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[1] From: "ccwd ccwd ccwd" <ccwd1@rediffmail.com> Date: Mon Aug 29, 2005 Subject: Re: [indiathinkersnet] Development jobs in India Dear Sankar, Thank u very much for your mail. I would like to request u that, If u can fcilitate some doneragency name to us who is supporting in orissa on children issues we shall be grate oblige to u as u devekloped civisociety org for strengtheien.Plase do not take other wise,some times it is quite difficult for medium and small size NGOs to raise funds due to ome constraint and control over Donors by big NGOS. Any way ,Looking forward your kind cooperation in this regard. Thanking u yours sincerely Mahendra parida On Sat, 27 Aug 2005 EMPOWER INDIA wrote : >"DevNetJobsIndia" <devnetjobs@...> >http://www.DevNetJobsIndia.org > ------------------------------ [2] From: yogi sikand <ysikand@yahoo.com> Date: Mon Aug 29, 2005 Subject: Centre for the Study of Islam and Democracy Dear Friend Assalamu Aleykum (peace be with you), and I hope you are having a nice, enjoyable, and fruitful summer. I wanted to take this opportunity to inform you about some of the recent activities/projects of the Centre for the Study of Islam and Democracy, and seek your support and involvement. As you know, CSID is a non-profit organization (501-c-3) that has been working since 1999 to promote freedom, democracy, dignity, justice, and good governance in the Arab and Muslim world. There have been many encouraging developments in the region in the past year, however, there are many challenges ahead and we will need your continued involvement and support if we want to end the cycle of tyranny and violence and usher a new era of peaceful coexistence and tolerance between nations, and between governments and their people. A. New Publication: CSID is proud to announce a new monthly publication, called Democracy Watch, in both Arabic and English. The purpose of this publication is to monitor and report on political developments and reforms in all the countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. There are many positive developments, but there are also significant difficulties and setbacks that we believe you need to be aware of. You can read Democracy Watch online, or you can subscribe to receive it monthly in print (subscriptions $20/year). If you have any comments or questions about Democracy Watch, please e-mail them to the Editor, Mr. Slaheddine Jourchi at: sjourchi@.... This is of course in addition to our flagship newsletter Muslim Democrat which is published quarterly (also in English and Arabic) and contains important and useful articles and discussions about Islam & democracy, and reports about CSID activities and conferences. Both publications are mailed to CSID members FREE OF CHARGE. B. New Website: CSID is also proud to announce its new website http://csidonline.org/ (in English) or http://www.csidonline.org/arabic/ (in Arabic). The new website will be updated on a much more frequent basis, and will contain weekly updates and reports about CSID activities and projects. If you have been enjoying and benefiting from our bi-weekly e-mail bulletin, you will be happy to know that you can read all current and previous issues at: http://csidonline.org/. We are also working on a Persian-language website which we hope to announce soon, insha'Allah. Please address any comments or suggestions about the new website to Abdulmajid Biuk------------------------ at: abdul_biuk@....(yahoo.com) ------------------------------ [3] From: Regi P George <george_regi@yahoo.com Date: Mon Aug 29, 2005 Subject: Pain knows no bounds here Pain knows no bounds here Abdul Latheef Naha Cases of mental retardation on the rise in Amarambalam village CRUEL FATE: A mentally retarded resident of Amarambalam village, near Nilambur MALAPPURAM: A mental health study conducted in the district's Amarambalam village has found an alarming concentration of mentally retarded (MR) persons. More disturbing is the fact that the number of MR cases has been on the rise in this village. The study could identify no single cause for it. A combination of factors, including socio-cultural, socio-economic and biomedical, is believed to have brought this bane to Amarambalam village, near Nilambur. Preliminary survey A preliminary survey conducted by a women's organisation about three years ago had found 40 MR cases in this village. And today, the study done by a burgeoning charitable trust called Home for Mentally Impaired, with the support of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), has identified 60 cases in the village and three in the adjoining Chokkad. All of them belonged to moderate (35-49 IQ) and severe (20-34 IQ) MR groups. The study did not include mild MR (50-70 IQ) persons. The number of mild MR cases in the village will be twice or thrice more, said K. T. Manojkumar, general medical practitioner, who led the survey. That, he said, is alarming and calls for a thorough IQ-based investigation by the authorities concerned. The study was conducted as part of IMA's village health programme. As many as 40 cases found in Amarambalam belonged to severe MR category. According to `Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine,' generally regarded an authority on mental health and social medicine, severe MR is uncommon. "So it's highly disturbing, and calls for serious interference," said Dr. Manojkumar. Economically backward Almost all MR cases found in this village were from poor families. Ninety per cent of the parents had not even completed primary education. Ignorance and misery added to the woes of the families, forcing the hapless MR members to remain at home for their life. There is no special school in the village or anywhere near. Unconcerned authorities Repeated pleas of the parents of MR children have all fallen on deaf ears. "There is no door left for us to knock, including political, social, religious and Governmental bodies. Everyone said they would help, but none did," said Hameed Chalippadan, who bears the agony of a father taking care of his 11-year-old MR son, Junaid. There was a streak of despondency in Mr. Hameed's words. According to experts, mental retardation takes place chiefly for genetic reasons and because of brain damage at the time of delivery or later. The risk of MR in home delivery as well as prolonged delivery is very high. The causes The study has found that 48 of the MR persons in this village were born through prolonged labour - as many as 22 of them were born not in a hospital. Dr. Manojkumar said that chances of head injuries and prolonged labour are more in cases of home deliveries. If a baby's head hits the ground as it is born, it runs the risk of brain damage, he said. At home, induced labour is often not possible. Prolonged delivery can lead to brain damage of the child because of either anoxia or hypoxia. The child is most likely to suffer some problems if its first cry is delayed. People, said Dr. Manoj, often overlook such factors when the delivery takes place at home. As many as 20 mothers of the MR persons here suffered from goiter or hypothyroidism. Goiter, according to experts, can also be a cause for MR. The incidence of consanguineous marriages is also high at this village. But no reliable data is available. Mr. Hameed said he regretted having married his uncle's daughter. "I was ignorant," he said. ----------------------------- [4] From: Regi P George <george_regi@yahoo.com Date: Mon Aug 29, 2005 Subject: Vettilakolli tribals in penury Vettilakolli tribals in penury Abdul Latheef Naha OF DEPRIVATION: A hamlet at the Vettilakolli tribal colony. NILAMBUR: She says her name is Cheena, because she cannot pronounce Seena. She is hardly 12 years old. She no longer goes to school. She still wears a shabby school uniform, because she has no other dress to change. And she moves around with children who go to school. Seena is married. She conceived nine months ago, and suffered a miscarriage in the third month of pregnancy. Now she is a free bird, ambling through the thick forest of Nilambur with her friends Sarita and Mini. Her husband Sundaran goes out to collect minor forest produce and comes home twice or three times a week. That is just the tip of an iceberg. The 25 Kurinjipaniyar families of Vettilakolli tribal colony are living in abject misery and a squalid state, about 15 km into the dense forest in Chaliyar panchayat. Several of them are fighting poverty, depending solely on bulbs and leaves from the forest. Most of them suffer from one disease or another. None of them is in touch with the world outside. Reaching the colony is hard, risking the dangers of elephants and bison through thick foliage. There is not a single house worthy of calling that name. Always exposed to wild animals, men, women and children of the colony take shelter under ramshackle huts. These huts or `padis' are made of grass, palm leaves and discarded plastic sheets. The tribal leader Palan (so does he pronounce) says they are safe under those roofs. The 65-year-old clean-shaven Moopan (leader) has six children and a wife. With a roof through which no light peeps in, Palan's is a relatively better hut. Yet it looks squalid. Kuttineeli, living a few yards down, has the most rickety hut. She squats in it looking into the woods, with her six children playing around her and a dog keeping vigil outside. They look emaciated, living on a black tea they shared in the morning and a bowl of `upma' one of them got from the Alternative and Innovative School (AIS) functioning at the colony. There was nothing else to eat. One of her children is deaf and dumb. Another is blind. Her husband Valiya Chemban goes out to collect herbs and comes home twice or three times a week. Obviously below 30, Kuttineeli says she does not drink toddy. But she loves cashew-vat liquor. So do most in the colony, including children. Alcohol has become a bane of the tribal population spread in the woods of Nilambur, Wayanad and Attappady. ``We advise them not to drink. But booze has become part of their life,'' says V. K. Radhakrishnan, the school's lone teacher who climbs the hill through the jungle every day to reach the colony. The school has 13 students now. They come to school whenever they feel like. They spend their time climbing trees and playing in the woods. The gurgling waters of Karuvampuzha that flows along the foothills are inviting. But the children never take a bath. There is no latrine at the colony. According to a recent study conducted by the District Medical Office of Health, over 50 per cent of tribals at Vettilakolli were anaemic. Over 90 per cent were illiterate. The situation still continues so. The female mortality rate in the colony is found to be high. However, the reasons are yet to be established. In the past couple of years, seven women of Vettilakolli died. All of them were young. The tribals here never live in a house where a death has taken place. They burn the house soon after burying the dead. Attempts of the civic authorities to reach them with food are often foiled by inaccessibility and non-cooperation of the tribals. For them, liquor is above food. And they are willing to starve but not to forgo the booze. ------------------------------- [5] From: rup roy <delhigroup498a@yahoo.co.in> Date: Mon Aug 29, 2005 Subject: Is Lee done the Mistake by respecting the Anti Dowry LAW ?? - Part -3 , Lee Fight Back !! Is Lee done the Mistake by respecting the Anti Dowry LAW ?? - Part -3 , Lee Fight Back !! by rup When the story of Lee came in Public froum , there was a very mixed reaction to the Viewers:-Check : (more) http://indiatalking.com/blog/swarup/1289/ When the story of Lee came in Public froum , there was a very mixed reaction to the Viewers:- (If any one abuse your old , sick parents and sister , what you will do ? ) www.pariwariksuraksha.blogspot.com www.pariwariksuraksha.org Kolkata High Court - Try to Stop the Blackmailling and Extrotion of Money By Modern Supernakhas with the Blood Cancer Virus 498A and anti Dowry LAW by rup Sub : Kolkata High Court - Try to Stop the Blackmailling and Extrotion of Money By Modern Supernakhas with the (more) http://indiatalking.com/blog/swarup/1288/ After Supreme court of India described the Misuse of 498A as " Legal Terrorism " , Kolkata High Court , shown thier concern but proved a land mark Judgement , respect the basis of any Justice System :- --------------------------------------- [6] From: Sukla Sen <suklasen@yahoo.com> Date: Mon Aug 29, 2005 Subject: The Ongoing Loot in Maharashtra under EGS: Let's Fight with RTI From: shailesh Gandhi <shailesh2@... Can there be a greater immorality, than robbing from the dispossessed and poor - their morsel of food? And if the head of the State appears to be helping in a coverup of such a despicable act? This is precisely what is happening in the Employment Guarantee Scheme in various parts of Maharashtra. There are ofcourse the proponents of the theory that any activity of the State directed at alleviating the misery of the poor, will always breed corruption. However, it is worthwhile to understand that there is nothing inevitable about corruption in a livelihood- guaranteeing scheme like EGS or the new EGA, which is due to be introduced throughout the Country soon. It is possible to challenge corrupt forces using Right To Information, and Citizens must take upon themselves the responsibility of blocking authorities which try and subvert the honest. I am describing the bizarre case of how the highest political authority in Maharashtra is blocking the efforts at stopping corruption in EGS. This is morally reprehensible and socially unacceptable. In Sholapur district Collector Manisha Verma took her job seriously and through Public readings of muster rolls under Right To Information, she discovered a fraud of over Rs. 9 crores. Within a couple of days of she was given transfer orders. The Government had issued directions on 2^nd August to carry out 'public reading of muster rolls (of EGS works) under the Right to Information Act.' When clear evidence of fraud and corruption was exposed as a result of an honest and sincere Collector, the Chief Minister of the State gave instructions to stop the investigations, as per the letter issued on 24^th August! (given below). Since Loksatta reported this perverse order the 25^th August, the CMs office issued a very convoluted argument stating they had stayed the investigations so that the officials could concentrate on providing work under EGS -presumably continuing the corrupt practices. The Principal Secretary of EGS has been sent to investigate - confirming that senior officials are required for grand cover-ups. The Agriculture department had stopped all money disbursements, which are now to begin. There is an urgent need for Civil society to support an honest officer like Maneesha Verma. The knives are out and she is now being systematically hounded, isolated and blocked. If we allow this to happen to our honest officials, we are guilty of complicity in an evil and morally undefensible coverup. At the very least, we should demand that Maneesha Verma be acknowledged for her honest and bold investigations by the State Government. We also demand that the Maharashtra Government must now offer to provide EGS rolls under RTI within a week, instead of the usual 15 working days, without any attempts to block giving them. With these rolls, civil society can start conducting public audits to confirm if the money spent has been used to provide the employment. Shri Shankarsingh of MKSS and Dr. Bela Bhatia have been in Sholapur to persuade the Principal Secretary of EGS to release the EGS musters, so that a proper Public audit can be done. He met them after a four days, and refused to aceede to their request to share the muster rolls so that a public audit could be carried out by Citizens. When pressed for an answer he said it was a political decision. This further confirms that there is clear unabashed move to coverup. This is a very crucial juncture, and offers us a chance to bring a transformation. It is an opportunity to enforce and demonstrate the power of RTI in Citizen empowerment and transparency. For the EGA scheme this would be potent signal across the country that practices to loot the poor would not be encouraged and would invite retribution and punishment from Citizens acting as the enforcers. This also represents an opportunity to strike a major blow against corruption and a signal that honesty amongst Public officials will be safeguarded and rewarded by Public and the State will not be allowed to penalise them. Civil society- Citizens, NGOs and media have an opportunity to select their Kurukshetra. This might be the beginning of a long Campaign which the Citizens cannot afford to lose. The simple demand is that the Government give copies of EGS muster rolls to Citizens within a week. Citizens, media and NGOs then need to conduct public hearings to see if there is any fraud. If there is no fraud, the Government would be vindicated and a major step would have been taken in favour of transparency and participative democracy. If fraud is uncovered, the Government must act swiftly to punish the guilty so that those who steal from the poor are duly warned. shailesh gandhi res: 022 26001003; 9820027305 English translation of letter from EGS Commissioner. I would be glad to send a copy of the original Marathi letter. Outward No RoHaYo (EGS)/ AaKaa-1/167/2005 Office of the Divisional Commissioner, Pune Division (EGS Branch) Vidhan Bhavan, Pune 411 001 24-08- 2005 The District Collectors, Pune/Satara/Sangli/Solapur/Kolhapur The Chief Executive Officer, Zilla Parishad, Pune/Satara/Sangli/Solapur/Kolhapur Subject: Public reading of muster rolls (of EGS works) under the Right to Information Act Instructions had been issued by this office vide its letter RoHaYo Aa/Ka 1/15 dated August 2, 2005 for public reading of muster rolls as above at village level. Today, on August 24, 2005, a message has been received from the Chief Minister which has the following order Principal Secretary, Employment Guarantee Scheme, has been instructed to visit Solapur district and submit his report on the enquiry being conducted there on corruption in the EGS works there. Until further orders, the proposed public reading of muster rolls at village level should be stayed Against the background of the above mentioned order, proposed public reading of muster rolls at village level has been stayed until further orders. Under instructions from the Hon Divisional Commissioner Sd Deputy Commissioner (EGS) Divisional Commissionerate, Pune CC: to the Principal Secretary in the Chief Minister's Secretariat, Mantralaya, Mumbai 32, for his kind information in compliance with the phone call dated August 24, 2005. CC: to the Private Secretary, Hon Minister for Employment Guarantee Scheme, Mantralaya, Mumba 32, with a request that this be brought to the kind attention of the Hon Minister. Please join National Campaign for People's Right To Information -NCPRI Mera Bharat Mahaan... Nahi Hai, Per Yeh Dosh Mera Hai. __________________________________________________ |
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