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From: "River Basin Friends\(RVC\)" <riverbasinfriends@yahoo.co.in> Date: Wed Mar 9, 2005 5:05pm Subject: No river linking scheme on Eastern Zone . News item from The Daily Star of 09/03/2005 is given below . No river linking scheme on Eastern Zone Indian water minister says BDNEWS, Kolkata Indian Water Resources Minister Priyoranjan Dasmunsi said that the Congress led coalition government will not implement river linking projects in the Eastern Zone to avoid any dent in relationship with Bangladesh. Priyoranjan Dasmunsi told this while addressing a press conference in Kolkata on Tuesday. In reply to a question of BDNews correspondent, he said that the Indian government does not want to see any dent in relationship with its neighbours particularly with Bangladesh over the river linking issue. India is giving priority over maintaining good relation with its neighbours, he said. The stance of India on river linking was reflected in the recent budget as no fund was allocated for the project. But they are planning to carry out feasibility study over river linking projects in Southern Zone. India has a plan to evaluate the feasibility studies of river linking projects in Southern and Northern zones by December this year, he said. Dasmunsi indicated that India has not yet mobilized fund for implementing river-linking projects. He said that the central government would discuss with local elected representatives and political parties prior to implement the river-linking project in respective zones. When his attention was drawn to the stalled process of water-sharing of the Teesta river, Dasmunsi said India is eager to reach a meaningful solution with Bangladesh at earliest. He also refused to term the persisting crisis over the Teesta water-sharing a 'tension'. It is rather a 'misunderstanding between two countries', he said. "Issues of difference will be discussed at political level of both countries," Dasmunsi said. Blaming the West Bengal government, Dasmunsi said due to their negligence the Teesta project was not implemented on time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2] ???Neglect of women??™ in matrilineal set-up decried SHILLONG, March 8: Gender bias in the predominantly matrilineal society in Meghalaya continues to be the grievance of leading women activists in the State. The disillusionment over the customary practices and the non-participation of women in the village durbars are worrying a lot of these activists in the State. On the International Women??™s Day today, president of Ka Lympung Ki Seng Kynthei, a body of women groups, Ms Theilin Phanbuh told The Sentinel that it was time to modify the customary laws to give women a chance to participate in the traditional durbars. Phanbuh was referring to the Khasi practice of barring women from taking part in the village durbars for any decision-making process. "Allowing women to represent the durbars will bring about a balance in the system," Phanbuh said as she recalled the contribution of women towards the welfare of the society. Angela Rangad of Freedom Project said, "Our society may follow the matrilineal set-up, but in practice, it is still patriarchal." Powers are still with the men, whereas women continue to remain at the background of any decision-making process in the family or the village councils, she added. "This should change to enable women to contribute towards the cause of the society," Rangad said. Sara Tham of the Meghalaya Women??™s Alliance called for a change in the male mentality to give women their rightful place in politics. She said, "The non-participation of women in the village councils is a hurdle towards the political empowerment of women in the State." She also advocated the need of reservation for women in the State legislature. Keith Pariat of the Syngkhong Rympei Thymmai, a group spearheading the movement to change the Khasi society from a matrilineal to a patriarchal one, said, "The customary practice of prohibiting females from the village councils should be done away with." "We cannot carry on with the outdated laws which are irrelevant to the present generations," she added. Another issue of concern for the women in the State is the rising spate of domestic violence and the growing rape cases. Rangad said, "In our society, it is the husband who beats the wife, and not the other way round." Rangad said even as she referred to the matrilineal system. Cases of rape are also on the rise. Phanbuh attributed them to the loopholes in the legal system. ravindranath ,Rural Volunteers Centre,Po+Vill-Akajan. Via-Silapathar District-Dhemaji.787059,Assam. India. Mobile-09435089275 phone-0091-3753-246306/246436/Fax-246353/245758(if BSNL is functional) E mail. rvcassam@g... assamravi@y... |
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| << March09, 2005 - [India Thinkers Net] From Yogi,Pravez & River Basin Friends |
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