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NAPM STATEMENT ON MUMBAI TERROR ATTACK

National Alliance of People's Movements

29-30, 'A' Wing First Floor, Haji Habib Building,Naigaon Cross Road , Dadar ( East) Mumbai- 400014
Phone: 91-22-24150529 , E-mail: napmindia@gmail.com
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29-11-2008
NAPM STATEMENT ON MUMBAI TERROR ATTACK

We at NAPM unequivocally condemn with shock and deep anguish the brazen and brutal terror attacks in Mumbai that have claimed over 250 lives, and injured about 300 people besides creating mayhem at CST, the lifeline of ordinary toiling Mumbaikar; the Hotel Taj, Oberoi Trident, Nariman House and other places where people were trapped, tortured and killed over 3 days.

We pay homage to all the people who lost their life and limb in this dastardly attack, including all those invisible ordinary Mumbaikars from different states whose death at CST will never make headlines and many of whose dead bodies, their beloved families will never see again, thanks to a callous administration that demanded thousands of rupees for their bodies to be sent back. Our heart goes out to the kith and kin of every person affected by this gruesome crime in this poignant moment.

We salute the selfless police officials, courageous and humane National Security Guards and all commandoes and Marcos who staked their lives until the last person was rescued. The state would do well by providing them appropriate working conditions and timely paraphernalia, instead of just paying posthumous homage. We also underline with fullest appreciation the public spirited compassion of the people who in their own way were part of the brave effort to protect life at extreme personal risk and amidst incalculable trauma, some even losing their lives.

We strongly feel that the Government should take this incident as the final lesson in addressing all the faultlines in its security administration and intelligence failure. Instead of indulging in a wild goose chase and persecuting innocent persons, especially youth from selected communities, buckling under political vested interests and exhausting limited resources, the police and intelligence department must take serious and solid action in all such cases with strict adherence to the Constitution. Government servants who err in their duty, howsoever high they might be, must be held accountable. The Government must also seriously begin to initiate the process of pro-people police reforms and delink the police department from political pressure.

Head-on attacks of such a scale are unprecedented and in a way a consequence of corrupt, sectarian and vicious electoral party politics, demonstrating the crumbling governance and weakening of democracy. It is high time that we, as a nation, reflect on and press for radical and holistic electoral reforms, which will ensure that people don't occupy positions of power through undemocratic, corrupt and familial means. The Reforms should explicitly provide for the Right to Recall any legislator and parliamentarian, who fails to safeguard the constitutionally guaranteed rights of the people.

We also fervently appeal to the general public not to succumb to the misconception that draconian laws are panacea to terrorism. More terror laws do not increase security. The country has enough laws to tackle terror. What is required is proper and fair implementation and better coordination between different state agencies.

We also call upon all peace loving people from India and our neighbour state Pakistan to press upon the two Governments to have a no-nonsense approach towards restoring peace in the South Asian region. The peace process, including dialogue and trade between India and Pakistan should continue, notwithstanding such incidents aimed at disrupting progress in mutual harmony. Peace-building efforts must be genuinely taken forward beyond rhetoric and translate into serious action.

Let all our actions lead towards healing and mitigation of all kinds of hate, mistrust, parochial regionalism and communal mudslinging.

Sandeep Pandey D. Gabriele P. Chennaiah Aruna Roy

Mukta Srivastava Medha Patkar Sanjay M.G. Anand Mazgaonkar

PMO to get people’s views on Ganga Expressway

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/pmo-to-get-peoples-views-on-gang...

PMO to get people’s views on Ganga Expressway
Neha Attre

Posted: Nov 18, 2008 at 0123 hrs IST

Lucknow, November 17 A feedback from the stakeholders in Ganga Expressway Project will be submitted to the Prime Minister Office by the end of next month.

Apart from the Expressway, the data - collected from government officials, ministers and people whose livelihood is associated with Ganga — will be on the conservation of the river, said environmentalist Rajendra Singh. The people consulted will be from Uttranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Jharkhand.

“The report by the Ganga Conservation Directorate, prepared at a local level, will be discussed at the state level before being submitted to the PMO,” said Singh.

The time allotted is 45 days, “but we will definitely finish the work by December 31,” he said.

The meeting on “Save Ganga Campaign” was organised by National Alliance of People's Movement, Jal Biradari and Asha Parivar in Lucknow on Monday. Regarding the failure of Ganga Action Plan, Singh said it was due to a lack of public interest and commitment on part of government. “To make the plan successful now, the government needs to work in collaboration with the people,” he said.

Singh also put forth his own demands related to the construction of the Expressway. These include:

* Uninterrupted Flow Duration Curve at identified 27 points
* No discharge of dirty water in the river

Right to Information Campaign Kanpur

Right to Information Campaign, Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh)

RTI awareness work is gaining momentum at Kanpur in the last two year as part of the statewide campaign. The Kanpur activists have ensured that the different government offices have appointed information officers (PIOs) and that they receive the requests for information from the public in the proper manner. They have achieved some major successes. The local newspapers are now regularly publishing the names and mobile phone numbers of all the PIOs along with phone number for Mahesh.

Kanpur team also used RTI to get help for the schools they are running for underprivileged children in their village.

People interested in further information about RTI Campaigns, especially the work in Kanpur area, can contact Mahesh Pandey at 9838546900.

Launch of Right to Information Campaign in Kanpur, Nov 2006
http://ashaparivar.org/cms/files/Launch_RTI_Kanpur.pdf

On July 24, 2007, the Tehsil day for Kanpur, the RTI U.P. Campaign held an awareness camp and drive to file RTI applications and appeals for pending cases from previous Tehsil day.
Detailed report of this Tehsil day drive: http://ashaparivar.org/files/Report_RTI_Kanpur_July2407.pdf

Right to Information Campaign Camps in Kanpur: October 2007
Tehsil day RTI camp in Kanpur draws 500 to 600 people and many applications, Oct 2007
http://ashaparivar.org/cms/files/RTIReportOct.pdf

SOLIDARITY FAST IN SUPPORT OF BINAYAK SEN

TEN-DAY FAST IN PROTEST AGAINST THE BLACK LAWS AND FOR RELEASE OF Dr. BINAYAK SEN, AJAY T G AND OTHERS
(16th to 25th June, 2008)

To sign up for solidarity fast or to endorse the campaign to free Dr Sen, visit here: http://www.ashaparivar.org/petition/binayaksen/

Dear friends,

A 10-day Fast beginning 16th June, 2008, is being organized at Raipur in Chhattisgarh to express solidarity with Dr. Binayak Sen (Medical Doctor), Ajay T G (Film Maker) - both members of the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), and many others detained under the draconian Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act 2005, and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (1967) amended in 2004.

These draconian laws sanction the violation of due process by the state, and thus contravene internationally accepted norms of jurisprudence as well as democratic governance. As Senior Advocate K G Kannabiran, National President of PUCL, India, argues in his letter to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the CSPSA and UAPA operate by criminalizing the very performance of civil liberties activities, and culpability is decided upon not by direct proof, but through guilt by association.

The PUCL-Chhattisgarh Unit, with Dr. Binayak Sen's active leadership as its General Secretary, had exposed the government sponsored so-called campaign Salwa-Judum in Chhattisgarh which legitimizes extra-constitutional violence and pits adivasis against adivasis.

All Available Data from Social Audits, RTI Applications, and Other Sources

- Detailed Data for 34 Village Panchayats and summary of findings from Social Audit of NREGS Expenditures in Behender Block, Uttar Pradesh, May 2007
www.ashaparivar.org/cms/files/SocialAuditNREGA_Behender.doc

Muster Roll Data from Samoudha panchayat of Behender Block
http://ashaparivar.org/cms/files/Muster_Roll_Samoudha_2006_153.xls

- Village wise data tables and field reports from Social Audit of NREGS Expenditures in 50 Village Panchayats of Bharawan and Sandila Blocks, Uttar Pradesh, Nov 2006
www.ashaparivar.org/cms/files/SocialAuditNREGA_Bharawan_Sand_2006.doc

Data provided by Government and data available from physical verification of govt records as audited by Asha Parivar volunteers

NREGS

Govt muster roll and measurement books data

Social Audit data

MLA and MP LAD Funds

Income Expenditure Details
- Village Panchayat
- Block Panchayat

Zila Panchayat

BPL and Antyodaya Scheme Beneficiaries List

Indira Awas Beneficiaries List

RTI Campaign News- Andhra Pradesh

RIGHT TO INFORMATION CAMPAIGN IN ANDHRA PRADESH

Organiser: United Forum for RTI Campaign – A.P.

Dates: 21st May to 26th May, 2007

Venues: Outside District offices including that of Collector’s, Mandal offices, Municipal offices all thoughout Andhra Pradesh.

Activities: Volunteers, including members of civil society organisations, will help common citizens understand the RTI Act, in drafting their applications under the Act and getting it submitted to the concerned Public Information Officer or Assistant PIO.

A Helping Hand

Since the last 2-3 years i have been thinking to get associated with some group as Ashaparivar and be of some help to people who actually need it...It gives me great satisfaction and happiness when i see organisations such as this working so sincerely & whole heartedly towards betterment of the society and solving the common people's problems in a systematic way.I feel Ashaparivar is a great platform to work for the general mass and to be the connecting link between the government and the people.I hope to keep working with the organisation as long as i can and contribute in my own little ways.

Social Audit Bharawan and Sandila

News of Current Activity:

FINDINGS OF SOCIAL AUDIT OF NREGS IN BHARAWAN AND SANDILA BLOCKS OF HARDOI DISTRICT IN U.P. DURING 25TH NOV.-2ND DEC., 2006

Conducted by Asha Parivar

NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act)

(1) Most of the people in the 50 Village Panchayats that were covered during the Social Audit exercise in Bharawan and Sandila Blocks of Hardoi District were not even aware of the NREGA. In fact, some Gram Pradhans also did not have a complete knowledge of all the provisions of the Act. Most of them were treating it like any other government scheme.

JOB CARDS

(2) Most of the people had not applied for Job Cards. Those who had, were still awaiting to get their Job Cards. The Gram Pradhans are usually favouring their family members and people who voted for them during the Panchayat elections for making of the Job Cards, like it happens in selecting beneficiaries for most government schemes.

(3) Names of all adult members of the family, especially the women members, are not being mentioned on the Job Cards. No Job Cards were issued to any woman even in women headed households. Name of only one woman was mentioned in a Job Card in Tiloiyakalan Gram Panchayat. The husband of the Gram Pradhan of Purwaman Village Panchayat deaclared in an open meeting that it was not possible for him to make Job Cards in the name of women.

(4) In almost all Gram Panchayats, people had to submit their photographs or pay money to the Pradhan to get their photographs affixed to the Job Cards.

(5) There is a discrepancy between the number of Job Cards shown to be issued in the Block Office records and the register which is available with the Gram Panchayat Vikas Adhikari (VDO). For example, in Atsalia, Atwadanda, Chhanoiya, Gogadev, Dhikunni, Kanaura Aant, Rudauli Newada and Lalamau Gram Panchayats the Block Office record shows, respectively, 269, 222, 301, 255, 270, 245, 240 and 260 Job Cards issued whereas actually only 121, 95, 164, 70, 100, 143, 187 and 180, respectively, cards have been issued. This implies that the official figure of number of Job Cards issued in Sandila and Bharawan Blocks being reported by the Block Office, 13,812 and 12,475, respectively, is probably exaggerated by more than two times.

(6) The Job Cards in all Village Panchayats mostly were with the Gram Pradhans or VDOs and some of them distributed them to people just before the arrival of social audit teams in the village. Still, most Job Cards, even if they have been made, have not reached the rightful owner.

(7) In some Gram Panchayats, like Sahgawan, Narainpur Sunda and Mavai Musalmanan complaints were received of money being charged in the range of Rs. 25-100 for issuing Job Card.

(8) In Gram Panchayat Jamu reports were received of Gram Pradhan having cancelled the Job Cards when the workers did not report for work. This was denied by the BDO Nafees Ahmad. Since the workers did not have the Cards with them the truth could not be verified.

(9) In most Gram Panchayats Job Cards of people who have worked were found blank, there were discrepancies among the Job Card entries, muster roll entries and workers’ testimonies. Name and description of work and wages paid were not shown on the Job Cards.

MUSTER ROLLS

(10) Muster rolls reflected a higher amount paid to the labour. This is a common way of embezzlement of funds. However, in addition to the corruption, under NREGA it also implies reduction by the number of exaggerated days out of 100 days of guarantee to the concerned worker and hence should be considered a crime.

(11) Payments have been registered in personal diaries and signature/thumb impression were taken either on these diaries, private registers, blank sheets or on blank muster rolls.

(12) Names of people who have not worked on the site are shown on muster rolls. Their Job Card numbers have been entered even though they are not aware of any such document. Some of them have worked on private jobs of Pradhans.

THIRD DEATH UNRAVELED AT IIT KANPUR

PRESS RELEASE

Dated: 22nd September, 2007

THIRD DEATH UNRAVELED AT IIT KANPUR

More skeletons are falling from the cupboard of Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. The prestigious and world renowned Institute seems to have a practice of suppressing information about untimely deaths of daily wage workers on the campus.

Following the revelation of deaths of 12 years old Rohit by snake/scorpion bite followed by refusal by IIT Medical Centre to treat him on the pretext that he was not an employee’s son and 24 years old Udayvir Yadav by electric shock from his own welding machine on 26th and 30th August, 2007, respectively, information about whom IIT administration first tried to suppress, there were murmurs of a third death. Now it is confirmed that Mohammad Rustam, resident of Malda, W. Bengal, aged between 50-55 years, died around 26th July, 2007, due to snake/scorpion bite in the early hours like Rohit. He is survived by 3 sons and 3 daughters. He used to work at the Core Lab construction site near Wind Tunnel and SIDBI Centre on campus. His dead body was shipped out silently of the campus in a tractor trolley and buried in a graveyard near a Mosque in Naramau. The Mukhiya of his village was summoned and the matter was ‘settled.’

The nexus of IIT administration and contractors first tried to summarily dispose of these case so that neither are liable for the deaths. In spite of the best efforts by IIT Director to strangle right to expression by placing a ban on anybody from IIT officially approaching the media, the news about three deaths leaked out. Some IIT professors also feel indignant that the stories of deaths have been revealed to the outside world. They are not so much concerned about the families of the dead or the poor working conditions of the workers who have made it possible for them to enjoy world class material facilities on the campus.

The insensitive and cold attitude of IIT community to the deaths of daily wage workers and shoddy manner in which they are dealt must by strongly condemned. It shows IIT in very poor light so far its respect for human rights record is concerned. The guilty at the Medical Centre, at least in the case of Rohit’s death, must be punished and dependents of deceased must be immediately compensated. The IIT administration must put in place a transparent and verifiable system for ensuring due rights of the daily wage workers under the law of the land. Health care for families of workers, education for their children and good quality housing (to prevent incidents like snake/scorpion bites) is the minimum basic responsibility of IIT if it is to live up to its reputation of a world class institution.

Sandeep Pandey
National Convenor, National Alliance of People’s Movements

Asha Parivar Activities in Democracy, RTI, Education, Peace, Ownership of Resources

This website is under construction. For archives of information on activities of asha parivar please visit:
http://www.thesouthasian.org/asha_parivar.html

Asha parivar is working with the underprivileged through community empowerment, education and human rights campaigns.

The right to information campaign in Uttar Pradesh is changing the level of participation of citizens in governance through citizenship education. There are extensive gains in corruption free governance, right to food and work, awareness of the civic rights such as better government schools and attendance of teachers at these schools. Vallabh bhai coordinates the right to information campaign activities in UP.