagaral have full-time employment in this task. Directly or indirectly, at least 500 families in the taluk earn their bread from drought-proofing work. All this work is carried out without a single paisa of subsidy from the government. Though a bit expensive, wherever construction of bunds, waste-weirs etc. was taken up systematically, no drought was able to snatch away a particular farmer's harvest.

When this success story of drought-proofing was brought to light at the recently held jalajatha - a water-awareness mass campaign of Bagalkote district - Mallanna was a star attraction in the rural meetings. Now the Bagalkote District Collector K S Prabhakar is planning to bring out a video documentary titled 'best farming practices' including the drought-proofing techniques demonstrated by Nagarals. Contact Shree Padre Mallanna S Nagaral at (08351) 260303..

Sahasnama
A book on struggle and courage of women
Author : Rajendra Bandhu
Publ : Vikas Setu Group
pages: 72
Price: Rs. 50 Only ( Rs. 80 by V.P.P.)
'Sahasnam' is focused on the struggle and courage of 15 women who represents gram panchayat, janpat panchayat or district panchayats of Madhya Pradesh.. Vikas Setu is a group of people who are active in media and NGOs. They are closely allied with grassroot issues i.e. panchayat, water, land, forest agriculture and gender. The book is their effort to providing a place to grassroot issues in media. Contact E-Mail: rajbandhu@rediffmail.com

Resource book of services for children in Mumbai
Rs. 25/-.
Vatsalya Trust Mumbai has published a Resource book of services in Mumbai for children with special needs. Copies of this book are available with us . We have compiled information of more than 300 services in Mumbai. Contact: Vatsalya Trust,Mumbai Email: dotrec_vatsalya @yahoo.co.in
Telephone: 25782958

'Love's Rite'
By Ruth Vanita.
It's the first book to examine the history of same-sex weddings and the same-sex suicides of women in India. It explains them in the context of the debate and discourse on same-sex marriages in the West It moves away from esoteric explanations of sexuality and gender to concentrate on 'Same sex marriage in India and the West', in her own words.

'With Respect to Sex'
Gayatri Reddy
The book is a doctoral thesis of a very perceptive and densely written subject on hijras, kotis and other "multiplicity of sexualities and gender in India". The author takes a close look at Hyderabad's hijra culture.

Critical Concerns (pix)
Critical Concerns was formally launched on Sept 26 in Bangalore at CED, Bangalore. Raajen Singh, rights activist from Mumbai, helped evolve this package and demonstrated how the monthly collation of news clippings about the NGO world could be useful for NGOs. Some of the people who attended the launch were Ms. Saraswathy Ganapathy (Belaku Trust), Ms.Vanaja Ramprasad (Green Foundation), Ms.Sheela Ramanathan (Human Rights Law Network, Bangalore),Dr. Kshithij Urs (APSA) and many others.

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Globalizing India
Perspectives from Below
By Jackie Assayag, and Chris Fuller
Price:£16.99
288 pages
Series: Anthem South Asian Studies
This book is one of the first to present a collection of writings on the effects of globalization on India and Indian society.

The concept of globalization itself needs critical examination. Assayag and Fuller have assembled a team of eminent academics, who present a series of critical discussions about important issues of economy and agriculture, education and language, and culture and religion, based on ethnographic case-studies from different localities in India. This challenging collection also includes a major study of the history of globalization and India that sets current trends in perspective.info@wpcpress.com
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MANUALS (pix)
1.Working with Men on gender, sexuality, violence and Health-Trainers manual
2.Training manual for Health care providers on Women centred counselling in a Gynaecology clinic
3. Policy Briefs- Reproductive and sexual health in a public Health System
Publ. SAHAJ. Contact chinu@wilnetonline.net Tel: 0265-340223
Price Rs. 150 each

The manuals are excellent guidelines for training personnel- laymen and professionals to work with women (and men) through a woman centred approach. The book has been written after the Project completed their work in a Mumbai Public Hospital.

Manual for Counseling MSM,
Publ: The Humsafar Trust, Tel. : 022-26673800
Price: Rs. 200 with a self-addressed A4 envelope.
The manual is for health delivery professionals in handling issues faced by MSM and the problems encountered during counseling them. This manual will also be useful for counselors in general health settings and enable counselors to ask for same-sex behavioral histories, during pre and post test counseling and help familiarize themselves with the issues of MSM.

Breastfeeding (pix)
By Lakshmi Menon and Sarah Amin
Publ: WABA (World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action) waba@streamyx.com
This publication aims to situate breast feeding within the women’s reproductive health and rights agenda ,and looks at both issues as a common concern to the Womens’ health movement as well as the breastfeeding movement.

Religion In South Asia
A Liberative Perspective
Edited by Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer
Pages: 240/-
Price Rs.495/-US$20.00
Publs; Hope India Publ. Haryana E-mail: hope_India@indiatimes.com, Tel. 0124-2367308
Though Liberation Theology has yet not struck its roots in South Asia, some scholars have, however, started taking deep interest in it. As a result, we have begun to see the liberation content in every religion in the region. The present book offers the researches of some of these enterprising scholars. All the major religions in South Asia, -- Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism and Christianity have been covered -- their liberative content, which was hardly discernible, stands exposed for people to make use of.

Liberative Undercurrents in Hindu Thought: A Preliminary Inquiry- M.C. Dinakaran, Hindu Liberation Theology: A Blueprint for Reform-- Swamy Agnivesh; The Buddhist Way to Liberation of Society - Kuliyapitiye Prananda; Christianity in the Cause of Liberation - Errol D’ Lima;. Domination – Liberation: A New Approach - Enrique Dussel; Religion, Ideology and Liberation Theology: An Islamic Point of View - Asghar Ali Engineer;Sikhism and Human Liberation - Gurbhagat Singh

The Mumbai Marathon (6 pix)
As in every year, the city of Mumbai showed their spirit. On Sunday January 15 they ran for fun, they ran for health and they ran for a cause. Here are some of those who took part. There were 20000 runners and over 100 registered NGOs. The marathon was sponsored by Standard Chartered Bank and organised by Procam.
Empowering Vadodara
Vadodara: Over 100 NGOs, government agencies police etc took part in a fair in February, “Empowering Vadodara” to tell the city how they work to empower citizens. The brainchild of architect Karan Grover, and inspired by President Kalams message to Empower India, among those who took part in the fair were United way of Baroda, Tree Lovers Foundation, Akshar trust, the Baorda Citizen Council, Vikas Jyot Trust
Musical cheers (pix)
Bangalore: Zakir Hussein played and Birju Maharaj and his disciples danced at the Koramangala National Stadium in February to raise funds for Premaanjali. Premaanjali runs a home for destitute children, a foster care programme and day care centres for children of stone quarry workers. The programme was sponsored by the Puravankara group and extremely well organized and attended. Contact 08025567333 email: home@premaanjali.org
ART for global concern
Caption: An art exhibition of paintings done by KP Mukundan was held at Mumbai Art gallery at Andheri to raise funds to raise cancer awareness.
Hearing-impaired Olympics
Mumbai: Around 300 hearing impaired students from city participate in all-India sports meet Special Olympics for Hearing Impaired (SPOHI). There was a march past but no band. There were races but no gunshots. There was a crowd but no noise pollution.Everything was a pleasant surprise at the University grounds at the event organised by the Bombay Round Table 19. This year's SPOHI was attended by 500 children from elsewhere, and 300 kids from Mumbai.
Forum celebrates golden jubilee
Mumbai: Begun as a forum to discuss freedom inenterprise at a time when business was tightly controlled, the Forum of Free Enterprise celebrated its 50th year with a series of events involving business and the common man. The 3rd Nani Palkhivala Memorial Lecure delibered by Dr Bimal Jalan, former governor, RBI discussed :”Separation of Powers: the myth and the reality”in January and was followed by the presentation of the first Nani Palkhivala Memorial award for the preservation of Civil Liberties inIndia. The award was presented to PUCL-Delhi and was accepted by Nawaz Kotwal. Contact email ffe@vsnl.net or Tel: 22614253
AIDS management course at IIM-A
Ahmedabad, The Indian Institute of Management-Ahmeabad, has introduced a short course on managing
HIV/AIDS programmes for health professionals. The weeklong course is meant for government health policy makers, voluntary groups and others working in the field of HIV prevention and care, said Bakul Dholakia, director of the school.

"The focus of the programme is on managerial challenges involved in conducting HIV/AIDS prevention and care and their implementation," he said. IIM Ahmedabad already has a centre for management of health services, which conducts research on mental health and stress.The institute is also working on a course for officials in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh to help them streamline their HIV/AIDS programmes.
Celebrating good works and deeds (collage box)
A group of friends, associates and businessmen got together some years ago to make their services and time available for fund raising for deserving institutions. These dedicated men identify each project they get information on and then make a report and decide on how to raise funds for the organization. At a small function was held recently to honour and introduce their beneficiaries, beAmong the organisations they have adopted (so to say) are Baba Amte’s Anandwan with whom they began a long association. They spread their activities subsequently and now support the Parivaar Education Society Kolkata, run by ex-IIT graduate Vinayaka, whuich rehabilitated destitute children for red light areas of Kolkata; Snehalaya runby a group of college students in Ahmednagar which is working with commercial sex workers to stop trafficking in 3 areas around Ahmednagar. The Sane Guruji Arogya Mandir in Mumbai exhorts and teaches students from the slum areas in Santa Cruz to study in a stimulating atmosphere. The Vasundhara Public Trust in Mumbai emphasizes on science for rural areas and a Mobile Science Laboratory covers 60 school in the rural areas. Srishti in Orissa has been active in starting a village high school. a cottage hospital and dairy Societies and is presently working on a potable drinking water project in the tribal areas of Orissa, Samaritan Help Mission working with Muslim and other youth in the slum areas of Howrah. Samaj Pragati Sahayog in MP started by a group of professionals focuses on watershed development, soil conservation and preservation of eco bio-diversity, SAMPARC which works with children in Pune.
Neelima Mishra returned to her village of Bahadarpur in Jalgaon after her post graduation and began a project to change the lives of the villagers through education, vocational employment, SHGs and organics agriculture. Vanchit Vikas, run by Vilas Chaphekar, in Pune, similarly has grown and expanded its work from Maharashtra to MP working in nearly sections he has come in touch with. You can contact Mr Ramesh Kacholia Tel 28216366 email glorimex@vsnl.com
Loksatta at work
Ahmedabad; The Loksatta Gujarat chapter is currently focusing on two activities (Projects): Improvement in governance of Urban Health Centers (UHC) in Ahmedabad City which included survey of about 700 slum/low income group households, located in four wards of the city. Eventually 8 wards of the total 43 wards of the city are scheduled to be surveyed by March 2--6. Volunteers of SAATH, conducted the demand side survey of households, and Loksatta volunteers with students of Nirma Management Institute conducted the supply side survey. A report on ‘Gaps in Governance’ of the UHC’s. will cover recommendations to bridge the Gaps. with concerned Stakeholders, facilitation of formation of local community groups to work out a ‘Road Map’ with other wards, NGO’s, Ahmedabad Municipal Corp., the State Government etc..
A focused team is currently working on a strategic plan and activities to promote RTI. Interactive Panel Discussions with State officials NGO’s SEWA, SAATH and media have been held to explore ways to work together. SEWA have agreed to work with us to achieve RTI objectives across their members in the state.
UTI Lifeline
Mumbai: : On Feb 11 a Workshop on Emergency Medical Services – was organisesd by UTI at the NCPA. The Lifeline Foundation, based in Baroda conceptualized and implemented a unique service on the highways of Gujarat. Lifeline Foundation's Highway Rescue Project(HRP) ensures rescue, evacuation and pre-hospital care for accident victims on highways, currently in the state of Gujarat,. The Gujarat model is being successfully replicated in Maharashtra with the help of UTI Bank. UTI bank under its CSR mandate has adopted the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for Maharashtra for a period of three years. The workshop is a joint attempt on part of UTI Bank and Lifeline foundation to create a unified Emergency Medical Services(EMS) for Maharashtra. Contact 55071304 / 9820199566. Vibha.Krishnamurthi@utibank.co.in.
NGOs to teach in govt primary schools
Lucknow: It is a move that is long overdue. Under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the Basic Education Department is finally taking some steps to upgrade the quality of education imparted at the government primary schools in the State.
As a first step, NGO workers involved in the field of education will impart ``remedial'' classes to students of these schools on Sundays, the idea is to help teach better.The plan will first be implemented in Lucknow on an experimental basis. Five NGOs have already submitted their proposals so far.
At the end of the month, parents will be called to assess the progress of their children,''informed Rajendra Singh, the Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA).
The department is also planning to rope in these NGOs to help students in their homework, and activate the parents teachers association .
8000 NGOs barred
New Delhi, The Ministry of Home Affairs in February barred 8,673 voluntary organisations from seeking foreign funds under the Foreign Contribution and Regulation Act (FCRA).
The permanent numbers, entitling them to seek foreign funds as and when required, of these organisations have been revoked for not furnishing details of acceptance, source and manner of utilisation of foreign funds for financial years 2001-02, 2002-03, and 2003-04. These organisations will now have to get prior approval of the government before seeking foreign funds.
Among the organisations that have been barred from seeking foreign funding without prior approval are: Madras University, Panjab University, Jamia Milia Islamia, Indira Gandhi National Open University, Sakhshi, Khoj, Aasra, Roman Catholic Church Society and Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre, CII, Kshitij, a Mumbai-based NGO, and University of Delhi .
Ranjan Yerdoor, CEO, Credibility Alliance, a consortium of NGOs said:``The notification was issued in November but it has still not been dispatched to the organisations concerned.'' According to Account Aid, a consulting firm for NGOs, the last such notification was issued in 1997 when about 900 organisations were denied permanent numbers. For the past 10-12 years, the percentage of defaulters has been around 30per cent.
Voluntary organisations have been lobbying that monitoring of foreign funds be brought under the scanner of the Ministry of Finance, as it would be able to institute better administration. Says Yerdoor, ``What we need is more public accountability and transparency for which it is necessary that foreign fundings of the voluntary organizations be monitored by the Ministry of Finance under ForeignExchange Management Act, FEMA as advised by the Planning Commission.''
The notification is now on the website of the Home Ministry, www.mha.nic.in.
Saadhan Helpline

Mumbai: Since its inauguration in January 2003, PSI’s (Population Services International) Saadhan Helpline in Mumbai has attended over 60,000 calls. providing accurate information on healthy sexual behaviour; psychological support and effectual referrals to people affected by or living with HIV/AIDS and dispelling myths and misconceptions related to HIV/AIDS.
.Contact Tel. ( 022) 2389 2222, E-mail: <gaargi@psi.org.in>
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Dharna for employment

Bihar: An indefinite dharna organized by the Asha Parivar began on 7th February, 2006 at Sandila Tehsil in Hardoi District to protest against violation of the Employment Guarantee Act. In Heerupur Gutayya village of Gram Panchayat Godwa Khem local villagers have been desilting the Kashipur Minor (branch of a canal) on their own initiative since 2nd January, 2006 but the administration instead of ensuring payment to these workers has chosen to issue notices threatening legal action against 42 workers for illegally digging the canal. The second major issue of the dharna is to improve the functioning of Public Distribution System in Bharawan, Sandila, Kothawan and Behendar and ensure that ration meant for Below Poverty Line, Antyodaya and Annapurna categories reaches the card holders regularly without corruption.

In a number of villages the Primary Schools still do not have effective Mid Day Meal scheme properly implemented and the Anganbadi is not working in most villages. The villagers participating in the dhrana would like to see these schemes functioning properly in their villages.
Contact at Dharna site: Neelkamal (9335287180), Ram Sagar Verma (9336914370), Jitendra Dixit (9839842511) Contact in Lucknow: Arundhati Dhuru (0522-2347365, 9415022772)

UN funds to battle AIDS in city.
Pune:. The National AIDS ControlOrganisation (NACO) has proposed comprehensive projects to better the qualityof care for HIV positive persons in various districts and states through the Pune City for AIDS Control Society (PCACS) for a period of five years.
UNAIDS and Avert have planned a project in Pune, Dr Vishwananth Koliwad, associate project director of Avert said. ''Initially, the project will be taken up in Pune to assess and identify the needs for the city. The project will be later extended to other districts in Maharashtra,'' said Koliwad.
NGOs have been invited to apply for working towards various components of the project. These include intervention measures for children infected with HIV, migrant and hotel workers, widows infected withHIV, street children, company workers and even targeting non-college groups.
The PCACS gets Rs 50 lakh from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for creating awareness about AIDS, conducting counselling and advocacy programmesapart from distributing condoms which are distributed to at least 3,413commercial sex workers in Budhwar Peth, Bamble said.
Mental Health Fun Fair 2006(PIX)

Mumbai: The Indian Council for Mental Health (ICMH) hosted its Fun Fair 2006 at its Skills and Ability School (Special School), Nerul on Febr 4. ICMH has been working in the field of mental health for the last sixty-one years and since 1990 has provided education, treatment, therapy and rehabilitation to children with developmental disabilities. The 144 children divided between the two Skills and Abilities Schools at Nerul and Mulund. who are hearing impaired, mentally challenged and those with cerebral palsy, autism and downs’ syndrome all played an essential role in making the Fun Fair 2006 a success.
The Fun Fair 2006 was a platform for the special children to exhibit their talents and capacities. Times Foundation joined hands with ICMH for the Event. Contact: Varsha Bhagat or Anita Bhaskaran
Tel. No. 022-27704355
Villages for sale, rural despair growing
The ultimate symbol of growing rural despair — putting villages up for sale — has spread to central India from Punjab. Dorli, a sleepy village in Maharashtra's Wardha district, has sounded the bugle.
Six villages in Punjab are already up for grabs: Bhutal Kalan and Bhutal Khor in Sangrur district; Malsinghwala in Mansa district; and Harkishanpura, Mandikhurd, and Ramanwas in Bhatinda district. The decision to put up the village for sale comes at a time when the latest National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) data reveal that more than 40 per cent of the farmers are keen on quitting agriculture.
Signalling the collapse of the first Green Revolution, the growing rural despair is indicative of the entire farming equation going wrong. With intensive farming systems destroying the natural resource base of agriculture — soil gasping for breath, groundwater mined to unsustainable limits, and pesticides having contaminated the environment — most farmers continue to slide into indebtedness, with a large number ending up selling their kidneys or taking their own lives.
, the Government is desperately trying to push in a second Green Revolution. The "New Deal for Rural India," as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh dubs it, is being launched at the behest of the United States. It is strikingly similar to Vision 2020 that N. Chandrababu Naidu, as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, had unsuccessfully applied.

WSF 2006 Karachi
Karachi: The new date for the polycentric WSF 2006 Karachi (Pakistan): will take place from March 24th to 29th, 2006. Soon, press registration will also open. Links for each type of registration. All forms are in English for Activities: Organizations and delegates: Individual participants: Volunteers:
Contact /www.wsf2006karachi.org Contact:mail@wsf2006karachi.org
www.wsf2006karachi.org Telephone number: 92 21 824-0716 Fax: 92 21 824-0714
Address: 43-4B, Block-6, P.E.C.H.S, Behind Nursery Market, Karachi, Pakistan.

Ration shops for SHG’s
Mumbai: Maharashtra has decided to hand over ration shops to all-women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in a bid to end the massive diversion of food grains and kerosene. Though no precise time frame has been set, initially, outlets in the 68 tribal-dominated taluks will be handed over to the SHGs. Later, all-ration shops that are closed down because of irregularities will be re-assigned to the SHGs. They would also be transferred to the SHGs wherever the gram sabhas of women-run panchayats call for it.

The Government says the decision follows revelations by a Planning Commission study that as much as 35 per cent of the food grains meant for the PDS in the State were diverted to non-beneficiaries, meaning
the black market.

However, NGOs involved in monitoring the PDS and engaged in discussions with the Government say the arrangement of funneling food grains and kerosene to the poor through 50,083 ration shops and
55,000 kerosene outlets is flawed not only because of irregularities committed by shopkeepers but also because of rampant corruption in the system. Unless the system is cleansed, they say, the women will be at
a disadvantage while trying to run the outlets.

The Rationing Kruti Samiti, an alliance of several NGOs working among the poor, including tribals, across Maharashtra, says: "The Government is putting the cart before the horse." Its member, Ulka Mahajan,
points out: "It is co-option without cutting out corruption. This would make the SHGs vulnerable from the very start." If that "were avoided, this is a good opportunity to empower women." Otherwise, it is like asking "poor women to become entrepreneurs in a system loaded against honesty."

The Rural Development Department that helped set up 79,511 all-women SHGs, tailored more to improve their credit lines and less towards economic activity, is hesitant. But the Maharashtra Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal (MAVIM) — the women's economic development corporation — is quite enthusiastic.

Aids helpline

Aligarh: The Angelz [India] Trust & Look In Weekly national magazine jointly launched a 24x7 HIV/AIDS helplinE on Feb 12 . The Trust is a listed partner member of the Global Stop TB Programme of the WHO and has collaborative status with Global Movement for the Children [GMFC] supported by the UNICEF.

The Trust has a full-fledged lab equipped with the latest ELISA screening test for HIV and other nvestigations under one roof and pre-as well as post-test counselling is provided free of cost.

Vaccination programmes against tetanus, TB, pertussis, diphtheria,poliomyelitis and Hepatitis -B are currently available at nominal cost at its StarPolyclinic .The Angelz [India] Trust is actively engaged in advocacy, research,education, healthcare, welfare, legal aid since Aug 2004.

This value-added 24x7 Helpline is the first in western UP –the number is : +919356218824 with help available in English, Urdu and Hindi.Contact E-mail: <lookinaligarh@yahoo.co.in>

Celebrating Valentine’s Day

Delhi : In an innovative mood, the Delhi State AIDS Control Society (DSACS) organised a blood donation campaign on Valentine's day to motivate the youth (college going and working) to come forward and donate blood and symbolize their love for humanity.

Ten such blood camps are being organised all over Delhi in collaboration with MTNL who is providing free Broad band internet services, to attract youth by providing free internet surfing. Delhi State AIDS Control Society and distributed free friendship bands mentioning "I am blessed, I donate blood.” Contact
E-mail: jpkapoor@rediffmail.com

Forming Initiatives of HIV/AIDS - Net!

Chennai: IHN an initiative for HIV/AIDS Net, a net work of NGOs working in the field of STD/HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support in Tamil Nadu was launched on Feb 3. IHN is committed to building the capacity, mobilize resources, and address the issues related to NGOs in Tamil Nadu.

IHN organized the formation meet at Comfort Inn Marina Towers. Mr. S. Ramkumar, Treasurer addressed the gathering . 96 NGOs participated in the formation meet.supported by TAI (Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation)

Mr.S.Vijayakumar, Project Director of TANSACS , Dr. K. Manivasan Project Director CAPACS, Dr.P.Krishnamurthy, Project Directors of APAC,VHS-USAID, and Dr. R. Lakshmi Bai,TAI-VHS participated.

WEBSITES
"Sachi" <sachisatpathy@yahoo.com> Add to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
Ten thousands members from political parties, journalists, academicians, columnist, students and social workers participating in various discussion, started by Orissa Politics is considered the best community engagement practice platform in the country. The website (www.orissapolitics.cjb.net) , gives several development issues .As you know, 12 tribals were killed in a police firing in the Kalinga
nagar in Orissa, while protesting against the compensation package of government. There are several issues and concerned developed aftermath of Kalinga Nagar killing. The opinion in the state is clearly divided, whether Orissa should go for Industrialisation or not as it will involve huge displacement in the state .

Lives in Focus (http://www.livesinfocus.org/), documents the lives of Indians affected by the AIDS epidemic and the challenges that stigmatized AIDS patients face in India. The website also interviews activists and doctors struggling to fight the epidemic. The project uses video, audio and photographs to present the voices of those who are rarely given space or time in traditional news media.
E-mail: <sandeepjun@yahoo.com>

Justice and Peace Conference

Mumbai: A conference on justice and peace is being organized by several organizations at Goregaon West, Mumbai from February 24th to 26, 2006. The main themes of the conference are: War and trade; the nuclear threat, gender violence, nationalism and sovereignty; religious sectarian violence; India-Pakistan peace process; Sri Lanka’s ethnic strife and aftermath of tsunami; democracy movement in Nepal; Bangladesh - migrants, water, textiles; etc. It aims to link the issues and movements on trade and peace and to forge closer links between movements in South Asia. Contact Focus on the Global South, India: Tel. (022) 55821141/51, 26254347, Email: peacemumbai@gmail.com

Dalit woman to address UN meet in New York

Patna: Girija Devi, 59, a Dalit Mushar (a rat-eating caste) woman from
the remote Bhirkhia-Chipulia village, about 30 km from Motihari, the
headquarters of Bihar's East Champaran district, will address the 15th session of the
UN's division of Advancement of Woman and Department of Economic and
Social Affairs in Bhojpuri language

Girija devi a mother of four, who suffered humiliation at the hands of the male members of the family, including her drunken husband, formed the Mushar Vikas Manch' six years ago to fight against
alcoholism.

resource list for sexuality minorities in Kerala.

Sahayakrita is collating a resource list including doctors, lawyers, NGOs, organizations and
individuals in Kerala itself who have awareness about sexuality minority issues and are willing to provide assistance, either for sexuality minorities in crisis or for promoting awareness about
these issues. This list is for private circulation only, although it may ultimately be made into a pamphlet.

If you are interested in listing yourself or your organization, send responses to sahayatrika@gmail.com

AGNI and the cops
Mumbai : About 25 cops, accompanied by their spouses and children, spent a Sunday walking through the Naval Dockyard at Lion's Gate. The heritage walk was organised by the Andheri chapter of Action for Good Governance and Networking in India (AGNI), on the concluding day of the Kala Ghoda festival.

Navy officers showed the group around the Dockyard area, talking about the legends associated with various spots and the Naval hardware, some more than 200 years old. The Dockyard has the oldest existing structures in the city - the Bombay Castle - and a toilet that has been given heritage status.
Ravi Nair and Ashok Pai, AGNI representatives from the K-east ward organised the programme, with the Navy's co-operation. Contact <agni@agnimumbai.org>

Report on Domestics

Bangalore: Geeta Menon and Stree Jagruti Samiti surveyed domestic workers and employers in May-June 2005 to come up with a report on terms of employment for domestic workers.

“Domestic Work is a service industry: it doesn’t create GDP by itself, but enables GDP to be made. In a typical Labour Market, Supply and Demand would ensure that employees of a given industry were paid the market value for their services: In Domestic Work, neither mechanism is in place. Supply and Demand do not reach an equilibrium because: Information about wages and work is not public; Workers tend to stay in one work for many years, rather than look for financial gain; The labour “market” doesn’t operate as a market, and the work is not seen as work.

Secondly there are no collective organizations to defend the rights of the workers. In Bangalore, it is estimated that there are 400,000 Domestic Workers; with an average 2.8 employments earning Rs.1167 p.m. Thus in Bangalore alone, the economic value of Domestic Work is at a very minimum Rs. 467 million .
The report argues, first, that the minimum wage must be increased; and, second, that the minimum wage should be determined by hour. Under these terms, our example of a two-hour, three-task employment with no time off would be paid 400 * 2 = 800 Rupees.

The proposed minimum wage would ensure that 55% of a family’s expenses are covered by 8 hours work. (if two members work) Two-thirds of all Domestic Workers surveyed had a loan at the time of questioning at 100% annual interest rate.

Stree Jagruti Samiti (SJS), is a 15 year old collective of domestic workers in Bangalore that also helps rescued child labourers and children of housemaids in conjunction with APSA (Association for Promotion of Social Action) and SICHREM (South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring). Contact Geeta at mahila_21@yahoo.co.uk or +91-98454-45408.

Pharmacy for HIV/AIDS patients

Ludhiana,: Emcure Pharmaceuticals, launched the first of its kind pharmacy for HIV/AIDS patients
termed `Taal'. The pharmacy has been launched with the help of Network of Positive People Living with HIV/AIDS (INP+), Network of Maharashtra by People Living with HIV/AIDS (IMP+) and Human
Development Resource Network (HDRN).

The official statement stated that `Taal' is a first of its kind pharmacy partnership initiative in India, which helps reach out to people living with HIV/AIDS and offer them treatment in a more humane environment. It is unique because it is run by people afflicted with HIV/AIDS.

The pharmacy's first prerogative is to dispense anti-retroviral drugs and drugs for opportunistic infections at subsidised costs for people inflicted with the virus all over country. `Taal' will also have counselling services and will facilitate access to medical advice regarding treatment for HIV positive people.

While Emcure will provide the drugs, NPM+ and INP+ will manage the programme. Apart from medicines, `Taal' will also provide consultation on treatment, counselling and advocacy to People Living
with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). In the coming months, the concept will be replicated in many other cities .

Human Development project at Malda
Kolkata : A two day medical camp was held at Malda organized by SHIS (Southern Health Improvement Samity). The District Magistrate, the Additional District Magistrate, The Chief Medical Officer of Malda district and many other professionals participated in the workshop along with the people of Baliachawk and Panchanandapur., SHIS has built a health service center in Malda at its own building and on its own land. info@shisindia.org>

LEGAL

HC of AP upholds the fundamental right of HIV positive person to employment

Recently, a Division Bench of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh pronounced a judgment upholding the right of an HIV positive person to appointment as Sub Inspector in Police Department. The right to employment of a person living with HIV has been asserted by the Higher Judiciary in a number of cases right from the decision of the Bombay High Court in MX v. ZY in 1997. This judgment assumes even greater significance in that it recognises the employment rights of people testing HIV positive in jobs where high physical fitness is a pre-condition for employment.

Sex workers comments ignored-ITPA Bill

Though the Amendments are being touted as “pro sex workers”; in reality, they expose them to greater harassment and intrusion by the Police. Last year in December, the National Network of Sex workers and the Lawyers Collective HIV/AIDS Unit had strongly objected to the non-transparent process and absence of consultation with stakeholders for ITPA amendments.

The Cabinet has approved the amendments notwithstanding fervent protests by sex workers, whose livelihood is at stake under the new law. Emergent concerns of public health and HIV/AIDS, which have otherwise been identified as national priorities by the Government of India, too have been overlooked, as is evident from the non-involvement of NACO and the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in the amendment process

The ITPA Amendment Bill 2005 must be withdrawn and not introduced in Parliament in its present form.
In case the bill is introduced in Parliament, it must straightaway be referred to a Standing Committee that invites comments and inputs from different stakeholders including sex workers, risk reduction interventionists, public health and human rights organizations--Lawyers Collective HIV/AIDS Unit
New Delhi - Phone -91-11-24377101, 24377102, 24372237 e-mail - aidslaw1@lawyerscollective.org

Lok Adalats
Lucknow: The government has decided to establish permanent Lok Adalats in 23 districts to ensure justice to the poor and the downtrodden.

Uttar Pradesh State Legal Services Authority (UPSLSA) chairman Justice Naseemuddin said that Lok
Adalats were being convened from time to time to facilitate those who were either ignorant or not in a position to hire services of a lawyer to seek justice on varied counts.Budgetary provisions for these courts had already been made and once it was approved by the state assembly, the work would begin on a war-footing.

These courts would be established on the basis of norms laid down bythe national legal services. He said that public utility services,including disputes related to transport including road and rail,insurance (compensation), cases related to land dispute within familyand marital disputes, would be settled through these courts."No court fee is required. All that a person needs is to just give an
application on a plain paper and the matter would be settled by the
Lok Adalat," said the chairman.
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DocuCentre on Child SexualAbuse
Social Action and Research Centre-SARC is forming a Documentation centre on Child Sexual Abuse-CSA. Send information as periodicals, magazines, articles on this regard to
Social Action and Research Centre-SARC
147 vindyavasini colony,Orderly Bazar, Varanasi,221002, India
Phone No: 91-542-3959912,Email Id: sarc@rediffmail.com

Fast to support human rights of Kashmiri people

A one day fast was organized at Rajghat, New Delhi on 30th January, 2006 from 10 am to 4:30 pm in support of the human rights of citizens from Kashmir. Whereas the Government of India and almost every political party in India very assertively claims Kashmir to be an integral part of India, when it comes to trusting them as equal citizens, the Government and political parties of India are less than generous towards the people of Kashmir. Kashmiris are looked at with suspicion and often subjected to humiliating questioning. There is the more serious issue of disappearance of thousands of people, especially youth, from Kashmir. Custodial killings are also very common in Kashmir. Just like in the North-East,the military does not have to keep a record of firings in Jammu & Kashmir as well. As a first step towards bringing normalcy to Jammu & Kashmir, the military must be held accountable.

It is to defend the human rights of the people of Jammu & Kashmir that this fast is being organized. We believe that India and Pakistan have to find a political solution to the satisfaction of people of Jammu & Kashmir as soon as possible so that the troubles faced by Kashmiri people inside and outside of Kashmir must come to an end permanently. --"Dr Sandeep Pandey" <ashaashram@yahoo.com>

Asha Parivar, National Alliance of People’s Movements, INSAF, PEACE, Lok Raj Sangathan, Association for India’s Development, Nature Human Centric People’s Movement. Contact: Faisal Khan, 9313106745, Mayank Singh, 9818361619, Sandeep Singh, 9868413332, Kaushal Kishore, 9810405050, Rajeshwar 9871602612
Email: aid_rajeshwar@yahoo.com

Efforts on in Rajasthan to bring water rights policy
Jaipur In a bid to conserve water and facilitate its optimum usage in drought prone Rajasthan, the State government is considering a proposal where one might need to apply for licenses for digging a well or for using other water resources.
According to experts, conservation of water is a serious issue in the water starved State and the Government of Rajasthan has to come up with ownership of the water resources.
"By water rights we mean to say that whoever is owning a particular water resource should try to conserve it, because unless that is done, there will be constant depletion of ground water depletion," Dr M S Rathod, President, Rajasthan Jal Viradary, said. Be it ground water, water from well or from the pond, the government has to come up with a policy regarding the ownership of the resource. The Rajasthan Jal Viradari has been saying that until a decentralized democratic water management system is brought up and the community is not given ownership, depletion cannot be stopped," he added.
237 areas have been identified as source of ground water sources in the State out of which, 80 percent have already been declared as dark zone areas due to over depletion of ground water. <againstwaterprivatisation@yahoogroups.com>, "India Water" <india-water@yahoogroups.com>,

Saving women

Mahila Karmikara Horatta Okkutta had a public meeting on Jan.29, at Senate Hall, Central College campus, Bangalore in the context of the rape and murder of Prathiba Murthy on Dec. 14 in Bangalore. It has brought forward the urgent need to reflect and debate on several issues faced by women working in the IT sector and other sectors as well. Working class women or women workers is an expansive term and it would be dangerous to generalize or homogenize categories such as this. The focus within this platform then lies specifically on women in the unorganized sector and those employed on a contractual basis within the organized sector.

Mahila Karmikara Okkutta is a platform to bring together the voices of women and, includes
Navajagruthi Mahila Sangha, Garment Workers’ Union, Munnade Mahila Karmikara Sangha, Human Rights Law Network, Pedestrian Pictures, Alternative Law Forum, Mahila Jagruthi, Hengasara Hakkina Sangha, Equations, Samvada, SICHREM, UNITES, Janasahayog, Stree Jagruthi Samithi, Peoples’
Union for Civil Liberties (Karnataka). Contact Mahila Karmikara Horatta Okkutta
C/o Pedestrian Pictures, Ph: 9448041063, 9945516296, 9448046254

Communal Violence Bill 2005
Mumbai: For a really effective and meaningful Act to be legislated, and to discuss amendments to the current text of the Bill and the strategy to make our voice heard, a public convention under the caption” Amend it to make India riot free!!! was organized at the University Club House on Jan20.

Retired Supreme Court Judge Justice P.B. Sawant to presided, Other Speakers were:
Justice H. Suresh- - -Retired High Court Judge
Teesta Setalvad- - - -Citizens for Justice and Peace
Dolphy Dsouza- - - - -Bombay Catholic Sabha
Muazzam Naik- - - - -Movement For Peace and Justice
Prakash Ambedkar--Bhartiya Republican Party
Flavia Agnes - - - - - Majlis
Mihir Desai- - - - - - - India Centre For Human Rights And Law
Satish Sawhney- - - Retired Commissioner of Police, Mumbai
Mahesh Bhatt - - - - -Film Director

Organising Committee consisted of
Dr Ram Puniyani (Ekta), Adv Mihir Desai (ICHRL), Dolphy Dsouza(BCS),
Adv Saeed Akhtar, Kamayani(CEHAT), Jatin Desai(PIPFPD), Sukla
Sen(PMI), Adv Sameena Dalwai (ICHRL), Fr.Allwyn D'silva (DRTC), Nanji Khemji
Thakkar(NKT, College), Farid Batatawala, A.D.Golandaz (AITUC), Meena
Menon(Focus), Flavia Agnes(Majlis), Asad bin Saif(BUILD), Syed
Iftekhar (Editor, Shodhan), Jyoti Punwani, Ravi Duggal (CEHAT), Louis
Dsouza, Dr. Rehmatullah(AICMEUS), Lionel Fernandes, Adv Sagheer Khan,
Smita Shah (RYS), Haroon Mozawala (Khaire Ummat Trust), Saumya Uma
(WRAG), Dr Azeemuddin (MPJ), Sarfaraz Arzoo (Editor, Hindustan)

Delhi: Anhad organized a National Consultation on Communalism on Jan 26 and 27,
at the Indian Social Institute, supported by: Aman Samudaya, Peace and Sangat

The proposed legislation enhances the powers of the state which is likely to go against the interest of the marginalized groups, particularly in states where the communal forces control the governments.

This meeting took stock of the communal situation in various parts of the country, particularly the steps adopted by communal organisations during the last two years. and arrived at a possible future course of action for secular interventions and bring into being a network of communication among secular groups and activists. The meeting would also explore the possibility of the formation of a monitoring group. " <anhadinfo@yahoo.co.in>

The gay syndrome

Delhi: Voices Against 377 organised a protest at UP Bhawan in Delhi on Jan 3: to protest the arrest of four men in Lucknow for being a part of what the Lucknow police called a "gay racket" and charged under Section 377. The arrests were made on the grounds that these persons are allegedly members of an internet-based service that enables gay men to meet other like-minded persons. In other words, these people have been arrested simply because they are homosexual - something that is not a crime!
They have since been held in police custody and charged under Sec 377 - an archaic British colonial
law that criminalises adult, consensual same-sex sexual behaviour and is currently the subject of a
legal challenge in the Delhi High Court.
The police have stepped outside of the law and have violated the fundamental right to life and liberty
under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Goonj news
February marks the completion of 7 years of Goonj. Presently, major consignments of relief material have been sent through the Indian Army and Airforce and with the help of local grass root organisations and committed individuals. Contrary to general perception, there still are people who need blankets and floor mats in view of extreme cold. refer www.goonj.info
GOONJ. began its clean cloth sanitary napkin programme "Not just a piece of cloth" by the symbolic gesture of sending the first consignment of 1000 clean cloth sanitary napkins to Vikas Trust (a local NGO) in Shikohabad. It was here that we heard the story about a woman dying of tetanus because of using a blouse (as sanitary napkin) with a hook inside.
GOONJ’s anti cracker campaign in Delhi schools at the time of Diwali helped generate massive awareness and response from the students. This year for the first time GOONJ participated in the Mumbai Marathon in January
In February Goonj plans to organise an interface between their urban and rural partner schools. Students from some village schools and schools of Delhi and NCR will be participating in a three day interaction. www.goonj.info Tel.- (m)-98681-46978, (o)-011-26972351E-mail- anshu_goonj1@yahoo.co.in,anshu_goonj@indiatimes.com

Cycle Marathon

Krayon, Pipal Tree and The Activity organized a Bangalore cycling marathon for school students with the theme “Cycling for a Clean Tomorrow” on Jan 22 from Vidhan Soudha. The event supported by Green peace, the Activity and Pipal Tree aimed to bring about an awareness of the growing pollution levels in the city, the importance of clean air and healthy living among school students.

The event for school students had a special open category in which several leading personalities of Bangalore participated. Contact KRAYONS Ph: 080-30923461 / 9880595395 (Dhiraj)
Email - info@activityindia.com
Website - www.activityindia.com
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Protest against ADB in May
Hyderabad: The May 2006 Hyderabad AGM offers a good opportunity for movements, people’s organisations, community groups, labour unions and activists to come together and raise a collective and unified voice against the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. Groups from North East, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and from South Asian countries will protest at The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) 39th Annual Governors’ Meeting AGM on May 3-6. The Governors are the highest level of decision makers in the ADB. . Finance Minister, P Chidambaram, is the Chair of the Board of Governors of the ADB.
Since 2000, peoples’ movements, communities affected by the ADB projects, academics, researchers, activists, labour unions and NGOs have come together at the venues of these AGMs to oppose and protest the institution and its brand of development policy, from Thailand to Turkey. India is a prominent member of the ADB and after China, the largest borrower from the BankThe policy reforms and conditionalities that ADB demands from the Governments, include, adopting laws and regulations that favour private sector involvement in key sectors, market-friendly restructuring and reforms in sectors for which ADB support is being sought, corporatisation and privatisation of public enterprises and utilities, creating a flexible labour force, commercialization of agricultural production and trade and investment liberalisation.
The impact on communities are– greater indebtedness, pauperization of the public, especially the marginalised and the vulnerable sections of the population, opening up the market for private investment and transnational companies and making national governments subservient to their diktats.
.Contact Deepankar Dutta at Samata.
Tel No. 91 40 55637974, Email: samatha@satyam.net.in

Celebrating Social Entrepreneurship

A group of citizens, representing the media, corporate sector, citizen sector organizations and social entrepreneurs came together under the auspices of the global citizen sector organization Ashoka: Innovators for the Public on Jan 6 in Bangalore and on Feb 2 in Colombo to celebrate Social Entrepreneurship.
Dr. GK Jayaram of ILID (Institute for Leadership and Institutional development) emphasized that the business of society must become personal business.”

Kennametal India’s Ayyapa Masagi and Jai Bharath presened their collaborative model of rainwanter harvestingwhichhasbecome a model.
Dr. Nirmala srinivasan of AMEND, whichworkd with the families of the mentally ill,and Mrs Laila Ollapally, an advocate have collaborated to create ACMI Action for MentalIllness), They were able to obtainlegal orders that encure each district hospital inKarnataka has psychiatric facilities.

In Colombo, speaking on the occasion, Her Excellency Ms Nirupama Rao High Commissioner of India stated that “that the right to development is the fundamental right of all human beings wherever they exist.
Contact ashokabangalore@vsnl.net
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IT for rural governance

Delhi: To motivate rural farmers to use technology and apply their learning's for their
self, family and community development, Drishtee has created a rural networking infrastructure with nodes at the village, district, state and national levels. “to connect grassroots
people with Academics, Bureaucracy and Corporate.”

At the district and block levels e governance centers work in close coordination with district administration…at the Gram panchayat level, kiosk operators are promoted on a
social entrepreneurship business model.
So far, Drishtee has established 13 E prashasan Kendras at the district and block levels in the state of Assam, Haryana Chattisgargh and 800 Kiosk operators at the Gram panchayat level in the states of Assam, Bihar, Chattisgargh, Haryana, Orissa , MP, TN and UP,

The Drishtee business model is an entrepreneur model --profit making opportunity, to enable the development of rural economy and society by the use of information and communication technologies.

Contact Drishtee Foundation Tel: 0120-2545968-70 or email <renu.s@drishteefoundation.org>

WSF in Karachi

The six-day World Social Forum, a gathering of civil society organizations from around the world, will be held from March 24 to 29 in Karachi to reinforce the global movement against globalization, wars, colonization, denial of rights of all sorts, terrorism, extremism, fundamentalism, militarization and a host of other issues.

Opening plenary of the polycentric WSF-2006 will be addressed by Bishop Desmond Tutu, Tariq Ali and Arundhati Roy, while the closing plenary will be addressed, among others, by Dalai Lama. Both the plenary sessions will be held at the People’s Stadium in Lyari.

The organisers hope to attract between 30,000 and 40,000 activists and groups, from different continents, mainly from the Asia-Pacific region, to give a boost to the movement launched in January 2001 at Porto
Alegre, Brazil.