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NEWS YOU CAN USE (NYCU) is a specially formulated
development mediascan directed to meet the specific information
needs of NGOs. Published on a monthly basis, NYCU presents a
comprehensive compilation of selected media clippings of news
that could be direct use to NGOs working at the grassroot level.
This publication can also serve as a ready reckoner for development
news on a monthly basis.
NYCU includes a selection of newsitems/feature/articles/editorials/
letters from leading national newspapers and newsmagazines.
Each newsitem carries the source, name of publication and date
of publication. The compilation is categorised under appropriate
heads with an index for easy reference.
This issue : Rs. 30.00
NYCU Team:
Shangon Das Gupta
Pushpa
Vimmi Poovaiah
Shobha. C.
News You Can Use is compiled and published by
Communication for Development and Learning (CDL) with support
from National Foundation of India
Please address your subscription to
Communication for Development and Learning
Post Box 3457,
Koramangala,
Bangalore - 560 034
oe&wtl eacA edition
We thank our readers for their prompt response in sending us their
feedback forms. Some of the comments we received are indeed
candid and have added greatly to our own understanding of the
‘use value' of an effort of this kind. We also must confess that we
are impressed with the response to the number of readers per copy.
This in fact, is an important indicator of the actual number of users
of this publication, though we must admit that to balance the multi
user copies, there were also those who marked the box stating,
‘Only you'I
Despite this initial euphoria to the positive comments, we must
declare a sense of defeat. There was one question that we were
specifically looking for a response to : Have you made use of any
information compiled in NYCU? If so, in what manner ? The
response that we received has been very general. Specific cases
of where the information compiled in these pages has actually helped
grassroot-level NGOs work both more efficiently and more effectively,
would help us in inviting financial support from agencies - who are
positively inclined, but not fully decided.
It is for this reason that we propose to organise a 2-day workshop
with the NYCU family to assess the use-value of the current
publication and identify specific instances of its use. We will also
use this forum for discussion to invite suggestions for improvement
as well as establish threads to extend our reach to other rural-based
NGOs. These suggestions will then be incorporated into the next
‘avataar’ of NYCU - in its third year.
Assuming our target community (in this case, target audience) is a
mistake that has often proved costly for NGOs. The case of Sahyog
in the Almora hills of Uttar Pradesh, which we carry in our pages,
holds grim lessons for NGOs who fail to follow democratic processes.
The Sahyog case has thrown up other dimensions that have now
got entangled to make the issue into an untidy mess.
We are still compiling the reader responses. Readers who have
not sent us the feedback are invited to still do so. Because we
believe that NYCU has to eventually meet your information needs.
And as India celebrates (!) the arrival of the billionth baby, information
must find a place in every development agenda
Shangon Das Gupta
May 2000
MAY 2000
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Education I literacy
Agriculture
Assam on threshold of green revolution
Farmers can now cultivate the computer
10
38
AIDS/HIV
HIV scare, campaigns fail to promote
safe sex
Haryana plans to launch campaign
against AIDS
Caution against giving grants to
bogus NGOs
AIDS and ignorance
Cost Effective
01
Literacy weapon to fight poverty
03
Reviving the gurukul way of learning?
A forgotten promise?
22
37
India among nations having maximum
female illiteracy
43
A quiet revolution
48
04
16
18
36
Child
Tackling child labour
Girls on sale
Soul food for street kids
Child marriages still practised in
Rajasthan
Selling of girl child flourishes in Andhra
Pradesh tribal ...
Project converts street kids into
businessmen
Child soldiers
Dispensible daughters
Half-Baked Solutions Won’t Work
UN steps against child exploitation
04
09
13
24
24
28
Rain forests
Eco meet in B’lore from August 12
28
34
Swiss model for waste water utilisation
43
Health
Cause for concern
04
17
HP all set to emerge as ‘herbal basket’
Novel health plan launched
12
25
18
WHO embarks on global anti-smoking
drive
19
22
25
26
44
Disability
Working for a secure life for disabled
Helping disabled march ahead
Now, even the blind can surf the Internet
Scheme for the handicapped
They have defined the art of disability
management
Now disabled too can ‘net’ a gain
Environment
Mala, a tiny village tucked into the foothills
Six southern rivers to be interlinked
All that little is gold
02
06
29
42
44
44
41
Information Technology
Cyber savvy villages
Farmers go computer-sawy in remote
AP village
Haryana village going online with first
15
cyber cafe
47
Microcredit
Hope for the hapless
05
12
11
Tribal women to set up people’s
bank in Orissa
21
Operation cooperation
32
NGOs
Drought
Thirsty lands of western India
Dealing with drought
09
NGO members held for distributing
‘obscene’ literature
07
Wellsprings of Hope
21
Peoples vs human rights in hills
08
World Bank and water crises in India
42
A little tact wouldn’t hurt
14
Resource
NGO workers jailed for issuing AIDS
booklet
Exaggerate & humiliate
Journalists demand probe into working of
NGOs
16 NGOs lose ministerial sanctions
NGOs rally for Sahyog
For crying out loud selectively
Sahyog members
15
17
27
32
37
39
44
North East
01
27
36
People’s power moulds Naga dream farm
Social groups join hands to combat AIDS
Island in the stream
Others
Model uses biomass to supply power in
rural areas
Kerala village declared ‘Litigation free’
Shameful practice
Inadequate network
MP HDRs to focus on human
development
Signature campaign against nuclear
weaponisation
Wall magazine on youth awareness
Shared experience
Development fails to touch rural India
10
13
29
29
38
.
40
44
45
47
Population
Adopt 2-kid norm, win incentives,
is the new UP Govt.......
A billion mutinies
Billionth Indian
A Billion Dollar question for our Family
Planners!
Save the Mother to save the child
High rate of unregistered births in India
Govt indifference hits FP programme
05
17
19
33
35
39
43
A User’s handbook on
What Makes News?
Price Rs. 60/Contact us to
place your order
Ministry disburses Rs 1,300 cr in loans
Unicef for aid funds monitoring
Financial Assistance for Tribal/Folk Art
and Culture
Funds crunch hits NGO’s Orissa project
Financial Assistance for Research
Support to Voluntary.....
P & G ties up with UINICEF
World Bank sanctions $500 m loan to
India
04
18
20
26
30
35
41
Water Management
Rajasthan must go back to water
harvesting
Rashtrapati Bhavan to harvest rainwater
Cyber Cafe
Raindrop by drop....
Gujarat NGO to pilot water study
This Gujarat village found water for all
Desilting tanks with a difference
A Water Miracle
Hold it, do we know what we want?
Sudden Govt, interest in water harvesting
affles NGOs
07
08
11
23
31
31
34
40
46
49
Women
Putting the second sex first
02
Sex workers launch movement to work with
freedom and...
06
Dalit women struggling to survive with
traditional jobs
3 rural women take tips from 11M
SEWA to rescue women relief workers
of Gujarat
16
33
34
June 5th - World Environment
Day
June 26th - International Anti
Drugs Day
June 26th - International Day in
Support of Torture
Victims
HIV scare, campaigns fail
to promote safe sex
People’s power
By Roll Snvastava
condom, chances are that he will go
MUMBAI:
Shecna
(name to another CSW who is not particu
changed), a 22-year-old commercial lar about the use of condom. Com
sex worker, gives a simple reason petition among CSWs is so intense
for not telling her clients to use a that a CSW insisting on the use of
condom. “Waisc bhi mama hi to condoms may find herself starving
hai, aaj nahin to kal, phir kyon yeh at the end of the day.
“It needs to be understood that it
sab kame ka, (I have to die eventuis not the CSW but the client who de
ally, then why should I bother?)”
The city's red light areas have cides whether a condom is to be used
witnessed red ribbon campaigns, or not. She has virtually no choice in
banners and posters proclaiming the matter,” says Arupa Shukla, pro
slogans like ‘Use condoms, avoid ject manager at Population Services
AIDS', and visits by celebrities pas International (PSI), an NGO.
sionately promoting the use of con Though lessons on safe sex are dili
doms. Apparently these well-mean gently given to sex workers by gov
ing campaigns have not had much ernment and non-government or-'
of an impact on either men who pa ganisations it takes an inebriated
tronise the metropolis' brothels or client or an indifferent “gharwali” to
the commercial sex workers make nonsense of them.
“Another problem is that many of
1 (CSWs); more than 50 per cent of
the CSWs and their clients are illit
whom are HIV positive.
As per the National Aids Control erate and do not know how to use a
Organisation (NACO) figures, condom or are careless in its usage,”
there were around 7.5 lakh HIV says Pandit Gavit, community de
positive cases in 1998 in Maharash velopment officer of Asha project,
tra with the source of infection in who has been involved with condom
most cases being the sexual route. promotion activities since 1992.
MrTellis notes that it is not mere
“The number of cases reported are
no indicators of the real situation,” ly enough to create awareness
says Eldred Tellis, a social worker about condoms. The need is to
who has been dealing with HIV translate the awareness into prac
tice. The awareness drives too can
cases for the past 11 years.
The distribution figures of con make a difference if they are de
doms seem to have had little impact signed properly. As experts point
on the situation in red light districts out a properly designed interven
like Kamathipura in central Mum tion programme is half the battle
bai. About 600,000 condoms are dis won. “Such drives need to be imple
tributed free every month in the D mented by NG Os with grass root
and E municipal wards where the contact with sex workers who have
red light areas are located. But this a rapport with them,” says Dr Sub
hasjailed to curb the situation. For hash Hira, director of AIDS re
example, as many as 65 per cent of search and control centre. He
CSWs examined by the Gaurabai points out that distributing free
comprehensive health care unit at condoms in these areas is not the
solution. “Such projects sound very
Kamathipura tested positive.
The low usage of condoms in red easy, but how well is the staff of the
light areas is not only because of NGOs trained to interpret these in
low levels of awareness about HIV, terventions is what actually deter
but also because of high levels of mines their effectiveness.”
Condom promotion activities are
resistance of customers to the use
an integral part of all AIDS aware
of condoms.
Said a social worker: “Most cus ness drives, according to Pramod
tomers are too drunk to bother Nigudkar, deputy director of the
about condoms. In any case, they Mumbai district AIDS control soci
think that HIV is something which ety. “But condom use means a be
always infects others.” Also, the haviour change, which has to be
CSWs have little choice in the mat brought about with innovative in
ter. They are totally in the grip of tervention programmes,” he notes.
Experts suggest that these pro
the gharwalis (brothel keepers) .
The “gharwalis” do not encourage grammes should be tailor-made for
the CSWs to insist on their cus a particular area as the same blue
tomers using condoms since they print cannot be applied everywhere.
do not want to lose clientele. If a
The Times of India
CSW insists that her customer use a
02 May 2000
7
moulds Naga
dream farm
FROM SAMIR KAR
PURKAYASTHA
Council of Agricultural Researc)
in Medziphema have already tes>
ed the soil and found the topogn
Dimapur, April 30: The people of phy suitable for mango, litchi, ba
Peren and its surrounding vil- nana and orange plantations.
Sixty-five farmers who hav<
lages have embarked upon the
task of popularising the concept of land holdings in this farmlam
development through people’s will be the direct beneficiaries. “
participation by undertaking de think we will have a good marke
for the produce and it will benefi
velopmental work themselves.
Nearly 300 villagers are en our farmers economically.
gaged in clearing nearly 3,000 Ndangsaid.
acres of jungle for the proposed
Within the farm there will be;
Dutringreu (“living spring”) rest house, a swimming pool am
farmland project and maintaining picnic spots apart from the or
and constructing the approach chard. “It will serve the dual pui
road to the farmland from the - pose of being a farm as well as ;
main road.
tourist spot,” the minister said.
“The basic idea is to revive
The minister said the project i
work culture,” said Nagaland being financed by the district plai
health and family welfare minis fund. During 1999-2000, Rs 8 lakl
ter Neiba Ndang, who has initiat has been sanctioned for clearin
ed the project.
the forest and for maintaining th
The task of clearing the entire approach road. However, in fu
stretch of hilly land and maintain ture, the minister said he wouli
ing the approach road is no mean approach the nodal department;
one. But within a span of a few of horticulture and tourism if net
days, the villagers have cleared al essary to finance the project.
Another Rs 12 lakh have beei
most half the land and made the
approach road commutable. earmarked for the project fron
“When work is fun, you don’t feel the district plan fund, the minis
the pain. You see, here it’s more ter said, adding that the amoun
like a picnic for us. We are work would be released next year.
Earlier, through people’s par
ing as well as having fun,” one of
the villagers told this correspon ticipation under the district plai
fund, several tanks were con
dent while shovelling rocks.
Not only villagers, but senior structed along the roadsides ii
government officials have also and around Peren town and it:
contributed their bit in an effort to surrounding villages.
In this hilly area, where then
improve the economic standards
of this subdivision, which has is scarcity of water, especially
been neglected economically by during winter, these tanks servi
as reservoirs.
successive governments.
Within these 3,000 acres of
The Telegrapl
land, various types of fruit will be
01 May 2000
grown. Experts from the Indian
News You Can Use
Putting the second
sex first
this led to a greater participation.
The Durbar Mahila Samanway Committee
works with sex-workers and involves-them in
their .awareness campaigns related to sexually
transmitted diseases and Aids. "Sex-workers
are trapped in a nexus weaved by the client,
By Reshmi engupta
landlord, police, local clubs and madams. They
hen women's NGOs were formed are exploited to the hilt and treated as anything
way back in the late-70s in Kolkata, but human beings. DMSC struggles to make
many women and even a greater them conscious of their rights," says Ishika
number of men were sceptical about their via Bose, liaison officer of the organisation. They
bility and purpose. While men were sure that have formed self-regulatory boards comprising
these organisations foster streaks of friction, doctors, lawyers and sex-workers.
women were not even aware that domestic This body checks trafficking, rescues minors
problems could be redressed outside the closet. and accompanies the police during raids. Fur
Initially dealing with social welfare and ther, a cooperative bank for monthly and daily
development programmes, they were affiliated savings has been set up and a Positive Hotline
io political parties and had little to do with for counselling and legal aid offers strength.
women issues. The last few years have regis Field officer, Surangama Mitra says, "We are
tered a change; the cause for their surfacing struggling to decriminalise the flesh trade and
change working conditions. We have set up
becoming more brutal than ever.
Nari Nirjatan Pratirodh Mancha, formed in schools for the young as well as adult learning
1983. takes an active role in organising agita centres. Middle-aged women out of work par
tions, demonstrations and campaigns against ticipate in social marketing that includes selling
atrocities on women. "Initially we scanned the contraceptives and increasing awareness of
newspapers to identify cases that needed help. their use among the workers. Doctors check the
The rape of a minor by the police in Ranchi, sex-workers regularly in their clinics. ”
was among the first major case we took up. DMSC has spread its network over the whole
Through campaigns and leaflets, the people country and in the Asia-Pacific region. It works
were involved and we were successful in creat in coordination \vith many NGOs and there are
ing an awareness among the masses," says some 65 centres in West Bengal. Sex-workers
Maitreyi Chatterjee, a women's rights activist. are trained as health-educators and research
In 1983, while working with slum-dwellers, officers. The policy-making body comprises
anti-socials threatened the local women against sex-workers in equal strength. They are funded
any involvement with the NNPM. Not affected by the Government of England and through
on (heir path of justice, they fought for Archana donations and subscriptions. "These days
Guha against the government. Archana was NGOs act as a conscience to the government,
arrested in 1997 under the lyfaintenance of whereby we create examples that they follow.
Internal Security Act and tortuidd for 27 years And while NGOs are flexible, welfare schemes
in the Lalbazaar Police Station by police officer of the government get trapped in bureaucracy,"
says Indrani Sinha of Sanlaap.
Runu Guha Niyogi.
After aggressive campaigning, the case was A Kolkata-based NGO, Sanlaap also works
moved for a hearing in 1987. The legal proce with sex-workers and has three shelter homes
dure was a long-drawn hassle but in 1996 the for children, in the age group of six to 12, for
convict was given exemplary punishment for those rescued from trafficking and as drop-inone year. This achievement by NNPM' was ccntres. Corporate houses, individual donors,
applauded but the damage was already done. foreign organisations and the government help
with funds.
Archana was paralysed and left traumatised.
Despite the latent anti-women prejudice, The reception to these NGOs for the cause of
recognition was won by several NGOs. NNPM women upliftment has changed. "Earlier these
now offers free counselling, legal aid to dis were service-oriented, now they fight for equal
tressed women and fights for victims of sexual rights.” says Ms Sinha. The government recog
harassment. The attitude of -people towards nises the contribution of NGOs in improving
these organisations have undergone a radical the socio-economic status of women.
change. "Women come for help with their fam And with their constant effort, it will not take
ilies. They are forthcoming but the mind-set of long to register their participation in the coun
men has yet to undergo change," says Ms Chat try's welfare schemes.
terjee.
The Asian Age
However the first generation of this move
02 May 2000
ment for an awareness of equal rights for
women 'was restricted to the middle and upper
middle class. The cases dealt with were primar
ily of dowry, bride burning and physical vio
lence related to marital discord. Since the mid80s. a few NGOs even involved victims who
had to begin life anew after the battle in their
policy-making body. An encouraging move.
S
W
Working for a
secure life for
disabled
THOUGH VISUALLY handicapped, the ordeals <»l
life never impeded him. Today he is working to ensure
a brighter future for the disabled.
Mr Pincha, a former Joint Director with
Department of Social Welfare, Assam, is busy chart
ing a new direction as the regional manager of the
non-governmental organisation, Action Aid.
He came to Jorhat in Assam after completing his
schooling from Chum in Rajasthan and studied to
become a postgraduate in economics and a lawyer.
finally opening the Jorhat Blind Institution where he
served as the principal for 19 years.
Mr Pincha, who has taken a loan from the Stale
Government after putting in 22 years of service to
work for Action Aid, has his action plan ready to work
in the north-east. "Although disability is one compo
nent of the entire Action Aid programme, we hope to
begin with a detailed study on the disabled of the
region, a thing never done before, ” Mr Pincha said.
Despite being a government servant, his fight with
the Government for the right of the disabled is leg
endary. When he was deprived professionally, he weni
io court ana won a favourable judgement, which saw
him to the post of Joint Director, Directorate of Social
Welfare.
But his ability to handle all kinds of problem in a
huge department like Social Welfare, where he was
also the acting director for some time, fetched him the
best visually handicapped employees award from the
President in 1998.
However, his frustration is growing. "Although the
country has more than ‘70 million disabled persons.
there has been a visible lack of political will to help
them. The disabled are not organised and we do noi
constitute a political threat", he lamented.
He is of the view that a large section of the bureau
cracy was insensitive to the disabled.
"There are well intentioned people but they are not
always aware of how to help the disabled. More
importantly, more disabled should be employed in the
changed economic scenario prevailing now.”
A separate directorate for disabled within (he
Directorate of Social Welfare should be created, he
feels. “There should be some sort of monitoring group
at the district level by an NGO for smooth implemen
tation of the Disabled Act, "he says.
(UNI)
The Hindustan Times
01 May 2000
CDL Media Clippings 2
Literacy weapon to fight poverty
GO
HE Union Budget has plac
ed additional emphasis
on elementary education
by raising the plan allocation
from Rs 2,931 crores to Rs
3,729 crores. Unable to achieve
the goal of universaiisation of
elementary education by 2000,
the ministry of human resources
development has now set the
target of achieving 75 per
cent literacy by 2005.
A new department of ele
mentary education and literacy
has been created to give a
new thrust to these efforts.
The ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan*
scheme, aimed at enrolling all
school-going children by 2003,
and expansion of the district
primary education programme
to cover the remaining districts
In Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal,
Orissa and Gujarat have also
been envisaged.
India has the largest number
of illiterates, despite having
the second largest education
system in the world after China.
Though enrollment data and
age-specific literacy rates sug
gest we have made great strides
In expanding the approach to
education, the country ranking
132 in the world on the
human development index de
picts that we have a long way
to go. The 1981 census report
ed that 314 million Indians
were illiterate, the 1991 census
figures point out the the number
of illiterates has risen to 325
million — an increase of 2
million per year.
A state subject until the
42nd Amendment in 1977,
education got shifted to the
T
I
il
I
Concurrent List and became
the Joint responsibility of the
state and central governments.
The proposed Bill to make
elementary education a funda
mental right was to have been
introduced in the winter session
of Parliament last year. Instead
of providing good quality edu
cation at affordable cost, to
bring about social change and
social justice, the
real responsibility
of the State seems
to have got diverted.
Be it the uninspiring
content in curricu
lum or the most
dispiriting manner
children are taught,
the crux of the mat
ter has a lot to do
with typical atti
tudes and misplac
ed priorities. Expen
diture on education
is 3.4 per cent of
the GDP against the
world average of
4.6 per cent.
A recent study
by the Centre of
Concern for Child
Labour
indicates
only 32 out of 110 million in
the country of school-going
age are in. schools and the
problem being quite severe
among girls belonging to the
Scheduled Castes and Tribes.
Some estimates suggest that
to achieve education for all
children globally, over $7 billion
needs to be spent for the next
ten years. This is less than
the amount spent annually in
the US oh cosmetics and ice
cream in Europe. Nearly 50
per cent of the population
have been deprived of reading
or writing. Of the 50 per cent
who are able, 25 per cent are
dropouts of the eight standard.
With the lowest literacy rates
in the world, only 62 Indians
out of 100 are able to read or
write. While 66 out of 100
ensured a marked improvement
in facilities but it has had
precious little effect on either
the percentage of enrolment
or the retention of students.
Incentive
schemes
for
popularising education have at
tracted the students of the
weaker sections into schools.
As per the Fifth All India
Educational Survey, some 1.47
lakh
primary
schools out of 5.29
lakh, were providing
mid-day meals to
nearly: 136 lakh
children; 2.5 lakh
schools were pro
viding free uniform
to over 110 lakh
children and 202
lakh children were
getting free text
books in 3.13 lakh
schools. Recently,
the NCERT has
evolved a frame
work
for
basic
men can read and write, only
38 out of 100 women can do
so. It is lower than in Ghana,
Myanmar and Zambia. Especial
ly in Baramer District of
Rajasthan, only 17 women out
of 100 can read and write.
Eradicating illiteracy con
tinues to remain on the national
agenda in a piecemeal fashion.
Operation Blackboard, launched
during the Eighth Plan, has
school education.
The action-oriented
policy note, to re
view school curricu
lum and make it
relevant to life, has
suggested replacement of the
yearly exam system with a
continuous and comprehensive
evolution. Unlcefs ‘Children's
Code Bill' has recommended
to the Centre to effect several
amendments to the existing
provisions for the rights of
children including free educa
tion for all below the age of
14. schools in each state at a
distance of every one-km and
punishment for parents who
inhibit their children to avail
educational facilities.
Since various studies have
found that education has not
received the attention it de
serves, a coherent policy is
imperative to draw children
into schools. The focus of
education must cover cognitive
as well as inter-personal skills
and the class-room pedagogy
has to be in tune with the
cultural context of the pupil.
The barriers against girls’ edu
cation need to be smashed.
Besides promoting equality of
access of education and oppor
tunity to all, the curriculum
necessarily has to be sensitive
to the needs of special children
including
those who come
from disadvantaged sections.
As the whole intent of educa
tion is to prepare a learner,
teachers have to be considered
as active partners In the devel
opment process. Their working
conditions and reward system,
especially in private schools,
merit Improvement to motivate
them towards better perform
ance. Proactive HRD practices
must aim at giving encourage
ment to indigenous thinking,
innovations and such contribu
tions ought to be highlighted.
Above all, It needs to be
recognised that education in
Itself does not avoid poverty
but it helps to fight It better.
Therefore, it is important to
look at education as a central
strand to fight poverty.
Aarti
The Observer
03 May 2000
News You Can Use
Cause for concern
The tuberculosis cases have increased in India at a menacing
rate in recent years. The country holds the dubious record of
having the world’s largest TB infected population: a third of the
detected global TB patients live here. Naturally, the World
Health Organisation has targeted India for its largest anti-TB
programme. But India’s efforts to combat the return of the dead
liest communicable diseases are sadly insufficient. Both the
Centre and the States have taken the responsibility in a casual
manner. As the parliamentary standing committee dealing with
the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare pointed out in its
recent report, the money allocated for the National TB Control
Programme was seldom spent in full during the past three
financial years. This is quite serious a situation. Last year, the
Centre had allocated Rs 105 crore for the Revised National TB
Control Programme (RNTBCP) launched in 1993-94. The money
is disbursed to the States and Union Territories who implement
it. But only Rs 95 crore was disbursed. The previous year, only
Rs 72 crore was disbursed as against an allocation of Rs 125
crore. The reason: the States have not been able to spend the
money received from the Centre. Existing rules do not allow the
Centre to make fresh allocations unless the State concerned
spent the amount disbursed during the previous financial year.
This also raises serious questions whether the States allocate
and spend matching amount for the programme. The parlia
mentary committee, headed by Mr S B Chavan, has not probed
this aspect. Nor has the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
given sufficient attention to this.
This raises doubts about the Ministry's assertion that
the country would exceed the World Bank project target of cov
ering 350 million people under the programme. Though, accord
ing to Ministry records, 131 districts across the country cover
ing 290 million people have been covered under the programme
by mid-1999, this may be only a matter of record than being a
reality as such. As the committee suggested, at the state-level,
the machinery for the implementation of various programmes
for control of communicable diseases at the State level is very
weak and organised in an ad hoc manner. Often, officers are
transferred, giving them no time to implement the programme.
It is time the Centre and the States treated these issues with the
attention they deserved.
Deccan Herald
03 May 2000
Haryana plans to launch
campaign against AIDS
Chandigarh, May 4
A STATE-WIDE awareness campaign would be launched in Haryana to
create awakening about AIDS, HIV and sexually transmitted diseases
among four lakh students of 9th to 11th classes studying in about 4,000
schools in the State, an official statement said on Friday.
A family health awareness campaign would be launched in all districts
of the State from next month to make the people conscious about sexual
ly transmitted diseases and the Government would spend Rs 1.50 crore
on this campaign, the statement quoting Director General Health
Services, P L Jindal said.
....
x
(PTn
Tackling child labour
Karnataka Governor V S Rama Devi’s lament that many of the
laws aimed at checking child labour are not being enforced
properly in the State has not come a day too soon. Her state
ment at a function organised to mark the State-level Anti Child
Labour Day in Bangalore on Sunday that though the menace of
child labour is being increasingly practised by the rich class,
little is being done to book these “influential violators” is also
true. No doubt, there are innumerable laws prohibiting child
labour, especially in hazardous manufacturing industries such
as match-box, fireworks and glassware units. If laws have failed
to check child labour, the.reasons are not far to seek. There
seems to be no political will to check the menace. Official apa
thy too has contributed to this malady in no small measure. But
then, child labour should also be treated as a major socio-eco
nomic problem as economic exploitation of children has been
on the rise.
One solution to the problem is the strict implementation
of the constitutional provision for free and compulsory primary
education to children. Probably the socio-economic conditions
of the parents in rural areas might force them make their chil
dren work instead of going to schools and this issue is to be
tackled in a pragmatic way. The employers of the child workers
should be made to bear part of the expenditure towards educa
tion inculcated without hamperirtg the earning capacity of child
workers. Only then, there might be some improvement in the
otherwise disheartening scenario. Public awareness too is a
must to eradicate this problem. Every agency, government, pub
lic or otherwise, should help implement compulsory primary
education for children as also discourage engaging children as
labourers.
_
Deccan Herald
03 May 2000
Ministry
disburses
•Rs 1,300 cr
• in loans
the Ministry.
Disclosing this to the
Consultative Committee, of
Parliament. Union Minister of
.Social Justice Maneka Gandhi
said the corporations were di
rected’ to expand their coverage
iby' <erthancing the number of
THE MINISTRY of Social. Justice ’Government channelising agen
and Empowerment has given out cies.
•loans worth over Rs 1,300 crores
Some of the corporations had
to more than six lakh people be commenced the- scheme of direct
longing to weaker sections of the lending to help out the enterpris
society. The loans Were disbursed ing and needy persons of the
through various corporations un weaker sections.
der the administrative control of
The Pioneer
05 May 2000
The Hindustan Times
05 May 2000
CDL Media Clippings 4
Thirsty lands
of western India
VER five crore people across the country have been
estimated to be affected so far by the current spell of the
drought. In Rajasthan, 26 out of 32 districts are said to be
faced with acute scarcity of food and water. The worst drought in a
hundred years is faced by Gujarat where water riots have broken
out in several districts. A vast majority of the population in Madhya
Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa are in the throes of a severe
water crisis. Scarcity of fodder has reportedly hit over scores of
milch cattle. The forecast of a deficit monsoon in the entire country
is yet another cause for concern.
Relief measures in the form of money to the tune of Rs 954.43
crore have been disbursed and fodder/potable water is being
supplied to the affected regions by special trains. District collectors
have been directed to take up transportation of drinking water on a
priority basis to remote areas where all sources of water have dried
up. For meeting the shortage of fodder, the help of non
governmental organisations is being sought. Notwithstanding the
Union government's decision to release 20 kg of foodgrains to each
family in the drought-affected areas .at below-the-poverty-level rates,
it apparently needs to be effectively implemented so that such relief
reaches the intended beneficiaries.
Though drought is a natural phenomenon, ruthless and largescale destruction of flora (including forests) and fauna by human
beings, as various studies indicate, has contributed considerably to
the failure of rains in several places in the country.
Poverty, massive population, mounting air pollution, change in
land-use patterns like shifting cultivation and deforestation, unchecked
■ urbanisation, inadequate public health systems, low literacy levels,
etc have accelerated the pace of environmental decay. Consequently,
its adverse impact on the cropping pattern has been significant.
Notably, owing to scanty and untimely rains, many farmers are
encouraged to switch from traditional crops to cash crops, with the
latter requiring far more water than the former. This has had its
effect on the water table. With no fresh water sources, the existing
ones are fast depleting.
Primarily, the piece-meal approach of handling the drought — be
it supplying fodder to animals and food to the people or releasing
money earmarked under the National Calamity Fund scrupulously
over the years — has not helped in the long run. More so because,
without the active involvement of the people, lack of awareness.
foresight, political will and the failure of the state machinery to
grapple with it has compounded the situation.
With 70 per cent of the population engaged directly or indirectly
in farming and related activities, repeated droughts have affected
the country’s economy in several ways. Particularly, in agriculture,
low yields of crops, the net sown area all-lndia average hovering at
just 43 per cent, is a cause for worry.
Further, the benefits of green revolution have been emphatic only
in areas endorsed with good rainfall or water resources. Dry land
areas which represent nearly 66 per cent of the cultivated area
have yet to register increase in agricultural productivity.
Despite foodgrain production having crossed 200 million tonne,
40 per cent of the population who live below the poverty line are
the worst affected. Basically, lack of post-harvest management is
resulting in wastage of nearly 10 per cent of food products and 30
per cent of horticulture products; foodgrain wasted last year could
have easily fed about 118 million people.
Apart from measures to increase national productivity of foodgrains
(since the all-lndia area under cultivation has been going down)
reviving''.(fry . land Terming and reclaiming fallow lands merit
consideration. Besides envisaging sustainability in agricultural
growth', ‘ religious'" implementation of afforestation programmes.
effective watershed management, optimal utilisation of water.
O
5
construction of checkdams at catchment areas and maintaining
agricultural ponds in drought-prone areas, it is imperative that the
community and panchayati raj institutions are empowered to deal
with drought at the grassroot level to help change the scenario.
“ The~Observer *,rti
05 May 2000
Adopt 2-kid norm, win
incentives, is the new
UP government mantra
By Blswajeet Banerjee
LUCKNOW: To lure its employees to adopt (he
small family norm, the slate government has decid
ed to go the way consumer market is going. The
mantra is clear: have two children and walk away
with a monthly cash incentive.
Those employees/officials who decide not to have
more than two children will be paid a monthly incentive based on their salary scale and position. Il
could range anything from Rs 150 to Rs 580 per
month, said a senior government official.
On April 18, the state government issued an order
asking employees to adopt the Voluntary Family
Planning Project(VFPP) and in return they would
be paid an incentive.
“This is a noble attempt of the stale government
asking its employees to help arrest the population
boom,” said a senior official of the health depart
ment. “The incentive may not be much, but it is a to
ken gesture which government employees should
appreciate,” he said.
_ No one is sure as to how much burden this project
will have on the state exchequer.“The only thing we
know at this point of time is that the incentive will
drawn from the salary head in respective depart
ments,” said an official.
VFPP was initially launched in February 23,1980
at the initiative of the then prime minister Indira
Gandhi.The project was, however, shelved in 1996.
Two years later the state government decided to re
view this policy and after a thorough review, it was
re-launched with retrospective effect.
To be eligible for the incentive, the employee con
cerned will have to give an affidavit that they do not
have more than two children.
And if a third child is born, the employees are sup
posed to inform their superiors that they were no
longer eligible. “We will go by the voluntary declara
tion of the employee but random checks will be car
ried out to verify the claims,” said the government
official.
However, a section of officials is skeptical about
this random check. In more than 50 per cent cases.
while the employee works in a city, his family mem
bers live in villages.
“Who will go to villages to verify the claims?
Everything will depend on mutual trust,” said an of
ficial in the health department.
The government order is, however, silent on the up
per age limit up to which the incentive would be ap-
phcabie.
Tjmes of India
05 May 2000
News You Can Use
Sex workers launch movement to;
work with freedom and dignity '
The effort at Mahabalipuram
was to converge diverse little
streams into a major national
movement. While all that may not
be easy, especially with entrenched
interests standing in the way, a be
ginning has certainly been made.
By Kalpana Jain
for Development Research and fives, the sex workers are address- .perhaps
‘
towards a wider women’s
The Times of India News Service Training which has also helped or- ing various issues: be it condom use movement, says Shyamala Ashok.
MAHABALIPURAM:
This ganisations to bring the women here, by clients, or the issue of children
The Times of India
tourist haven, where Lord Vishnu So in small pockets around the being pushed into prostitution, or
vanquished demon king Mahabali country, with the help of the collec- women lnfected wlth HIV
05 May 2000
in the battle between good and evil,
last week witnessed the beginning
of another battle by sex workers for
working with dignity and freedom
from harassment.
Over 200 women, who earn their
livelihood as sex workers, came to
gether here to launch a nationwide
HE world of Prayelal came
and widening of a fleet of
and get used to them and
movement for dignity and personal
to an abrupt end after
.ambulance vehicles for carrying
teams from the manch are
freedom.They came from different
an accident robbed him
patients to hospitals and trans
conducting periodic camps in
cultures and spoke different
of his right leg, or so he
port bodies to the crematoria.
different parts of the country
longues, but they were one on the
thought
till
a
charitable
to reach the disabled.
“We used to distribute
issues: Sex work should be de-crim
organisation came to his aid.
The 300 branches of the
Jaipur Foot at first but decided
inalised and recognised as any oth
With an artificial leg provided
foundation have fitted over
to manufacture our own artifi
er form of labour. Children of sex
by the All India Marwari Yuva
20,000 limbs and calipers to
cial limbs following which our
workers should have access to good
Foundation, Prayelal
today
the disabled. Each limbs costs
technicians at Siliguri research
schools and educators who would
trundles a cycle-rickshaw haul
around Rs 1000 but they are
and development facility came
not discriminate.
ing goods and supports a
provided free of cost. “The
up with the Shakti Foot, an
Their three-day meeting was the
family. He is just one among
Shakti artificial limbs are made
improved and durable version
first time that sex workers were
hundreds who have benefitted
up of high density poly ethylene
of Jaipur Foot", he says.
joining forces for a wider common
by the foundation.
with the foot part fitted with
cause: NGOs have in the past tried
‘‘We have no problem with
rubber soles to accommodate
to initiate a movement to protect
The idea of establishing a
financing these projects as
any kind of body weight, says
them against the AIDS virus. Most
charitable organisation to help
Narian Singh, a technician
of those attending the meeting
the kind of Prayelal came
working for the foundation.
were peer leaders, who would go
when P N A Tharakan, a
"With this kind of limb all
back to their groups and create
senior journalist, suggested to
Maintenance free, the movement is possible as the
awareness.
one of his friends, belonging
foot part is made up of durable
Shakti limbs are not
So, the life of dingy brothels, ex
to the marwari community,
rubber so that it compresses
ploitative madams and hard, forced
that a part of the community’s
affected by mud
according to" the body weight,
labour, was pul past them.The em
wealth could be utilised in
or water, can be
which passes from upper part
phasis was on offering solutions to
charity for the benefit of the
used with or without
to the ground", he explains.
bring about positive changes. For
physically challenged. This is
instance, Sadhana Mukheijee,a sex
footwear and
Maintenance free-, the Shakti
how the National Marwari Foun
worker from Calcutta, talked about
limbs are not affected by mud
dation came into being with
one of the most
the co-operatives that have been
or water, can be used with or
their ‘move
India vision’.
flexible and
set up to provide a social safety net
without footwear and one jof
Tharkan now works, as an
for the workers. She has travelled
lightest limbs In the
the most flexible and lightest
advisor though he does not
extensively in the last two years or
limbs in the world.
world
belong to the community.
so. and talked of experiences in Los
’ "Our basic aim is to eradi
"Our trust has resolved
Angeles. Australia and Thailand to
cate immobility by providing
not to leave a single disabled
convince others that sex work is no
limbs to the needy as a
grounded’’, says Anil Jaina,
different from any other work.
nation cannot march ahead
president
of
the
foundation.
marwaris
are
one
of
the
wealthi
This sentiment was well taken.
without
movement and action.
est communities", Jaina says.
“When I was forced to take up the
With 300 branches, the
The manch has resolved to
profession, I felt I was committing a
Tharakan says that the foun
Siliguri-headquartered
trust
remove the feeling of helpless
sin," said Shabana. who travelled
dation had offered its service
has undertaken the ambitious
ness from the minds of the
from Sangli in Maharashtra to join
to
armed
forces
during
the
project of declaring Assam
disabled, who for want of
(his group.“Ndw, I don’t feel so. I’m
Kargil
conflict
to
equip
crippled
and Bihar ‘disable-free’ by
money, due to ignorance or
not making anyone unhappy. In
soldiers with artificial limbs.
2005 by equipping each physi
indifferent attitude of people
fact. 1 am looking after my entire
He said that the job of the
cally challenged person with
fell condemned by fate to
family, without stealing or cheating
free artificial limb, Jaina claims.
foundation would not be limited
spend the rest of their lives in
anybody."
Among a variety of social
to providing limbs. Efforts are
misery", fpr/j
“Already collectives of these
service activities, two notable
made to ensure that the dis
women are being formed, basic
efforts of the manch are free
abled get over their initial
Yangar Thakkar
problems are being identified and
distribution of artificial limbs
reluctance to use the limbs
they are being empowered to pro
The Observer
tect themselves against HIV," said
05 May 2000
Shyamala Ashok, who heads Society
Helping disabled march ahead
T
CDL Media Clippings 6
Rajasthan must go back to water
harvesting
Satyen Mohapatra
New Delhi, May 3
rains can be gauged from the fact that one hectare of land if
it gets just 100 mm rainfall, the yield is 1 million litres of
water.
In its own office, the CSE harvests 3.60 lakh litres of rain
water annually from its roof by storing and using it to re
charge ground water.
The Hindustan Times
04 May 2000
F TRADITIONAL rainwater harvesting structures had
been maintained and encouraged in Rajasthan perhaps
the State would have had sufficient water resources to
fight the drought.
Interestingly, India has 300 mm more average rain than the
world average of 800 mm though a large amount of it is
allowed to run into the river and not collected for proper
utilisation, say sources at the Centre for Science and
Environment.
In Rajasthan, modem methods of piped water supply from
rivers had only resulted in people getting totally dependent
on it neglecting their traditional systems, which got into dis
use.
The government’s drive in popularising and going in for
more and more deep bore wells for getting water led only to
the water table going down, sources say, as very little was
done to popularise the need for re charging ground water.
In the desert towns of Rajasthan roof lop.water harvesting
was a common practice. The sloping roofs of the houses
were used to collect the rain water which was taken through
a pipe into underground 'tanka'(tank), sometimes as big as a
I
room built in the main house or the courtyard.
Interestingly, the first spell of the rain was not to be col
lected and be used to clean the roof and the pipes.
This would not only meet the drinking water needs of the
household, sometimes rooms would be built next to the tank
which would be the coolest in the hot summer.
Another traditional rainwater harvesting system in
Rajasthan was the Kund.
It was a simple saucer shaped structure, a circular depres
sion of about 50 feet diameter whose sides were plastered
with lime and ash.
As water would naturally flow down to the centre along all
the sides, a tank was built at the centre to collect and store
the water. A dome shaped cover was given on top known as
‘bhida* made from phog plant and plastered with mud.
The kund had two three openings from which rainwater
could enter. The water from kunds was strictly used for
drinking purposes. The kund system has totally deteriorated
today, say sources in the CSE.
According to the CSE, the Government should promote
such traditional structures which are life saving at time of
drought. The quantum of water which is unleashed through
7
NGO members held
for distributing
‘obscene’ literature
HT Correspondent
New Delhi, May 5
*
CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES are not the only ones
under attack in Uttar Pradesh. It is now the turn of
NGOs to face the brunt of public ire.
On April 20, 11 members of Sahyog, a society for
participatory rural development based in Almora,
were taken into police custody on charges of purvey
ing "obscene** literature.
It all stemmed from the fact that about six months
ago, the organisation had conducted a survey on
AIDS in the region. It had subsequently published a
report titled AIDS aur Hum for circulation among
other NGOs in the region. A copy of the report was
leaked to the local Press.
Since then, there has been a systematic campaign by
certain quarters to defame, harass and intimidate
members of Sahyog.
Recently, a meeting of Sahyog was disrupted and
two workers were beaten up. This was followed by the
ransacking of Sahyog's registered office.
When the members of the organisation appealed for
police protection, arrest warrants were issued in their
names. Five of those held were subsequently released
but the six chief office bearers continue to be behind
bars. Bail has been refused at least thrice though no
criminal charges have been made against the Sahyog
members. Local parties are exerting pressure on the
local administration not to grant bail. The campaign
against Sahyog is reportedly being orchestrated solely
by the residents of Almora town. The villagers among
whom Sahyog worked are solidly behind the organisa
tion and have even raised a large sum of money for
posting bail.
The members of Sahyog have repeatedly apologised
for the so-called "obscene language" used in the
report.
They said that certain words are unavoidable in a
document concerning AIDS but they are ready to
apologise if local sentiments have been hurt. This has,
however, cut no ice with the protesters, who refuse to
spell out what form of apology or recantation will sat
isfy them. They demand that the NGO be derecog
nised and its funding stopped.
The Hindustan Times
06 May 2000
News You Can Use
Peoples vs human rights in hills
FROM ANAND SOONDAS
Lucknow, May 5: Cutting across religion,
caste and political persuasions, people of
Almora have come together in castigating an
"errant NGO” which dared to point crooked
fingers at their moral and sexual ethos.
Earlier this week, in a two-and-half page
judgment, the Almora chiefjudicial magis
trate refused bail to five activists of the NGO,
Sahyog, on the grounds that its report on
AIDS threatened to destroy local peace. The
magistrate said the activists might “ab
scond” if granted bail.
So, Abhijit Dasgupta, his wife Yashodara,
Satish, Sunita and Atul are in jail in “protec
tive custody” for the last 15 days. No one is
given permission to meet them. Abhijit’s
eight-year-old daughter Diya, living with a
family friend in Lucknow, will move the
Allahabad High Court on Monday with a bail
petition.
NGOs and civil rights groups, however,
allege that in trying to assuage local senti
ment, the court and the district administra
tion have trampled on basic human rights.
“It's for their (the jailed activists) own go
od,” justifies Almora district magistrate D.K.
Verma. “If they are granted bail and rele
ased, they will be lynched by the people. The
people are furious, anything can happen.”
Sahyog had miffed the locals by its re
search methodology and the rather explicit
report on the AIDS menace in the hill town. It
had referred to certain local practices in an
unflattering manner.
Explicit language, complete with repeat
ed references to the genitalia and other
private parts, had made the 20-page report
sound more like a chapter out of a porno
graphic book. Some parts of the report have
gone to the extent of describing homosexual
and heterosexual practices as “typical of
Almora”.
The report also contains “conversations”
between lovemaking partners.
When copies of the report were circulated
among the residents, embarrassment was
followed by anger and then violence. On
April 20, nearly 40 volunteers, along with
some Sahyog activists, were attacked by
the local people.
They were “detained” in rain for more
than seven hours, while a woman activist
was forced to read out the offending portions,
prompting the administration to swing into
action. The NGO was banned and some of its
activists arrested.
People of Almora are still simmering with
discontent. On May 2, a bandh was observed
in the hill town and nearly 5,000 people gath
ered on the streets calling for stringent
action against the NGO. All political parties
came together on a single platform to
condemn the “assault” on the dignity of the
“simple hill people”.
“How can anyone digest such a report?”
asks an enraged Verma. “There are so many
things that are utter rubbish.” He says the re
port is notjust factually incorrect but also de
meaning. Most Almora men work outside
the district and so are “potent and possible”
carriers of the disease, Verma quotes the
report as saying.
“The report says that many from the re
gion join the army, and hence many soldiers
might be carrying the disease. The whole Kumaon regiment is very unhappy about it. It is
good that they are in prison for some time.”
adds Verma.
Although lawyers fighting Sahyog's
case don't want to comment on the report,
they feel it is not right to detain the activists
even if they have “printed such an inadmissi
ble thing”.
Tulika Srivastava, a professor of Luc
know University and a rights activist, says:
“I don't understand the report. But the fact is
that bail has to be granted. It is a blatant
violation of human rights.”
But the question most people from Almo
ra are asking is: “What about the human
wrong?”
The Telegraph
06 May 2000
Rashtrapati Bhavan to harvest rainwater
Satyen Mohapatra
New Delhi, May 5
A MAJOR programme of water
harvesting is on at the Rashtrapati
Bhavan that could serve as
an inspiration to the nation regard
ing the importance of saving
rainwater.
The Presidential Estate covering
an area of 133 hectares receives
water amounting to 812 million
litres per year in the form of rain
fall. The idea now is to tap this
source by capturing all the rainwa
ter that falls on Rashtrapati
Bhavan to augment the water
requirement of the estate as well as
re charge the ground water.
According to sources at the
Centre
for *
Science
and
Environment that developed the
plan for water harvesting at
Rashtrapati Bhavan, there has
been an alarming decline of
WATER HARVESTING PROGRAMME IN RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN
The Presidents Estate covers an
812 million min water every year.
If this is collected and conserved
instead of allowing it to drain
away. It can cater to a large
proportion of the demand.
Talkatora
Gardens
Mughal Gardens
'Johad
President’s
Estate (Qf
staiff.-qa^rters
Swimming
Recharge
Shaft
South Avenue
. Recharge Weil
J
Northj Avenue
f
y.
itminiii
i< — 1 Lakh litre underground!
<
Recharge Well 3
Graphic by VINEY
ground water levels in the estate.
Following
President
KR
Narayanan attending one of the
seminars on water harvesting con
ducted by environmentalist Anil
ir
i—__ I
—storage tank
I*---------
--------- IF
Agarwal, Director, Centre for
Science and Environment the idea
of rain water harvesting at the
President's Estate was mooted.
The scheme is being implement
ed by Central Grounu Water
Board (CGWB) and Central
Public
Works
Department
(CPWD).
Water need of the Rashtrapati
Bhavan is very high as besides the
President, there are about 7.000
people residing in the Presidential
Estate and approximately 3,000
people visit the presidential
premises everyday. There are also
the Mughal Gardens in the estate.
which require a lot of water.
The total demand is about 2 mil
lion litres of water per day (730
million litres per year). Presently
this demand is met through the
New Delhi Municipal Corporation
supply and the President's Estate’s
own borewells. Untreated raw
water from the Yamuna river is
used for the Mughal Gardens.
The water level has gone down
by 2 to 7 meters in the past decac^.
One well has also run dry.
The Hindustan Times
06 May 2000
CDL Media Clippings 8
"Presently the institution has twelve girls
from the tribe between 8 to 24 years. They live
in hostels along with the girls from main
anchhra tribe, a part of ‘vimukta jati*. stream society so that they get integrated,”
lives in Mandsaur and Neemuch dis said Pushpa Sinha, Joint Secretary of
tricts of Madhya Pradesh. The young Kasturba Gram.
girls of the tribal community are forced into
The Madhya Pradesh Government
prostitution as soon as they attain puberty. launched the ’Nirmal Abhiyan* scheme in
And all this for earning a livelihood.
Mandsaur intended to free the district from
During the Mughal rule, the women of this prostitution. During the ’Nirmal Abhiyan’
region were physically assaulted and thus drive officials found that 550 girls were
started a sad tale of women being treated as engaged in prostitution. 200 girls were sent to
commodities. Later on girls were bought and ‘Mahila Sudhar Griha’ in Indore. The UNICEF
sold in the region. Traditionally a farming has acknowleged that the ‘Nirmal Abhiyan’
community, the feudal ‘zamindari* system and scheme can go a long way in rescuing the
falling land productivity gradually combined girls.
to draw this tribe to prostitution In modern
However, the stories are different. Pushpa
times, joblessness and poverty gripped the of Basakheri village, who was married by the
community.
’Abhiyan’ says, "The Government got me mar
The birth of a girl child becomes a cause ried. I have the certificate. Do you know what
for celebration in the tribe. However, celebra kind of married life I am leading? My husband
tions are for other reasons. Out of 3 to 4 girls has left me in the lurch. I have children. My
born in a family, two are pushed into prostitu marriage took place on February 10. 1999 at
tion.
Shirkheri village. After marriage when I went
Laxmi. 22. a Banchhra woman, presently to his house I came to know that he has chil
doing a nurse’s training course in Kasturba dren from his previous marriage. I was forced
Gram at Indore, wants to become a doctor. She to,leave his house after 10 days of marriage, as
says. "As the only earning member of the fam it was difficult to face humiliations. He used to
ily. 1 was sold to a roadside ‘dhaba* owner. beat me up everyday. Now, I have no other
Later on, I was married to a truck driver. I option left to keep my children alive but pros
never went to my in-laws house. Banchhra titution."
girls are perennial targets of truck drivers.
A change in the attitude can go a long way
Ultimately, these girls are left in the lurch."
in ending this inhuman practice. Collaborative
Laxmi was freed from the pernicious prac
efforts should be encouraged to end commodi
tice by a young, ebullient lady officer working
fication on women.
in Department of
Women and Child
Development. Another Banchhra girl, Babita,
CHARKHA FEATURES
18. who intends to become a lawyer, says,
Deccan
Herald
"Girls from about 150 families in my village
have been pushed into the flesh trade.”
06 May 2000
In her study on the tribe, 'Sadhana Pathak,
a journalist, discovered that not all families
are dependent on prostitution for a living.
Some families are engaged in farming and a
few women also do sewing and other related
activities. However, dependence on the flesh
trade has turned the men into parasites.
“Is not flesh trade, child traffick
ing and sexual exploitation rampant
in our society? Society is some way
yber-cafes and bullock
or the other engaged in humiliating
carts exist side by side in
women • be it molestation, rape,
the villages of the extreme
abduction or forcible marriage. All the cities.
ly backward and tribal Dhar dis
big or small, have red light areas so why
trict in Madhya Pradesh. And the
defame our community alone?” asks Babita.
unlettered farmers there are
"Girls of our tribe are pushed into prostitu
using e-mail with felicity.
tion. Initially, girls forced into this trade are
Networked computers have her
scared when they hear of the traumatic expe
alded a revolution in the area.
riences of their elder sisters and aunts.
Under a pilot project launched in
Gradually, they get used to it," she adds.
the district, the government has
The local police extort money from the
established one cyber-cafe (called
girls and traffickers, and at times, they soSoochanayalas or information
called guardians of law are involved in traf
kiosk) for every 10 villages. Thus
ficking.
now, for a fee of Rs 5, the farm
Consistent efforts need to be made in order
ers can get copies of the revenue
to free the Banchchra girls from the malaise of
maps and records within minutes
prostitution. Since 1996, these girls are being
- something for which they had
sent to Kasturba Gram in Indore where they
to earlier bribe the Patwari and
get vocational education.
still wait for weeks. Again, for a
Girls on sale
B
Cyber savvy
villages
n
9
sma|| fee, they can know the
rates prevailing in the mandis at
Indore and Mumbai at that
instant and decide where to sell
their produce. Not only that, if
the hand pump at their street
corner does not work or the pri
mary school teacher is conspicu
ous by his absence, they can reg
ister a complaint through e-mail.
The district collector monitors
the complaints on a daily-basis
and takes corrective action. The
computers are connected to a
server housed in the district
Panchayat office at Dhar. The
information kiosks, equipped
with a PC, a modem and a print
er are being run by matriculate
unemployed youths. The govern
ment intends to expand the
scheme to other districts after
studying the pilot project for a
year.
-Amrish Herdenia
Deccan Herald
07 May 2000
News You Can Use
Assam on threshold of
green revolution
By Manoj Anand
Guwahati, May 6: Assam is on
the threshold of a green revolu
tion. The shallow tubewell
scheme of the state agriculture
department has succeeded in
mobilising rural farmers to opt
for double-cropping for the first
time in the state.
The scheme, which envisages
installation of 100,000 shallow
tubewells all over the state, has
achieved a remarkable break
through with more than 40,000
tubewells operational within the
six months of its announcement.
The result of the STW scheme,
which is implemented under the
special supervision of the chief
minister, Mr Prafulla Kumar
Mahanta,
is
quite
visible
throughout the state as most of time to talk about the Ulfa and
the paddy fields in the flood NDFB. The talk of the chopal is
prone areas of the state are at whose crop is getting better and
present looking lush green with whose is infected with diseases.”
The old man of the village, who
crops of high-yield variety seeds.
Habitually, these paddy fields has seen several transformations
are not harvested during the in rural Assam, said the fact that
the scheme has managed to
summer in Assam.
The scheme is not only going to affect the villagers’ psychology is
change the economy of rural the most important thing.
“My son, who has passed his
Assam, but it has given a new
dream to the youth, who are higher secondary, is not at all
unemployed after completing interested in getting a job accord
ing to his education. He wants to
their education.
Bhabakanta Boro, a beneficiary join me in farming,” Mr Boro
of the scheme at Bejortari village said while congratulating the
in Kamrup district, says: “The department for giving them some
shallow tubewell has given a scientific knowhow on paddy
fresh lease of life to the farmers farming.
A
village-level
agriculture
who had lost their interest in
summer crop. Nowadays, we in worker, Khagen Chandra Das of
our village chopal do not have Bortari village, said, “This
Model uses biomass to
supply power
in rural areas
Bangalore, May 6. More (han 50 supply.
councils to ensure minimum
years alter Mahatma Gandhi pro- Gasifier comprises a reactor wastage of funds.
fessed his model of village devel- where gas is generated followed by “The whole power set up will be
opment, a non-resident Indian who 3 cooling and cleaning system decentralised and will ensure faster
is an international power sector which cools and cleans gas. The economic development of the rural
expert has developed a concept clean combustible gas is available sector,” Dr Sharan said. “In the
combining the Gandhian model for power generation application, longer run when the economic
with modem technology to bring Biomass is a natural substance development speeds up, the IRPPs
economic development to the |j^c weeds, agriculture and plant can use more reliable and mature
country’s villages.
residues which stores solar energy renewable energy technologies
Realising that power is the key to by (he process of photosynthesis in like wind, mini-hydro, solar enereconomic development in rural (ftc presence of sunlight.
gy and biogas, in addition to bio
areas, Dr H.N. Sharan, former pr Sharan said that after the ini- mass,” he added.
director of Bharat Heavy Electrical tial funding to set up gasifiers, the Dr Sharan has set up an IRPP
Limited, has developed a concept local villagers should be encour- named Decentralised Energy Syswhich highlights the need to use aged to adopt the concept of Inde- terns India Pvt Ltd. Desi was
renewable energy resources like pendent Rural Power Producers to formed jointly by Development
biomass through IISc's Combus- nin the plants as a business to Alternatives. India’s largest inter
lion. Gasification and Propulsion ensure sustainability for each vil- national sustainable development
Laboratory.
lage. To achieve that end. Dr Sha- NGO, and Dasag, a Swiss engiHe has developed gasifiers which ran sajd World Bank funding for neering company active in reneware subsequently owned and oper- rural development through (he cen- able energy field. (PT!)
ated by local villagers to ensure lre should instead be directly proThe Asian Acie
availability of uninterrupted power vjded to the respective village
2000
scheme has increased our impor
tance as earlier a very small piece
of land was under fanning. The
remaining sizeable chunk of land
used to be left idle due to the lack
of irrigation facilities during the
summer. This is the first summer
when not less than 210 hectares
of land in my sub-division is
being harvested.” “We are busy
in advising the fanners to protect
their crops from various diseases
that may affect their crops.
Recently I noticed blast disease
in a plot and the farmer was
advised to spray pesticides. Now
it has been checked,” he said, dis
closing that a large numbet of
youths are coming forward to
take advantage of the STW
scheme. As the pumps are not
given free of cost, this has made
the villagers more responsible as
they have to recover the onethird share they invested in buy
ing the pump sets from the gov
ernment. Another farmer, Biswajit Kalita, says, “We are paying
for the tubewell so we make it a
point that machine supplied by
the supplier should be in good
condition.” Almost all the farm
ers in the area .agreed this is the
first time rural Assam is been
feeling motivated to start farm
ing.
“We are hopeful that the gov
ernment would come out with
some similar schemes to enable
us to buy tractors or power-tillers
in the future on- easy instal
ments,” the villagers, said hoping
that his voice would reach the
government.
The Asian Age
07 May 2000
CDL Media Clippings 10
UT FOR the "sangam" I would
rs not have been alive today", says
1 -J Naganima, a widow. And she is
not the only one. Innumerable hapless
women in Chennai today owe their eman*
cipation, economic independence and
progressive views to the Working Women’s
Forum (WWF) in Mylapore, the "sangam"
as these women call it.
The reference here is not to the educat
ed working class or their problems. Down
below the economic ladder, at the bottom
most rung, is a whole group of working
women in the informal sector, who are
mere coolies, left uncared for, with no
support or social security at the work
front. This neglected lot works hard and
without respite, at home and out of it,
only to earn a pittance and live a
life of drudgery.
Lack of education, apathetic
government policies, a faulty
social system and erroneous
beliefs and dogma are the cul
prits. As a beacon came WWF in
1978. With a membership of
5,91,000 women today in the
States of Tamil Nadu, Andhra
Pradesh and Karnataka, WWF
continues to offer succour for
the struggling, impoverished
women of the society.
“I am not a feminist... 1 am a
realist who realised that uplift
ing the woman at the grass root
level would alone help society
flourish**, begins Jaya
Arunachalam, the founder-leader of WWF
and the force behind the movement.
Prioritising the needs of the poor working
woman is the basic aim of WWF. When
Pattamma, an old woman, and one of the
vice-presidents of the forum, explains her
area of work with self confidence, one
assumes that she has the basic education
at least. But no... she has only recently
learnt to sign her name in English. Earlier
too it was not very different. She could
sign her name in Tamil, but could neither
read nor write.
It is here that one realises how inge
niously worked out, the structure of WWF
is. If an educated social worker goes to the
slums and speaks of hygiene, small family
norm, mother and child care, literacy or
social evils she would only be scoffed at.
Having been blessed with everything in
life, you are in no position to advise the
have-nots, would be the response. But
what WWF does is different and hence
effective. Il trains people from among the
poor, the ones who have faced problems
and for whom WWF has proved a haven.
The forum then sends them to the slums
to advise and enlighten their neighbours.
This mode of cadre development has had
wonderful results. Thus it is that there are
group leaders, organisers, supervisors and
vice presidents from the same social back-
(i
have to wage a bat
tle to get things
done," says Jaya
Arunachalam.
Whether it is the
evil of female foeti
cide in Dharmapuri,
the tribulations of
flsherwomen in
Adhiramapatnam,
ground at WWF.
the turmoils of toy makers in
As a first step, small loans at nominal
interest rates are given to women to devel Chennapatnam or the plight of the
Devadasis in BeUary, WWF has succeeded
op their own small business, be it veg
etable vending or flower selling. "Even if a in abating their agony and allaying their
woes. Women of various religions and
woman has not worked before, we train
her here to take up a small business of her castes work in harmony here.
Resistance and opposition come from
choice and we provide her with a loan",
their own families initially but after other
says Srividya a coordinator, who with
group workers of the area untiringly go
three others, helps in the successful run
ning of the show. "As soon as I finished my and convince the husbands and mothersin-law about the benefits of WWE the
Masters, I sought employment here by
women face little problem on that score.
chance and it has been a
pleasant accident", says
The clarity of thought of the women at
WWF, their approach to life and their free
Srividya.
The concept of paid social
dom from the shackles of superstition,
workers, is another pioneer
amaze one as they unfold their past expe
ing path laid by WWF. "The
riences in darkness and hibernation and
women who serve here are
their radically different present life of
paid members" explains Jaya optimism and self-reliance today.
"WWF is doing its bit for women in
Arunachalam.
Getting back to the subject every way. Yet we need more educated
of loans, the regularity in
young women to help us succeed even
further in our pro-poor strategysays
repayment has been remarkable. The
women are glad that WWF has saved them Jaya Arunachalam, who is leaving for the
Expo 2000 in Hannover soon, where she
from the clutches of pawn brokers. They
feel that it is beneath their dignity to cheat has been invited to present the case study
of the WWF. Undoubtedly it is a study of a
on the forum by not repaying the loan
success story of perseverance which has
instalments.
Charitable organisations in the U.S.,
yielded dramatic results, has lighted the
Germany and the Netherlands have
lives of many thwarted women and is
helped the forum in several ways. Today
constantly exploring more avenues to
WWF’s own bank, the Indian Cooperative help them.
MALATH1 RANGARAJAN
Network for Women (ICNW) aids in the
empowerment of the poor women.
The Hindu
Fullfledged health care is another area
08 May 2000
of work of WWF. "Our health projects
include mother and child care, pre-natal
and post-natal edre and the overall health
of the family. This includes hygiene too.
The women's reproductive role has to be
CYBER CAFE
regularised, if she is to be productive in
other ways and we give great importance
to it," says Jaya Arunachalam.
A free hostel for children of the mem
bers of WWF is being run at T^mbaram.
From schooling to health, everything
there is taken care of by WWF. "It is a boon
for those of us who wish to educate our
children, but lack
the means", say
these women.
Slowly they have
been brought into
the Health and Life
Can we search the Net for water
insurance fold too.
and download some for drinking?
And for all this the
membership fee at
The Indian Express
WWF is only Rs. 2 a
07 May 2000
month.
Hope for the
hapless
T^wej^jtagewe
11
News You Can Use
Dealing with drought
VER five crore people couraged to switching over from crease national productivity of utilisation of water, construction
across the country have traditional crops to cash crops, food grains (since the all-India of check dams at catchment areas
been estimated to be af and the latter requiring far more area under cultivation has been and maintaining agricultural
fected so far by the current spell water than the former, has had its going down) reviving dry land ponds in drought-prone areas, it is
of worst drought. In Rajasthan. 26 own effect on the water table. farming and reclaiming fallow imperative that the community
out of 32 districts are said to face With no fresh water sources, the lands merit consideration.
and Panchayati Raj institutions
acute scarcity of food and water. existing ones are fast depleting.
Besides envisaging sustain are empowered to deal with
The worst drought in a hundred
Primarily, the piece-meal ap ability in agricultural growth, re drought at the grassroot level to
years is faced by Gujarat where proach of handling the drought - ligious implementation of af help change the scenario.
water riots have broken out in be it supplying fodder to animals forestation programmes, effective
~
A
several districts. A vast majority and food to the people or releasing watershed management, optimal UeCCan HeraldAH
of the population in Madhya money earmarked under the
07 May 2000
Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and National Calamity Fund scrupu
Orissa are in the throes of a lously over the years - has not
severe water crisis. Scarcity of helped in the long run. -More so
fodder has reportedly hit over because, non-involvement of the
scores of milch cattle. The people, lack of awareness, fore
forecast of a deficit monsoon in sight, political will and the failure
the entire country is yet another of the state machinery to manage
cause for concern.
the calamity have compounded
*
Jyotl Mahajan j
Yojna". A sum of Rs 8.27 would be
Relief measures in the form of the situation. With 70 per cent of
THE LAND of.legends and natural spent under this scheme, which
money to the tune of Rs 954.43 the population engaged directly or
beauty, Himachal Pradesn, which would cover more than 5,000
crore have been disbursed and indirectly in farm and such re
has traditionally been a rich repos hectare of denundated forest land
fodder/potable water is being sup lated activities, repeated droughts
itory of medicinal plants,.is all set in Chamba and Kullu districts.
plied to the affected regions by have
affected
the
national
to be the "herbal basket" of the
The Forest and Ayurveda de
special trains. District Collectors economy
in
several
ways.
country.
partments. will jointly formulate a
have been directed to take up Particularly in agriculture, low
With an increase in thc:demand plan to impart training and neces-;
transportation of drinking water yields of different crops despite
for herbal medicine throughout the sary information to those interest-.
on a priority basis to remote areas high rates of consumption of fer
world, there is a great scope of ed in herbiculture. Training is also
where all sources of water have tilizers and pesticides is a cause
strengthening qualitative aspects of being imparted to the locals to help
dried up. For meeting the for worry. Further, the benefits of
this indigenous system of medicine. them in identification, cultivation
Keeping in mind that agro-cli- and collection of herbs. The train-.
shortage of fodder, the help of green revolution has been emNon-Governmental Organisations ^hatic only in areas endorsed
malic conditions of the State help ing programme will consist audioful for the diversification of medic •visual aids, field trips and demon
is being sought. Notwithstanding with good rainfall or water reinal flora, the State government is stration.
the Union Government decision to sources. Dry land areas which
sincerely engaged in promoting this
release 20 kg of food grains to represent nearly 66 per cent of the
Apart from this, the Himachal
system of medicine and giving spe Tourism also offers a unique pack-'
each family in the drought af- cultivated area have yet to regcial emphasis on medicinal plants. age called ’’Himalayan Herbal Trek"*
fected areas at below poverty level ister increase in agricultural pro
For full exploitation of the potential, to unfold the ecstasy of Himalayan
rates, it apparently needs to be ef- ductivity. Despite food grains prothe State has been divided into four medicinal plants.
fec lively implemented so that duction having crossed 200
zones - sub-tropical lox^JShivalik
'Ihe Himachal Tourism, Research;
such relief reaches the intended million tonnes. 40 per cent of the
range, mid hill sub-temperate. zone. Institute of Indian Systems of
beneficiaries.
.population
a
„
who live below the
Iiigh hill temperate-wet and high hill Medicine and Department of
Though drought is a natural poverty line are the worst af
temperate-dry Alpine zone.
Ayurveda have jointly designed the
phenomenon,
ruthless
and fected. Basically, lack of post
The State, government has de package. During the seven day-long
largescale destruction of flora (in harvest management has been re
cided to establish one herbal gar- herbal trek, the trekkers, accom-l
cluding forests) and fauna by sulting in wastage of nearly 10 per
den in each zone for the proper di-, ponied bv specialists, would be able
human beings, as various studies cent of food products and 30 per
versification and optimum utilisa- to see the rare medicinal plants
'
in
indicate, has contributed consid cent of horticulture products; food
Lion of the potential. Several steps thei/natural habitats?
erably to the failure of rains in grains wasted last year could have
are afoot for the systematic con
One-such trek was organized
several places in the country. easily fed about 118 million
servation, development and culti from April 23 to May 1, in which thei
Poverty, massive population. people. To reduce the vulnera
vation of the medicinal plants in the trekkers started their trip from>
mounting air pollution, change in bility of drought on the people and
Stale. A herbal garden have been Jogindemagar and visited the
land use patterns like shifting cul lands, a permanent solution to
set up at Jogindemagar in Mandi herbarium and herbal garden ao
tivation
and
deforestation, drought needs to be put in place.
district where approximately 215 Jogindemagar, Utrala, J alsoo and
unchecked urbanisation, inade With large scale failure of crops.
species of medicinal plants are be Dundhi. These herbal treks provide
quate public health systems, low thousands of borewells drying up,
ing cultivated.
a rare opportunity for those inter
Besides, three new herbal gar- ested in .Himalayan
.
literacy levels, etc., have accel- shrinking of water table, mibio-diversity..
dens are being developed at Nehri The trekk*era noT'only'h'ave'a
erated the pace of environmental gration of people, fodder scarcity
in Hamirpur district, Panchroo in breathtaking view of the picturesque
decay.
and rapid worsening of the situ
Shimla district and Rakcham in Himalayan valley, but also learnConsequently,
its
adverse ation that threaten to tear
Kinnaur district.
about the unique cultural heritage
impact on the cropping pattern asunder the social fabric, only
To ensure people's participation op
state.
has been significant. Notably. management planning of appro
in growing medicinal plants, the|
THo Dinnopr
owing to scanty and untimely priate strategies will spell success.
State government has launched al
’
r
rains, many farmers are en Apart from the measures to in*
unique scheme, "Vanaspati Van:
08 May 2000
ovfi
HP all set to emerge
as 'herbal basket'
CDL Media Clippings 12
Hedged centre for street chil
dren. Gradually his network
spread and he set up Prema
Vihar.
For their part, organisations
like the Salaam Balak Trust
and Butterfly have done commendable
work in the area of rehabilitation. The
Trust classifies the children who approach
them in two-age groups*, the under fives
ast Sunday.
and against whom I rebelled." He recalls and over. But it mainly concentrates on
this paper
how he had fled home repeatedly to stay the latter, as they are generally the ones
carried
a
away from school.
without any family support system.
lead on child pros
"These attempts took him to Paris. Children here participate in extracurrictitutes under the
from where he was brought back. It also ular activities. They also take part in thehead. Runaway
took him around Britain where he joined atre activities from time to time and even
Gigolos. We were
a group of hippies, got addicted to drugs put up productions. The night shelters al
inundated by phone
and even married. But the restlessness the Trust ensures that those opting for it
calls and faxes
again got the better of him and he get belter facilities, vis-a-vis lodgings
from
various
walked out of his home again to visit (they stay at the shelter) . food and eduNGOs deploring
America.
cational facilities.
the plight of the
After a brief stint as an actor in
But life at these shelters is regimentchildren and offer
Hollywood. Manihara landed in Mumbai ed and there are strict rules to be adhered
ing their services.
in 1978 as a tourist curious about India. to, the reason most of the street kids gen*
This heartening re
its people and it’s erally shy away as they find their freedom
sponse prompted
philosophy. on the streets too important to give up.
us to examine the work of some of the or
"Despite having
ganisations that have been involved in this
had a taste of —With inputs from Omer Farooq
field, waging a big fight on behalf of these
street life as a kid
The Pioneer
youngsters.
in England. I was
While the Navjeevan Bal Bhavan of
07 May 2000
shocked and sur
Father Koshi runs a night shelter, provides
prised at the diffi
meals and gives informal education.
culties Indian kids
Prenja Vihar, the Street Kids' Community
had to face on the
Village of Dr S. Manihara in Vijayawada
streets in Mumbai.
is purely educative. Managed and run by
They were far
street children, it covers four acres of land.
younger than I
With the sparkling waters of Krishna
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
was when I left
shimmering in the background, the beau
Thissur of Varavoor in Kerala has
home. They had
tiful and picturesque camp appears straight
become the first “litigation free"
no one to care for
village, thanks to the combined
out of the episodes of 7 he
them and no future ahead either," he says.
works of law students, district legal
Rich and Famous. This is
But he wasn’t-involved in helping them
services and an NGO, “Janaa home for the street chil
at that point. Then one night Raju, a street
neethi”.
dren. is an oasis in the
kid. brought him another child shaking
State minister K. Radhakrishnan
middle of their desert
with cold and fever. He wanted Norton to
on Sunday declared the village free
like existence. Ironically.
of cases at a function held to mark
help the kid. He took care of the boy that
the brain behind this entire
the occasion. He urged the people
night and took him to a doctor next morn
project is Matthew Norton
of Varavoor panchayat to expand
ing. After this, his house became the des
nay Sri man Manihara. a
the exemplary works so that the
tination of many other young children. He
rest of the state could follow suit.
British vagabond who be
started teaching them in the morning, giv
Initially the volunteers visited all
came an Indian citizen last
ing them incentives like cooking break
the 520 houses in the Thissur vil
week after spending near
fast khichdi. Food is a great incentive with
lage and collected details of 264
ly 20 years with the kids.
these children. A volunteer at the Salaam
cases pending. All the cases of civil
For the man from
Balak Trust, an NGQ working with chil
nature were immediately taken up
Manchester, this village
dren in. Delhi, admits its a challenge to get
in a lok adalat.
where street children are
students to attend classes
Barring a couple of criminal cas
free to do whatever they
regularly and only the free
es all the pending cases could be
want, is a dream come true. By his own lunch brings them in.
settled through the adalat. The ini
admission he was once a street child once
During 1983 Manihara
tiators have also formed a fiveand it wasn't as though he had been moved to Pune because
member “harmony committee" to
ensure the village remains free of
abused at home or his family had broken many well-wishers felt that
future litigation.
up."It was basically my fault**, blushes he could improve the lot of
Manihara. “My problem was neither my street children only if they
The Times of India
parents nor my home. It was my school. were away from Mumbai. It
09 May 2000
books and the teachers whom I loathed was here that he started a full
Soul food for
street kids
Kerala village declared
‘litigation free'
13
News You Can Use
thus not inconceivable, at least as a
working hypothesis, that single male
migrants in large cities would contract
sexual encounters, possibly with highrisk groups, and may consequently
place local populace too at risk. Or
that the specific context of those left
behind influences their sexual behav
iour. The exploration of this thematic
however, demands both a sophisticat
ed and ethical research methodology
HE CONSTERNATION ‘foolishness’ of the concerned NGO, even more if the results are lo be
over the arrest and subse it is equally evident that what is reported, not in a specialised journal
quent denial of bail to the termed ‘public protest’ has been care- but in a public education booklet
activists associated with fully organised and orchestrated. For There is little doubt that Sahayog h<i>
Sahayog, an Almora-based nearly a month before the offices of badly muffed up.
NGO working on health-related Sahayog were attacked, staff roughed The complication arises because its
issues, testifies to the deep divisions up, and leading activists arrested, the specific form of presentation makes it
within the development community local media had been carrying on a easier for hostile parties to portray the
about the style and mode of working campaign against the group, more so exercise as one of denigrating local
of many of our NGOs. At a time when the booklet.
culture and populations. And when
an increasing number of development It is significant
_
that the entire politi- these exercises are carried out by non
programmes, particularly those relat- cal spectrum — the Bharatiya Janata local NGOs, that too with support
ing to the social sector, seek the par- Party (BJP), the Congress, the Left, from foreign foundations, the charges
ticipation of NGOs, including those the various groups spearheading the can more easily stick. Sahayog should
supported by foreign-donor agencies, Uttarakhand agitation, other local have realised that a region which has
both the State and wider community NGOs, and even leading senior citi- experienced a high degree of mobili
response to NGO interventions raise zens
;
— were clearly ill-disposed sation against ‘outsiders’ as part of a
issues which demand serious debate, towards
i
the group. Once the situa- regional autonomy/statehood move
But first, the background.
itions took a grave turn and violence ment, is unlikely to take kindly to such
Sahayog, as part of its work on Jwas perpetrated on the NGO, the characterisations.
reproductive health concerns, had last |local administration stepped in, seized Did no one bother to read and vet the
September prepared a booklet AIDS ithe remaining copies of the booklet, booklet before publication and distrib-'
aur Hum. The booklet, designed to ;arrested Sahayog activists on charges ution? Without making a case for pre
enhance the awareness about AIDS, <of distributing pornographic material censorship, surely the research advisoreproduces comments and observa and creating conditions conducive to•. ry committee, either of the group or of
tions of those interviewed on sexual the disturbance of peace, as also pro* its donors, should have been able to
practices and customs prevalent in the scribed the organisation.
sense that the- report needed major
Almora region. The booklet was seen It is equally significant that though modification. Or is it that groups
by many as offensive, if not downright the charges levelled are bailable claiming technical proficiency are so
pornographic. What many found even (Sections 292, 293 and 505 of the enamoured of their skills that they con
more objectionable were sweeping IPC), no local lawyer was willing to sider elaborate vetting procedures an
statements about widespread sexual take up Sahayog’s case. Nor did any unnecessary restriction?
promiscuity and references to the local NGO, political group or citizen’s* Equally important are the issues
prevalence of homosexuality and association decry the heayy-handed-' related to the functioning of many of
incest in the region.
ness of the administration or the par‘ our NGOs — not just funding, or
Those who go through the booklet tisan behaviour of the police in not: transparency, but the degree of local
are likely to be disturbed with both stopping violence. .On the contrary, accountability. It is alleged that those
the cultural insensitivity and the ten various political leaders demanded locally active against Sahayog were
dency to pass off stray remarks as• that the activists be arrested under the already upset with its prior work on
social scientific findings. As much as> National Security Act! The adminis- local level power structures, in partic
the language deployed or the sweep• tration has further expressed its ular how the local social structure is
ing generalisations, is the troubling inability to provide protection to the biased against the interests of Dalits
fact of violation of basic ethical norms NGO. Reportedly, the landlords con and women; that in this latest case
in reporting what are claimed as cerned have asked Sahayog and its they found a ‘perfect’ excuse to
"research* findings. Though much is leading lights to vacate their property. hound the group out. This may well
made in the Foreword about the need The High Court in Allahabad has be true, but does not totally explain
to maintain confidentiality, critical turned down the bail application. The the widespread hostility. For a group
when dealing with sensitive issues, it is organisation remains proscribed and which has been active in the region
not difficult at all to identify the vil its functionaries languish in jail.
for over eight years, to have not built
lages, and in some cases even the indi How is it that the situation has up a local support base does reflect
viduals, who participated in the focus turned so vicious? Almora, like many badly on it.
group discussions. The resultant pub of our hill regions, is marked by a high For NGOs and voluntary groups
lic ire comes as no surprise.
male out-migration, resulting in a dis
Contd....
And yet, despite accepting the wide torted male-female ratio, particularly
spread dismay, even anger, at the in the reproductive age groups. It is
A little tact
wouldn’t hurt
CDL Media Clippings
Farmers go computer-sawy
in remote AP village
From R Akhileshwari
DM News Service
NIZAMABAD (AP). May 8
The only village in Andhra
Pradesh to possess a communi
ty-owned computer and connect
ed to Internet, is Siddapur, about
45 km from here. Its unique dis
tinction was facilitated by a
young, computer-savvy legisla
tor, the vision of the village eld
ers and the cooperative spirit of
the community which recog
nised that its future lay in get
ting acquainted with the cyber
world: the sooner, the better.
The village youth had seen
their MLA, K R Suresh Reddy of
Congress, use his system. So.
after learning of its multi-uses,
they decided not to be left
behind in the cyber race.
Although not a single youngster
had ever seen a computer before,
they did considerable amount of
research, consulted those in the
know and convinced the elders
that the village should have a
computer or it was doomed. As
25-year-old Malliah told DHNS, a
computer would be useful for
agricultural activities, the com
munity's major economic base.
And Siddapur leapt into an
arena into which lesser people
have barely begun even to get
acquainted with. Mr Reddy who
launched his own website,
explained that several other fac
tors also went into the decision.
For instance, a lot of men from
the village work in the Gulf
countries and a computer sys
tem would facilitate faster and
efficient communication with
their families. "It can be the vil
lage's instant post office," said
Mr Reddy. Besides, the village
could easily communicate its
grievances and needs to the
administration, the MLAs, and
even the chief minister. In fact,
the villagers sent their first email to Mr Chandrababu Naidu.
It is a different thing that Mr
Naidu took two weeks to
respond to the message, which is
perhaps the first e-mail delay
experienced by the villagers.
Mr Malliah said they did not
get the e-mail though, as the
phone line was down; but they
did get to know of the CM's reply
through the press.
He believes that the IT con
nection will help their agricul
tural activities. "About 99 per
cent of us are in agriculture. We
can get familiar with new farm
ing techniques which otherwise
would take a lot of time and
money. We can also know the
prices of agricultural commodi
ties in various markets which
will enable us to go to those mar
kets where prices are favourable
to us, not just to Nizamabad as
we do now, to markets in
Maharashtra (which is closer)
and even to Bombay."
Being a re-located village
(under the Sriramsagar project
on the river Godavari), the com
munity has learnt the value of a
united, democratic approach to
solving their problems and meet
ing their needs. So the village
elders thrashed out the issue at
a panchayat meeting. Every fam
ily sends a representative to
such meetings and a vote is
taken. This issue was decided
unanimously and the decision
was to buy a computer.
But the gram panchayat had
no funds for the purchase. No
problem. Each family con
tributed to its cost of Rs 50,000
and worked out a plan to use it.
An IT company of Nizamabad
agreed to train the panchayat
clerk who will in turn train the
village youth in batches on
using the computer. Thus the
only thing lacking in the village,
a computer system, was bought
and installed in the Gram
Panchayat office. Siddapur’s
leap into the 21st century makes
it an example worth emulating.
Deccan Herald
09 May 2000
Contd....
foregrounding the importance of local None of the above reservations
concerns and participation, often in should, however, be read as an en
contradistinction to state actors and dorsement of the state action. To have
interventions, Almora-like situations failed in providing adequate protec
raise major conceptual and political tion, to have proscribed the organisa
challenges. We cannot lionise local tion, and more generally to have explic
action only when it supports our posi itly or implicitly collaborated in the czer
tions, and classify it as chauvinist, ation of a climate of fear and intimidareactionary and conspiratorial when tion, does little to inspire confidence*.
directed against us. Both NGOs and NGOs are today expected to play'a
their donor and support networks major, role in the development process.
need to understand the importance of They can hardly be expected to operate
engaging with and working through fearlessly and creatively if the environ
local structures, that is if they believe ment provides little space for them to
in democratic processes.
articulate their point of view.
HARSH SETHI
The Hindustan Times
07 May 2000
15
NGO workers
jailedfor issuing
AIDS booklet
The Times of India News Service
NEW DELHI: The controversy
over the AIDS booklet brought out
by an Almora-based NGO is no
longer limited to its content. De
spite the fact that they have ten
dered an apology, members of this
organisation are being denied bail
and other legal recourses as well.
Voluntary organisations here are
shocked over the reported hand
cuffing of the NGO members while
being taken to the court. “Locking
up the accused without bail or re
course to effective defence, and in
citing people to riot are activities
which are themselves violative. In
any case, the state cannot abdicate
its responsibility of protecting hu
man rights in the name of uncon
trollable anger of the people," over
30 organisations from around the
country said in a signed statement.
AIDS aur Hum, a publication
brought out by an Almora-based
NGO, Sahayog, had led to violent
public protests since sections of this
report, which claims to be based on
the research findings on the sexual
attitudes and behaviour of people
of the Uttarakhand region were
found offensive by some local
groups.
In the aftermath, Sahayog mem
bers were arrested under Sections
292,293 and 505 two sections of IPC
dealing with the publication of ob
scene material and with public mis
chief. Local lawyers have refused to
take up the petition for bail. While
womens* issues and public health
activists are not supporting the lan
guage used in the booklet, they are
demanding that the law be allowed
to take its course and that bail be
granted immediately.
The Times of India
10 May 2000
News You Can Use
Caution against giving grants to bogus NGOs
By Dilip Chaware
The Times of India News Service
MUMBAI:The estimates commit
tee of the Maharashtra legislature
has asked the state government to
conduct a thorough investigation
into the performance of various
non-government
organisations
(NGOs) before sanctioning grants
for AIDS-related projects
The report of the committee was
tabled in the House on the con
cluding day of the budget session.
While commending the work of
certain NGOs who did work well,
the committee said they needed
encouragement and more grants
by the government, “but reconsid
eration was necessary in the case of
the NGOs which were non-exis
tent and yet obtained substantial
grants against negligible perfor
mance or which completed their
mission in a short while...Some of
the NGOs working against AIDS
just put up anti-AIDS stickers in
railway trains.’’
In its exhaustive report, the com
mittee has stated that while it ac
cepted the importance of NGOs in
anti-AIDS campaigns, it was un
able to understand what type of
work was done by many of them.
When some of the committee
members visited certain places.
they were unable to trace the sion of Rs 9 crore for the year.
NGOs and were told that no such
Moreover, the committee discov
organisation was active there. In ered that the government had no
view of this, the committee won control over the expenditure al
dered whether the NGOs existed though various anti-AIDS pro
only on paper.
grammes were implemented by of
It report states that the govern ficial agencies.
ment does not have any effective
“It is not at all desirable for a
control over the NGOs as it does healthy democracy that crores of
not know how well their perfor rupees are spent without any con
mance is or how they spend the trol of the legislature.The govern
grants obtained by them.
ment should reform the present
Government grants and foreign rules and procedures so that the ex
assistance were available to such penditure is included in the state
NGOs but there was no control budget and thus comes under the
over the manner in which these scrutiny of the legislature,'* the
were utilised, the committee committee added.
lamented.
Taking note of the fact that the
Emphasising the need of anti- anti-AIDS programmes were run
AIDS campaigns time and again, through funding by the Union gov
the committee said the government ernment and the World Bank, the
needed to evolve a definite struc committee has advised the govern
ture to fund and assist the NGOs ment that it should take AIDS seri
working in this field.
ously and should make separate
The committee was informed by budgetary provisions for combat
the state government authorities ing the dreaded disease.
that an amount of Rs 26 crore was
It has strongly recommended
sanctioned for anti-AIDS pro that preparations should be made
grammes for five years beginning to strengthen rural and municipal
1992-93.
hospitals across the state in terms
Of this, over Rs 24.47 crore was of personnel and equipment with
spent but the expenditure always adequate funds by the government
fell short of the provision. For in so that they can undertake antistance, in 1996-97, only Rs 6.82 AIDS programmes and render
crore could be spent from a provi necessary treatment.
The Times of India
09 May 2000
Dalit women struggling to
survive with traditional jobs
RAMILA Devi, a Dalit woman tattoos to be engraved on their have
destroyed
our
occupa-
Pand a mother of seven, hands," she says. The trend is tions," feels 60-year-old
ekes out a living by engraving certainly worrying for women Dhankuri Devi, who is a midwife
tattoos on the hands of women like her whose husbands do and also makes a living by
in Patna. She tattoos flowers, not provide any money for the giving oil massages to pregnant
the names of gods or a hus- family and spend all their earn- women. She says nowadays
band’s name, the last sought jngs on liquor instead.
very few women prefer people
after by many Hindu women in
"Very often he comes with call a midwife for a delivery
the belief that after death only drunkards who try to misbehave ancj prefer nursing homes in
tattoos go with them into the with me," she says, adding stead. She earns Rs 10 for
other world.
police often ransack huts in massage and Rs 50-150 as a
But with changing times and the area while claiming to re- midwife. “With so many nursing
attitudes, traditional Indian oc- move squatters.
But where homes cropping up everywhere
cupations like tattooing where do I go, I have no other place | ge( on|y p00r clients who
Dalit women have found em- to live," she says.
cannot afford hospital charges
ployment for years are slowly
Shakhpura area in Patna, ancj therefore very few people
going out of fashion. And in where some 1,500 Dalit families COmetOme nowadays,"she says.
their battle against the odds, live, most of them engaged in
But women like her have no
the women are getting little traditional occupations, is teemto switch over to new
help from the authorities. "Now ing with stories of struggling occupations.
"This
is
my
I get very few clients who want women. "Modern ways of living traditional occupation which has
continued for generations. How
can I leave.this? Even if I opt
out who would give me another
Job?" she asks.
It is not that the state gov
ernment is doing nothing, but
only that the desired effects
are not seen. It had identified
58 slums in Patna, intending
to construct houses and schools,
besides starting a women’s co
operative to extend loans to
the needy. But most schemes
fail. The say Rabri Devi last
year had a community hall
constructed here, turning it into
a school and appointing four
teachers to educate slum chil
dren. But at the same time
slums were removed under an
anti-squatter
drive
throwing
them Into the streets.
Shlvanand Shukla/ IANS
The Observer
10 May 2000
CDL Media Clippings 16
Child marriages still practised in Rajasthan
K S Tomar
Jaipur, May 7
IT WAS a repeat of the scenario of
child marriages witnessed one year
ago as hundreds of child marriages
were solemnised on the auspicious
occasion of 'Akhateej* in different
districts of Rajasthan, especially in
Shekhawati region.
The State Government could not
take strict measures to check the
recurrence of child marriages
which were soleminised under the
garb of being century-old tradition.
The voluntary organisations have
miserably failed to create the
awareness against this social evil
which is spoiling the careers of
children. Illiteracy coupled with
backwardness could be other fac
tors responsible for the continua
tion of such social evil in
Rajasthan.
The scene was identical every
where. Hundreds of bridegroom
and brides from different villages
were brought by the parents and
relatives in their laps who were
tied in nuptial knots. Some of the
kids were so tired that they slept in
the laps of their parents.
One of the villagers said it was a
stigma on our society as these chil
dren would never understand the
meaning of pious relations of'mar
riage* when they grow up.
The Govt officials claimed that
there was sharp decline in the
number of the child marriages this
year. District officials were clearly
told that offenders must be booked
under the 'Sharda Act* which pro
hibits solemnising of such mar
riages in Rajasthan. They said vil
lagers were scared of going to jails
hence they refrained from solem
nising the child marriages.
Reports from different districts
revealed that child marriages were
solemnised in large numbers
though there was no pump and
show due to fear of police. People
do not consider such tradition as
social evil because it has been con
tinuing since centuries.
The Hindustan Times
08 May 2000
Exaggerate & humiliate
A billion mutinies
IF MOST “social scientific findings” are taken at face value,
India is sitting on an AIDS powder keg. Fortunately, people are
not dropping dead even years after the first round of sirens
started blaring. Despite such an apocalypse always being post
poned, most NGOs insist that the population is under great
threat from the disease. As a result, funds are regularly pumped
in to fight the ‘‘war against AIDS” thereby giving diseases like
tuberculosis and cancer (clearly a more serious threat in India)
scant attention. One reason for AIDS being on top of every
respectable NGO’s hit list is that it is a much more “fashion
able” disease to fight against than, say, tuberculosis. (After all,
who’s heard of pinning a red ribbon on your jacket for TB vic
tims?) So Western funds are easier to come by when one is bat
tling a mythicised demon disease than one which never makes it
to the panel of experts on the Oprah Winfrey Show.
If such exaggerations and generalisations were not bad
enough, there is also the fact that most NGOs are insensitive to
local cultures. In the most recent case, the Almora-based organ
isation, Sahayog, had published a booklet to “create awareness”
about AIDS in the Uttarakhand region. It made sweeping state
ments about promiscuity and homosexuality among the local
population. The findings made little effort to maintain confi
dentiality of the individuals who had participated in the discus
sions related to sexual practices. On the basis of its “research”
— which boiled down to interviews and focus group discussions
— Sahayog “educated” the people of Almora about their inces
tuous and homosexual habits.
Sahayog members were arrested for peddling “pornography”.
The NGO’s office has been ransacked and no local lawyer is will
ing to defend them in court. It is unfortunate that the protests
against Sahayog turned ugly. But the public outcry against it is
understandable. Villages and individuals are livid that their sexu
al habits are there for anyone to flip through. There is no doubt
that both ethical and scientific considerations were ignored by
Sahayog. It would be wise to leave such matters to specialised
organisations — or at least see to it that someone is there to
check the facts and the way they are presented.
THE ARRIVAL of the billionth Indian on Thursday is less a
cause of joy than of embarrassment, even of apprehension. It
should make politicians and policy-makers ponder over the rea
sons for the evident failure of the family planning programme.
Though some gains were made, the results are nowhere near
being commensurate with the investments and the not incon
siderable effort that was put in. One explanation for the setback
is Sanjay Gandhi’s ill-conceived attempt to force the pace
through the use of coercive methods in the mid-Seventies. For
another decade and a half, politicians were fighting shy of even
broaching the subject in public.
In the six years since the International Conference on
Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, efforts have
been on to give a new impetus to the programme. The
Government’s endorsement of the ICPD policy framework for
a target-free approach with adequate emphasis on reproductive
and health care may have put the programme back on track, but
problems remain. The Cairo Declaration implied that the
Government would spend much more on maternity and child
health care. This is yet to happen. The key role of universalisation of primary education — especially female education — in
population control programmes is also not sufficiently reflected
in the Government’s social sector outlays. But the most serious
bottleneck is at the state level where actual implementation is
supposed to be done. It is here that most of the mis-targeting
and mis-spending of resources take place.
In this respect, the four BIMARU states are the worst per
formers. While officials fritter away whatever funds are available
on building construction and buying of jeeps, dispensaries remain
starved of basic facilities and medicines. The control and moni
toring mechanisms are so lax that surveys have found that the
state family health and welfare workers rarely visit the villages.
Kerala’s proud example is axiomatic. But the successes achieved
by Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh in recent years also show
how improved population control goals can be reached by paying
closer attention to schooling and health care.
The Hindustan Times
10 May 2000
17
The Hindustan Times
12 May 2000
News You Can Use
AIDS and ignorance
THE mere suspicion of AIDS has made life miserable for a
rural couple in Nandanghat village of Burdwan District in
West Bengal. Ganesh Mondal was diagnosed as an AIDS
patient by a quack, but he claims doctors at Barasat hospital
have cleared him of AIDS. The damage was already done.
Villagers out of ignorance and fear have made life horrible
for the Mondal family, even threatening lynching. Ganesh
Mondal, a rickshaw-puller, sticks close to'home these days
moving around only with police protection. Their electricity
was cut, they were allowed to go to the market only after
other villagers had finished their shopping. They have sent
their children away to their maternal uncle’s place, not
knowing that AIDS doesn't spread with just physical contact.
The issue assumes significance in the light of recent suicide
of a family in Aurain village of Pratapgarh district of Uttar
Pradesh due to ostracisation because of AIDS. Unless
awareness and knowledge regarding this disease are spread,
particularly in rural areas, innocent patients will continue to
face torture and harassment.
Unicef for aid
funds monitoring
The Observer
10 May 2000
He said the government stepped
in quickly and ordered action
whenever relief materials got
Bhubaneswar, May 10: A senior stolen. But greater vigilance was
United Nations official today required, he added. He also hailed
called for a greater monitoring of the media for keeping an eye on
international funds coming into the implementation of projects.
Orissa for rehabilitation of cyThe UN has provided $13.32
clone victims.
million in relief aid in the wake of
Unicefs India representative the October 29 supercyclone
Alan Court, who was here to meet which killed more than 10,000 peochief minister Naveen Patnaikple and left tens of thousands
and senior officials to take stock of homeless in coastal Orissa. The
the post-cyclone situation, said world body pledged another $15
monitoring was necessary to million in food aid as several
make sure that resources were not coastal districts face an acute lc *« >< I
misused. The funds should be crisis because of a huge crop loss.
spent properly and quickly, he
Court said he wanted the ivd
added.
tape cut and faster government de
Court said the UN was so far cisions. “There are delays that can
“satisfied" with the.use of funds, be avoided, but then, it is easier to
criticise a government than un
derstand the constraints it works
under." he said.
Court said the UN agencies
were drawing up a comprehen
sive plan to merge rehabilitation
with the health and educational
projects, especially for women
to be on the fringe of poverty be and children. Returning to (he
cause her family owns nearly 15 pre-cyclone days would not be
acres of land on which they cultivate enough because “even then things
maize and castor. Hemli adds to the had been pretty bad" in the vil
family income by going to neigh lages. he added.
bouring Guntur during the cotton
The biggest challenge facing
plucking season. And as a member the UN body, however, is how io
of the Parchuri Jamuna Poddupu restore the livelihood of thou
Scheme, a self-help group started by sands of people devastated by the
Gramya, she could get loans.
cyclone. Though the enormity of
And unlike most of- the other the natural disaster has kept Oris
tribal women who have between sa on the aid map. resources are
seven and ten children, Hemli has limited and need to be used judi
only four. Advocate Somanna says ciously, Court added.
The UN headquarters has
that the tribals are in the grip of a
trade mentality. He adds that the cleared a $3.00,000 Food and Agri
lack of prosecution —a CID inves cultural Organisation proposal lo
tigation ordered last year is not yet provide 53.000 families with agri
complete —has encouraged the cultural and horticultural inputs
network’ of brokers to become ac to help them survive.
tive again.The baby trade that be
The Telegraph
gan in 1997 has replaced another
11 May 2000
more heinous practice—female in
fanticide.
FROM DEBASHIS
BHATTACHARYYA
Selling of girl child flourishes in
Andhra Pradesh tribal hamlets
The Times of India News Service
came to this town but the child died
DEVARAKONDA
(Nalgonda before she got medical help. They
district): Girl babies born to tribal reportedly buried the child near a
women continue to be innocent vic rivulet on the outskirts of the town
tims of greed in the tribal hamlets and went back.
Others say that Hemli’s brother
of Dcvarakonda mandal, a year af
ter a baby-smuggling-for-adoption Zemra, a rickshaw puller, arrived
racket was exposed. The evil of with a woman in a car. Hemli, her
dowry is responsible for the racket husband and the baby, went with
the woman and returned a few days
flourishing.
later without the baby but Rs
Agents who had kept a low pro 10,000 richer. Hemli is furious that
file since the racket was busted reports have appeared in the media
have resurfaced and at least ten girl and blames Gramya Resource
babies have been sold in different Centre, an NGO which works
tribal hamlets in the last two among the tribals and which had
months. About a month' ago, Hemli busted the racket last year.
of Nakhalagandi is believed to have
But Wali, another resident of this
sold her four-week-old girl baby, hamlet, readily admits she sold her
something she vehemently denies six-day-old baby last year. With no
but the rest of the village whispers land, a husband who is afflicted
about. Hemli says. “Do you think withTB and six other girls to feed,
because we arc poor we have no she sold the child “so that the oth
honour?”
ers could eat.” Ramashankar, a
She claims that the child died, but Gramya activist, says that women
her story about its death has many who sold babies were promised five
loose ends.The baby had a stomach acres of land and a white ration
ailment and refused to drink milk. card. Wali says neither promise has
Hemli was advised to lake her to a been kept, although she got herself
quack because “injections will do sterilised. *
no good.” She and her husband
However, Hemli does not appear
The BJP state unit’s former vicepresident Badiya Naik claims that
V. Muniya and his wife Bharati sold
their baby daughter in Gajinaya vil
lage about a month ago. He says
the selling of babies has resumed.
The Times of India
11 May 2000
CDL Media Clippings 18
Project converts street
kids into businessmen
cate from SNDT.They are taught to
By Meenakshi Shedde
MUMBAI: "Mere mitra merese handle white goods like refrigera
aa^e nikalgaye," admits Mahendra tors and washing machines, person
Kumar Jaiswal.'Tve learnt driving, ality development, etiquette and the
and saab will give me a loan to start basics of child care. We also train
The statistical exactitude of the billionth Indian opening her
a business any time. But I prefer to women in karate and other skills to
be security guards in, say, women’s
eyes to the world at 5.05 am on Thursday is more in service of
be on the night squad with Project
symbolism than representation of an actual event. But the reai
Mainstream and help other street colleges, hospitals or department
stores. Moreover, we have success
children.”
ity represented by the baby who was born in New Delhi‘s
Project Mainstream (PM) is the fully conducted many programmes
Safdarjang hopsital is sharper for its symbolism. A born child
in
remand
homes
themselves.
”
brainchild of Mahendra Mehta, that
is a precious addition to the country’s human numbers and
Shravan
Shivmath,
who
was
re
aims to transform tapori street chil
should be protected, cared for, nurtured and brought up i<«
dren into successful businessmen. ferred to PM by another NGO, now
become a healthy and happy citizen. But herein lies the con
Says Mr Mehta, “There are about works as their resource person. “1
tradiction of growth and welfare: the very fact that she has to
two million street children in Mum train other street kids to-make agarbai, among the highest in any city in battis, phenyl and liquid soap. I
share the limited resources of the country with a billion plus
the world.Thcir lives arc surround teach them to distinguish between
others may make life difficult for her. A birth, which should
ed by crime, prostitution and quick different kinds of customers and
always be a cause for celebration, becomes also an ominous
how
to
bargain
accordingly.
It
is
money deals. What we do is teach
sign of a deprived future. India has joined China in the club of
them the basics of business,so they quite an art, especially when dealing
one billion and, according to projections, will overtake that
ca i make quick money, but legally. with ladies,” he says with a grin.
Jaiswal, a former street child who
country by mid-twentyfirst century, with a population of 1.5 bi]
While most NGOs working with
street children are welfare-oriented, now works with the PM’s “night
lion. Thereafter the- population is expected to stabilise bin
we are a business organisation. In squad,” says, “I team up with a col
according to present indications every day in the present cen
stead of creating parasites, we turn league who is a Masters in Social
tury will mean a harsh fight for survival and for basic needs for
Work,
and
we
our liabilities
a majority of the billion plus humanity.
h TRANSFOWOiGTAPORS^ roam the city
into assets.”
at
night,
India has the distinction of having first started the fam
PM, a chari
ily welfare programme, after realising the implications of run
table trust established in 1994, is meeting street kids who may be
funded by a Rs 50 lakh corpus from looking for a meal, money, or just a
away population growth, among the world’s developing coun
Rotary international. According to kind word. We visit their usual adtries. But from 1952 onwards when the programme was firs!
Rotarian-businessman Mehta, it has das, chat about their problems, and
launched till now, it has gone through many ups and downs and
depending
on
their
needs,
refer
so far, made 15,000 street children
conceptual
and methodological changes. The setback suffered
fairly independent. It does this them to a hospital or night shelters
by the programme during the compulsory sterilisation drive m
through a range of skill-develop run by Vatsalya, Amchi Kholi, Sup
the Emergency era has not been overcome even now. The expe
ment activities and micro-loans port, Anchorage and others, or to
aimed at quick returns — from the suitable NGOs. We tell them about
rience of implementing the programmes for five decades ha>
dependable agarbatti-making and PM’s activities, and ask them to be
also taught us that reduction .of births cannot be an isolated
driving, to loans for small business alert and refer new street children
goal but can only be achieved in the context of providing com
es. It has innovative programmes to us. “Since I was a street child my
plete health for the family. Improvements in infant and mater
like training women to be security self, I can relate to them better,” he
nal mortality rates, availability of reproductive healthcare serv
guards, a music competition to iden continues. “When I first came to
ices and overall improvement of health and education facilities
Mumbai from Varanasi, I tried so
tify talented children who can be
coached for better prospects, and an hard to make a living, but came to
are crucial factors in the effort to curb the growth of popula
believe that the city wouldn’t let
upmarket domestic helpers' course.
tion. The linkages between women’s health and education and
Says Mr Mehta, “If it takes Rs you live honestly. Now 1 work for
the success of family welfare plans are well established. The
PM on a salary of Rs 2,000, and it
1,500 for a boy's driving course, he
experience of States like Kerala on the one hand and the per
can earn a salary of Rs 1,500 by the feels very, gratifying when the street
formance of northern Indian States in this respect provide the
children
call
me
’
Uncle
’
.
”
following month. Nothing is free.
contrast between sound and unsound strategies of family we I
Mr Mehta himself is so popular
We teach them the basics of busi
ness and charge for all the courses. an ‘Uncle’, his grateful wards ensure
fare plan implementation. The millennial baby, born as the
We give loans of Rs 5,000, upto Rs he has never needed to lose sleep
child of a summer morning in the country’s teeming capital
15,000 for a group, for all sorts of en over loan recoveries. “Once we gave
should represent the hope of life and at the same time the
terprises — vada pao stalls, a music some boys a loan that wasn’t repaid
nation’s will to provide a good, healthy and happy life to its peo
band, a pickle business, umbrella re for three years, but eventually they
pie.
pair, anything. Our policy is did repay it. One of them confessed,
Deccan Herald
“Saab, we were thinking of not
'payable when able.' Yet our loan
recoveries are pretty good — at bothering to return it. But we knew
12 May 2000
about 78 per cent."
that if we gave it back to you, you
Staffer Zeenat Bhagat adds,“Our would give it to some other street
target is the 14-23 age group, and child —as we once were — and we
many children are referred to us by felt very bad for keeping it so long.’
Everyone has dreams, more so the
other NGOs. About 450 girls from
slum communities have benefited young. We just help them hang onto The Hindustan Times
from a 15-day course we have for their dreams,” Mr Mehta says mod
10 May 2000
domestic helpers, who get a certifi estly.
Billionth Indian
19
News You Can Use
♦
Financial Assistance for
Tribal/Folk Art and Culture
The Department of Culture invites applications, under its scheme for Financial Assistance for
the Promotion and Dissemination of Tribal/Folk Art and Culture from voluntary organisations/
institutions and individuals working in the field of tribal/folk art and culture for specified projects.
The Scheme provides assistance in the following areas:
1. To provide opportunities to tribals to conduct and organise cultural activities including festivals
('Utsavas') in their environment and to ensure continuity of the traditions of tribal art and crafts.
To promote and support documentation, research and survey of tribal and folk art, specially those
facing threat of extinction as a consequence of rapid development.
3. To integrate the educational system of the State Government in the tribal areas with the cultural
traditions of these communities in their respective areas.
4. To disseminate and promote awareness of the richness of tribal/rural culture particularly among the
urban people.
Under this Scheme, a maximum assistance of Rs. 2.00 lakhs is available depending upon the nature
and scope of the project. The project is to be completed within a span of two years.
The complete application should be sent in the proforma given below to the Under Secretary
(PA), Room No. 334, *C* Wing, Shastri Bhavan, New Delhi-110 001 duly recommended by the concerned
Department of the State/U.T. or by the State Academy for Culture by 20.6.2000
2.
PROFORMA+
Name of the Organisation/lndividual
Address
Registration number of the Organisation
(copy of the registration certificate to be attached)
4. Permanent Account Number (Income Tax)
5. Name of the Banker
6. Bio-data if the applicant, if an individual
(to be annexed)
7. Organisation’s profile including its objectives
and activities (to be annexed)
8. Title of the project
9. Project in brief in not more than 150 type-written:
words (not to be annexed).
10. Detailed synopsis of the project (to be annexed):
11. Date of commencement of the project
12. Date of completion of the project
13. Estimated cost of the project Indicate the
total here and annex the details.
14. Amount of assistance sought from the
Department of Culture
15. Other sources of finance. This should also
indicate, among others, assistance received
from the Department of Culture in the past
whether under this Scheme or any other Scheme
Date:
Place:
1.
2.
3.
MM
MM
YY
YY
(Signature of the applicant)
Name:
Designation:
Office Stamp:
Note:Please also enclose the following:
i)
Photocopy of the Registration Certificate & Memorandum of Association.
ii)
iii)
iv)
Income Tax Assessment order.
Last three years' receipts and payment account and balance sheet with auditor’s certificate.
Photocopy of Utilization Certificate for previous year's grant.
v)
A report of the activities undertaken during the last three years.
N.B. Applications received incomplete or after the last date will not be entertained.
♦ Also available on the Website www.indlaculture.org
DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
The Hindustan Times
12 May 2000
DD
DD
that a drought in 1987 almost
brought down the Union govern
ment. Therefore, if the country and
the government needs to focus on a
T is the same story every year — thing else ranging from tourism, be 34,675 billion litres. Each single meaningful issue for now, it
around this time, taps dry out, agriculture, electricity and water. hectare can yield about 11 million has to undertake the completion of
fanners do not have water to drink, Besides, the economy also pros litres of rainwater and, therefore, if all water-related projects without
let alone water for their crops and pered and still continues to we harvested only 3.15 million any further delays and
animals — there are drought condi-, do so in this region.
hectares which is about one per also emphasise the
tions in which the western, central
Before the construction of the cent of India's land area, all house need to revert to our
and southern states are worst hit. Hoover Dam, in the summer and hold needs can be met.
traditional methods of
Then come the monsoons bringing early spring, the Colorado often
water harvesting.
As early as the third millennium
floods in the east with excessive flooded low-lying areas along the
By RANJIT NANDA
BC,
fanning
communities
in
water finding its way into the seas. route and in the hot, southwestern
The
Times
of India
Baluchistan
impounded
rainwater
Meanwhile, debates go on, expert summer, the flow of the same river
committees are set up which seem would slow down to a trickle mak and used it for irrigation. Dams
11
May
2000
to have all the solutions but do ing it an unreliable source for irri built of stone rubble have been
nothing substantial in implement gation, public and municipal uses. found in Baluchistan and Kutch.
ing these grand schemes. It Our situation is quite similar — Dholavira, a major site of the
is also distressing to find that in this from the melting snows of the Hi Indus Valley civilisation had
several reservoirs to collect
moment of crisis, appeals have to malayas to the floods caused by the
monsoon run-off and also excellent
be made to the public for Brahmaputra in the northeast.
drainage systems.
donations to remedy the results of
i
However, it 'was Herbert
Some of the answers to this cur
poor management.
Hoover, the 31st President of the rent crisis may lie in the lack of re
*
Imran Khan
We only remember our tradi United States, who overcame some
liance on our own traditions by our
BHUBANESHWAR
tional harvesting systems when incredible obstacles before work communities. Indians, over cen
there is an acute shortage of water could start on this great dam — he turies, developed a range of tech
,-THE self-help groups (SHGs) ol
or drought to remind us. Once the settled a 25-year water allocation niques to harvest every possible
•tribal and rural women are likely
rains come, all is forgotten and controversy between the represen form of water,.from rainwater,
[to set up people’s bank in
again complacency sets in till the tatives of Arizona, Colorado, Neva stream and river water as well as
•Orissa on lines of Seva Bank in
next crisis. It is all too well known da, New Mexico, Utah and flood water. They have tapped wa
,Gujarat soon.
that India has the potential of being Wyoming. Throughout the con ter from hill streams or springs
Encouraged by the SHGs sucself-sufficient in agriculture since it struction of the dam. Hoover con known as kuhls carrying a dis
[cess in the state, the Nabard
has adequate raw material and oth tinued to sort out problems relating charge of 15-100 litres per second.
‘has decided to help the SHGs in
er resources. However, it has been to engineering, water and power al In Meghalaya, a 200-year-old sys
(giving a concrete shape to the
unable to provide water and location.
tem of tapping stream and spring
‘people’s bank. Sources in the
electricity to everyone.
In the context, it was the policy of water for irrigating plants by using
Nabard here said that the people’s
the Bureau of Reclamation in the bamboos still exists.
‘bank was only possible when the
US to ensure that every available
iSHGs are united and have surplus
Our objective, therefore, over the drop of water from the various Water
’funds.
streams
and
rivers
in
the
dry
south
next few years should be to resolve,
i “It will be a good move if
Credit must go to the people of
all water problems with proper ad-; west US was made available for the villages of Rajasthan and par
[these SGHs succeed in setting
municipal,
agricultural
or
industrial
ministration, on a priority basis, and
ticularly Jodhpur, where old water
iup their bank in the state."
complete all pending water man use. To this end. Hoover Dam and systems still exist and where the
[sources said.
agement projects within a stipulat the many other dams which fol traditional system was maintained
i The SHGs have led to financial
ed time-frame, even if it necessi-i lowed were highly successful. Cur even after the advent pf piped wa
[independence of rural women
tates borrowing money. While go rently, the lower Colorado river ter. Villages which neglected their
iwHom fgrm pvpr 80 per . cent of
provides
water
to
irrigate
over
ing hi-tech is all very fine, nol
traditional systems and relied sole
[the ,2,021 groups refinanced by
1,000,000
acres
in
the
US
and
amount of this sophisticated know-1
ly on piped water sources faced
INabard during the last fiscal.
500,000
acres
in
Mexico.
This
dam
how from the IT industry can solve
scarcity under drought conditions.
[ The concept of the people's
the problems of the farmers whose is the keystone to a delivery system An ironic contrast of water man
•bank emerge following ‘Adivasi
needs of water and electricity are providing water to over 18,000,000 agement is that between Jaisalmer
[Mahila Sammilani'
held at
the real issues. To the farmer, his people in Arizona, California and and Cherrapunji which get 100 mm
• Rajabati, about 70 km from
crop, livestock and subsistence is of Nevada. It has 17 generators which and 15,000 mm of rainfall respec
[Bhubaneswar recently.
far greater importance than being can produce 2,000 MW of electrici tively. Jaisalmer had enough water
» It was discussed in the
IT-sawy and, if hi-tech is to be used ty. Mead, and the Hoover Dam can for itself until recent years, while
[Sammilani that the people's bank
constructively, it should be used to store up to 9.2 trillion gallons of Cherrapunji, the wettest place on
•will be a permanent solution to
monitor how water projects are be water in its reservoir. It is also a earth faces a drinking watqr short
principal source for flood control
[fight the moneylenders who are
ing managed.
age. Alwar district, also in Ra
•very much alive in tribal and
A similar situation existed in the and electrical power.
jasthan, has been successful in har
[rural areas.
western states of the US in the
vesting water thereby bringing
1930s — drought conditions were
prosperity to its villages.
! The sammilani was organised
prevalent in the deserts and there
Although we have also made
Our current problems make it
‘by the Bhubaneswar-based NGO
was almost no development until necessary to appreciate the poten dams in the past, no significant dam
<Centre for Youth and Social
the Hoover Dam was constructed. tial of rain water harvesting. On a construction has come about in the
[Development. About 1000 repreIn a matter of five years, national scale, with the current last 25 years. While there should be
fsentatives of 521 SHGs formed
Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Cali population, if we assume that the urgent efforts to complete big and
[by women alone have emerged
fornia and Mexico not only gained average requirement per person is small dams, compulsory water har
las the effective tools to create
from the benefits of water supplied 100 litres.per day and the average vesting schemes with the participa
[awareness among the women to
from Lake Mead (formed as a re rainfall across the country is about tion of villagers have to be set up.
'fight against the money lenders.
sult of building the dam) but every 1,100 mm. the annual demand will
Finally, it must not be forgotten _____________ Contd....
Wellsprings of Hope
I
Tribal women to
set up people’s
;bank in Orissa
Incredible Obstacles
Harvesting
Stream Tapping
21
News You Can Use
Reviving the gurukul
way of learning?
Indian schools. Once a model is established, it will then be easy to
replicate the programme, he says noting as the essential curricular
components are developed, state boards or individual schools may
adopt the programme with minimal, efforts. “There are many
offstream schools, but how well they function is a different question
altogether which remains to be seen,” says Mr Dalal.
THE days of the ancient gurukul are gone. But some institutes
are trying to revive this traditional system of learning, at least
conceptually. In a bid to make learning a meaningful exercise.
onscious efforts are being made to end the appalling effects of
he ’factory model* of education by going back to the roots, by
eviving the ‘Guru-Shishya Paprampara*. by rectifying the adverse
itudent*teacher ratio and introducing training programmes to hone
he creative and reasoning skills of students.
There are many offstream schools today imbibing some features
>f the traditional system, examples of which are the Krishnamurthy
:oundation. Abhilasha in Andhra and a few other schools in the
Capital. In these schools, each class maintains a minimum number
)f 20*25 students and there is no pressure of exams up to Class
/III. After that they join conventional schools and undertake the
3BSE or other board exams, says Roshan Dalal, writer and former
:eacher of one such school, The Rishikesh Valley, in Rishikesh.
Jiva, an NGO, has developed a project with a new curriculum
nheriting traits of the traditional gurukul system, curriculum
comprising new set of standards, assessment methods, materials
and training programmes, says educationist Steven Rudolf. Called
ICOT (India’s Curriculum of Tomorrow), it will comprise a set of
detailed graded standards from Classes I to XII that develop the
learner’s higher order thinking skills, a strong sense of values and
pride in Indian culture, he says, adding “the project will initially
involve private as well as government schools.” Jiva has the
tentative support of the ICSE Board and a few states. With over
150 schools already using Jiva learning system for their IT
curriculum, about 200 schools would be a realistic number to begin
the project of creating a new gurukul system, he says.
But why the need for the gurukul system? Education today mostly
creates theoretical knowledge, with students lacking in more
horizontal or lateral thinking skills like problem solving, decision*
making, and creative thinking. “The gurukul system was set up to
teach the basics of education and values to a small group of
students. In the industrial age. educators tried to adapt with factory
type of model to schooling packing in more students, as a result of
which there are many problems,” he says. To confront these
challenges the institute is working on two fronts, at the institutional
level where a public school with a modest number of students in
each class has been set up providing learners with a variety of
learning experiences, with emphasis on critical thinking skills.
Secondly, working at the macro level by interacting with government
agencies, state boards, private schools and their boards.
In today’s world the factory model prevails. The vast range of
students are studying the theory of a number of topics to a deep
degree, usually deeper than is practically necessary, notes Mr
Rudolf. The presence of a large number of students in classes, who
come from diverse backgrounds, makes it difficult for the teachers
to understand their nature and cater to the needs of each learner.
But given the modern scenario how feasible is the concept of
adopting the traditional system? “One cannot in principle object to
the setting up or revival of the traditional gurukul system but how it
is going to perform remains to be seen,"says Prof Amrik Singh. The
traditional system can be replicated but under new assumptions.
Given the objective focus of exams with teachers ignorant of the
pupil’s abilities due to the existing restraints, there must be an
effort to create the modern gurukul treating the school as a vehicle
for helping students understand themselves and become productive
members of society. “There is a chance for the new age gurukul to
come about for which educators have to start thinking differently
what education means .in this age,*” argues Mr Rudolf, whose
institute has already been hired by Unesco to create an IT policy for
Lalsram Indira/ PTI
The Observer
12 May 2000
Contd....
' “In less than a decade of
•their existence, the SHGs in
'tribal
dominated
Koraput.
•Sundergarh,
Mayurbhanj
and
^Keonjhar districts and in Cuttack
•and Khurda in Coastal belt have
-grown to include nearly 12,165
Women into a strong movement
Tor women emancipation,” CYSD
coordinator Jagdanand said. He
.added that the SHGs had become
viable alternative for their selffinancial independence.
The Observer
12 May 2000
Child soldiers
OVER 300,000 child soldiers are fighting for national and
guerrilla armies across the world, a human rights pressure
group revealed. Of them 120,000 child soldiers were deployed
In armies across Africa and 75,000 In Asian countries.
Including Afghanistan, Cambodia, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.
coordinator of the Coali
tion to Stop the Use of
Child Soldiers (CSUCS)
Rory Mungoven said, add
ing that these child sol
diers were under the age
of IB. During the East
Timor violence last year.
children were widly used
by
militias,
he
said.
“Little attention Is given
to this problem of child
soldiers, although it is
widespread**,
Mungoven
said.
The
CSUCS
is
organising a conference In Kathmandu from May 15-18,
sponsored by several human rights group and the United
Nations Children’s Fund. “We hope the conference will add
to the movement for a global ban on children under 18 being
use in conflicts", he said.
The Observer
13 May 2000
CDL Media Clippings 22
Keerthiseelan, who has done some vers
impressive water magic, by harvesting the
rain in a small tahsil
office in Gauribidanur.
thereby increasing its
water table impressively.
was visibly excited as he
Sena Vihar’s total area has the po
toured the huge 14-acre
tential for harvesting water Is 75
area. Within minutes of
studying a map of the
million litres per day. Their daily
area, he and Somshekar
demand is 90 million litres (ex*
Reddy evolved a rough
eluding gardening) but they
plan. (See box)
are getting only 40 mid
8
Bangalore’s water see*
today.
S3
nario is very grim. Its
The experts told them
population of 80 lakhs
that after harvesting
they Would get 75 mid from
needs 1,000 mid for do
the
rainwater
itself.
mestic uses, and another
Recharging the four borewells
1,000 mid for other needs.
and the open well would add to
The present supply is
only 750 mid and the
this store. The excess water
T.5 CM HIGH
shortfall of 100 mW is
recharged would be brought to the
DWARF WALLS
likely to increase to 135
grey and arid areas of the Colony.
mid. Over 35 per cent
Though Col. Kanwar, of the Society
houses in our city do not
was initially apprehensive about
the expenses involved, was finally
Rainwater harvesting through pebble method have piped BWSSB water
supply.
enthused into launching this
The Sena Vihar rwh
unique experiment in an area which had been declared as “negative” by Central
project is a pioneering
Groundwater Board experts ten years ago!
effort by the Foundation,
Reddy and Keerthiseelan also discussed various indigenous ways to recharge
which hopes to use it as a
the borewells such as preparing a filter bed which would increase the recharge
launching pad for several
level by 25 per cent. There are seven open areas between buildings, called tod lots .
(where toddlers can play) which will also be used for recharging groundwater. The ■ more such projects in Karnataka and else
where. The Foundation has recommended
30 feet by 20 feet storing pond which they will dig for storing rainwater, will have
that the Government should constitute a
a depth of six feet and will be turned into a beautiful garden.
team consisting of senior government offi
Says Col. Vijaykant "We can even give them a low cost swimming pool for using
cials. non-governmental organisations,
up excess rainwater, which would cost about Rs 4 lakhs and would be a pleasant al
builders,.architects and environmentalists
ternative to the City's filthy swimming pools.” He also points out that the Vihar's
to draft a time-bound plan to carry out rwh,
present water bills per month come upto Rs 35,000. By adopting rwh, they can save
which must be adopted for all government
upto Rs 20,000 per month.
buildings, schools, colleges and other insti
pakshi hathi tutions.
ummer’s.cruel tentacles have been and 71 houses has to be met and we are at
Says Col Vijaykant, “We must en
steadily sucking out every drop of our wit's end! I have also read a lot about courage house owners to have open wells
water from the huge, sprawling army rainwater harvesting and we are keen to and give them incentives to adopt rwh. A
housing colony, called Sena Vihar, in try it out in a small way and later expand draft plan should be made for reviving
Kammanahalli. When the dwellers suffered to a bigger project.”
lakes, ponds and other water bodies. We
Says Col Vijaykant, Executive Director; should also set up an independent lake au
through five waterless days in a row, they
EHF,
“
It
tooks
us
six
months
to
convince
decided to collect rainwater from their 15
thority with autonomous status consisting
rooftops in future, instead of staring help the Society members, after which we did an of government officials and members of the
lessly at an even more cruel summer next extensive study of the sprawling campus public. The government must concentrate
which is totally dependent on the on recharging groundwater wells for the
vear. and risking a water crisis.
This unique rainwater harvesting Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage next three years and ban digging of any
project, involving an entire community of Board for water. Their monthly need is one more borewells.”
354 flats and 71 independent houses, is the crore litres and the daily need is three-andThose who are interested in introducing
first of its kind in Karnataka. It is being a-half lakh litres. Initially, we will start rwh measures in their homes or com mu
launched by the Environment and Health with water conservation and waste man nities can contact the EHF at 5308137 and
Foundation (India) with the help of two em agement, recharge all the borewells and the 2997351, or e-mail at ColVijay@yahoo.com.
inent water management wizards - Dr T open well, and create a new water tank
Ironically, even after the Department of
Somshekar Reddy, a research fellow at the reservoir, with 15 to 20 lakhs by roof top Mines and Geology warned in six recent
Indian Institute of Management, and K harvesting, from the nine huge rooftops reports, that not even one borewell should
Keerthiseelan, Scientist ‘D’ of the Central which this complex has. We are confident be dug in Karnataka’s water-starved areas,
Ground Water Board.
that within three years, Sena Vihar will the Government has announced more
And what made Sena Vihar take this im become totally self-sufficient in water and digging of borewells in Belgaum district! It
portant step? Says Brigadier A N will not be so dependent on the Board.”
appears as if some people never hear the
Suryanarayanan, President, Sena Vihar,
Incidentally, though they have paid the warning signs while others reap water
HCSL, “We are facing. a terrible water Board a shockingly large fee of Rs 46.65 wisdom from them!
crisis. Three of our four borewells are de lakh, it has not been able to keep up its end
Deccan Herald
funct and one open well has completely of the bargain and the settlement is slowly
12 May 2000
dried up. The daily water needs of 364 flats becoming parched.
How It was done
S
23
OPEN TERRACE
News You Can Use
Mala, a tiny village tucked into the
foothills of the Western Ghats, is Big
news too. it is one of nine villages
chosen to study biodiversity,
discovers K A RAMAKRISHNA MURTHY
and
related
activities.
n the half-golden light of the Considerable interest and dedica
foothills of the Western Ghats, tion is consistenty displayed for
nestles Mala, a biodiversity- the study by college students.
rich tiny village in Karkala taluk. Knowledge of the use of nature’s
This modest village is one of the resources from men and women
nine villages in Karnataka chosen of various religions, communities,
to study biodiversity, also repre castes and tribes will be enlisted.
sentative of an awesome ecologi This knowledge can be confirmed
cal habitat type - but one of the through group discussions and
many villages affected by the recorded, a record which is main
establishment of the Kudremukh tained in the Grama Panchayat
Iron Ore Company and the office, which will be available to
Kudremukh National Park.
.the public for reference," he said.
The Biodiversity Conservation
In Karnataka, an NGO, the
Prioritization Project (BCCP), Foundation for Revitalization of
which aims al registering the Local Health Traditions, esti
information of the man on the mates that 300 species of medici
street, about the usefulness and nal plants are in regular commer
conservation of resources in cial use with the annual value of
nature, is a special project to cre trade estimates, of Rs 80 crore.
ate awareness among people. But there is only a partial official
Thus the People's Biodiversity record of harvests of just 10
Register Programmes were formu species, out of 300 species with the
lated.
Forest Department.
The main aim in registering it
Nothing at all is known about
is to make folk knowledge and what is happening to 290 other
wisdom an important base for species. The villagers of Mala
monitoring and protecting biodi know about 30 species of flower
versity and to benefit sharing ing plants. The medicinal herb
with local communities, in the collectors know about 300 species.
framework of the conservation of People in Mala together know
biological diversity.
about 350 species of flowering
The BCCP in Karnataka is plants.
sponsored by the Indian Institute
Mala villagers have identified
of Science, Bangalore and the 193 trees, 169 shrubs, 186 herbs
Karnataka State Council For and 77 climber species. They also
Science and Technology. It has know about ferns, mosses, algae
been financed by the World Wide and lower animal groups. A few
Fund (WWF) for Nature, India. people have medicinal knowlPeople's Biodiversity Register was eedge of about 100 plants. The reg
prepared at Mala village, with the ister has compiled several man
help of villagers, teachers and stu agement options for conserving
dents at Sri Bhuvendra College, biodiversity. People felt that the
under the Principal Investigator. species requiring immediate pro
of the BCCP and the Professor and tection are tigers, leopards-, lion
Head of the Zoology Department, tailed macaques, and hornbills.
Dr K P Achar. According to him, Among
medicinal
plants,
the serious decline in the tradi Rauwolfla Serpenina is being rav
tional knowledge of biodiversity aged and needs to be protected.
cannot be prevented unless the The register also recorded knowl
youth is motivated.
edgeable individuals who treat
"Current development and con them for ailments.
servation paradigms provide little
Br Achar hopes that the
reason for such an interest. We People's Biodiversity Register
feel that the educational system womd be accepted by the
should teach them much more Government as a tool for partici
about nature and biodiversity patory development.
through first hand observation
Deccan Herald
I
Six southern
rivers to be
interlinked
THE UNION Government, in an Mr Thakur assured the Elders Ijh
effort to find long term solution ministry was for marrying tradi
to water crisis, has proposed to tional and modern methods Io
bring a legislation to curtail in solve this crisis.
discriminate use of ground water.
Highlighting the depletion ol
Six southern rivers would be in ground water table in the coun
terlinked and the extension of the try. Mr Thakur said the govern
Indira Gandhi canal were the oth ment had formulated a central
er projects on the Government's ly sponsored scheme to assist the
agenda. Union Minister of Water states in artificial recharge ol
Resources C P Thakur informed ground water at an estimated
the Rajya Sabha on Friday.
cost of Rs 101.50 crore. The
Reiterating the Government's scheme was at the consultation
commitment to tackle the water state in the Planning Commission.
crisis on a war footing, Mr he said.
Thakur said traditional and mod
The Government had prepared
ern methods would be extensively a national perspective plan for
used all over the country to re recharge of ground water by util
tain and conserve water. He al ising surplus monsoon runoff
so told the House the Government The Government also proposed to
was working on a plan to handle make roof-top rain water har
the perennial flood problem in vesting mandatory in Delhi and
Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West other cities, the minister said. A
Bengal. The officials of the con Model Bill was circulated to all
cerned states and the Nepal the states to enable them to en
Government would meet in June act suitable legislation for regu
in this regard, he added.
lation and control of ground wa
Appreciating the concern of the ter development, he added.
House over the tapping of ground
The minister also informed
water by the rich farmers and de the House that a manual on ar
priving the small and marginal tificial recharge of ground water
farmers of this precious re was circulated to -the states for
source, the minister said a law area specific artificial recharge
was on the cards to ensure eq schemes to check the declining
uitable distribution of water.
trend in ground water.
Members, cutting across par
Members including Surosh
ty lines, urged the Government to Pachauri, Sanjay Nirupam. Praful
treat water crisis as an emer Patel, Premchand Gupta, R S
gency and deal with it accord Kaushik, Margbandhu and
ingly. Most of them were of the Swaraj Kaushal participated in
view the present drought and wa the calling attention regarding
ler crisis was due to bad water depletion of water level in vari
management rather than weath ous parts of the country.
er gods. Some of the Elders
Mr Thakur said the main rea
asked the Government to emulate sons for the decline in water table
the example of Israel which had were rapid pace of urbanisation.
less rainfall and water resources increasing demand in agriculture
than India but it did not face any and industrial sectors besides do
water shortage due to effective mestic needs. Change in cropping
management.
pattern in order to raise water in
The Government was asked to tensive crops had resulted in
rope in non-governmental or over-exploitation of ground wa
ganisations (NGOs) and local ter in certain areas, the minister
communities to conserve and said.
harvest water in villages and
The Pioneer
small towns all over the country.
13 May 2000
12 May 2000
CDL Media Clippings 24
Dispensible daughters
elling of unwanted baby marriage which remains unpaid. plan of development should have would take the experiences of
girls for a few hundred It is this vicious cycle of poverty, women as its core. The essential Tamilnadu in fighting the prarrupees or even for a few bot debt and the social evil of dowry features of a prospective plan of
of killing girl babies.
tles of country liquor in the being copied in which most development should be: recording Emphasis would be placed on edu
Lambada tandas or hamlets of Lambada families are trapped in ofall births and deaths in the tan- cation and changing of the mind
Nalgonda district in Andhra that forces parents to sell their das; activating the health system set. “The Lambadas see a borewell
Pradesh is an open secret. One is girls. R Shapru Naik, president of by insisting the regular visit of as an instrument of progress, not
met with aggression and flat the APST employees union traces ANMs and delivering health to education." The participation of
denial initially. Some persistence, the rise of the evil of dowry to the mother and child; initiating people and NGOs would be central
a sympathetic tone and an overt 1976 when the State government income generation activities t0 the government plan. Whether
compassionate demeanour melt recognised Lambadas as tribals preferably through women’s self- this heralds a new chapter of
down the hostility. Then they and threw open government jobs help groups; launching women’s cooperation between the govern
begin to pour out their woes and under reservation. Economic sta literacy programmes; developing ment and the people in fighting
eventually justify their act. Savli, bility and prestige was assured by infrastructure and most impor- social evils and fostering all
a
wizened
woman
of men with some education and a tant, educating the people on sus- round development at least in this
Yalmalmanda tanda in the government job for girls marrying tainable land development that blighted part of AP remains to bo
Lambada dominated Devarkonda them and so the system of boys would include water conservation seen.
mandal of Nalgonda district in paying a dowry to girls in the through traditional methods, min
R Akhileshwari
Andhra Pradesh pointed out community was overturned soon. imising borewell digging, de
Deccan
Herald
Mr
Naik
recalls
that
his
father
Surti. a middle aged woman and
emphasising irrigated crops and
14
May
2000
wife of a former sarpanch. Surti is gave three bulls to his wife’s propagating sustainable agricul
a mother of nine girls and one father, paid Rs 45 and bore all the ture. "We can change the face of
son. She managed to marry off marriage expenses to take the the villages if the government
eight girls but the ninth is prov bride home. Today even an illiter works hand in hand with us," she
ing tough. "The boys are asking ate Lambada youth demands and said.
Parachuri Jamuna, Secretary
for Rs one lakh dowry..even this gets Rs 20,000-30,000 as dowry with
girl wants an employed husband, all marriage expenses paid for by of Gram ya Resource Centre that
she too refuses to work as a the bride’s father. So if a baby girl exposed the sale of girl children
TO educate people, especially of
‘ coolie"..what can we do? we can’t fetches even Rs 10,000 in the adop and is working in the Lambada
the economically weaker sections,
keep girls in our home unmar tion market, the family’s expenses tandas of Devarakonda mandal,
to find natural remedies to com
ried,” she said voicing the com for two years are taken care of, he believes the vicious cycle of debt
monly occurring ailments, the
munity’s opinion. Life for new pointed out. It may be recalled rotating economic base of the
WHO-lndia has launched 'rational
born Lambada girls of this region when the scandal of sale of girl average Lambada family has to be
use of drugs programme*. The
was always uncertain. Poverty babies broke out in March 1999, broken by giving land to the land
programme has been named Dadi
was their bane then and so they the government acted promptly less and providing employment
Ma Ka Batua (Granny’s First Aid
were killed within a few days of and raided two so-called NGOs generation activities. An impor
Bag)".
their birth by using various meth and recovered as many as 200 tant segment of the plan should be
According to a WHO release,
ods. After a market developed for infants. As their papers were enhancement of value of the girl
the project will save villagers
babies for adoption abroad in the forged or false, the government child through a relentless cam
from the ‘Inconvenience* of visit
last few years, the local people took charge of the babies and paign. “We have written to the
a
CID
enquiry. CM to make it part of
ing far-away health centres, pro
and the educated • Lambada men ordered
she
said.
vide cost-effective means of heal
were quick to realise the poten Subsequently, 14 babies died in a Janmabhoomi,”
tial. Now instead of being killed as diarrhoea epidemic. The High Education and extending the gov
ing, protect them form the over
earlier, the newborn unwanted Court in a case filed by the two ernment scheme of giving Rs 5000
dose of drugs and their side
Lambada girls are sold. “The fam NGOs seeking the custody of the for a girl child would increase a
effects. To survey and list the
ily earns Rs 30.000 or even Rs children refused their request and girl’s value and take care of the
common ailments and the herbal
50.000," explained Savli. It was ruled that the government could dowry^yp also. But has such
plant population, 10 villages,
flabbergasting. Girls fetching give out the children in adoption value enhancement made any
five each in Madhya Pradesh
with
preference
given
for
in-coun
inroads into the dowry evil in the
such a huge amount? The only lit
and Uttar Pradesh, have been
erate Lambada man in the audi try, Indian couples. Eight chil rest of the society? Jamuna said
selected and would be provided
ence. Ratan Naik. Veterinary dren were restored to their fami there should be a crackdown on
with Ayurveda-based indigenous
Assistant was more clear: by sell lies and the organisation SOS was dowry. “In desperation we are
local therapeutic options.
ing the girl, the family saves the appointed caretaker for 153 chil forced to think that an iron-hand
Arogyadham, JRD Tata Founda
burden of paying that amount as dren of whom 30 have been sent to ed approach is called for..,” she
tion for research in Ayurveda
dowry..right now the going rate is SOS Village in Visakhapatnam. Of said. Nalgonda District Collector
and Yoga sciences, and the The
Rs 30.000..it could go up to Rs the 120 remaining here the adop V M Manohar Prasad told Sunday
New Way Health Organisation
50.000 who knows? Salki of the tion of about 100 have been Spotlight that the girl child sale
Himalyan Centre, under the guid
same tanda was prevented by the finalised. Is there a way out of this should not be seen through the
ance of the Delhi Society for the
local women’s NGO from selling tragic situation? Ms Rukmini Rao prism of poverty alone but also as
Promotion of the Rational Use of
her one week-old daughter. She of Deccan Development Society a gender discrimination and
Drugs woul.d form the framework
already had three girls and one that has successfully mobilised development issue. While not
of the project.
son. "J have nothing," said Salki. the women in the backward denying lack of concrete action in
•‘How can J keep her?” Besides Medak district, believes a system tackling the problem, Mr Prasad
The Observer
she had incurred a debt of Rs atic plan of action is missing in said a plan of action was being
13 May 2000
50,000 for the elder daughter’s dealing with it. She believes any formalised within a month that
S
Novel
health plan
launched
25
News You Can Use
Funds crunch
hitsNGO’s Half-Baked Solutions Won’t Wort
Orissa project
FROM OUR SPECIAL
CORRESPONDENT
Bhubaneswar, May 12: When
Milton McCann set up 11 schools
in Kalahandi in 1986, he had only
one dream — to provide food and
education to impoverished tribal
children and help them shape a fu
ture vastly different from that of
their fathers.
Eleven years later, McCann’s
dream lay shattered when he had
to close down these schools due to
paucity of funds.
“It was something terrible and
very difficult to come to terms
with. How can you slam the door
on these unfortunate children?”
says the Calcutta-based social
worker, who was named “Mem
ber, Order of the British Empire",
for his work among the poor, espe
cially street children.
McCann had to “pack up and
leave” in 1997 because foreign
funds stopped coming. “I was very
sad to leave, but I had no other al
ternative,” says the 68-year-old
secretary of the Usthi Foundation,
an organisation he set up in col
laboration with a Swiss couple in
1977.
Impressed by his work, former
chief minister Biju Patnaik gave
him 200 acres of land in the
Bhawanipatna and Lanjigarh
blocks of Kalahandi district.
Before he left Kalahandi “for
good” three years ago, McCann re
turned the land in his possession
to the state government and asked
another Christian organisation to
carry on the work. McCann is now
focusing on cyclone relief in Oris
sa. He said the Usthi Foundation
was also running a hospital for
tribals in Keonjhar district.
But the social worker is wor
ried that funds will dry up. “I need
money to run schools and hospi
tals. I do not want to relive the
Kalahandi experience again," he
said. To generate funds. McCann
plans to open a diagnostic centre
in Bhubaneswar soon.
The Telegraph
13 May 2000
IG bill-boards and well
publicised marches to
create awareness on
child labour have dnne precious
little to bring back thousands
of children from the very many
small and cottage units of
Firozabad. A survey conducted
in 1995-96 estimated that
over 21,000 child labourers
in the district were engaged
in 460 registered factories in
the town. The number was
three times as many in the
unregistered units.
Absence of vocational train
ing programme and indifferent
rehabilitation have resulted in
the growing number of school
drop-outs from some 70-odd
primary schools of the district
setup for rehabilitation of these
children. Extreme, indigence
has pushed these children
into the small industrial units
as labourers.
The enrolment figure is fairly
high in the primary schools
but most drop out before they
complete class II, says a report
by the ‘Disha Project, run by
Child Fund India in collab
oration with district council of
child welfare. Out of the 70
schools currently 65 are func
tional. Five were closed for
want of budgetary support from
the local administration, said
an official of an NGO.
Vishwamohan Kulshreshtra,
secretary of a local NGO said
the financial grant his school
receives is grossly inadequate.
“Even the payment does not
come in time".
A flat sum of Rs 800 is
given to hire a building for
running a school but the mini
mum
rent
prevailing
in
Firozabad today is not less
than Rs 1000. NGOs have to
bear
this
extra
amount,
Kulshreshtra said. Teachers are
B
paid only a paltry amount of
Rs 800 a month and that too
irregularly, he said.
The story of whithering child
hood has a universal theme
whether in Firozabad or in
Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu or any
where else in the country —
the grinding poverty.
"How will we survive if our
children
don’t
work",
Chandra devi whose three chil
dren assist the family to earn
Absence of vocational
training programmes
and Indifferent
rehabilitation have
resulted In the growing
number of school drop
outs from some 70-odd
primary schools In
Firozabad District setup
for rehabilitation of the
child labour
its daily bread, asks.
"We know this is not the
age for our children to engage
in work but compulsion force
us to do this. Destiny has
little in store for our children”.
Ghansayam, who has spent
almost 35 years in glass and
bangles-making, rues.
District
magistrate
of
Firozabad V K Gupta has said
a sum of Rs six crores has
been collected as fine from
employers found engaging in
work children below the age
of 14 in the last seven years.
This amount will be used for
running welfare programmes
for the families listed for having
working children.
Employers in the organiser
sector are afraid of raid n
which a fine of Rs 20,000 it
levied for every child spotter
working but its growth in th<
household units is unchecked
"We are aware of children
being engaged in householr
units but it is difficult t<
prove them as labour. The;
take advantage of loophole*
in the act", said one distric
official. According to the Chile
Labour (Prohibition and Regu
lation) Act, "any work that is
not voluntary, that is imposec
upon and keeps the chile
away from the education pro
cess, from the joys of childhooc
or endangers his/ her health
falls in the realm of chile
labour”.
According to Gupta stopping
of the contract labour suppl)
in the factories will help improve
the situation to a great extent
He also mooted communit)
sheds programmes to help
people come together and work
in community at a common
place. He said gas cylinders
have been supplied to house
hold units engaged in bangle
making to reduce the health
risk emanating from kerosene
as fuel for the oven.
A senior district official said
on condition of anonymity that
the situation is not going to
improve
through
these
measures. There is a need to
give vocational training to chil
dren in schools to help them
acquire skills in safer profes
sions, he said. The town needs
to build up newer avenues of
works in environment-friendly
industries like packaging in
dustries. he added.
(FT/
The Observe
15 May 2000
CDL Media Clippings 26
Social groups join hands
to combat AIDS
Pres* Trust of India
GUWAHATI
ALARMED by the rising incidence
of AIDS and HIV infections in the
Nort-East, social organisations
working for them have come
together to combat the menace
collectively.
"In response to the enormous
problem of HIV/AIDS in the north
east, a network with focus on
advocacy and capacity building
has been planned which would
consist of a group of organisations
in the seven states of the region,"
said Dr Chiranjeeb Kakoty of
North-East Society for the Promo
tion of Youth and Masses.
Apart from sharing experiences,
the organisations will Jointly
understand and analyse the prob
lems and challenges pertaining
boos that surround these matters
In public discourse, between hus
band and spouse and between
parents and their children," said
Unicefs communication advisor
Doris Grote.
to the issues of HIV/AIDS of the
region. "The networking will fa
cilitate the development of pro
grammes, contribute to the pro
cess of advocacy and convince
policy makers of the need for
policy reform and prompt action,"
said Dr Kakoty.
The networking orgnisations
would .also identify, develop and
work out appropriate strategies
for advocacy and devising working
alliance with governments at the
regional and state-level.
HIV/AIDS is now visualised as
not merely a public health problem
but a socio-economic issue in
the perspective of the overall
development. "The disease rais
es a unique and difficult set of
issues to be addressed by virtue
of its primarily sexual route of
transmission and the strong ta
The fatal and devastating con
sequences to the infected person,
the fear and stigma that was
associated in the public mind
with the infection, creating an
open and frank dialogue around
these matters in public debate
and confronting the fears were
the challenges facing India's re
sponse to the epidemic, she
said. The prevalence levels of
HIV are still low in India, but the
number of infected individuals is
extremely large doubling in the
last four years to an estimated
million.
■' fn Assam alone 13 cases
Journalists demand probe
into working of NGOs
Observer Political Bureau
NEW DELHI
THE Lok Samman Manch, a
Delhi-based forum of journalists
and intellectuals, has asked the
Union Home Minister L K Advani,
to order a thorough enquiry into
the activities of the NGOs working
in several parts of the country.
The Home Minister, in particu
lar, has been asked to look into
the affairs of the Almora-based
non-govemment
organisation,
Sahyog, which by way of publish
ing a booklet about the "socalled" sexual behaviour of the
Uttarakhand people in a "very
disgraceful" manner has hurt
the local sentiments and their
sensibility.
The booklet AIDS Aur Hum,
has been brought out by the
Almora-based
voluntary
organisation, Sahyog.
It is said to be a study paper,
however it gives "perverted and
scandalous" details of the alleged
sexual behaviour of the people
of Uttarakhand living there or at
the outskirts of the Uttrakhand.
Also, the report tries to convince
the local people as well as the
funding agencies that entire re
gion will .be in the grip of AIDS
disease if the voluntary agencies
were not involved in the protection
of the local people, who are
supposed to have promiscuous
sexual behaviour.
The report reveals the titillating
details of so-called conversations
in the crudest form of language.
The publication has already spark
ed violent incidents throughout
the Uttarakhand region.
The Lok Samman Manch de
manded cancellation of the FORA
registration of the Sahyog and
closure of Its offices in the
entire Uttarakhand region. Be
sides, the forum has demanded
that the guilty (Dr Abhijit Das
and
his
wife
Yashodhara
Dasgupta, who run the NGO)
must not be allowed to restart
their activities under some other
name.
Rajendra Dhasmana, a senior
Journalist and social activist, said
the purpose would be defeated
if the passports of the guilty
were not impounded and all
accounts of the NGO remain
unfreezed.
He said a ban must be put on
any future funding to Dr Das
and his wife Yashdhara and
other active in their voluntary
organisation. He said that the
humiliation inflicted upon the
people of Uttarakhand was also
an insult to all working people
who go out of their homes to
other places to earn their bread.
The Observer
15 May 2000
27
were reported this year till March
of which 12 are male and one
female. Additional director of state
aids control society Dr P C Misra
said that so far 71 people in
the state have been affected by
AIDS while 295 have tested HIV
positive.
In Manipur, the disease is
prevalent mostly amongst intra
venous drug users which risks
spreading to neighbouring states
in the north-east and major metro
politan centres. The decision to
form a network of organisations
was taken at a recent workshop
in the north-east held nere and
an action plan was also • .diked
out. "Exchange of lessons learnt.
experiences and the knowledge
of best practices and outcomes
will contribute to improved pro
gramme
design,
monitoring,
ocumentation, training an re
search to enhance delivery of
interventions," he said.
Dr Kakoty further pointed out
that because of the time factor
-and the existing programmes
which were carried out by various
organisations, it had been decided
that the network, to be effective
and sustainable, will take up
activities in a manner which will
not be a burden to the ongoing
programme?. The short term ob
jectives of the organisations would
be to involve the comrriunity,
service providing organisations
to have sufficient capacity to
increase effectiveness and effi
ciency, establishment of a state
wise resource pool, addressing
the identified gaps of existing
programmes and gender sensitive
programmes.
The Obsever
15 May 2000
News You Can Use
All that Utter is gold
approached with imagination and some
financial assistance, (but no coercion) he is
bound to cooperate. That is, the history ol
__
the garbage dumps and mass waste rotting all
HIS MIGHT be a case of the Capital, A ragpicker gladly bought 19 of the 20 kgs over the place can be actually turned upside
but this dustbin of history syndrome collected over two days for Rs 48. It was down with creative imagination, collective
stalks most cities of India. If anything, interesting, that while cartons in which fast participation and human will.
it proves how societies and its officialdom food is sold were acceptable for purchase
Urvashi Dhamija
can create piles of waste and garbage, and tetrapack containers, the thin covers of
leave the rot to its public fate.
The Hindustan Times
instant noodles and the increasingly popular
The Government of Delhi, stung by the thermacol glasses were not.
17 May 2000
Supreme Court’s scathing comments in Clearly, for the litter on Delhi’s streets, it is
February that the litter of Delhi’s streets was not the careless citizen who is alone respon
a direct consequence of its own lackadaisical sible. It is also the leeway available to com
attitude towards the human and material mercial interests in the packaging and the
Rain forests
resources at its disposal, put a brand new hospitality industry.
scheme in place in a matter of weeks.
In 25 residential colonies, kitchen waste,
ONE of the biggest
The city was divided into 12 zones under both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, is put in
movements to save the
sanitary inspectors whose precise jurisdiction pits. The widely shared fear of stench was
environment has begun on
the Internet where surfers
and phone numbers, both official and resi invariably proved to be misplaced. After a pit
are requested to just click to
dential, were publicised in national dailies. is filled and sealed for. eight months, rich
save the rain forests. Starting
One hundred and thirty-four executive mag black organic manure becomes available.
this month at the rain forest
istrates were authorised to impose fines up to Where space is a constraint, red earthworms
site at www.greatergood.com.
Rs 50 on those who put litter anywhere can be used to consume fruit and vegetable
16.3 square feet of land will
waste — 100 gm of worms can eat up to 200
except in specified receptacles.
be donated for one single
Market places were to be dotted with 3,000 gm of food scrap and turn it into odour free
click. A group of rotating
yellow bins with green markings. The ordi- manure in six weeks time. An alternative to
sponsors has been formed.
nary citizen’s reaction to these moves was worms for aerobic composting is a microbial
They will pay for the
one of annoyance or scepticism — he was powder which is indigenously produced and
donations that will be
familiar with the local authorities’ penchant marketed. Should the government decide to
distributed by Nature
for the dramatic and the symbolic, as in the shift its priorities from removal of waste to
Conservancy’.
case of a ban on smoking in public places and segregation and recycling, the pressure to
So far the non-profit
the periodic reminder to “say no to plastic locate new sites for dumping waste will ease.
organisation has purchased
bags”. Tvo months later, even as the initial There is no alternative to land fills for the
200,000 acres of rain forests
lack of enthusiasm would seem justified, 13 per cent of total urban waste which con
in Latin America and the
scattered groups of Delhiites are struggling sists of non-degradables such as drain silt
Caribbean. The background
of the site is equally
to make a difference in the management of and building activity waste. Also, it can focus
interesting. The creator of the
waste generated by their professional institu more effectively on isolating and sanitising
site, who wishes to remain
bio-medical waste from nursing homes and
tions and residential complexes.
anonymous, started
In an alternate programme, the govern hospitals which, while constituting the
www.thehungersite.com.
ment can emerge as an influential ally in remaining two per cent of urban waste, is a
where one can donate food to
denting the prevalent mindset about han huge environmental hazard if left untreated
poor countries — one and
*
dling waste which regards it as a frivolous as it often happens.
three-fourths of a cup for each
Against
this
background,
if
the
Delhi
matter. Instead of being regarded as an
click. Since then the site has
instrument of unnecessary force, the govern Government decides to review its February
been deluged. Thus far, an
ment can become a catalyst of change. With initiative to clean up Delhi, sanitary inspec
astonishing 55 million users
each city dweller disposing about 400 gm of tors and magistrates can become link persons
have donated 6,500 tonnes of
waste — food scrap, paper wrappers, poly between office-bearers of residents’ and
food at the award-winning
traders
’
associations,
professional
institu
thene covers, broken china, an occasional
site.
bandage and mud and leaf waste — the tions in their respective areas and NGOs like
Donors can monitor the
Delhi Government is required to render Vatavaran and Chintan.
progress of both the sites
invisible 800,000 metric tons of garbage The latter can offer practical help in segre
where the amount of food
gating binning and waste. Instead of distrib
every day.
given or the extent of rain
Studies have shown that 54 per cent of total uting largesse to set up eco-clubs, matching
forest saved is displayed. This
urban waste is produced by residences and 31 grants should be given to not only schools
apart, there are shopping
per cent by shops and offices. Sixty per cent but also colleges for setting up paper recy
links where a portion of the
of all this is bio-degradable and compostable, cling units.
total purchase would be sent
to those in need, like children
about 80 per cent of the rest can be sold and The city needs enthusiastic people for this
facing starvation in Ethiopia.
ensured entry into the recycling chain.
apparently “boring” task. What distinguishes
- SNS.
That waste is wealth in the wrong place a metropolitan citizen, it is said, is his (or
The Statesman
became evident to women students of her) willingness to invest time, money and
Miranda House in Delhi when they brought energy to evolve a private solution to a pub
17 May 2000
clean non-biodegradable waste from home lic problem. If there is a water shortage, he
and filled it in separate bags meant for will bore a well. If electricity is in short sup
polythene, plastic, paper card-board, glass ply, he will get himself an inverter.
and metal.
In keeping public spaces clean, if a citizen is
CDL Media Clippings 20
Shameful practice
Inadequate network
There are over seven lakh people categorised ao scavengers
who Corry night soil or. their heads in the country and in spite
of pious intentions and declarations and various schemes to end
this inhuman practice, the practice of manual scavenging still
continues in m^ny parts of the country. A recent Parliamentary
Standing Committee Report on Urban and Rural Development
has made a siathing criticism r.f the government for not paying
enough attention to the scheme to convert ary latrines into
water units. The low-cost sanitation scheme. (LCS) has hardly
made any progress for lack of funds and enthusiasm on the part
of the government. The Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment has been unable to release adequate funds for
the purpose. It is estimated that there are about 72.1 lakh dry
latrines in urban areas alone and about Rs 6,057 crore is
required for their conversion. But only Rs 5.90 crore was allot
ted in 1098-99 and no fund has been released in 1999-2000, though
there was a budget estimate of Rs 34.65 crore.
The government had once declared that the system of
manual scavenging would be put an end to during the Eighth
Plan. But even in the Ninth Plan, against the requirement of Rs
6.057 crore, the actual allotment of funds was only Rs 2,000
crore. The inhuman practice therefore continues in many
States. Some States uo not even have the law which bans the
employment of manual ocavenge/s. The programme was dear to
Gandhiji’s heart and it is a reflection of the unconcern and
inhumanity of our society that the practice is not put to an end
to. There are no effective rehabilitation and resettlement
schemes for those who have been employed in the shameful pro
fession and the caste prejudices, which keep the scavengers out
side society, are still strong. Unless the government seriously
takes up the piogrrmme for eradication of the practice and
involve social and non-governmental organisations in the task,
it is douotful whether the*e will be an early end to his obnox
ious practice.
The Union Minister of State for Communications, Mr Tapan
Sikdar’s disclosure that four lakh villages in the country still
lack post offices is an eye-opening comment on our development
process of the last five decades. There is no denying that the
country has made big strides in various fields and achieved
much in these years but the disclosure is a reminder that much
more needs to be done. India boasts of the largest postal net
work in the world but it falls short of the need to reach every
village and thus every person in the country. The same is the
case in other areas like education and healthcare which are the
basic services that a caring and responsible, state should pro
vide to its citizens. There are lakhs of villages in the country
where even elementary schools and primary health clinics do
not exist. This is a major constraint on the development of
human resources and potential and it is the state which has the
resources and responsibility to undertake the task of spreading
these services to every part of the country, however remote and
inaccessible. The communication network provided by the posi
offices had an important role in increasing people-to-people con
tact and catalysing the development process. It is also linked to
the level of literacy of the people. It is no surprise that the
States where communication, education, and healthcare sys
terns are functioning well are also the leaders in human devel
opment.
It is a paradox that while there is talk of harnessing the
most modern science and technology in aid of economic and
social development, many of the villages in the country are in
a primitive stage of development. It is not always possible to
ensure even growth and development. But a minimum infra
structure of development should be put in place everywhere.
which would help to prevent social and economic conflicts from
assuming dangerous proportions. Recently, the government
drew up an ambitious scheme to link most of the country’s
population through e-mail, by providing free e-mail IDs to the
people through post offices. The proposal is good but there is
first the need to set up post offices where they do not exist now.
The Indian Express
17 May 2000
Deccan Herald
17 May 2000
Deccan Herald
18 May 2000
Now, even the blind can surf the
Internet
PHntniifc
fnrmat aep<5 1s
.. ,
....
™
Printouts in
in Rraillp
Braille format
no-aiMo
with
99, the software can also be re-™ available in manv Indian
15 ^°- P08™16,
modelled
or
restructured ,
avauame in many inman more emphasis on Tamil, the
moaeuea
or . restructured. languages
English. Vidya team
introduced a search
This was not created for com- vHkcha a training centre fnr ieam 035 mtroaucea a searen
mercial gains We want neonle Yr• a
centre tor engine
Tamil. This contains
Chennai, May 16: The visua
disabled, offers a free four- a «text
faefiity, besi.
lly handicapped can now oper to benefit free of cost and the day training course for instru- des fee nonnal search en^e
ate the computer and surf the software’s latest version can1 ctors and volunteers from trai- features
Internet thanks to a new softw be downloaded from the Inter rung or service institutes to e.^
be sent
wey
are developed by the departm net in a month, ” Kalyanakris- train the visually handicapped as readin
languages
hnan
said.
ent of Computer Science Engin
without downloading any partIn this special software, key 111 computers.
eering, IIT, Madras.
The software has been desig- icular font or software
vis.
board
input
is
echoed
as
spe
The multi-lingual software
ned to operate in Tamil Sansk-^ challenged can hear the
ech,
letter
by
letter,
word
by
is the fruit of 10 years of resea
rch by Computer Science fac word, or line by line, or the entnews in Tamil.
ulty member R Kalyanakrish- ire text is read out in the lang- <Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam,slte
nan and his students, and pro- ^86 used for entry: Keyboard Urdu, English, Greek, Sinhala _TamU
of ancient manuscripts ami ins.
raises to make the operators controls are provided to help and Japanese languages.
computer literates within a the visually handicapped navi- Transliteration iid web .cnptlons with te* “ «ffere?
• j 4in these 1langu-,^*^
languages are
part
of this packgate, the screen while editing .]page« designing
b
tQbe
WccA.
Compatible with Tamunet- tex^^i
29
News You Can Use
Financial Assistance for
Research Support to Voluntary
Organisations engaged in
Cultural Activities
The Government of India, Ministry of Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports, Department of Culture invites applications
for financial assistance from Voluntary Organisations engaged in Cultural Activities for the Year 2000-2001.
Under this Scheme, financial assistance is provided for holding of Conferences, Seminars and Symposia on
important cultural matters, surveys, pilot projects etc. Organisations which are of All India character or of national
fame and have been functioning for at least three years and are registered under the Societies Registration Act (XXI
Of 1860) are eligible. Religious institutions, Public libraries, Universities or Schools are not eligible.
.Completely documented applications should reach to the Section Officer, A&A Section, Central Secretariat
Library Building, 1st Floor, Shastri Bhavan, New Delhi with recommendations of State Govemment/State Academies
on or before 14.6.2000. An advance copy also be sent with the indication of the reference to the State Government/
State Academies. Incomplete applications will not be entertained.
r----------------------------------------------------------- FORMAT------------------------------------------------------------------ 1
Application form for Seminar Grant
I
j
i
|
1.
2.
3.
Name of the Organisation/lnstitutionL_
Address:
Year of establishment/Registration:
4.
Objectives of the Organisation:
5.
Proposed Programme in detail:
6.
7.
Itemwise budget
Date of the Project/Programme/Seminar
8.
Grant required'
9.
Other sources of grant-------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
I
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ,
j
I
(Signature of the Applicant
with designation)
'
.
Documents to be attached
A copy of the bye-laws of the Organisation
A copy of the certificate of registration
Previous three year's Annual Report with a copy of the balance sheets
attested by CA
Any press clipping regarding previous Conferences/Seminars etc.
I------------------ 1---------------------------------- .--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1
DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
■
Deccan Herald
18 May 2000
CDL Media Clippings 30
Gujarat NGO to pilot water study
FROM BASANT RAWAT
lief,“Vishwa Gujarati Samaj wa- drought hit through NGOsr
resolution, condemning Medha PAhmedabad, May 17: Vishwa hts to provide assistance to people
The president said the Federa- atkar, who is spearheading an agiOujarati Samaj, a voluntary or- to find lasting solutions, which in- tion of Gujarati Associations of tation against the Narmada dam.
ganisation, has decided to set up a ’dlude digging of wells. And all fl- North America has already set up
The Samaj appealed Patkar to
permanent trust to monitor and nancial assistance will be given by Gujarat Drought Relief Fund. Gu- appreciate the genuine demands
guide research in water manage- us.’’Vakharia said. He added: “We jarati associations in UK and of the people of Saurashtra and
nient
want to dig wells in large numbers Africa, too, have promised help,
north Gujarat and to allow them
An expert committee will so that water is available for at
Asked how the Samaj intended to use Narmada water.
study problems relating to water least two years in Saurashtra and to help the drought affected,
Mumbai-based industrialist
scarcity to find a permanent solu- north Gujarat, currently reeling Vakharia said: “We will help vol- Chandresh Virvadia, who is runi ion to the problem in Saurashtra under severe drought.”
untary organisations doing excel- ning a cattle camp in his homeand north Gujarat, Samaj presi-. Vakharia has appealed to Gu- lent work in rural areas.”
town Radhanpur, said he has been
dent Krishnakant Vakharia told jArati associations in 128 counOn Monday, the Samaj held a getting an overwhelming respon
se Telegraph.
tries to liberally donate money to meeting to discuss ways and mea- se from philanthropists who have
The organisation will provide the Samaj for drought relief. Earli- ns to “find a permanent solution” donated Rs 1 crore.
financial assistance and technical er this week, the organisation he- to the water problem. It was atVirvadia who was here to atk now how to local people to rech- Id a meeting in Mumbai, which tended by noted Gandhian, C. Vai- tend the meeting says he requires
arge wells and promote water har- was attended by prominent Gu- dya, representatives from NGOs Rs 2 crore to feed 5,500cattle-heads.
vesting and conservation.
jaratis who showed keen interestand two Gujarati industrialists fr- till monsoon.
Instead ofgiving temporary re- in providing assistance to the om Mumbai. They also passed a
The Telegraph
18 May 2000
SHOMA CHAKRABORTY_______________
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
SAMADHIYALA (Rajkot), May
18. — This prosperous village,
just 20 km from Rajkot town,
has made a name for its excel
lent water management pro
gramme. Here too, things may
go wrong. But only if the rain
gods play truant for four more
months.
A model village with a benev
olent dictator driving it to pros
perity, Raj-Samadhiyala is
developing chinks in its
armour. The Aaji river that
waters this village and the
ones nearby have gone dry. The
dam -which used to -quench the
thirst of the whole district as
also of Rajkot is a play field for
children. The 450 check dams
the village had built to stop
water from running away and
make it seep down to raise the
water table have been dry since
April last year.
But the village is not overly
worried. The water manage
ment schemes started by the
village sarpanch, Hardevsinh
Balwantsinh Jadeja, are pay
ing rich dividends with water
available in all taps.
The income of the families
here is way above the state
average and the neighbourhood
is spotlessly clean. The vil
31
DRINKING WATER SCHEME
CALCUTTA, May 18 — Help Age India has inaugurated a
drinking water scheme in Rajasmand district of Rajasthan for
the supply of drinking water to drought-hit victims.
Nearly 20,000 people of 20 villages will benefit from this new
water supply scheme. Help Age will contribute 3 per cent of the
cost of the water tankers. This NGO — with the help of other
local agencies — had already started the second phase of water
Oupport programme in the districts of Pali and Barmer districts
of Rajasthan. Help Age has already commissioned more than 40
projects in Rajasthan. — SNS
lagers follow a strict penal code
laid down by the 11-member
development committee. Even
littering attracts fine. And the
rules, in force for more than
two decades now, have kept the
crime rate down at zero, the
sarpanch claims. A strict disci
plinarian, the man is a law
unto himself. Even chewing
paan masala and littering the
village with polybags are
banned.
There is enough water in the
wells for the animals, but some
poor people have already start
ed feeling the pinch of water
scarcity. A local potter says
that there is enough water for
his household needs, but for his
professional needs he has to
walk to a well at some distance.
Jadeja's schemes, in place
since 1978 when he returned to
the village after completing his
MA in English, have resulted
in obvious all-round prosperity.
A local beggar whom he
helped avail government loans
in 1990s now owns land, a
thriving shop and a big house
with a dish on top and two
colour TVs. His daughter
Gayatri, a standard IX student,
wants to be a nurse.
“Ten per cent of the people in
each society are mischief-mon
gers. The best way to combat
them is to get together the
remaining 90 per cent who are
good. Then you can easily curb
the law-breakers using their
own technique," the modernday Hammurabi says.
Asked if he had contingency
plans for a weak monsoon
again, the sarpanch says, "I
think it will rain this year".
Many other village-heads
come to him to learn water
harvesting techniques. The vil
lage has many fissure rocks
which let the water seep down.
By building dykes and check
dams to trap water, the vil
lagers of Raj-Samadhiyala
have made good use of avail
able water since 1986-87/This
has recharged the water table
in the entire area, and many
villages within a four- to fivekm radius have benefited from
the scheme.
“But it is a dry, arid zone,
declared a desert by the gov
ernment years ago. Even sub
soil water dries up very fast. If
it does not rain this summer,
we will have to bore really
deep, up to 500 feet. But water
may still not be potable,”
Jadeja says.
But as the village has also
checked soil erosion by planting
trees, there is no immediate
danger. “We are all well-off
today,” says 70-year-old
Narshibhai Dholasiya. “When I
was young, there was no securi
ty for us in terms of both money
as well as thieves and vandals
but, today we are very secure
and safe. There is no need for
us to go looking for jobs if there
is a drought. There is enough
money to see us through for a
while even if the wells dry up,"
the man, whose wife is a mem
ber of the gram sabha, says.
The Statesman
This Gujarat village found water for all
News You Can Use
Operation cooperation i^Z2Hooold
ulgol. a nondescript vil sory deposits scheme, about five
lage. is about 15 fans from crore has been collected to take
Sirsi in Uttara Kannada care of their children's education
district. And yet. it is an impor and marriage. In addition to their
tant centre for a very valid rea 2.000-odd members, there are
son: Some 80 years ago a coopera about 800 shareholders in the
tive society was established here society. Among the members are
for needy farmers from surround landless agricultural labourers,
ing villages. This village society artisans, women and backward
started in 1919 has even bagged a class groups.
Apart from loans at low inter
“model cooperative society in the
est rates, which enable farmers to
State" award.
The cooperative society was get better crops using quality
formed at Hulgol, an important seeds, manure and improved
centre for many villages like farming techniques, the society
Sonda. Arasapura. Bhairumbe takes the marketing responsibili
and Bommanahalli. The region is ty to help farmers get better rates
known locally as Thotada Seeme. for their crops.
The members having delivered
Some progressive farmers and
freedom fighters from nearby vil their crops to the society, after
lages in Sirsi taluk, started the the harvest for disposal at (he
society with a subscription of Rs market in Sirsi. collect their
5 per member. Today this shares from sales, either on the
same day or on the next day.
bustling farmers' society func
The society runs a flour mill
tions from its computerised
and an oil mill at Bhairumbe for
administrative building, built
the local farmers. There is also a
in 1965. at Bhairumbe. next to
drier machine to dry coconut and
Hulgol
cardamom, which arc to be pre
Originally, the society’s
served in good condition till its
basic objective was to help
use or sale.
needy farmers under heavy
The Hulgol Service society
debts, caused by recurring crop
maintains some 200 gobar gas
losses and high interests paid
on outstanding debts. It was to units in nearby villages with
keep poor farmers away from technical assistance from the
greedy money lenders and land khadi and village employment
grabbers. Gradually, with a grow commissioner.
The Society's service activi
ing membership and the chang
ing needs of farmers, the society ties include clearing members'
further expanded its service water, phone and power bills.
supply of vessels, pandals and
activities.
“Ours is not a credit coopera chairs for functions, offering
tive society but a service society emergency loans during a death
concerned about members’ family in the family and many other
welfare as a whole. Health, edu such programmes and schemes.
cation. marriage, marketing of
“We invest our personal touch
crop yields, banking, we have
various welfare schemes for our and rapport into our work. The
members.’’ says M R Hegde, sec members often bring us their
retary of the society.
family or personal problems. It
. To make available quality may be a family dispute, a domes
goods at reasonable rates to farm tic problem or something which
ers near their village, the society has no relevance to the work
runs provision and hardware expected of a credit society. But
shops besides its administrative ours is a village society which
office at Bhairumbe. The vil has retained the same member
lagers can buy provisions, farm ship for two to three generations.
ing tools on cash or credit basis. ever since our society started 80
It saves time and money, for the years ago, that is 26 years before
farmers need not go to Sirsi. Independence. It is mutual faith
which is located about 10 to 20 and the cooperative spirit shown
kms from their villages.
by the members which makes our
The society has provided Society different." claims N M
about Rs 6.5 crore for cultivation Hegde. president.
I
and other loans to its members,
SVUPENDRA
in 1999. And under the ‘Vidya
CHARYA
Srcc* and *Vadhu Sree* compul-
H
16 NGOs lose
ministerial
sanctions
Sanjay Singh
sports to reduce dropout.
Calcutta based Vivekanand
Nidhi is another such NGO. Il
has been given Rs 1.53 lakh
grant last year to undertake yo
THE
HUMAN
Resource
ga project.
Development Ministry has
The ministry gave Rs 1.04
stopped grants to Gandhi Peace
lakh to Bharatiya Vidya
Foundation, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhawan, Chandigarh; Akhil
Bhawan, Vivekanand Nidhi and
Bharatiya Mega Svargiya
at least 13 other non-govern
Samiti. Maharashtra, was giv
mental organisations (NGOs)
en Rs 4.97 lakh; Krishak Vikas
for their failure to submit util
Samiti was given Rs Rs 2.33
isation certificates to the min
istry. These organisations were
lakh.
Grants to other NGOs which
categorised as the one which
received it in 1997-98 were
were engaged in strengthening
stopped up on same pretext.
culture and value in education.
Such NGOs include Thakur
The annual report published
Hariprasad
Institute of
by the HRD Ministry says de
Research,
KJ
Somaiya
spite repeated reminders these
Bharatiya Sanskrit Peetham,
NGOs did not submit audited ac
Sirsa Education Society. AIAET
counts reports or utilisation cer
and DISHA.
tificates to the ministry
The ministry, however, chose
. They also did not forward
another set of 21 NGOs. in
any reasons for that. The min
cluding SANKALP, SP1C-MACAY.
istry therefore decided that no
Young Envoys International.
further grants will be sanc
Citizenship Dev. I1RC, CP
tioned to them.
Ramaswamy Iyer Foundation.
Gandhi Peace Foundation,
Uttpal Dutt Foundation on
New Delhi, for instance was giv
International Theatre Studies.
en Rs 3.5 lakh for strengthen
to place under same category —
ing culture and value in edu
cation in 1996-97. The HRD- strengthening culture and val
ue in education and were giv
ministry was subsequently not
en grants preceding financial
informed of as to how the
year.
amount was spent.
The grants are given to them
A Gandhi Peace Foundation
functionary, however, claimed
for undertaking projects for ac
tivities ranging from lecture
that they did not take grants
performance-cum-workshop.
from the Government. They
had other sources of funding
value based living through art
thus the Government contention
and culture, teachers training,
of stopping grants to the foun
seminar, education in theatre
dation was not tenable.
making, classical dance to re
Grants to the Delhi based
vive folk arts in schools.
A1AET was stopped on same
The recently circulated
grounds and the report says "no
National
Curriculum
further grant has been sanc
Framework
for
School
tioned'’ due to "audited ac
Education defines value edu
counts or utilisation certificate
cation as the one which should
were not received from the
help eliminate obscurantism.
agencies concerned in spite of
religious fanaticism, violence.
repeated reminders". But the
superstition, fatalism, nurturing
appendix HI indicates that Rs
contents essentia) to national
1.73 lakh were given to A1AET
identity and India's common
for a project on music and
cultural heritage.
New Delhi
The Pioneer
19 May 2000
CDL Media Clippings 32
A BILLION DOLLAR QUESTION FOR OUR FAMILY PLANNERS!
Sanjay Singh
year amounted to Rs 563 crore - training. During last year, the Population Science. MuinbaL
lb* SOMEONE were to tell you that the department, however, could unspent provisions of the project without prior approval of
the money allocated (or population spend only 448 crore, and the rest arc as high as 38 and 71 per Parliament, thus attracting pro-.
programmes are grossly under remained unspent. The same ap cent.
visions of "New Instrumentutilised in our country, for years plied to two other heads of RCH
However, there is one in Service".
and years together — I’m sure you where crores of rupees could be stance when the Government
The Pioneer
would shake your head in disbe spent, because of slow progress gave an additional grant of 88
19 May 2000
lief. One probably anticipates in the project.
lakh to International Institute of
paucity of funds in Government
The National Institute of
programmes, but certainly not Health and Family Welfare had
this. The birth of India’s billionth so much of unspent balance of
baby last week, underlined the last year available to it, that it
population scenario of the coun could not spend from the fresh
try. but it is a lesser worry, than Budgetary provisions made to it.
that of funds to the same being left
The official reason for unspent
Ahmedabad, May 19:
Time: Morning 7 O*
untouched.
provision in areas like free sup
Clock.
While the Government made tall ply of family planning material
Place: Agriculture Produce Market Commit
claims of family planning and wel and family welfare programmes
tee. Ahmedabad.
fare measures, the department did run by the Ministries like
It is a great mess. Hundreds of trucks loaded
not even utilise the Budgetary pro Defence and Railways - was less
visions under various heads. Even er supply by the firms due to
with tonnes of vegetables are lined up in queue.
in critical areas like reproductive sample failure and lesser de
Inside the market, the air is even more scarce. It
and child heath project, or social mand by different states and
is a huge trading ring of 400 shops. Crores of rup
marketing of Nirodh. money over ministries.
ees are transacted in hours. At any point of
hundreds of crores remained un
For taking population control
time. 50,000 men scream, shout, gesticulate, ar
spent. year after year.
measures amongst people be
gue and finally strike day's deals.
The latest report of Comptroller longing to lower income group.
It is a madhouse. But Dinaben Pannar - the
and Auditor General (CAG) says. the government provided Rs 70
lone woman in the ring - is a no-nonsense per
"persistent large unspent provi crorc for "social marketing of
son. She stands confidently in this men's dom
sions were indicative of the un Nirodh" but the money amount
realistic Budgetary assumptions ing to more than a quarter of the
ain. Her other two colleagues sit in their recen
by the department and it’s failure total amount, remained unspent.
tly rented small shop. Labhuben supervises the
to take into account, the trend of The reason given was "less de
operations while Ushaben holds the cash-box.
disbursements of the preceding mand from distributing compa
The three describe it “a fight against all-odds" years". This has been pointed out nies. non-receipt of stores, and
a fight which has demolished one of the male
in the previous two reports, but no non-submission of bills by the
bastions in grassroots-economics in the country
remedial action was taken by the distributors".
for the first time.
department to avoid the large un
Another important aspect in
After a protracted battle with the State go vern
spent money earmarked for var popularising family planning
ious projects.
ment, the market administrative body amt thed
measures was the involvement
In the year 1998-99 for in of voluntary agencies. The
a strong lobby of middlemen, the three women
stance. the gross unspent provi Government allocated over 8
have been courageously pushing through their
sion was Rs 310.54 crore, but the crore rupees, but the depart
agenda of "fair trade" under the banner of their
department tried to offset that ment could spend only half of it.
cooperative - Gujarat Rajya Mahila Sewa Sahawith an excess disbursement of Rs By the official explanation of?
kari Sangh for almost six months.
204.31 crore, under various oth forcd. it seems that NGOs have
The basic idea behind this was to prevent the
er heads. Even then it could not lost interest in the programme.
vegetable growers - mainly poor farmers - and
spend Rs 106.23 crore from what "Receipt of fewer proposals
the vendors from huge financial losses as the
was alloted to it under Budgetary from voluntary organisations.
middlemen and traders heavily manipulated the
provisions.
lesser activity undertaken due to
Take the "Reproductive and economy instructions and PVOH
market committee like stocks in the share mar
Child Health" (RCH) project, which scheme implemented with US
ket The cooperative has its own strong member
was started with the need to re aid, came to end during 1998ship of about 21,000 growers.
orient the family planning pro 99", was cited as the reason.
After incurring heavy losses initially, this coo
gramme and broaden its canvas.
Selected area programmes’;
perative sought help of country's best managem
Having named it as it has been, including India Population
ent brains at Indian Institute of Management to
the RCH aims to broaden the Project, taken up by different
suggest some remedies.
scope of the scheme — covering stales with financial assistance
And today, the cooperative has been strictly
family planning, apart from ma from external funding agencies
ternity and child welfare, immu like the World Bank, UNFPA.
toeing the line showed by the UM. But this has
nisation, safe motherhood, ado DANIDA
and
Overseas
not made all the things easier for the women
lescent education, reproductive Development Agency - have the
who are managing the shop out in the trading
tract infection, sexually transmit aim of reducing maternal and
ring round the clock in turns.
ted infections, sexual awareness. child mortality, morbidity and
For the three women, the struggle with their
and male responsibility.
birth rales. Under the project.
men counterparts started from day one. "They
Budgetary provisions were manpower skill were to be up
take every opportunity to make us feel that we
made for this vital project under graded through (raining, pro
iaqnot survive in this trade. Right from parking
three different heads. Under the gramme management and con
ftiws of trucks in front of our shop to painting
major head numbered as 2211. to- struction of institutional buildtai provisions for the preceding inft for service delivery and
"Beware of these women."
The Indian Express
20 May 2000
3 rural women take
tips from IIM
33
News You Can Use
Eco meet in B’lore
from August 12
DI I News Sconce
BANGALORE. May 17
Programme for Environmental
A wareness in Schools (PEAS) is
organising (he third National
Environment
Conference
in
Bangalore from August 12 to 15 in
which around 2000 students from
different parts of the country will
part icipate.
The conference with the theme
We can make the difference aims at educating children on
various environmental issues
with political solutions and downto-earth action plans.
Talking to reporters here.
PEAS National Chairman Dr Ken
R Gnanakan said the four-clay
conference which would be held
that campus of Bishop Cotton
Girls School feature a march on
the opening day with children
assembling in front Vidhana
Soudha to present their agenda.
The theme would be covered
through talks by eminent envi
ronmentalist
including Bittu
Sehgal, Suresh Heblikar and
Arundathi Roy and discussions by
the children.
An eco-mela is being set up
which would be open for
Bangalore schools right through
the conference. Children are put
ting together exhibits made out of
waste during the conference. The
PEAS is hoping that children will
go back challenged to be" better
ecoconscious citizens, and long
term change will result in their
own communities. It is also hoped
that teachers will be challenged to
integrate environmental aware
ness into all their teaching and
that schools will be challenged to
become eco-conscious models in
society, said Dr Ken.
The first conference was held
at Delhi in 1996 and the second at
Mumbai in 1998.
Deccan Herald
18 May 2000
Deccan Herald
20 May 2000
to rescue
women relief
workers of Gujarat
Bv Leena Misra
July 2000). The arrangement is to
AHMEDABAD: Dahiben, a have the women create an cmbroiskilled craftswoman of a drought- dered sample and then deposit it
affected village in Santalpur taluka at SEWA’s ‘craft sample bank'.
of Banaskantha district walked “y/e then ask them to create an
eight kilometres to pawn two sil- exact replica from the raw materi
ver pots, an heirloom passed down aj which SEWA provides and pul
from her grandmother, to pay off it up for sale so that the original
the overdue land tax so that she design does not fade awav,“ says
could participate in the govern- SEWA founder Ela Bhatt.
ment’s relief work.
“Women tend io trade off the
Pawn-brokers paid her a pit samples and even their jewellery
tance, but the amount qualified in times of drought which we plan
her to work in the relief sites. The to check,” observes SEWA gener
dextrous Dahiben turned to spade al secretary Reema Nanavaty.
from needlework. The state gov
In the two-day sale of the
ernment’s decision to pay double embroidery work done by over
the wages to pregnant women 3,000 women from Banaskantha
unable to work at relief sites in and Kutch, the first of which was
drought-affected areas may just be held at Ms Bhatt’s home, SEWA
one ray of hope for the Self- collected nearly Rs 2 lakhs and
Employed Women’s Association launched the ‘SEWA fights
(SEWA) which has been advocat drought’ project. “First I thought
ing cases like that of Dahiben.
my place should not be used com
. SEWA developed an action mercially, then I decided that
plan to provide these women with before asking others, let me begin
employment opportunities cover from here,” Ms Bhatt told TOI
ing the drought-affected areas of
Beginning with a working capital
Surendranagar, Kutch, Patan and
of Rs 50 lakhs, SEWA found it dif
Banaskantha districts over a 90ficult to spend on marketing, but
day period from (April 2000 to
the state government’s allocation
of Rs 1.5 crore for the project
made things easier, said Ms Bhatl
explaining the delay in the initia
tive. Besides, the Gujarat Water
spent on the project remains with
Supply and Sewerage Board has
in the villages itself as the vil
also approved 500 roof-water har
vesting schemes by SEWA. “where
lagers themselves are workers.
the people in the drought-affected
The villagers get employment
area would dig their own tanks and
for several months, get fertile soil
save on labour,” Ms Nanavaty said.
for their land apart from getting
According to a SEWA estimate.
their tank desilted. But. all that
90 per cent of the workforce in the
they have to pay for these benefits
government-sponsored
relief
is just 25 per cent of the amount
work, focused on digging of pits to
spent on the project, says Mr Rau.
collect rain water, comprised
If the loan is provided from a
women. “Of these 10,000 SEWA
bank, then the organisation takes
members are highly skilled arti
care of the interest and the vil
sans spread over six talukas and 56
lagers will have to repay the loan.
villages,” Ms Nanavaty said.
The experiment, which aims at
At SEWA, besides embroidery
making the villages self-reliant,
they would be trained in masonry.
has started showing results, but
sewing and plantation to raise
the villagers are yet to reap the
nurseries. “Can you imagine these
rich dividends for their efforts as
dextrous fingers digging?” Ms
Bhatt said, adding, “We have insist
rains have failed in the last two
ed that the government make this a
seasons, he points out. Grama
permanent plan in all drought and
Vikasa, which works in more
famine relief operations to spare
than 130 villages of three taluks in
women from relief sites.”
Kolar district, has plans of cover
SEWA thus helps the women
ing all tanks in Mulbagal taluk.
DH News Service
ANGALORE. May 19
raina Vikasa, an NGO in the
rought-prone Kolar district, has
?t an example to the government
v desilting the tanks with the
elp of man power alone, without
nploying earth movers.
Grama Vikasa, situated in
onnasettahalli. a remote'village
i Mulbagal taluk of Kolar dis*
ici. has taken up this novel
xperimerit to demonstrate to the
ivernment, which has taken up a
heme to desilt thousands of
mks by using earth movers, that
can be done by making use of
ip abundantly available man
»wer.
Established in 1979, the NGO
is desilted eight tanks in the
luk till now by involving vilgers and it is in the process of
•silting another three tanks
whereas the governmentis scheme
is yet make a head-way.
Mr M V N Rau, the Executive
Director of Grama Vikasa. Says
that tanks can be desilted at a
very low cost by making use of
the villagers instead of spending
so much of money on the earth
movers. Citing the example of
Doddalhammanahalli tank, he
says, ’’The organisation is spend
ing only 7 lakh for desilting the
tank whereas the government
would have spent at least 25 lakh
for the same work.” Explaining
the experiment, he says that loans
are provided to the villagers
through the self-help groups of
Grama Vikasa and the money will
be judiciously used by the vil
lagers themselves. The project not
only provides employment to the
under-employed people of the
respective villages, but also
ensures that the money that is
Contd..
Desilting tanks with a difference
CDL Media Clippings 34
SAVE THE MOTHER TO SAVE THE
CHILD
mere fraction of all deliveries. For every
woman who dies at least 30 develop a
chronic health problem. No wonder,
FORGET THE fact that India’s popu their babies themselves stand a poor
lation has crossed the billion mark. chance of survival. The lesson is*. Look
What we should definitely mourn is that after the mother to save the child.
every day around 330 Indian women die
in pregnancy or childbirth. Worse, ade Abolish child labour
quate nutrition during growing years AT A recent NGO-media meet arranged
and pregnancy, and medical care during by the Inter UN Agency Group
childbirth, are all we need to prevent on Child Labour, it was clear
most of these deaths.
that child labour is moving from
India’s maternal mortality rate is factories into homes. This
among the world’s highest. Indeed, it is change has made it difficult to
risky becoming a mother in India, more tackle the problem, agreed NGO
so if one is poor and malnutritioned. activists and journalists, as the
Norway is the safest among the 106 Child Labour (Prohibition and
countries listed by Save the Children in Regulation) Act, 1986, excludes from its
its State of the World's Mothers
ambit those who work from home and
2000; Canada and Australia
are doing contractual labour.
follow it. The US and Swit
The law prohibits employment of chil
zerland tie for the fourth posi
dren below 14 years of age in specified
tion. India ranks 85th; the
hazardous occupations and processes.
African country of Niger is at
In December 1996, the Supreme Court
the bottom — one woman in
ordered withdrawal of children from
nine dies in pregnancy or child
hazardous occupations and the consti
birth there, compared to one in 7300 in tution of a welfare fund for them; it also
regulated working conditions in
Norway.
The report says that the health of hazardous occupations.
mothers and children is inextricably Journalist Dr Asha Krishnakumar nar
intertwined; female education and rated how children working in factories
access to, and use of, family planning in Sivakasi were tutored to cite their age
services make a vital difference. It also as 14 even though they were 10 years old.
notes that national wealth alone does Employers procure false medical certifi
not guarantee the welfare of mothers cates to justify the claim. When photog
and children, as even in wealthy coun rapher Anita Khemka went to Sivakasi
tries there are pockets where women on assignment, she made it a point to ask
and children fare badly.
them whether or not they enjoyed their
The top 10 countries did well both on work. The unanimous answer: No; they
the women’s health and education front all also wanted to study.
— each had a female literacy rate of NGO representatives felt that all
over 90 per cent and the lifetime risk of forms of child labour should be elimia woman dying in childbirth was less
nated. Since only 112 million^
than one in 3,000. Also, infant mortality
out of 203 million children in
ranged from four to eight per 1,000 live
the school-going age are actual
births.
ly in schools, it means the
With one in every 22 women
remaining 91 million are poten
dying in childbirth, with over
tial child labourers.
half the country’s population
In June 1999, India became
illiterate and 115 as the mortali
party to an International La
ty rate for infants, India has to bour Organisation Convention for elim
go a long way before it can catch inating the worst forms of child labour.
with others.
The convention comes into force in
Further, the White Ribbon Alliance, November 2000. This means India will
working for safe motherhood in India, have to recognise that children are
says 80 per cent of all maternal deaths those who are under 18 years — and not
here are due to the following six reasons under 14 years as it currently exists in
— hemorrhage, eclampsia, obstructed India — establish monitoring mecha
labour, sepsis, unsafe abortions and ane nisms and ensure effective rehabilita
mia. Most of these can be treated in hos tion of child labourers.
pital but, unfortunately, only 25 per cent
Shree Venkatram
of all deliveries in India take recourse to
medical facility. In rural India, it’s a .
35
The Hindustan Times
21 May 2000
P&G ties up with
UNICEF
MUMBAI. May 19 (DHNS)
4 Procter & Gamble India has
tied up with UNICEF to launch
‘Project Poshan’, a special pro
gramme aimed at combating the
crisis of malnutrition in India. It
has targeted a minimum of Rs 50
lakh every year for the next
three years.
Project Poshan will support
three projects. One is the adoles
cent girls initiative in Mumbai
which will provide education to
adolescent girls on health prob
lems and intake of the right kind
of nutrients including micronu
trients like iron and folic acid.
The second is a women’s par
enting network in Chennai to
provide information on good care
for women during pregnancy and
the third consists of day-care
projects in Jaipur through
increased nutrient intake.
Deccan Herald
20 May 2000
Contd....
produce the samples, market them
and also help them maintain the
original motifs. The sale features
items with small appliqu motifs on
cushion covers and kurtas ranging
between Rs 10 and Rs 200, and
will be hosted at residential soci
eties in Paldi, Maninagar, Satellite.
Ghatlodia, Ambawadi, Manekbag
and Bopal areas in Ahmedabad.
“Besides, we also plan to host
them in Mumbai, Vadodara and
Rajkot," says Ms Bhatt.
The women started .working on
May 2, 2000 and have been
assured an earning of Rs 40 daily.
similar to the relief wages. As
many as 16,000 women are likely
to be involved in this. “Our biggest
concern is that the women have to
leave their children unattended, so
we wanted something they could
do at home," she said.
The Times of India
18 May 2000
News You Can Use
HE Guinness Book has
no mention of it, but
Majuli In the
Brahmaputra due north of
Jorhat in upper Assam is sup
posed to be the world's biggest
river island.
A sub-division of Jorhat dis
trict, the island is home to a
number of famous Vaishnav
Sattras, or monasteries, which
are repositories of Assam's tra
ditional Sattriya culture,
including the Sattriya dance,
now trying for recognition as a
classical Indian dance form,
and Sattriya theatre (bhaona).
But the flood-prone island is
under constant threat from the
mighty Brahmaputra with ero
sion taking a heavy toll of its
area. It has been estimated that
erosion has reduced the area of
the island from 1,200 sq km in
1950 to just about 800 sq km at
present.
Now Majuli is likely to get a
new lease of life, once the
United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural
Organisation (UNESCO)
declares it a World Heritage
Site.
A team of experts from the
Isla^in the stream
National Museumr'New Delhi
recently visited the island to ’
gather details about its cultural
heritage.
It will prepare a report on
the Vaishnav Sattras and sub
mit it to the Centre for forwarding to UNESCO for approval
Once Majuli is declared a
World Heritage Site, UNESCO
is expected to release funds for
the development of the island.
The bulk of these funds will go
into preservation and restora
tion of the many Sattras which
dot the island, some dating
back to the 16th century, as
well as ancient manuscripts
and artefacts stored in them.
Floods have already
destroyed many of these manu
scripts and artefacts. A couple
of years back, a Central team
visited the island and recom
mended that it be declared a
World Heritage Site.
The Majuli Island Protection
and Development Council, of
which Rajya Sabha member Dr
Arun Sanna is president, had
made a similar proposal, but
nothing much came out of it.
Floods have also ruined
much of the roads on the
island. Assam Governor Lt Gen
(retd) S K Sinha, during a
recent visit to the island, could
not visit all the Sattras due to
bad road conditions. The Army
has been trying to repair the
damaged roads, with a grant of
Rs 15 lakh from the Jorhat dis
trict administration.
Majuli, incidentally was
where social worker Sanjoy
Ghosh was kidnapped and
killed by ULFA militants some
years back.
- Utpal Bordoloi
Deccan Herald
21 May 2000
become the AIDS capital of the world in the not too distunt future.
Indeed, non-govemment agencies working in the field of H1V/A1DS
have been accused of subverting our culture which if often mistaken
It was a kinder, gentler face of multinational companies that we saw treated as an inherent barrier against unsafe sexual practices. Recently.
when five of them recently joined a UN initiative to slash prices for drugs an NGO couple was arrested and booked under the harsh National Secu
to treat HIV-related infections. Pharmaceutical giant Glaxo has reduced rity Act for bringing out a booklet documenting risky sexual behaviour
its drug prices by a whopping 85 per cent, bringing its fixed dose-combina and its relation to the spread of HIV based on real life experiences. Statis
tion therapy drug down from Rs 710 a day to Rs 88. Though HIV has no tics tell a frightening story — the virus has been growing at an alarming
known cure, those who have contracted the virus can live healthy and rate, from 2.5 per 1,000 in 1986 to 17 in 1996.The virus normally attacks
productive lives for a considerable period of time if they are able to com those in their prime which can have catastrophic socio-economic conse
bat the infections which attack their depressed immune systems. Drugs quences. In Africa which is facing the brunt of the epidemic, many regions
have already been found effective in reducing the chances of mother-to- no longer have young people leaving the elderly to look after the very
child transmission. Indian companies, to their credit, have been market young. In India, despite the ambitious AIDS control programme, official
ing HIV combination therapy drugs at less than a fourth of the cost of dom is yet to take the issue seriously. Policy alone does not ensure protec
those sold in the US. However, for a majority of Indian patients, the drug tion from HIV. Apart from unsafe sexual practices, contaminated blood
still remains out of reach.The multinationals* price reduction will further and infected hypodermic needles encourage the spread of the virus.
impact on the Indian market and this is good news for those infected with Cheaper drugs alone cannot fight the vicious virus, people must know
the virus.The spread of HIV is of particular concern in India which is wit how to protect themselves.This requires a comprehensive information.
nessing the terrifying phenomenon of the virus appearing in combination education and communication campaign along with the strengthening of
with relatively common ailments — earlier tuberculosis and lately kala- general health services. Alongside, societal support systems have to be
azar, a disease prevalent largely in the north.The cunning virus is able to set up for those infected; such people often find themselves treated as
mutate itself and become ever mure drug resistant as the fight against it outcasts who are physically and emotionally isolated. An epidemic which
continues. For long, we in India have accused the West and donor agen is spreading at such a rapid rate has to be combated on a war footing.
cies of exaggerating the threat of HIV in India — the country is poised to The price reduction is valuable ammunition in this battle.
Cost Effective
The Times of India
22 May 2000
CDL Media Clippings 36
A forgotten promise ;
or not approved as yet.
EN
years
after
the million Support to Community UNDP.
Primary
Education
♦ Education is the single most
Elsewhere. Asian countries are
Education for All promise, based
India has a 12 percent jump (SCOPE) programme focuses on forging ahead, say the reports. important means to fight poverty:
in literacy to boast about But the children who are marginalised by China and Indonesia are close to no country has ever succeeded in
pledge wrapped in the Education the formal education system. achieving full primary enrolment. overcoming poverty' without edu
for All goal remains elusive, even Specially working children, trib Both countries have raised their cation. Education should reach
if one overlooks the low qualify als and Scheduled Castes, minori literacy rates to 83.9 and 98 per the unreached. Enhancing learn
ing test for literacy in this coun ties. disabled children, and chil cent respectively. By doubling its ing improves the quality of life.
dren in remote areas. This pro education budget, Bangladesh has
♦ The concept of -’learning
try.
It may be recalled that a gramme covers blocks, small made a quantum leap of 19 per throughout life’ has replaced the
towns
and
urban
slums
in
eight
decade ago, representatives from
cent in primary school enrolment traditional distinction between
155 countries and 150 organisa states -- Karnataka, Andhra and over 25 percent in literacy the school years and what comes
tions pledged to provide education Pradesh, Maharashtra, MP. UP, (from 35 per cent to 61 per cent) in after. Adaptability and flexibility
for all by the year 2000. This still- Orissa. Rajasthan and Bihar.
less than a decade! Quality is are the new survival skills, essen
"Girls of these population becoming an issue in India too. In tial to meet the challenges of a
elusive promise came at a meeting
groupings are often marginalised this country, the District Primary rapidly changing world.
held in Jomtien. Thailand.
But the ’nineties which saw a to the extreme." pointed out the Education Programme is trying to
♦ Basic education is a moving
revolution in communications UNDP. SCOPE aims at enchanc- decentralise schools, increase target. Most countries have cho
and information technologies, gal ing capacity for community par community involvement, raise sen to restrict the definition, io
loping globalisation, and the col ticipation in effective school man teachers’ salaries and equip class primary schooling and adult liter
lapse of the East Bloc, also saw agement. It also tries to boost the rooms.
acy. But in many others, it now
the collapse of financial markets, performance of primary school
Thai Prime Minister Chuan encompasses not only early child
the spread of HIV/AIDS and teachers for the use of interactive. Leekpai says that under a new
hood care and education but also
increasing poverty and ethnic child-centered and gender-sensi law, every Thai citizen will be
junior secondary schooling and
conflict. Many of those govern tive methods of teaching in multi entitled to 12 years of basic educa
even full secondary education.
ments which made the Education grade classroom. In addition,, it tion, and adds that human
♦ Poverty is the most impor
for All pledge might be too wants to address "social factors" resources are his country’s ’’most
tant single factor explaining fail
embarassed to recall it. having that adversely affect the atten valuable assets". South Asia is get
ure or inability to meet target
clearly failed in this attempt.
dance and performance of school ting the dubious distinction of
goals set by governments.
At Jomtien. the statesmen had age children. One wishes that the
being compared to Sub-Saharan
South Asia and Sub-Saharan
then pledged: "Every person - village school girls and boys can
Africa. One in every four South Africa have been singled out for
child, youth and adult - shall be feel a difference in their school
Asian children is out of school, presenting "a much more serious
able to benefit from educational room from this.
and adult literacy stands at 56 per challenge than world average's
opportunities designed to meet
UNDP,
rather
cautiously, cent in the region. "Much of the
imply and require particular
their basic learning needs". Some points to India’s failings on the
weeks back, the World Education education front. Gender, regional, Asian paradox can be traced to attention if Education for All is m
Forum met again in Dakar. sectional and caste disparities investment, or lack of it, in basic be achieved".
Senegal to take stock of how far continue to "plague India’s education," says the World
Planet Earth had come in meeting progress in the goal of universali- Education Forum (WEF).
WEF makes some interesting
this goal.
sation of elementary education".
Deccan Herald
UNDP, the United Nations Besides, a "significant proportion" points that give us food for
thought:
Development Programme, evalu
22 May 2000
of students continue to drop out
♦ During school hours, in the
ated India’s achievements in a
due to socio-economic and cultur teeming cities of the Third World,
cautiously polite sounding tone. It
al factors and also due to a short children can be seen shining
said: "Ten years after Jomtien...
age of teachers, unsatisfactory shoes, washing cars, pushing trol
India has significant achieve
quality of education, or a lack of leys or collecting refuse.
ments to show in the area of edu
adequate infrastructure.
♦ While the digital revolution • NEW DELHI (UNI): Over 209
cation... Recent surveys on litera
"India is home for more than offers real opportunities for edu
social activists held a protest
cy rates indicate major progress
300 million illiterates," says the cation, the fact is that information
in the 90s. National Sample
demonstration on Friday at the
UNDP. It points out that even and communication technology is
Survey Estimates say literacy has
Uttar Pradesh Bhavan here lo
though the enrolment of girls has a costly investment. There is still
increased by 12 per cent in a peri
demand the release of four
grown at a much faster rate than much to be said for using a mix of
od of six years from 52.21 per cent
Almora-based Sahyog activists
for
boys
in
the
last
decade,
the
gap
appropriate technologies - includ who had been detained under
in 1991 to 64.20% in 1997.” So, in
continues
to
be
large.
There
are
ing the less costly "old reliables", the National Security Act for
the polite world of international
Ibra, even if India didn't win, she only six girls for every eight boys radio and TV. Interestingly, publishing a controversial
didn’t Jose! Several UN agencies -- sitting on school benches.
because of India’s uncertain atti bookieton AIDS.
Even if the size of India's total tude towards opening up radio to
including the UNDP. UNICEF
Joining the demonstrators.
UNESCO.
UNFPA
and
the enrolment in schools has been the non-profit sector, proposals to comprising NGOs and wom
impressive, population growth in
International
Labour
the last few decades has also been open community radio stations en’s groups, eminent journalist
Organisation
arc backing the
and Rajya Sabha member
high. "Comparison with the total from educational institutions like
Indian government’s attempt to
Kuldip Nayar said he had writ
population in the school-going age Shantiniketan, National Law
meet its Education for All com
ten a letter to the home minis
School
of
India,
Jamia
Milla
and
shows that several million chil
mitment. said the UNDP.
ter. saying that the move was
dren are still outside the fold of IGNOU are gathering dust or have
According to UNDP, a US$20
unjust and violative of the rule
primary schooling," notes the been discouraged from coming up
of law.
T
FREDERICK
NORONHA
NGOs rally
The Telegraph
20 May 2000
for Sahyog
37
News You Can Use
Farmers can now
cultivate the
computer
of India's division for IT applica
tions.
Mr Aggarwah formerly with
Jawaharlal Nehru Agricultural
Frederick Noronha
University of Jabalpur, pointed out,
Pondicherry
"When the transistor was invent
ed. it was costlier than gold. But
GAN 'I'llI*, iiironnaliiin technology once into mass production, costs
(IT) revolution help the Indian fell."
Other examples of use of IT in
farnier bailie the vagaries of na
ture .and the resultant drought and farms have also been coming in
from within the country and else
floods?
Yes. say computer scientists. where in the developing world.
Sandhya Shenoy of the National
pointing to what's already hap
pening both in India and other Academy of Agricultural Research
Management in Hyderabad has
pockets of the globe.
"In some parts of Jammu and created 'A Gateway to Indian
Kashmir, fanners arc already Agriculture’. The site gives infor
monitoring their Holds by sitting mation on animal sciences, crop
at home. We have imported so sciences, agribusiness, fisheries.
phisticated equipment from home science, horticulture, nat
Austria for this purpose." said ural resources and sustainable
Dattalraya S Vhatkar of the agriculture.
Links to agriculture-related or
Chandigarh-based
Central
Scientific
Instruments ganisations worldwide, pro
grammes. publications and li
Organisation.
Al a southern regional confer braries. and pages on weather.
ence of computer professionals agricultural issues and policies.
here, it was also pointed out that gender issues, infotech and human
IT can be used for managing the resources are part of the site at
httpAveb.aces.uiuc.edu/aim/diglib/
farmer's timetable, crop schedul
india.
ing. insect and rodent control,
Reports from Maharashtra said
marketing and even water man
the state government has plans to
agement.
Agricultural professionals using link 40,000 villages with a spe
IT are expected to play an “in cially developed software p Jr.kage
for farniers.-Farmers are being
creasingly important role" in crop
promised a unique package —
production in the years ahead, it
is felt. Hence, educational insti Agronet — which aims to provide
them with the latest information
tutions need Io modify their cur
on agriculture, including cropping
riculums to train students and pro
fessionals in inter-disciplinary ap pattern.
A voluntary organisation in
proaches to precision agricul
Rajasthan, the Ajit Foundation,
ture, experts said.
India now has its own agricul some time ago announced that it
ture portals, including Web sites had written software programmes
called 'SimTanka' and 'SimTalab*
like www.ikisan.com which offers
information both in English and that would help villagers calculate
Telugu languages. Other sites are the amount of water they could ex
also offering information aimed pect in their tanks and ponds
based on simulations and past
primarily at the farmer.
IANS
"We should not immediately records of the area.
start worrying about the cost of
the technology for now," sug
gested Jugalkishor Agarwal.
chairman of the Computer Society
The Pioneer
21 May 2000
MP HDRs to
focus on human
development
said, had already been collected
during recently concluded Gram
Sampark Abhiyan in Madhya
NOW village-level human develop Pradesh. Also appropriate com
ment reports (HDRs) will be puter software has also been
prepared in Madhya Pradesh with developed for documentation of
a view to create a human devel village resources inventories and
opment movement at grassroots. the same would be used in
This exercise, the sources said, preparing village level HDRs.
would create information base
It may be pointed out here
for panchayats to focus on human that Madhya Pradesh brought
development According to him out the first National Human
the powers at the helm want to Development Report in the world,
focus on building people and in 1995, consciously focusing
people's Institutions instead of on shortcomings. It was a major
the state and Its appendages step towards strategy shift in
and It Is inclined to change the seeing the people of the state
governance structure in such a as solution.
manner as to facilitate people's
First, Panchayat raj system
action. The present day technology was created In the state and
affords us the means to reduce further It was complemented
disparity, the sources were of through Mission on development
.the view, and the human devel priorities. Out of five lakh elected
opment strategy needs to leverage panchayat representatives over
the information technology to — one-third are women. The
.close this gap. “We need to HDR helped in mobilising collec
heed the warning about Increasing tive action for education, health,
distance between the knows and and livelihood security. The sec
the know-nets, a senior official ond HDR issued in 1998 too
•said.
was as much a report on govern
“By- generating human devel ment achievements as a report
opment reports at the village on Its failures. In the intervening
level, we hope to generate local period, 26 thousand education
action as well as demand for guarantee schools were created
the government funds to go into with community participation pro
human development areas," an viding schooling facility to every
other official said adding that habitation.
village level HD reports would
Besides, in over 20 thousand
'provide necessary direction to villages, Jan Swastha Rakshaks
the district level planning starting were made available to strengthen
from next year in the state.
rural health' care. Regeneration
-. After second round of the and management of natural re
panchayat elections all the sources were entrusted to com
panchs and sarpanchs have com munity In 8,400 villages under
mitted themselves to an agenda Wateshej Mission and in another
centred on human development 1,200 under Joint Forest Man
The village level HD report would agement Programme. And last
cover education, health and liveli but not least, the people engaged
hood security of the people In in forest produce collection have
each panchqyat. And with the been turned into owners from
government mission on Commu wage labourers. To cap it all, the
nity Health, It is also likely to to state government has substan
create health reports.
tially Increased its allocation to
All relevant data, the sources human development sector.
Sanjay Sharma
BHOPAL
The Observer23 May 2000
CDL Media Clippings 38
ing. And this, more than anything else, is tragic.
The Sahayog issue is caught between the Uttarakhand
movement, insider-outsider rhetoric, guardians of local cu? *
ture, competing development activists and political oppor
tunists. It is unfortunate that in the process the country has
forgotten the basic human rights of a group of people how
soever foolish they may have been. It is time the larger hu
Vimala Ramachandran
man rights and development community stood up against
"t is indeed very difficult to understand the hysterical over such opportunistic interpretation of national security.
reaction of the Uttarakhand leaders to the admitted misThe Pioneer
. takes of Sahayog. What started off as a reaction to some
23 May 2000
xjt quality research and an insensitive publication has now
lowballed into a major political campaign. Why are so-called
*asonable and respected leaders of Uttarakhand lobbying
»r detaining the four Sahayog activists even after they have
ublicly apologised and withdrawn the publication? Why are
icy insisting on detaining the four activists under the
ational Security Act? How have these people threatened
le security of the country?
While it is rather difficult to rationally explain the motives
ehind this witch hunt, the only plausible explanation could
s that the Uttarakhand leaders are just looking for a cause
TJIE LACK of birth certificate public participation.
» prove their legitimacy. Each one is shrieking louder than
may cost a child of not only his
He further pointed out five
le other in order to be heard and prove they are the true
fiilure but also may lead to his states namely. Utter Pradesh.
uardians of the culture and tradition of the people. It'is the
identity crisis. In India's context Assam. Bihar. Andra Pradesh.
ime people who cry out when the police violate the human
the condition of birth and death Rajesthan which should be givghts of their activists. This is indeed a tragic story.
registration is more grim - en more attention in terms of
nearly one forth of the total un- birth registration. He emphaThis is not the first time that this has happened in India.
r^gistered births in the world sized on educating the bnreauor over 30 odd years we have seen the selective use of the
bid.ong to India.To address this cracy in .this area.
istruments of human rights by political activists. The civproblem, on Wednesday a twoAddressing the attendants
rights community in India is sadly divided along party and
d)ty National Conference on Ms Ellen raised the issue of lack
leological lines. As a result, the universal value of the rule
"Birth Registration" was inau- of legal identity to the children
f law and the restrained use of draconian legislation is not
gtiraled by the Minister of State owing to (hr absence, of Birth
ppreciated. The same people who have in the past critifqr Home. Mr ID Swami, at the. Certificate, which according to
ised MISA. DIR and NSA are today lobbying to hold four
India Habitat Centre.
her was essential for their enevelopment workers under the same act.
’ The meeting is being jointly try into responsible citizenship.
organised
by
PLAN Endorsing her viewers Mr
Many of them are highly respected national leaders who
InternationalHndia Chapter). Donal said that (hr right of chilave been in the forefront of a peoples movement. Take the
Offire of Registrar General.India dren to have their birth rerlifiJP. Till recently they were the loudest champions of civil
and UNICEF India.
cates was fundamental to all the
nd human rights. During the now infamous Emergency, they
'The panelists for the function rights, for.without it they could
rgued for equality before law of RSS cadres and Naxalites.
were Roger Brazen, Country not avail the. rights such as /hy then is the Government silent over the Sahayog issue?
Director. PLAN International right to profession and they
he Congress parly, BSP, Samajwadi Party—they all seem
Iqdia, .IK Banthia, Registrar would be more, vulnerable Io ex
tore concerned about the inevitable election once
General.
India.
Ellen ploitalion. Pointing out the
ttaranchal comes into being. Human rights of a few activists
Mouravicff. Convenor UNICEF rapid
introduction
of
Working Group of Unregistered Information Technology, he said
?ally do not matter.
Children. Donal Keane. Regional that more persons may lark nrWhat about the larger NGO community? Granted Sahayog’s
Director PLAN International, cess to various services, in the
•search study is of poor quality. We all agree that sex and
I’.rma Manoncourt. Deputy absence, of birth certificates.
ftxuality are sensitive issues and grassroots organisations
Director UNICEF. India. ID Whereas another speaker
hould first learn to read the pulse of the people. Most peoSwami. Deepali Khanna, raised the gender issue, casting
le admit that heady international networking sometimes
President PLAN International shadow ovnr the registration of
lienates development workers from ground realities. But
and Sharmilu Tagore. a member <rjr| child's.
ow does this justify arresting and holding them under the
of PLAN.
Addressing the people, (he
I he Conference is aimed
Minister of State, Mr Swami inlational Security Act? Today it is Sahayog, tomorrow it may
formulating a set of re.com- formed that in India an estie some other organisation working on the environment or
mendations in regards to reach- mated 70,000 births took place
nming in conflict with local timber smugglers!
ing (he. goal <>l complete Birth ev(;ry day and an estimated
Where are the erstwhile Chipko movement leaders, the
registration.
28.000 did not gel registered.
rominent organisations working on environment education,
Speaking at the occasion Mr jIp ajS() sni(l lhn( this had „
re school programmes, primary education, retired civil sec
Banthia said that the problem greater hearing on the impleants with considerable influence and so on? One would have.
ol Birth Registration could on- mentation
of
various
lought that these people would speak out against invokly be treat<*d properly through Government programmes due to
ig the NSA. Many of them are silently supporting the decollective effort, ol I he
being based on wrong demoGovernmenL Non Governmental graphic statistics.
land to detain the activists under NSA. Many are even anOrganisations (NGO’s) and othTKo
ry with the outsiders who have defiled the hills. Their lannr private and public inslitu1 ne
uage is reminiscent of the global resurgence of ethnic cleans
tions. H<» calle.d for a greater
25 May 2000
For crying out
. loud., selectively
it.-/
High rate of
unregistered
births in India
39
News You Can Use
A Water Miracle
By Sadhana Pathak
Surface runoff from monsoon rains was suffi
cient, but it immediately gushed down the sloppy
HIPYA, a small village with a population of terrain eroding the soil and made furrows under
1,000 people nestled in the hills of Barod neath its torrents. Due to land's reduced water
tehsil in Shajapur district of Madhya retention capacity, the soil became gritty and rocks
Pradesh, has turned into an oasis through were denuded. Decreased groundwater level
a water conservation miracle. Earlier, it was a des caused scarcity of water in wells, ponds and hand
olate place with low-rainfall as wells had dried up pumps of the village. Water scarcity crept the vil
and cattle perished. Milk became a rare commodi lage with numerous problems. As agriculture was
The Bangalore Platform Against
ty In the village. Concerted efforts of villagers riddled with uncertainty, the villagers kept herds
Nuclear
Weaponisation
will
assisted by Lok Kalyan Parishad, an NGO, has of livestock to minimise risk. These cattle were
launch an all India movement on
allowed
to
graze
in
the
rocky
hills.
Year-round
qualitatively changed the life of the villagers. Rural
June 10 to collect 5,000 signatures
watershed work was made possible under the Rajiv grazing in limited areas with no seasonal respite
and to oppose the nuclear
Gandhi Mission for Watershed Development led to severe erosion, low grass production and
weaponisation programme of the
poor
quality
crop.
(RGMWD).
Indian Government incurring
With
agriculture
giving
no
returns,
the
villagers
Now, the village has plenty of water all through
huge expenses without any tangi
the year round and productivity of land has migrated annually for jobs or worked as agricul
ble results.
tural labourers on others’ land. Villagers continued
Speaking to reporters on the
their efforts to explore all possible solutions to
campaign to be launched by the
their problems, either by raising embankments or
fora, Indian Institute of Science
by constructing water channels, but it all proved
Professor D P Sen Gupta said that
about Rs 5.000 crore was spent
fhtile.
every year on the nuclear pro
Chipya’s transformation was a part of larger pro
gramme when priority areas were
cess of cyclic mode of sustainable development
starving of funds. India needed to
started by the Lok Kalyan Parishad (LKP) in 1996.
improve areas like health, educa
The villagers began to store water.
tion and food to give better living
Various meetings were held by LKP with the vil
conditions to the millions of rural
lagers on the steps to be taken for a watershed man
population. The danger of short
agement system. A village watershed committee
age of water and electricity was
was formed; The panel consisted for the chairper
looming large over the countrv
sons of the user groups, self-help groups and wom
When all these important areas
en’s groups. At least one-third members of the
needed funds, a sum of about R>
watershed committee were women.
5,000 crore was spent every \eat
The first phase was to stop soil erosion, increase
on the nuclear programme he
groundwater level and create jobs for villagers- The
pointed out.
villagers felt motivated to involve themselves in
Replying to a question on the
storing water. Based on the principals of equity
nation’s security. Prof Gupta said
Can we get a few seeds for the water
and participatory democracy areas were ear
there -was no logic in the argu
harvesting crop?
marked for developmental activities. All over the
ment If countries like Bangladesh
increased by three-fold. Milk production has dou- arid hills abounding the village pits measuring one
and Sri Lanka started asking th<
bled in the village. To achieve all the success assid- metre long and half metre wide having half metre
same question and produce
uous efforts were put backed by ingenious plan- depth were dug. Trenches were dug at a distance of
nuclear bombs just for the sake ot
nlng.
3-4 metres from each other. An earthen dam was
their deterrent, what would hap
pen to the people of these coun
Earlier it was known as ‘Chhipya,’ where crimi- constructed in Chipiya to hold back the rainwater
tries.
nal activities like loot, plunder, theft and duping and stone embankments were raised to stop the soil
India’s claim of nuclear capa
were the order of the day. It was fall out of the erosion.
poverty and joblessness. Surrounded by rocky In the second phase the stress was oh biomass . bility is ‘hollow’ he said. ’We are
20 years behind the Chinese tech
hills, the village was a safe haven for criminals to afforestation. Trees like tamarind, Bassia lautifolia
nology and about 50 years against
hide along with the booty so it was named (Mahua), Buteafhmdosa (Palash), Caesalpinia bonFrance and USA in the same area
‘Chhipya’ (a hideout) which later on changed into ducella (Karanj), Corinda (Maraunda), custard
Is it possible for India to continue
Chipya.
apple (Shareefa), Neem acacia (Subabool), bamboo
the race to compete with China'
Coupled with government’s obduracy were and mango were planted in the village.
he quipped.
severe ecological problems. The soil condition of As the saplings grew, grass started increasing
He said his organisation i- h:
Chipya was such that it was sparsely vegetated, dramatically. Lush vegetation stopped soil erosion
touch with other like-minded
could sustain very poor crops, was severely eroded, and was also an income to the watershed commitorganisations to mobilise national
and contributed to enormous runoff and soil loss. tee. Villagers constructed three water harvesting
and international support against
Enormous runoff and soil loss resulted in sharp structure at the foot of the hills surrounding the
the arms race.
decrease in groundwater level. Just three years village.
Deccan Herald
back barren fields, thorny shrubs dotted the vast Earlier, 27 out of the 200 families in the village
25
May 2000
steep sloppy terrain and dried-up wells abounded had an annual income of over Rs 12,000. The
the village.
_______________________
_ Contd....
Signature
campaign
against nuclear
weaponisation
CDL Media Clippings ^0
WHO embarks on global anti-smoking drive
IPS
Mexico City
THE INTERNATIONAL drive
against cigarette smoking will
turn a new corner in October
when the World 'Health
Organisation (WHO) opens its
first-ever public hearings on glob
al tobacco control.
Those invited to appear before
this hearing at the WHO’s Geneva
headquarters include medical ex
perts. non-governmental organi
sations (NGOs) tobacco farmers
and the tobacco industry. "This is
an historic opportunity for every
one. including those in the to
bacco industry, to present their
views on a major public issue that
is of great concern to us.* said Dr
Gro Harlem Brundtland, the
WHO’s Director-General.
According to a WHO Press re
lease, the hearings on October 12
and 13 are part of the interna
tional body’s effort to seek a wider
spectrum'of opinion as it tries to
secure support for the Framework
Convention on Tobacco Control
(FCTC) — the world’s first public
health convention that attempts to
address such concerns as tobac
co advertising and promotion.
agricultural diversification of to
bacco plantations, cigarette smug
gling. taxes and subsidies.
The FCTC, which was unveiled
last May at the World Health
Assembly, has been welcomed by
health experts and the anti-smok
ing lobby as a necessary legal in
strument to curb smoking and
take on the powerful tobacco in
dustry.
"It is clear that there is enor
mous support for participation in
the process," admitted Heather
Selin, an advisor at the Pan
American Health Organisation’s
department on prevention and
control of tobacco use.
But while they wait for the FCTC
to make a further dent in the
global cigarette habit, the anti
smoking lobby has a reason to feel
happy about its achievements so
far. This month, the Washington
DC-based Worldwatch Institute
Restructuring is aimed at
World Bank Power
implementing the reform pro
reduction of the critical
sanctions $500 m gramme,
bottlenecks in the power system
building support among key
loan to India and
stake-holders for power sqptor
The World Bank today agreed io
provide a 500 million dollar loan
to India for funding four major
projects in social, health and
infrastructural sectors.
Four agreements were signed
here recently for this purpose by
the World Bank Country Director
Edwin Lim arid" Economic Affairs
Joint Secretary R S Sharma.
The four projects, aided by the
World Bank, include the crucial
150 million dollar power sector
restructuring in Uttar Pradesh.
The other three projects are
World
Bnak’s
concessional
Internatioal
Development
Assistance (IDA) worth 143 mil
lion dollar for immunisation and
polio eradication in eight states,
poverty alleviation in Rajasthan
(UMi million dollars) and a project
for development of health system
in Uttar Pradesh (110 million dol
lars).
The 150 million dollar loan
from International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development
(IBRD) - a soft Ioan window of the
World Bank - for Uttar Pradesh
41
reforms.
The financial support is for
augmenting the transmission sys
tem; strengthening the sub-trans
mission and distribution system
and improving of the metering
system.
Also it intends to give techni
cal assistance to UP in imple
menting the power sector reform
projects and to assist in the insti
tutional develeopment in the reg
ulatory commission.
The 142 million dollar IDA
credit for immunisation and polio
eradication programme will be
implemented in eight states of
Assam. Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya
Pradoh. Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar
Pradesh and West Bengal.
The project will be implement
ed over a period of three years
and aims at eradicating polio and
reduce vaccine preventable dis
eases by strengthening India's
immunisation project.
Deccan Herald
22 May 2000
(WWI) revealed in a report that
the world was turning away from
smoking.
"After a century-long build-up
in cigarette smoking, the world is
turning away from cigarettes fol
lowing the US lead. In 1999 cig
arettes smoked per person in the
United States fell by a staggering
eight per cent and for the world
as a whole by more than three per
cent," declared the report, titled
"World Kicking the Cigarette
Habit".
The drop in the United States
has been significant over the last
two decades, it added, where the
number of cigarettes smoked per
person annually fell from a high
of 2,810 in 1980 to 1,633 in 1999.
a decline of 42 per cent.
World-wide, on the other hand,
there has been an 11 per cent fall
over the last 10 years, from a high
of 1,027 cigarettes smoked per
person annually in 1990 to 915 in
1999.
What impressed WWI were the
declines in nearly all the major
cigarette consuming countries.
Contd....
"including such bastions of smok
ing as France, China and Japan.'
Quoting the US Department of
Agriculture's world tobacco data
base, the report noted that (In*
number of cigarettes smoked per
person in France annually had
dropped 19 per cent since peak
ing in 1985, eight per cent in
China since 1990, and four pi».r
cent in Japan since 1992.
In the United States, the drop in
smoking has been attributed to a
number of reasons — a growing
awareness about the health-dam
aging effects of smoking, rising
cigarette prices, rising cigarettc
taxes, aggressive anti-smoking
campaigns and a decline in the s<>cial acceptability of smoking.
"Ironically, the land that gave
the world tobacco is now leading
it a way from tobacco," the report,
authored by Lester Brown o!
WWI, remarked. In Europe, the
stand taken by the European
Union regarding cigarette ad
vertising on television and radio
has contributed to the shift, it
added.
The Pioneer
23 May 2000
remaining survived on an annual income of less
than Rs 6000. Today, the situation is different
Villagers grow wheat, gram, soyabean, maize,
jawar, bajra, masoor, moong, urad, mustard, arhar,
sesame, groundnut, cotton and linseed. Vegetables
like bottle gourd, cacurbitaceous (turai), ladyfin
ger, brinJal, pumpkin, green chilly, spinach, toma
to and French beans are being grown.
Watershed committee has set up a watershed
development fund in which 10 per cent of the
money given to the committee is deposited. The
fund is meant for the maintenance of the water
shed. After the MP Government withdraws the
REGMWD, the village watershed-committee will
become the owner of the development fund. To
make it more participatory, there is a system of
public contribution during the development phase
in the form of labour. Just as in Chipya the savings
from voluntary donations in the development fund
has touched Rs 1,19000. The money is used for wel
fare activities in the village.
The villagers now guard their trees and grass
and are leaving no leaf unturned to keep their
watershed programme going.
- Charkha Features
The Indian Express
23 May 2000
News You Can Use
World Bank and water crises in India
By Vandana Shiva
Building insurance against
drought should be the highest en
vironmental priority in India.
However, World Bank develop
ment “aid** has contributed to the
increased occurrence of drought
and desertification, and a growing
waler crisis. The World Bank is
now using the crisis it has created
lu propose privatisation of water
resources and their management
This will further intensify the wa
ter scarcity and related water con
flicts.
In Gujarat ground water is ob
tained from a depth of 1,5001.800 feet leaving shallow aquifers
and surface storage systems like
tanks, dams and rivers empty.
The State used to be the land of
tanks and wells. In the 1930s, 78
per cent of the irrigation needs
were met by wells.
Intensive irrigation shifted and
water-use technology from open
wells to tube wells, financed by
aid agencies. India now has more
than 17 million energised wells.
The World Bank has played a major role in promoting non-sustainable
ground
water
exploitation which is the most
significant aspect of the water cri
sis in India.
For example, the present water
Crisis in Gujarat is a product of a
World Bank recipes for dealing
with the 1985-86 water crisis. In
1985-86, potable water was being
supplied to Gujarat by special
trains, tankers, camels and bull
ock carts. The Government’s
crash programme in 1985-86 to
provide drinking water, estimated
to have cost nearly Rs. 86 crore,
has left the problem as acute as
ever. New sources dried up, and
the 4,000 tube wells dug ran dry.
The Government was then ready
to spend another Rs. 93 crores on
long distance transfer and on
more tube wells. Gujarat also had
World Bank-aided water supply
project of Hs. 136 crores, but both
technology inputs and financial
iqputs are failing in providing wa
ter in the face of depletion of wa
ter sources themselves.
The Indian Express
23 May 2000
The water famine in the 1980s
in Maharashtra was also a cre
ation of the World Bank.
Traditionally, ground water ex
traction in Maharashtra has come
mainly from open dugwells. Fiftynine per cent of the State has
been irrigated by groundwater
through 9.39 lakhs of open dug
wells. Ninety-three per cent of
Maharashtra is made up of hard
rocks consisting of the Deccan
Trap. Recharge here is slow be
cause (he storage space for
groundwater
is
developed
through secondary features like
joints, weathering, fissuring and
so on. All these features do not
occur in uniform fashion, in
depth or lateral extent. In the
Deccan Trap, therefore there is
nothing like a subsoil water-table.
Water is stored in joints and bed
ding planes and is recharged lo
cally. This seriously limits the
availability and recharge of
groundwater, a limit which new
technologies of water exploitation
have tried to overcome by digging
deeper and using more power for
the withdrawal of water.
In the World Bank logic of mar
ket efficiency, water used for
"Water Parks" for the entertain
ment of the rich in Gujarat has
higher value than the needs of
pastoralists. Water wasted on
flowers or shrimps is a "higher
productivity use" than "low val
ue" use for growing millets for
food security and quenching the
thirst of the poor who have no
purchasing power. Or the poor
will create purchasing power by
bartering their very lives as in the
case of kidney sales by poor farm
ers in Andhra Pradesh to finance
deep tubcwclls.
These are recipes for conver
sion of water into a tradeable
commodity rather than a life sup
port base. Privatisation will aggra
vate the water crisis, because
given the inequalities between
the rich and the poor, industry
and agriculture, urban and rural,
water markets will take the water
from the poor to the rich, from
impoverished rural areas to af
fluent urban enclaves. It will also
lead to over exploitation of water,
because when access to water is
determined by the market and
purchasing power and long dis
tance trade and transport and not
by limits of renewability, the wa
ter cycle and people’s water rights
will be systematically violated and
the crisis will deepen. Local com
munity management is a precon
dition for both conservation and
equitable use.
Privatisation not
the answer
The World Bank privatisation
proposals do pay lip service to lo
cal level institutions, but convert
the local community from com
mon property owners to "water
users", and equate local people’s
institutions with the private sec
tor. The World Bank also refers to
NGOs and private sector in the
same category, indicating that the
role of NGOs is viewed in the con
text of privatisation.
Ignoring limits of water avail
ability and the conservation im
perative, the Bank recommends a
shift from "supply-oriented" to
"demand oriented" approach.
Demands of the economically
powerful will therefore override
the needs of the poor and the lim
its of nature. Partial application of
this logic through World Bank
lending is at the root of the pre
sent crisis. Full implementation
of the logic of privatisation will
not reverse the crisis, it will aggra
vate it.
Privatisation is not the answer
to the water crisis because it will
strengthen the very ecological
and political processes which
have brought it about. The water
crisis has been created by ignor
ing the ecology of the water cycle
and the politics of water democ
racy.
While commons are based on
inalienability of shared rights de
rived from use, privatisation is
based on tradeability of private
property. The assumption that
alienability is more conducive to
conservation is derived from the
false association of price with val
ue.
Sustainable use of water re
sources depends on the mainte
nance of the water cycle. This
requires that water use technol
ogies and land use technologies
respect the limits put by nature
Intensive irrigation from deep
ground water sources can create
an illusion that nature can be out
witted and her limits trans
gressed. But a few years ol
extraction of ground water re
serves for water-intensive crops
can create a water famine which
destroys the very possibility ol
agriculture as witnessed in Guj
arat, Rajasthan and Andhra Predesh. The ecological imperative is
to shift to cropping patterns (haI
respect the water endowment of
the ecosystem. Food security de
pends on water security, and
maximising food security in the
context of water scarcity implies
maximising nutrition per unit wa
ter use. Flowers, shrimps, hybrid
seeds, would then reflect low pro
ductivity value rather than the
high productivity claimed in
World Bank's trade liberalisation
logic.
Democracic use of water re
sources is based on democratic.
community control over water, to
precent its over exploitation and
ensure its equitable sharing so
that no member of the communi
ty, especially women, children
and the poor are denied their en
titlement to water. A water de
mocracy requires that water he
managed as common and not as
the private property of those with
economic power who sell this vi
tal resource as a commodity to
the poor and hence deprive weak
er sections of society of their wa
ter rights.
Privatisation is derived from
the word ’private’ which means to
deprive. The World Bank water
privatisation reforms are an orga
nised theft of water from the poor.
This theft should not be allowed.
(The author is Director, Research
Foundation for Science, Technol
ogy and Ecology, New Delhi).
The Hindu
26 May 2000
Scheme for the handicapped: Shimla - In a mines like providing incentives to those marrying the handle
move to refurbish Its social image and perk up the State’s con- apped, providing relief allowance to them, offering hearing
:em for the underprivileged, the State Himachal Pradesh Gov- aids etc at concessional rates and giving financial assistance
>mment here has drawn up an ambitious plan to rehabilitate t0 set up small ventures of their own, have been undertaken
he handicap In the State. For this various schemes and progra- •UNI
CDL Media Clippings 42
Govt indifference India among nations
hits FP programme having maximum
.
Tiruchi, May 25: A six-bed sterilisation ward along
with necessary equipment and jeep has been lying un
used for two years at Manpathai Medu in Manaparati
taluk in Tiruchi district due to the Union Ministry of
Health drawing up a totally impractical family welf
are scheme.
It all started when the Vaiyampatti based Socio-Cul
tural Awakening Movement (SAM), an NGO, approac
hed the Ministry of Family Welfare for a population
control related project. The ministry through a letter
(No.W./1043/156/93) dated March 31, 1994 sanctioned
a first instalment of Rs.5.33 lakh of the total project
cost of Rs.6.62 lakh for setting up a six-bed sterilisat
ion ward with operation theatre to handle family plan
ning cases. The project’s annual target was 450 sterilis
ations, 400 medical termination of pregnancies (MTP),
200 intra-uterine device (IUD) insertions and distribution of oral pills to 600 women.
SAM built a hospital building at Manpandaimedu
for the project, but it was only then that their real pro
blems started. This was because the scheme did not in
clude many essentials for medical work. Though the
district health authorities were approached to allow
doctors of the Vaiyamapatti and Kadavur PHCs to per
form FP operations at this unit, doctors demanded a
minimum of six cases if they were to come.
Another problem was that though the project target
was fixed for the first year, making the operation
theatre germ-free through culture tests took up six
months. The project provided a vehicle and salary for
the driver but no allowance was made for fuel or main
tenance. Similarly, an anesthetist was not included
though it was essential in FP operations. Doctors ref
used to operate till this was rectified.
SAM founder V Jawahar Arumugam also found the
project sans field staff. He discovered that each FP
case operated in its premises cost nearly Rs.2,500, inc
luding motivation, drugs, doctors fees and cost of stay
for a minimum four days till stitches were removed.
Meanwhile, the one-year project period ended and
the Health Ministry citing non-achievement of target
demanded refund of the project’s first instalment of
Rs.5.33 lakh though the NGO by then had spent nearly
double the amount.
SAM in a series of letters to the ministry pleaded
for extension of the project period placing on record
the various problems and also suggested that the min
istry send a monitor to oversee the project and sugg
est solutions to problems which cropped up at various
times. Instead, the ministry approached the District
Collector through the State Government to ensure ref
und of the project cost.
The Indian Express
26 May 2000
female illiteracy
HT Correspondent
New Delhi, May 24
FOUR SOUTH Asian countries
— Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and
Nepal — account for the largest
number of out-of-school girls and
illiterate women. This fact was
brought
to light
here by
UNESCO's representative in
India, Prof. Moegiadi, today.
Addressing a national workshop
on "State Policies on Incentive
Schemes in Primary Schools and
their Contribution to Girls'
Participation", jointly organised by
NCERT and UNESCO, he said,
"Though progress has been made,
we are all aware that according to
the 1991 census of India, we have
50.2 per cent literacy, and now,
according to the latest information
we have, 64 per cent literacy rate.
It is estimated that in near future,
it can be 70-80 percent."
He said it is a worldwide trend to
invest more resources to educate
children, at least till basic educa
tion and primary and elementary
education levels.
That is why many countries in tin
world give education top prior it)
and give special attention in the
national development plan as par!
of the overall national strategy. I k
said some researches had revealed
that educating girls and wumei
brings a lot of benefits, increase
family income and result in Ink
marriages.
Early marriages disturb tin
school environment and also dis
turb retention of children in
school, he said.
Prof. Moegiadi said that after a
discussion with NCERT. UNESCO
has agreed to give at least four
incentives - mid-day meals, free
uniform, free testbooks and alien
dance scholarship - for girls, and
see the impact of these indepen
dent variables on enrolments, not
only to attract girls but also to
retain them in schools till they
reach the graduation stage.
The girl's participation at the pn
mary stage is known to be low and
has been of concern of the policy
makers and educational adminis
trators.
The Hindustan Times
25 May 2000
water by aquacultures and
Swiss model for waste
source reduction by composting.
This creates a new perspective for
waste water
the poorer parts of the world and
a means for sustainable develutilisation
A Swiss waste water treatment opment, he said. Explaining the
agency today suggested a new advantages of constructed wet
model of ecological engineering lands, Dr Heeb said it can be built
for Bellandur lake to shift focus in small units with a minimum of
from waste water treatment to machinery without hi-tech engi
waste water utilisation.
neering and is easy to maintain.
Participating in a discussion The constructed wetlands will
organised by Bellandur Action help in regeneration of ground
Committee here
today,
Dr water and promote eco-agriJohannes Heeb of the Switzerland culture besides production of eco-*
based * Seecon
International friendly
building
material
Limited, a waste water treatment Presently, over 4,000 constructed
agency said that the model pro wetlands are in operation in
poses purification through con Europe, he added.
structed wetlands, utilisation of
Deccan Herald
25 May 2000
43
News You Can Use
They have defined the art of
disability management
By B. Pradeep Nair
The Times of India News Service
BANGALORE: They are an embodiment of an in.oniitable spirit— tirelessly crusading for a cause. S.
tamakrishnan and S. Shankara Raman have defined
he art of disability management by nursing to success
he Amar Seva Sangani, which runs a number of instiutions for the handicapped in Ayikudy village in
outh Tamil Nadu.
From a small beginning with just seven children in
•ne village in 1991, the Sangam now reaches 4^09 disbled people in more than 330 villages in four blocks
a and around Ayikudy. The spectacular growth
rompted the governments of Australia and Japan to
hip in with aid.
Way back in 1975, as a spirited 21-year-old student
f engineering, Ramakrishnan was in Bangalore for a
aval recruitment interview, when he met with an acdent rendering him a paraplegic- At a hospital in Kiree, Pune, he lay convinced about the worthlessness
f life which he wanted to be extinguished some way
r the other. But his doctor Amarjit Singh Chahal, an
rthopaedic surgeon, injected a new meaning to his
fe. He told him, “Never ask: why me? Ask: why not
ic?”
In 1981, back in his home village of Ayikudy, 70 km
om Tirunelveli, Ramakrishnan, who had realised
lat his intellect was as sharp as it’s always been,
ScMaym2ooo'ndia
founded the Sangam and named it after the doctor.
Shankara Raman, though afflicted by muscular dys
trophy since childhood and confined to a wheel-chair
was having a lucrative career as a successful chaptered
accountant when in 1992 he came to know about the
Sangam. The opportunities at Ayikudy prompted him
to join hands with Ramakrishnan and together they
have propelled the institution to greater heights.*
“In villages only physical abilities are important,
unlike in cities where intellectual empowerment ran
overcome physical disability,” says Ramakrishnan ex
plaining the problems of development in villages.
“The moment we approach them for rehabilitation,
they ask: Do we have to pay?”
There is a school with 564 students, located on land
contributed by Ramakrishnan’s family, with classes
from nursery to Std VIII. Children get training in com
puter operation, basic mechanism of radio and TV,
first-aid, book binding, tailoring, calliper training etc.
Camps are conducted every fortnight to detect' ^olio.
There are 36 children under residential care and 25
under day care at the Home for the Disabled. The 25acre campus also has a full-fledged rehabilitation cen
tre, a medical testing unit and a public library.
“We have been able to turn Ayikudy into a valley
for the disabled thanks to the patronage from Union
and state governments, industry, charitable organisa
tions and the public,” says Ramakrishnan.
UN steps against child exploitation
UNITED NATIONS. May 26 (PTI)
The UN general Assembly has
adopted without vote two meas
ures to protect children from
exploitation and their use in' hos
tilities between the warring
groups. . The measures, option
protocols, are appended to the
1999 Convention on the Rights of
Child and any member state
which has ratified or signed the
Convention could sign them,
diplomatic sources said today.
One protocol asks the state par
ties to take all feasible steps,
including legal, to prevent recruit
ment of persons under 18 years in
the armed forces and forbid their
use during hostilities. The other
protocol binds the states to make
sexual offences against children
criminal or penal offences.
Deccan Herald
27 May 2000 '
Sahyog members
ALLAHABAD, May 25. Allahabad High Court today
granted bail to three mem
bers of social organisation,
Sahyog, who were detained
in jail in connectionwith an
FIR lodged against them for
allegedly depicting the hill
people of Uttar Pradesh as
“sex objects” in the book
AIDS Aur Hum. — PTI
The Statesman
26 May 2000
Wall magazine
on youth
awareness
Chennai, May 25: Chief Mini
ster M Karunanidhi today rele
ased a wall magazine 'Nammaal Mudiyum* (we can do it) be
ing published on Monday by
the Youth Welfare and Sports
Development department of
the State Government to create
awareness among youth.
The first copy was received
by Youth Welfare Minister
Pongalur N Palanisamy. The
department Secretary and Sec
retary of Chief Minister’s Secr
etariat K Ashok Vardhan Sheety was present • ENS
The Indian Express
26 May 2000
By Sreelatha Menon
New Delhi, May 26: India’s
first website concerning the
employment of disabled people
called NCPEDP.org, has been
launched with a call for debate
on whether there should be a
quota for jobs for disabled in
the private sector.
The site started by the NGO
National Centre for Promotion
of Employment for Disabled
People which has Sonia Gan
dhi as its chairperson says
that the Disability Act offers
vague incentives to those pri
vate companies which offer
five per cent of their jobs to the
disabled. But the Act does not
specify the proposed incenti
ves.
And minus any pressure, the
corporate sector on its own
has totally ignored the issue, it
says pointing out that neither
CD, nor FICCI or ASSOCHAM NCPEDP-conducted study in
or PHDCC have spelt out till 1999, of the top 100 corporates.
The average percentage of
date as to what their policy on
employees with disabilities
disability is.
The debate on the topic will was a dismal 0.4 % while those
be featured on the site’s intera in the public sector was 0.54%
ctive online forum this month, and in the private sector was
spokesperson Rama Chari 0.28%.
The MNCs most of whom are
said. The results of the debate
will be present to the Govern from countries with strict quo
tas for disabled employed just
ment.
Speaking on the issue, Chari .05 per cent in India, the study
pointed out the findings of the had found.
I The Indian Express
I 27 May 2000
Now disabled too can ‘net’ a gain
CDL Media Clippings 44
Rajasthan. Yet, they asked questions
during the Jan Sunwai without any
fear or embarrassment.
By creating a process where these
questions can be raised in a public
ERALA and Rajasthan ernment
issued
an
ordinance arena, the space for subterfuge or for
have absolutely nothing institutionalising the principle of the hiding the facts is reduced. Further
in common. One is Jan Sunwai - that is the right of the more, now that the government has
green and wet; the other citizen to conduct a social audit of actually sanctioned the process, the
is barren and parched. developmental expenditure. The law officials do not have any excuse to
One is 100 per cent now gives this right to all adults in a keep back the information.
literate; the other has the lowest ward sabha, which is a sub-unit of the
Yet, several participants in the Jan
literacy rate in the country. Yet, in gram sabha. The powers vested in the Sunwai from surrounding villages
April an extraordinary convergence of Ward Sabha are staled thus in the rel complained that even after all this it is
hearts and minds took place between evant section of the Rajasthan not easy. Babu Lal from Bhilwara dis
men and women from these two ordinance: "Getting information on trict, for instance, says that although
the detailed estimates of works pro he is glad the government has
States.
The occasion was a meeting to look posed to be taken in the area of the changed the law, he wonders who will
at ways to empower gram sabhas in ward sabha; exercising social audit in implement and enforce the law.
the panchayati raj system. What all works implemented in the area of "When we ask for information, we
brought the convergence between the ward sabha and awarding utilisa don’t get it. We are told, why do you
people from two such disparate states tion and completion certificates for want to know? You will create obsta
was their shared experience in trying such works."
cles in the process of development."
The change in the law has also He confirmed that even in his village,
to draw maximum benefits from
decentralised systems of governance. tackled the question of quorum which people are rarely paid more than Rs.
In Kerala, the Panchayati Raj in the past allowed the more powerful 20 a day for work in government
system has been closely integrated castes to hijack the gram sabhas. Now schemes.
into the system of governance. As a the quorum requires that scheduled
On their part, the Rajasthani vil
result, 40 per cent of all development castes and tribes, and backward lagers were fascinated with the Kerala
funds are now with the panchayats. classes as well as women members experiment of devolving real power to
This is no mean amount, it is over Rs. must be present in proportion to their the panchayats. They followed closely
1000 crores. Furthermore, panchayats population in the ward panchayat.
the process that culminated in village
The Bhim Jan Sunwai brought into level planning which has now been
are entitled to half of all taxes that are
collected like professional tax, enter focus, for the first time, the issue of institutionalised. They also heard
--------------- ‘---„ the process of setting up neigh tainment rax, land tax etc. This means minimum wages bn f
government
about
that panchayats in Kerala are not just works. The relevance of what emerged bourhood committees as even the
implementing existing programmes fu°m ** *S °^Pa.rt’cu]ar s’gn*P*cance at wards in Kerala are too large for real
but can actually initiate their own the moment given that large
-- - parts of participation of all the members.
Rajasthan are reeling under drought
programmes with these funds.
It is clear from the two extremes of
Panchayat office bearers are also and the government has to create experiences in the panchayati raj
employment
for
people
so
that
they
full-time people who are paid ade
system that each state has to develop
quately. For instance, a Sarpanch is can earn enough to subsist.
its own models based on its particu
The Rajasthan government has only larities. But what is already emerging
paid Rs. 3,500 per month. In contrast,
a Sarpanch in Rajasthan gets only Rs. recently raised the minimum wage to from the peer learning processes that
400 per month. While the former has Rs. 60 per day. Yet the majority of the civil society groups have set in motion
an office and support staff, the latter people employed in government work in different states, is that the right to
must operate without any such programmes testified that they had information is an absolutely central
inputs. If the performance of the two received barely Rs. 10 to 15 per day. need to give any real meaning to this
individuals is different, it is hardly a Apart from low payment, the Jan decentralised form of government.
Sunwai brought out the well-known Unless people are given the right to
surprise.
But what Rajasthan has, and Kerala racket of putting fictitious names on ask information, and officials are
does not, is an indigenous, locally- muster roles - even of people who are forced to be accountable, village level
based vibrant campaign for the right dead - and then pocketing those governance will remain a concept
to information that has given a new wages. Furthermore, people were only on paper. A social audit of the
life and meaning to gram sabhas. paid a small amount on the excuse kind conducted in the Bhim pan
Initiated by the Devdungri-based that they did not put in the full chayat is a model for the process of
M azdoor
Kisan
Shakti amount of work expected of them. accountability that can be institution
Sangathan(MKSS), the campaign has This is another well-known tactic for alised within the framework of the
now moved into a particularly rele pocketing government funds allo panchayati raj system.
vant phase with its latest Jan Sunwai cated for employment programmes.
Also, gram sabhas should not be
The people from Kerala, and from
(public hearing) which was con
occasions when gram sevaks narrate
ducted in Bhim panchayat, in other states, who were part of the self the different government pro
learning process initiated by the
Rajsamand district on April 3.
grammes that the panchayat is
Although MKSS has conducted sev MKSS in Bhim, were struck by the
implementing. Instead, as in Kerala,
eral Jan Sunwais in different parts of fearless manner in which people,
panchayats have to be given adequate
Rajasthan, the Bhim Jan Sunwai was including women, came forward and
autonomy to generate their own pro
significant for a number of reasons. asked questions of the officials. For
grammes through untied funds that
Bhim is one of the largest panchayats instance, Gowri, a Sarpanch from
in the state. The occasion took place a Kerala, said she had noticed that are disbursed. The fear that such
few months after the Rajasthan gov- women- covered their heads in funds will be misused may be justi-
Shared experience
Contd....
45
News You Can Use
Hold it, do we know what
we want?
year’s monsoon failure. But the question servation and leaf and grass production
is. Will this all lead to effective results, es on what are usually common lands,'
pecially in the rural context?
which can greatly benefit landless house
Building water harvesting structures is holds, but also increases the life and ef
♦ By Anil Agarwal
a very easy task, but building an effective fectiveness of the structures that benefitN the last few weeks since the media structure which starts offa process ofself the landed. Contractors must be totallystorm on drought hit our politicians, management in village communities is a kept out and all wage benefits should go*
several of them have made statements much more difficult. This is possible only to the landless.
regarding the importance of a commu ifeach structure is the result of a cooper Nothing works better than when vil
nity-based rainwater harvesting strategy ative social process. Water is a strange lagers see all this in actual practise. For
to drought-proof the country. The first natural resource: it can unite a commu this purpose, it is important to have
statement came from the rural develop nity as easily as it can divide it Therefore, funds to take interested villagers to see
ment minister, Sunderlal Patwa, that the it is essential that a strong social process villages where such principles are being*
government will gradually replace a gov precede each structure to build what econ observed and how water harvesting haschanged their lives. All this means that’
ernment-oriented rural water supply pro omists call the “social capital”.
gramme by a people-oriented, decen This is an area where the track-record the progress in the first few years will be
tralised and demand-driven programme. of government agencies1 is literally non stow. But the experience shows thatx
Equally heartening are reports of peo existent. In other words, the good inten replications comes very rapidly once*
ple themselves beginning to promote rain- tions of state and Central officials to hus “the idea” catches on.
< water harvesting, especially in Gujarat. A band their water resources are as much a Management experts always point out’
voluntary Lakhota Jal Sanchay Abhiyan cause of worry as of applause. Fixed an that “God is in the details”. Politicians
Samiti has collected money from the resi nual targets will prove to be a total disas will haveto make sure the culture of rigid
dents ofJamnagar town to desilt the huge ter: money literally going down the drain. and inflexible government rules is^
Lakhota Lake constructed by the former At least the first two years of any water changed to fit the rules of social mobili
royal family. Under the leadership of the harvesting programme will have to be sation. And as government officials are’
Swaminarayan gurukul in Rajkot, foun spent on social mobilisation and getting not social workers, all this will will hap
dation stones were laid for check dams in the community to recognise the impor pen only if they hand over to the work to*
more than 15 villages in just five days tance ofwater harvesting. The whole com NGOs with a track record, howsoever
around the middle of April. In munity will have to involved by making few they might be, and-wait patiently for
Ahmedabad city itself, the Khadia Itihas each section - from the landed to the land results to come, or they themselves*over
Samiti has completed a survey of the un less and women’s groups - appreciate the see the implementation of the pro
derground water tanks (tanka) that were benefits it will derive from the exercise. gramme.
traditionally built in each house to har It is for this reason that water harvest Otherwise the result will be a lot of
vest roof-top rainwater and is planning a ing works best when combined with wa wasted mud, bricks and mortar and
tershed development. It is in the nature alienated people, withwater still elusive
campaign to revive them.
These developments show that commu ofstructures to benefit mainly those who and the concept of water harvesting get
nity-based rainwater harvesting may have land leaving the landless without ting a bad name..
well become a widely adopted paradigm any benefits and therefore alienated
The Indian Express
in the years to come both in the urban and from the exercise. But development of
25 May 2000
rural areas - a fortunate result of the cur watersheds to conserve both water and
soil not only increases soil and water con
rent drinking water crisis created by last
I
Contd....
tied. But if the social audit is also
institutionalised, then the opportuni
ties for misuse are reduced as the
gram sabha becomes more vigilant.
These are the two important points
that emerge from the experiences of
gram sabhas in Kerala and
—,
u:-j..
Rajasthan.-c.
The Hindu
KALPANA SHARMA. 28 May 2000
CDL Media Clippings 46
Development fails to touch
rural India
Bv Ovr Correspondent
New
Delhi,
May
28:
Globalisation has stalled poverty
reduction in developing coun
tries
including
India.
the
International
Fund
for
Agricultural Development said
in its annual report for 1999.
Social impact of decentralisa
tion. Asian markets crisis and
sudden devaluation of currencies
were reflected in increasing
poverty, inequalities in income.
declining levels of public and
welfare expenditure.
India's high economic growth
in recent decades has had no per
ceptible impact on rural poverty
levels and income inequality has
risen, (he report said, citing
growing disparity in economic
growth rates between areas with
in the country as the main reason.
Despite improvement in infant
mortality rates, life expectancy at
birth and adult literacy rates.
India still suffers from very low
human development aspects like
the human development index.
gender development index and
gender empowerment index, it
said.
Stating that the level of depri
vation was inadequately indicat
ed by poverty statistics based on
income figures, IFAD said 80
per cent of the rural population in
Haryana village
going online with
first cyber cafe
India had caloric intakes below
the 2,400 calories per adult rec
ommended which was much
higher than 37 per cent below the
poverty line.
In 1993-94. 30 per cent of the
country’s population consumed
less than 1,700 calories per day
IFAD" REPORT
and of that 10 per cent consumed
less than 1,300 calories per day.
“Upland dwellers, indigenous
population, ethnic minorities,
landless, rural youth and women
are being bypassed by economic
growth and development.”
not only save time, energy and
money of the farmers, but also
help them to get potable water for
their consumption.
The resistivity meter, he said, was
purchased by the District Rural
Development Agency at a cost of
Rs. 1.05 lakh under the watershed
scheme.
The Deputy Commissioner has
advised the public in general and
the farmers in particular to avail
computer, fax, word processing
Rewari (Namaul), May 28
this facility, provided by the district
and desktop publishing.
administration. This facility, he
DISTRICT MOHINDERGARH The project is planned to offer informed, will be available free of
highly
inexpensive
hands-on
train
is all set to launch its first village
cost.
ing to the people.
cyber cafe in Haryana.
Women's emancipation: The
Nangal Choudhary. one of the The launch would benefit the Deputy
Commissioner,
remotest villages of Haryana, will area in developing computer cul Mohindergarh, has directed all the
host the village Internet Centre ture and literacy, apart from offer concerned officers not to entertain
developed as a cyber cafe, Mr V. ing computer services, he dis relatives of the women elected to
Raja
Sekhar.
Deputy closed.
the panchayats, panchayat samiCommissioner Mohindergarh, said He further said that efforts were ties, zila parishad and municipal or
here yesterday in a Press confer being made to inform rural masses local bodies.
about
the
importance
of
ence.
In most of the cases, the Deputy
The village, he said, is located at Information Technology.
Commissioner said the husbands,
The
panchayats,
which
were
the southern hinges of the State,
sons, or other relatives have start
and will boast of the first ever vil funding the project, were enthusi ed appearing and replacing the
astic about the new project, he
lage website of Haryana.
elected women, and the very pur
The website is already uploaded said.
pose of emancipation of women
on the Internet and is available at In its bid to provide quality and
potable water to the rural masses, was defeated.
http://nangalchaudhary.com.
He warned that any woman rep
Hus percolation of Information the Agriculture Department of the
Administration
of resentative can be accompanied by
Technology in the backward area District
her husband or son, but cannot be
of the Slate awaits a formal launch Mohindergarh district had pur
replaced by them.
chased a resistivity meter.
soon, he said.
The Deputy Commissioner said The resistivity meter is the latest The Hindustan Times
that (he project which has been equipment to carry out tests on
29 May 2000
established at the busy Nangal vil groundwater, up to the depth of
lage junction, is offering services, 1,600 feet. Mr V. Raja Sekhar,
such as, Internet browsing, e-mail informed mediapersons here yes
access, image and document scan terday.
ning, optical character reading, He said the latest technique will
47
“The goal should be to promote
a culture in which service
providers arc responsive to
demands of the poor; efficiency.
transparency and accountability
are integral to the provision and
targeting of public gtxids and
services and rural poor people.
through participation in local
democratic process, contribute to
decision making and influence
how resources are used for their
benefit.” IFAD said.
Objectives of the report were to
empower tribal grassroots associ
ations and users groups to plan.
implement and manage their own
development activities and pro
mote activities that generate sus
tainable increase in production
and productivity of land and
water resources. Generating alter
nate sources of income* outside
agriculture, particularly for the
landless, and improving quality ol
life and income of marginal
groups through sustainable natuial resources management should
be given priority. IFAD added.
The principle beneficiaries are
tribal households in Bihar and
Madhya Pradesh. Special atten
tion is being paid to marginal
households and groups in ilkprocess of being .marginalised - •
women, the landless, hill cultiva
tors and tribal groups classified
primitive by the government.
The Asian Age
29 May 2000
News You Can Use
upward mobility," he declares.
And what does he have to say
about the signed agreement?
"There is no agreement. Our sig
natures were forged on the paper,"
T is a lazy hot afternoon. Alter was not even beaten up. She has against abortion and in favour of
he asserts in the face of a mob of
a back breaking round of har not been subjected to taunts of asking Anwar-ul Haq to agree to a
villagers shouting at him, that his
vesting in the fields and hav children and neighbours. The vil marriage between Nasrullah and nephew had fathered Naseema's
ing fed the hungry hordes at lage has not declared a social boy Naseema.
child. “Had these two been in love
home, about 30 women of Parati cott of her family. And the mira
With the newfound strength of they would have eloped and got
village, are gathered together in cle does not end here. The women sisterhood the Samooh summoned married" he screams back.
the shade of a thatched roof. They of the village are behind her, nur Anwar-ul Haq and his family to
"If it is not love it must be a
are discussing a problem that has turing her little baby and deter the meeting. Twice the summons crime then," intervenes Santwana
refused to go away for almost a mined to fight for her rights.
went out with no response. Faced Bharati, member core team dis
year now. Naseema Khatun a 14No. moral values have not with his stubborn refusal and the trict BEP and a lawyer by train
year-old in the village has become changed drastically. Nobody is fact that the errant Nasrullah had ing. "A simple DNA test can prove
an unwed mother and women are talking about Naseema’s right to fled the village, women appealed whose baby Naseema has had."
discussing strategies to get her her own body or respecting her t0 foe elders.
This stuns Rahool. "Okay, it is a
married to her seducer. A few decision to have a child out of
Surprisingly men agreed to crime. Let my nephew pay for it.
minutes later Naseema herself wedlock. They only want what intervene along the lines that Let him go to prison for 40 years.
walks in hesitantly her newborn they perceive to be justice - mar- women were suggesting. An all But this marriage won’t take
cradling in the crook of her arms, riage with the young man who male panchayat of the village place", he says stubbornly.
This is the agenda of the village took advantage of her poverty and including the local Maulvi then
Marriage with Nasrullah seems
Mahila Samooh today.
gullibility.
took matters into their hands. difficult if not impossible. With a
Parati is no different from the
Naseema's story is a familiar .Haq finally agreed to negotiate. charge of rape and a few weeks of
millions of villages in the country. one. The second daughter of seven' On September 6. 1999, Anwarul- incarceration behind him the
Tucked away behind folds of ten children of a landless family, she Haq and Naseema's father signed chances of Nasrullah coming
kilometres of dirt track off the went to work at Anwar-ul Haq’s as an agreement to the effect that by round are bleak indeed. Her story
Muzzafarpur Sitamarhi highway a domestic help. Haq’ lives in a September 21. Naseema and is far from ended.
in North Bihar it is part of the pucca house in the village and1 Nasrullah would be married "in
Naseema has no illusions.
Bochahan block of Muzzafarpur three bighas of land qualify him1 court”. Fourteen witnesses signed -rhey want Rs. 80,000 as dowry. I
district, a block distinguished for as the landlord in this communityr the agreement. "The agreement know it and my parents cannot
a mere four per cent literacy of the landless. The budding ado was signed on a stamp paper" afford it," she wails. The Samooh
among lower caste women.
lescent was either forced into sex asserts Maulvi Mohd Kasim. The has got wind that the Haqs have
Swaying fields of ripe gold by the 22-y ear-old son of the fami stamp paper in this case is a plain found a match for Nasrullah and
wheat hide the grinding poverty ly, Mohammad Nasrullah, or paper with two revenue stamps wonder if they should tell the
that lurks in the mean dark huts, seduced with promises of mar-stuck at the bottom of the text, prospective bride's family about
No electricity wires to slice the riage. Naseema herself is reluc- eacjj one overwritten by the sig the unfortunate Naseema. Will
open expanse of the sky here. A tant to divulge details of the nature of Haq and Naseema's that prevent the match? By nou
couple of whitewashed brick-and- beginning of the affair. "He asked father.
Naseema has had enough. She is
mortar houses provide a stark me to keep it a secret. He prom
Why a court marriage and not a crying quietly, talking about sui
contrast to the 200 odd mud huts [Sed to marry me", she says tears Nikah? "A court marriage is more cide. Women get busy diverting
sprawled haphazardly around in flowing freely.
pucca", says Zaibunnissa, a mem her attention, asking her to think
small cluster, every cluster meant
six months later she was preg- ber of the Samooh. "We insisted of the child she has borne, some
for a particular caste. Most of the nant by three months and the on it so that they don't easily one ta^es away the poor mite pat
population here is landless.
secret was out. Luckily for divorce her afterwards". The. t^g
t0 sieep qp^e meeting is
Dusadh. Musahar, Mallah, Naseema, Mahila Samakhya an Samakhya has indeed spawneq at an end.
Ravidas, Muslims all live in simi integral part of BEP had by then some awareness of laws of the
The effect it can have on
lar conditions of poor hygiene, been active for over a year in land.
Mahila Samakhya in nearby vil
disease and poverty in dearly seg Parati. Literally meaning educa
However the marriage has lages is a subject nobody wants to
regated tolas. The village is tion
for
equality
Mahila remained a dream. In sheer frus talk about now. Surprisingly
Muslim dominated, and like Samakhya with the stated aim of tration Naseema's family finally there is little condemnation of
Muslims everywhere in the sub- empowering women lays particu- filed a case of rape against Naseema in neighbouring vilcontinent they too are divided ]lar emphasis on low caste and Nasrullah. In any case Naseema. ]ages Ramdulari Devi, of the
along caste lines. The upper caste poor
|
women. Naseema's mother then only 13, was three years chamukh village close by clucks
Muslims here are Julahas or Najmoom not convinced of the under the legal age of consent and jn sympathy, "That man must be
| rape, forced to marry her." Mehroon
weavei s. the lower caste are utility of the Mahila Samoohsex with her was statutory
Kanwarias.
organised
under
Mahila He was arrested, refused bail by a khatun of Bhusanhi village is
And yet Parati is one of those Samakhya was then not a member judicial
magistrate
at angry
e attitude
attitude of
the Haqs.
angry at
at fo
the
of the
Haqs
obscure villages where stagnation of this small group. But in her Muzzaffarpur and spent nearly .Re made Naseema his Jaund;
is giving way to change. Caste moment of crisis she rushed to the two months in judicial custody
barriers are lowering and sharing Samooh, joined it and placed her until finally granted bail by the (mistress). Now he should make
her his rani. Only then can the
a meal among members of differ predicament before it.
Patna High Court recently.
ent castes is no longer unheard of.
"1 did not beat her. Her father
Haq refuses to talk about the poor girl hold her head high."
But not everyone is. willing tn
The Bihar Education Project did not raise his hands either. caSe. His brother Abdul Rahool
(BEP) launched in 1993 in the What had happened was irre- chooses to cast aspersions on the condone Naseema. Even in Parati
Muzzaffarpur district has begun versible. I just wanted to know girl, -she has lose morals. Besides village the consensus in her
to have its impact here.
what to do," says Najmoom.
they are Kanwarias and we are favour is beginning to show signs
Amazingly Naseema was not
The Samooh after several Julahas. and they are trying to lay of strain. "This is what Jagfagi
banished from the village. SheJjound^^^discussion^^esolved^flj^blam^^i^rn^jieghe^Jor^
Contd....
A quiet revolution
I
CDL Media Clippings 48
Contd....
Sudden Govt, interest in water
harvesting baffles NGOs
By Gargi Parsai
lages in Rajasthan's Alwar district. harvesting, Mr. Agarwal pointed
"The voluntary sector is active in to the spurt in Government state
new DELHI, may 27. The sudden
watershed programmes. But if the ments on the subject. The first
splurge of official funds to pro
statement came from the Rural
mote rainwater harvesting and Government were to take over,
watershed programmes following then nothing better will happen Development Minister, Mr. Sunthe recent drought in Gujarat and than the Government coming and deralai Patwa, with an increase in
Rajasthan has left the voluntary claiming ownership and contract the budget for drinking water
agencies cold. "Till today no step ing out rights for fishing and so from Rs. 1,800 crores last year to
Rs. 1,960 crores, 20 per cent of
has been taken to combine Gov on," he said.
Water resources exp’ert and which would be allocated to
ernment agencies (work) and
people's participation in wa economist, Mr. H.M. Desarda, States which undertake commu
tershed management," noted so lashed out at the engineers and nity-based management.
Next came a statemferit from
cial worker, Mr. Anna Hazare, told technicians in the Government
The Hindu on the sidelines of a who had a mindset that was im- the Prime Minister in Parliament
National Conference on Rainwa pregnable. “The usual Govern that there would be greater em
ment approach of pumping in phasis on rainwater harvesting.
ter Harvesting.
more and more money is no solu
Then the Urban Development
"The village must be taken as
tion. By all reckoning the alloca Minister, Mr. Jagmohan, declared
the pivot and care should be tak
tion made for drinking water that the existing building bye
en to maintain ecological and so
supply schemes as well as em laws would be modified to make
cial
balance.
Indiscriminate
ployment-linked watershed de rainwater harvesting mandatory.
number of tube wells have result
velopment programmes is quite
The fourth statement came
ed in severe depletion of ground
sizeable. Even then if the situa from the Water Resources Minis
water resources. I have urged the
tion is horrific, the real reasons ter, Mr. C. P. Thakur, who an
Prime Minister. Mr. Atal Behari
are: indifference, negligence and nounced a huge sum of Rs. 55
Vajpayee, to convene a meeting of
corruption."
crores.to promote rainwater har
people involved in rainwater har
"Though politicians, right from vesting. The Gujarat Chief Minis
vesting for a policy on it," he said.
Mr.
Keshubhai
Patel
the Prime Minister to Chief Minis ter,
"It is great what you (the Gov
ters, MPs and MLAs have talked announced the construction of
ernment) are thinking now. but it
about the need for rainwater har 10,000 check dams while his And
is not good enough," echoed
vesting, in reality they don’t have hra Pradesh counterpart, Mr. N.
noted environmentalist, Mr. Anil
the time or the interest to get Chandrababu Naidu, promised
Agarwal, of the Centre for Science
down to the actual task. As it is a huge sums of money for wa
and Environment at an open fo
labour intensive and community- tershed projects.
rum organised by his Centre. His
Topping it all is the glaring ex
centred process, most politicians
scepticism arose from the Gov do not have much interest in it. ample of the Rashtrapati Bhavan,
ernment penchant for fixed tar Also, because this calls for actual where the CSE finds itself tied up
gets and setting up committees, presence and involvement at vil in bureaucratic red tape in trying
"by them for them". "Unless lage level."
to put up water harvesting struc
communities
are
mobilised,
The CSE deputy director, Ms. tures since last year!
made aware and involved, the
Sunita Narain, said, "the state
whole exercise could prove disas
ments of various politicians and
trous." he said.
2000
government officials about pro
"Please do not interfere," this is moting community-based water
our only request to the Govern harvesting is a cause for worry as
ment, said Mr. Rajinder Singh, an much as it is for applause."
NGO credited with greening vHMaking a presentation on water
The Hindu
28 May
does. Girls are going astray with
all these new fangled things" says
Nusarat, striking a discordant
note in the Samooh. There are
enough voices to disagree with
her.
"Remember it did not happen in
the Jagjagi. It happened before the
Jagjagi
started"
reminds
Zaibunnissa.
The Jagjagi or literacy cum
awareness programme was only
begun in October 1999, after
Naseema was already pregnant.
Two kinds of Jagjagis are run
under the supervision of Mahila
Samakhya. Bal Jagjagi is meant
for children in the three to nine
year group and Jagjagi for those
above nine. The Samooh appoints
"Sahelis1 to teach at Jagjagi cen
tres and also has the right to sack
her if it finds her unsatisfactory.
The saheli of the Bal Jagjagi at
Parati is a bright eyed Vibha, a
Musahar girl who attended a ninemonth residential course in litera
cy, hygiene, nutrition, and basic
legal awareness at Muzzaffarpur.
It is a happy day for Vibha. Her
wedding date has just been fixed.
She walks into the Samooh meet
ing waving what looks like a let
ter in her hand. Actually it is an
invitation to her wedding that she
has written herself:* She does not
blush as the invitation is read out
aloud. "Isn't that just great? I have
written it myself," Vibha seeks
compliments from everyone.
Vibha is only 15, a neo literate
and full of plans for the future.
"Mine will be a child marriage.
But I can't help it. My children
won't have to go through it 1
promise," Vibha says brimming
with confidence' and smiling with
happiness at the same time. She
symbolises the changing face of
rural Bihar, straining to be free
yet a prisoner of old values that
bind her family, hoping for a bet
ter future for her progeny and
striving to make the best of the
present. Transition is slow but it
is making itself felt in Parati.
Anjali Deshpande
Deccan Herald
28 May 2000
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