Quantcast
Channel: My story Troubled Galaxy Destroyed dreams
Viewing all 6050 articles
Browse latest View live

बरेली सो शहर नगीना, जाव एक दिन लगै महीना

Next: अंग्रेजों ने अन्यत्र की भांति आदिवासी विद्रोहों को दबाने के लिए उन अंचलों में आदिवासी छावनियों की स्थापना की थी जिनमें नीमच, देवली, खेरवाड़ा, कोटड़ा सहित जिला पाली के सुमेरपुर क़स्बा के निकट एरनपुरा में मीणा फ़ौजी छावनी थी जिसमें अफ़सरों के अलावा अन्य फ़ौजी मीणा आदिम समुदाय में से ही भर्ती किये गये थे. प्रथम विश्व युद्ध में उस छावनी की एक कंपनी यानी कि कुल नफरी 120 सैनिक रूस-टर्की की सीमा पर हुई लड़ाई में शामिल हुए थे.
0
0

बरेली सो शहर नगीना, जाव एक दिन लगै महीना

शहरनामा - बरेली

बरेली सो शहर नगीना, जाव एक दिन लगै महीना

सुधीर विद्यार्थी

पुराने शहर के लोगों में एक रस्मे-मुरव्वत है,      

हमारे साथ आ जाओ कभी धोखा नहीं होगा।

बरेली की साहित्यिक और सांस्कृतिक तस्वीर को देखने की मेरी कोशिश अभी आधी-अधूरी है। इस शहर की अनेक छवियां मेरे भीतर विद्यमान हैं। इनमें कुछ चित्र मुक्ति-युद्ध के दौर के हैं जो बहुत बेचैनी भरे हैं तो कुछेक यहां की साहित्यिक और सांस्कृतिक दुनिया से ताल्लुक रखने वाले भी हैं जिनसे मेरा भावनात्मक जुड़ाव ही नहीं, हिस्सेदारी भी है। वर्ष 2003 में बरेली आने पर यहां के जिन गली-

बरेली सो शहर नगीना, जाव एक दिन लगै महीना

सुधीर विद्यार्थी, प्रख्यात साहित्यकार हैं।

कूचों, नुक्कड़ों और सड़कों से गुजरा हूं वहां अतीत के कदमों के निशान और वर्तमान से उनके संपर्क सूत्र जोड़ने की कवायद में मैं निरन्तर संलग्न बना रहा। जगहों को देखना मेरी खब्त है। राष्ट्रीय और अन्तर्राष्ट्रीय होने से पहले मैं क्षेत्रीय या इलाकाई होना ज्यादा पसंद करता हूं। मेरे लिए उस हवा-पानी-गंध को अपने भीतर उतारना बेहद सुखद है जो उस भूखण्ड की है जिस पर सांसें लेता हूं।

यह शहर तब भी मेरे लिए नया नहीं था जब 10-11 वर्ष पहले मैं यहां आकर रहने लग गया। अपने शहर शाहजहांपुर में रहते हुए ही प्रख्यात हिंदी लेखक निरंकार देव सेवक, वरिष्ठ पत्रकार धर्मपाल गुप्त 'शलभ'और कवि वीरेन डंगवाल से मेरी निकटता के चलते यहां आवाजाही का एक ऐसा सिलसिला बना जो निरन्तर सघन होता चला गया। बरेली कालेज की पुरानी इमारत को देखना-छूना मेरे लिए किसी नास्टेल्जिया से कम नहीं रहा तो इसी महाविद्यालय के एक छात्र जैमिग्रीन की सत्तावनी क्रांति में फांसी को तब की एक ऐतिहासिक घटना मानते रह कर भी उसकी अंगूठी की तलाश मुझे बहुत बेचैन किए देती रही जिसे लखनऊ के एक फौजी कैम्प में अपनी शहादत से ठीक पहले उसने अंग्रेज फौजी अफसर फारबेस मिचेल को सौंप दिया था। उसकी इस निशानी को इंग्लैण्ड से लाकर इस कालेज के किसी कक्ष में रखने के सपने को मैंने अनेक बार दिन की रोशनी में देखा है।

 बरेली को जानने के क्रम में पहली कड़ी तब जुड़ी जब दामोदर स्वरूप सेठ की क्रांति-कथा को मैंने अब से छब्बीस वर्ष पहले लिपिबद्ध किया था। उसके बड़े हिस्से को 'अमर उजाला'ने 15 जनवरी 1989 के अपने रविवासरीय परिशिष्ट में आधे पन्ने से अधिक जगह दी थी। इसके बाद ही इस शहर में उनकी स्मृति में एक आयोजन के सिलसिले में मुझे मुख्य अतिथि के तौर पर आमंत्रित किया गया। मैंने तब ही सेठ जी की प्रतिमा को लगाने का प्रस्ताव किया था और उनके दो चित्र भी भेंट किए। याद आता है तब एडीएम कंपाउण्ड के निकट उनके नाम पर बने इसी पार्क में मंच पर हमारे साथ तत्कालीन विधायक डॉ0 दिनेश जौहरी और मेयर राजकुमार अग्रवाल रहे थे। कार्यक्रम का संचालन किया था डॉ0 भगवान शरण भारद्वाज ने। मैंने कांस्य प्रतिमा के लिए 10,000 रूपए शाहजहांपुर की ओर से देने की बात भी रखी। लेकिन बाद को संगमरमर की प्रतिमा लगी। इसके पश्चात 2001 में अपनी पत्रिका 'संदर्श'का 250 पृष्ठों का निरंकार देव सेवक पर केन्द्रित विशेषांक निकालने की मेरी कोशिश परवान चढ़ी। जाने-माने कम्युनिस्ट नेता चौ0 हरसहाय सिंह से मिला तो उस राजनीति की ओर भी आंखें उठाकर देखने लग गया जो उनके जैसे समर्पित लोगों ने सर्वहारा के लिए बहुत ईमानदारी से करते रह कर अपनी पूरी जिंदगी खपा दी। साथी गिरीश भारती की गतिविधियां भी मुझे निरन्तर खींच रही थीं। बचपन से ही……….जारी…. आगे पढ़ने के लिए यहां क्लिक करें…….

पं0 राधेश्याम कथावाचक की 'रामायण'की ध्वनियां भी मेरे भीतर गूंजती-बजती रहकर मुझे कविता की ओर आकर्षित कर ले जाती रहीं। शायद दो वर्ष पूर्व 'पंडित राधेश्याम कथावाचक: कुछ जीवन, कुछ रंग'संदर्श पुस्तिका-3 के आकार लेने की यही पूर्वपीठिका रही हो। उर्दू शायर रघुनाथ सहाय 'वफा'मेरे शहर शाहजहांपुर में एक आयोजन के सिलसिले में पहुंचे तब उनकी लेखनी से भी परिचित हुआ और भुवनेश्वर और बरेली को लेकर उनसे देर तक बातचीत हुई। भुवनेश्वर पर लिखे उनके कुछ मुक्तक एक बार सेवक जी ने मुझे प्रकाशनार्थ भेज दिए थे।
उर्दू कवि जागेश्वर नाथ वर्मा एडवोकेट 'बेताब बरेलवी'के कृतित्व से भी उन्हीं दिनों परिचय हुआ। सेवक जी से निरन्तर पत्र-व्यवहार मेरे बहुत काम का साबित हुआ। कुल मिलाकर एक ऐसी बरेली मेरे भीतर पहले से ही मौजूद थी जिसे यहां की सांस्कृतिक पहचान के रूप में चिन्हित किया जा सकता है। शायद यही कारण रहा हो कि 1991 में मई की 10 तारीख को जब कुछ शिक्षाविदों और बुद्धिजीवियों की बरेली कालेज में बैठक हुई जिसमें पूरे रूहेलखण्ड के ऐतिहासिक क्षेत्र में इतिहास, संस्कृति, कला, दर्शन और अन्य सामाजिक आर्थिक पहलुओं के विधिवत अध्ययन और अनुसंधान के लिए एक संस्थान 'रूहेलखण्ड अकादमी'की स्थापना का निर्णय लिया गया जिसका उद्देश्य केवल अकादमिक अध्ययन का केन्द्र न होकर विचार और कर्म के बीच सार्थक तालमेल बनाने की कोशिश होगी और समाज के सभी रचनात्मक पक्षों के विकास के लिए काम करने का फैसला हुआ जिसकी तदर्थ समिति में संयोजक निरंकार देव सेवक थे और समिति के सदस्यों में डॉ0 अतुल कुमार सिन्हा, वीरेन डंगवाल, सुधीर विद्यार्थी, दिवाकर उपाध्याय, डॉ0 उदय प्रकाश अरोड़ा और पत्रकार सुनील शाह को रखा गया।

इस अकादमी की स्थापना का ब्योरा देते हुए उस समय डॉ0 अरोड़ा ने कहा था कि बौद्धिक कर्म की यह विडम्बना हो चुकी है कि उसका सामाजिक वास्तविकताओं और समस्याओं से नाता ही नहीं रह गया है। यह संस्थान दोहरेपन की इस अवधारणा को तोड़ने की कोशिश करेगा और यह अपने उद्देश्य की पूर्ति के लिए रूहेलखण्ड विश्वविद्यालय के साथ तालमेल बनाएगा। बनारस हिन्दू विश्वविद्यालय के प्रो0 विनोद चन्द्र श्रीवास्तव, लल्लन जी गोपाल, इलाहाबाद विश्वविद्यालय के भूतपूर्व कुलपति गोविन्द चन्द्र पाण्डेय, प्रो0 शिवेश भट्टाचार्य, प्रो0 राजेन्द्र कुमार वर्मा, अलीगढ़ विश्वविद्यालय के प्रो0 इरफान हबीब, प्रो0 कुंवरपाल सिंह और आरसी गौड़, जवाहरलाल नेहरू विश्वविद्यालय के प्रो0 मैनेजर पाण्डेय तथा भारतीय पुरातत्व सर्वेक्षण के भूतपूर्व महानिदेशक डॉ0 एमएन देशपाण्डे समेत अनेक विद्वानों से संस्थान की स्थापना और क्रियाकलाप में मदद मिलेगी। इसके अलावा विभिन्न समाजसेवी और अकादमिक संस्थाओं से भी समन्वय स्थापित किया जाएगा।

मुझे खेद के साथ कहना पड़ रहा है कि 'रूहेलखण्ड अकादमी' नामधारी इस संस्था का कोई कार्य किसी तरह आगे नहीं बढ़ सका। बाद को बरेली आकर रहने लगने के दिनों में जिस शहर से मेरा परिचय-साक्षात्कार होता रहा, वह सब एक कोलाज के रूप में मेरे भीतर कुछ बनने और चित्रित होते रहने की प्रक्रिया थी। यह पुस्तक वैसी ही कुछ आड़ी-तिरछी रेखाओं की एक आकृति है जिसे गढ़ते रहने में……….जारी…. आगे पढ़ने के लिए यहां क्लिक करें…….

मैंने अपने समय की सार्थकता समझी। मैं जिस तरह से चीजों को देखता-परखता और अपने भीतर उतारता चलता हूं, वह कई बार इतिहास होकर भी उस तरह नहीं होता जिसका ताल्लुक पाठ्यक्रमों में रहा आया है और न ही वह सब कैमरे से उतारे गए किसी चित्र की मानिन्द स्पष्ट और अपनी जगह पर दिखाई पड़ने वाले वजूद की तरह है।

मैं इतिहास को भी अपनी तरह जीता और महसूस करता हूं। उससे संवाद करना मेरी फितरत है। जब तक वर्तमान में उसके संयोजक-सूत्र उपलब्ध नहीं होते, मैं संतुष्ट नहीं हो पाता।दूर बैठकर या कमरे के भीतर रहकर लिखना मेरे लिए संभव नहीं है। इसके लिए मुझे धूल फांकनी पड़ती है। लोगों से मिलना, पुराने-मुचड़े-धूल खाए कागज-पत्तरों से गुफ्तगू, अनजानों और अपरिचितों से बतकही या वीरान हो चुकी जगहों-ढूहों के अवशेषों से साक्षात्कार और संवाद मेरे लिए सर्वाधिक प्राणवान है। यह सब जैसे मुझे रचनात्मक ऊर्जा देता है। मेरा प्रस्थान-विंदु मेरी अपनी जमीन का ही कोई मुकाम हो सकता है, आसमान का कोना नहीं। विकास और तेजी से पसरते बाजार के चलते शहर की सांस्कृतिक संपदा को बनैले ढंग से निगलने के प्रयास मेरे लिए नितांत तकलीफदेह हैं, भीतर तक छीलने वाले। तरक्की के नाम पर होने वाली इस छीना-झपटी और लूट ने पुराने शहर की न जाने कितनी रवायतों-परम्पराओं, मूल्यों और उसके सांस्कृतिक सूत्रों-चिन्हों को हमसे विलग कर दिया इसे कौन जाने। शहर अब वह नहीं रहा जो 20 वर्ष पूर्व था।

हम विकास के विरोधी नहीं। लेकिन वह किस कीमत पर ? पुराने शहर की मुहल्लेदारी, रिश्ते-नाते,पड़ोसी होने और साथ-साथ रहने-जीने और मरने के अहसास के साथ और भी न जाने क्या-क्या दरका-टूटा है शातिर पूंजी के इस दौर में जिसकी हमें इस आड़े-जटिल समय में बहुत जरूरत थी। यों ही नहीं यह शहर पिछले दिनों अनेक बार साम्प्रदायिक तनावों के दौर से गुजरा और जिससे बचने का रास्ता हमें आज भी दिखाई नहीं पड़ता। जानना होगा कि जो कुछ बचा रह गया वह संस्कृति की शक्ति के चलते ही संभव हुआ है। आखिर विकास के साथ यह क्या कि हम धर्म के आधार पर बंटते और दूर होते चले जाकर आपस में बेहद अविश्वसनीय बन कर खड़े हो गए जिसके कारण शहर में मिली-जुली बस्तियों की रिहायश अब दरकने की कगार पर जा पहुंची है। हमें इस सबकी बहुत निर्ममता से शिनाख्त करनी होगी।

दरअसल, रास्ते तो हमने खुद ही बंद कर दिए हैं अपने हाथों। बरेली के पुराने मुहल्लों की तंग गलियों से गुजरते हुए हर पल मुझे शिद्दत से महसूस होता है कि कोई उस बरेली को मुझे लौटा दे जो सुकून भरी, अपनी और आत्मीय हो। वह दूसरे किसी शहर की अनुकृति न हो जिसे 'हाईटेक'या 'स्मार्ट सिटी'कहा जाता है। मैं बार-बार उस बरेली को ढूंढता हूं जिसे इन पन्नों पर मैंने दर्ज किया है जो आज खो गई प्रतीत होती है। यह दर्द मेरा अपना हैलेकिन चाहता हूं कि वह आपका भी हो। मुझे नहीं पता कि मेरी इस पीड़ा में लोग कितने हिस्सेदार बनेंगे। अगर आप ऐसा करते हैं तो यह एक तरह से बरेली को उसकी पहचान के साथ बचाने की दिशा में मुबारक कदम भी होगा।

  'बरेली: एक कोलाज' को रचने का सिलसिला उस बरेली को ही देखने-संवारने की ही मेरी कवायद है जो सौहार्द्र और समृद्धि से भरी-पुरी हो और जिसमें सांस्कृतिक चेतना के पुष्पित-सुगंधित होने का अहसास निरन्तर सघन होता रह सके। बरेली के अपने ……….जारी…. आगे पढ़ने के लिए यहां क्लिक करें…….

इस कैनवस में रंग भरने के इस जरूरी काम के लिए मैं कितने लोगों से मिला, क्या-क्या देखा, इसका मीजान लगाना मेरे लिए संभव नहीं है। कई बार चीजें बहुत आसानी से हाथ आ जाती हैं, तो अनेक अवसरों पर कठिन कोशिशों के बाद भी कुछ हासिल नहीं होता या मिलता भी है तो आधा-अधूरा जो प्यास को और अधिक बढ़ा देता है।

इन पृष्ठों में जो कुछ दे सका हूं, उसमें और भी जोड़ा जा सकता था। ऐसा नहीं कर पाया तो यह मेरी सीमा और अक्षमता ही नहीं है, बल्कि अनेक लोग मेरे कार्य में पर्याप्त मदद करने से पीछे हट जाते रहे। जो कुछ नहीं कर सका वह यह भी है कि जैसे मैं 'रूहेलों के देश में'उपन्यास के लेखक प्रणवकुमार वंद्योपाध्याय को दिल्ली और मुंबई में बहुत तलाश करने के बाद मिलने पर उनका साक्षात्कार करने के लिए दूर-दराज की यात्रा नहीं कर सका जो एक समय बरेली में रहे थे और जिनकी इस कृति में इस शहर की गलियां, नुक्कड़ और लोग ही नहीं, खुशबुएं भी बेतरह दर्ज हैं।

प्रख्यात हिंदी लेखक रांगेय राघव की पत्नी सुलोचना रांगेय राघव की बरेली के दिनों की यादों को जुटाने के लिए भी जयपुर की यात्रा मेरे लिए संभव नहीं हो पाई। उनसे फोन पर ही बतकही होती रही और वे मेरी आवाज सुनकर अपने बरेली के दिनों की स्मृतियों को जीने का सुकून हासिल कर लेती रहीं।

मैं यह भी नहीं तलाश कर पाया कि प्रसिद्ध हिंदी नाटककार पं0 उदयशंकर भट्ट किस सिलसिले में बरेली रहे थे जबकि उन दिनों क्रांतिकारी भगवतीचरण वोहरा उनके साथ में थे। हिंदी के एब्सर्ड नाटक लेखक भुवनेश्वर बरेली कालेज में पढ़े और बाद को उन्होंने कुछ आवारा वक्त भी यहां गुजारा।

मुंशी प्रेमचन्द इस शहर में पं0 राधेश्याम कथावाचक का नाटक देखने ही आए थे।

प्रख्यात कम्युनिस्ट नेता चारू मजूमदार और पीसी जोशी यहां आए।

बड़े उर्दू शायर इसरारूल हक़ 'मज़ाज़'लखनवी और रघुपति सहाय 'फिराक़'गोरखपुरी का भी किसी सिलसिले में यहां आने और कुछ दिन ठहरने का जिक्र मिलता है। चिंतक सुधीर चन्द्र भी बरेली रहे और हिंदी के विचारक-लेखक डॉ0 राजेश्वर सक्सेना भी जो इन दिनों बिलासपुर में हैं।

कथाकार हरदर्शन सहगल ने भी यहां कुछ वर्ष गुजारे। रामप्रसाद 'बिस्मिल'ने तो क्रांतिकारी जीवन से पहले अपना थोड़ा समय इसी जमीन पर बिताया और भारतीय क्रांतिकारी दल के सेनापति चन्द्रशेखर आज़ाद ने केन्द्रीय कारागार में काकोरी बंदियों को अनशन के दौरान छुड़ाने के लिए यहां डेरा ही डाल लिया था।

क्रांतिकारी सूफी अम्बा प्रसाद ने बरेली कालेज में शिक्षा पाई और ……….जारी…. आगे पढ़ने के लिए यहां क्लिक करें…….

भगतसिंह के चाचा क्रांतिकारी अजीत सिंह ने एक वर्ष तक यहां विधि विभाग में पढ़ाई करते रहे। तब उनके साथ उनके भाई यानी भगतसिंह के पिता सरदार किशन सिंह भी रहे थे। बाद को ये लोग नेपाल चले गए।

'लाहौर षड्यंत्र केस' में भगतसिंह के साथ काला पानी की सजा पाने वाले क्रांतिकारी विजय कुमार सिन्हा की गिरफ्तारी बरेली में ही हुई, जब वे फरारी में बुधौली के स्वतंत्रता सेनानी ठा0 पृथ्वीराज सिंह के घर रह रहे थे।

मैंने 23/12/2007 को नगर निगम को एक ज्ञापन प्रस्तुत किया जिसके बाद पृथ्वीराज सिंह उद्यान के सौन्दर्यकरण का कार्य सम्पन्न हो सका। तत्पश्चात 2 अगस्त 2009 को पृथ्वीराज सिंह जी की याद में बरेली कालेज में एक आयोजन भी किया जिसमें रूहेलखण्ड विश्वविद्यालय के कुलपति प्रो0 सत्यपाल गौतम मुख्य अतिथि थे। ब्रजराज सिंह (आछू बाबू) ने अपनी उपस्थिति और यादों से इस कार्यक्रम को अभूतपूर्व गरिमा प्रदान कर दी थी।

इसके साथ ही मैंने केन्द्रीय कारागार के भीतर रहे 11 क्रांतिकारियों–मन्मथनाथ गुप्त, चन्द्रसिंह गढ़वाली, एमएन राय, राजकुमार सिन्हा, मुकुन्दीलाल, शचीन्द्रनाथ बख्शी, प्रतापसिंह बारहठ, गणेश घोष, रमेशचन्द्र गुप्त, विष्णुशरण दुबलिश और यशपाल के नाम पर बैरकों के नामकरण करवाए।

क्रांतिकारियों की याद में किए जाने वाले इस कार्य को मैं अपने जीवन का सर्वाधिक सुखद क्षण मानता हूं। इसके बाद उनके शिलापट्ट तथा चित्र लगवाने की अपनी योजना में कविता भारत का सर्वाधिक योगदान रहा।

इस पुस्तक के अगले हिस्से में अनेक पुराने उर्दू शायरों और हिंदी के कुछेक रचनाकारों के साथ ही उन सब पर कलम चलाने का भी मेरा इरादा है जिन्होंने बरेली को उसका व्यक्तित्व प्रदान किया। बरेली की गलियों-मुहल्लों को भी इसमें शामिल करना मेरे लिए जरूरी है। यह सब मिलाकर शहर की ऐसी जीवंत तस्वीर होगी जिनकी रंगत का सचमुच हमारे लिए बड़ा अर्थ है। यह हमारी तलाश और जद्दोजहद का हिस्सा है जिसे अगले कोलाज में चित्रित करने की योजना पर मैं लग कर काम करना चाहता हूं। कह सकता हूं कि यह शहर झुमके, सुरमे या मांझा के लिए देश-विदेश में विख्यात है।

बरेली के बाजार और झुमके की हिंदी फिल्मों के गानों में खूब धूम मची। गायिका शमशाद बेगम अप्रैल 1970 में बरेली आईं तो लोगों ने प्रसाद टॉकीज में आमने-सामने उनकी खनकती आवाज में 'झुमका बरेली वाला कानों में ऐसा डाला, झुमके ने ले ली मेरी जान, हाय रे मैं तेरे कुर्बान'सुना तो झूमने को बाध्य हो गए। कार्यक्रम का संयोजन शहर के खुर्शीद अली खां ने किया था।

पिछले दिनों (अप्रैल 2008 में) हमारी आंखों के सामने ही फिल्मी दुनिया में शायर रहे दानिश बरेलवी गुजर गए जिनकी दो ग़ज़लों को कभी मो0 रफी ने आवाज दी थी। पुराने शहर में चक महमूद की तरफ जाने वाली गली में उनकी रिहायश थी। मशहूर एचएमवी कंपनी ने उनके रिकार्ड जारी किए थे। उनके अंतिम दिनों का ……….जारी…. आगे पढ़ने के लिए यहां क्लिक करें…….

एक बहुत तकलीफ भरा चित्र देखता हूं तो उन्हीं की पंक्तियां याद आ जाती हैं–'बहुत अर्से तलक यह दोनों हाथों पर उठाता है, जमाने का यही है कायदा फिर भूल जाता है।'…….और इस शहर के सुरमे ने 'सोने की सींक बरेली का सुरमा'जैसी लोक गायकी तक पहुंच कर अपनी विशिष्ट पहचान और पैठ बनाई।

कहा जाता है कि बरेली का सुरमा अब भी आंखों का नूर है और यह पुराना व्यवसाय अब छठी पुष्त के हाथों में पहुंच गया है। हमने इस शहर के अनेक कोनों पर मांझा बनाने वाले कारीगरों के लहूलुहान हाथों को दर्द के साथ देखा है। हमारी चिंता का विषय है कि पिछले दिनों बरेली के मशहूर मांझे को चाइनीज मांझे ने जबरदस्त टक्कर दी जिसका मांझा कारीगरों की रोजी-रोटी पर विपरीत प्रभाव पड़ा और हजारों परिवार संकट में आ गए।

इसी सिलसिले में बरेली के बाकरगंज कर्बला के मैदान में लोकाधिकार, पैरवी, हथकरघा पतंग-मांझा श्रमिक कल्याण समिति की ओर से 23 जुलाई 2010 को एक विशाल जनसभा का आयोजन किया गया जिसमें मांझा कारीगरों ने बड़ी संख्या में हिस्सेदारी की। इस आयोजन में हमारे जुटने का मकसद था कि पतंग-मांझा कारोबार को कुटीर उद्योग का दर्जा दिया जाए तथा इन कारीगरों को सामाजिक सुरक्षा कानून के दायरे में लाया जाए। हमारा जोर था कि मैटेलिक (चाइनीज) मांझे की खरीद, बिक्री और उसके उत्पादन पर रोक लगे। हमारी चिंता में मांझा उद्योग से जुड़े गरीब मेहनतकशों की दयनीय जीवन स्थितियां पसरी हुई थीं जिन्हें देखकर हम प्रतिक्षण उद्वेलित हो रहे थे। इसके अलावा जरी जरदोजी, पतंग और फर्नीचर के कारोबार के लिए भी इस शहर को चीन्हा जा सकता है।

देखा जाए तो इस पुस्तक में बहुत कुछ छूट गया है। पर जो है उसे ही जांचा-परखा जाना चाहिए। इसमें सत्तावनी क्रांति से लेकर दामोदर स्वरूप सेठ, केन्द्रीय कारागार में भीतर 'बनारस शड्यंत्र केस'में बंदी राजस्थान के युवा क्रांतिकारी प्रतापसिंह बारहठ की शहादत और उसके बाद काकोरी के क्रांतिकारी बंदियों का इस जेल की चहारदीवारी के भीतर अनोखा साम्राज्यवाद-विरोधी संघर्ष तथा गांधी व नेता जी सुभाष के अभियानों तक बरेली की हलचलें दर्ज होने के साथ ही साहित्य और संस्कृति की दुनिया के निरंकार देव सेवक, होरीलाल शर्मा 'नीरव', पं0 राधेश्याम कथावाचक, संस्कृति-पुरूष चुन्ना मियां, उर्दू अफसानानिगार इस्मत चुग़ताई, बाबू रामजी शरण सक्सेना, कवि हरिवंश राय बच्चन, शायर मनमोहन लाल माथुर 'शमीम'बरेलवी, व्यंग्य लेखक केपी सक्सेना, हरीश जौहरी, मुंशी प्रेमनारायण सक्सेना, धर्मपाल गुप्त 'शलभ'और प्रो0 कृपानंदन की यादों का अटूट सिलसिला है। यहां कामरेड शिव सिंह, चौ0 हरसहाय सिंह, साथी गिरीश भारती, सतीश गोपाल गुरहा और का0 इल्ली पहलवान की बेमिसाल तस्वीरों की सुखद मौजूदगी भी है।

मुझे बेहद दुख है कि इस पुस्तक को लिखना शुरू करने के ठीक पहले अचानक मेरे आत्मीय धर्मपाल गुप्त 'शलभ'नहीं रहे। वे होते तो इस काम में बहुत मदद मिलती। याद आता है कि वर्षों पहले उन्होंने ही मुझे कामरेड शिव सिंह पर कुछ खोजबीन करने के लिए उकसाया था और उनके सौंपे गए उस जरूरी काम को पूरा करने का मैं साहस कर सका।

बरेली शहर जैसा मैंने देखा-जाना है वही यहां उपस्थित है। कोई भी शहर ……….जारी…. आगे पढ़ने के लिए यहां क्लिक करें…….

उतना ही नहीं होता जितना वह ऊपर से दिखाई पड़ता है। मेरी अपनी पक्षधरताएं भी इस सबको आकार देने की अव्यक्त कोशिशों में लगी रही होंगी। मैं इसे छिपाना भी नहीं चाहता, न ही उनसे मुक्त होना चाहता हूं। बावजूद इसके मैंने अपनी राजनीतिक विचाराधारा को सामने रख ही काम किया हो सो बात नहीं। एक रचनाकार के लिए यह संभव भी नहीं है। साहित्य और संस्कृति की धारा इस तरह सकता। लेखक को उन कतारों में शामिल होना ही चाहिए जो महाशक्तियों के प्रभुत्ववाद के खिलाफ संघर्षरत और अडिग हैं।

 बरेली शहर में इस तरह का प्रयास पहले कभी हुआ हो, मुझे याद नहीं। होता तो इसे करने की जरूरत महसूस नहीं होती। कह सकता हूं कि इस जमीन से मुझे इश्क़ हो गया है। इस किताब में मेरे उसी इश्क़नामे की इबारत है। कहा भी गया है कि आदमी अपनी ज़मीन से इश्क़ करता है और यह ज़मीन माशूक-सिफत होती है। कुछ अरसे पहले जब अपना शहर शाहजहांपुर छोड़कर यहां आया था, तब दिन बहुत उलझन भरे और भागम-भाग के थे। विस्थापन की पीड़ा में मैं बुरी तरह डूब-उछर रहा था और बार-बार अपने घर लौटने की चाहत मुझे परेशान किए हुए थी। यद्यपि वे तार अभी टूटे नहीं हैं, टूट भी नहीं सकते। न ही तोड़ना चाहता हूं। फिर भी खुद को बरेली शहर का बाशिंदा मान लेने में अब मुझे कोई गुरेज नहीं है। इस पुस्तक में मैंने अपनी इसी बरेली को दर्ज किया है जिस पर आप गर्व महसूस करेंगे।

सुधीर विद्यार्थी 




--
Pl see my blogs;


Feel free -- and I request you -- to forward this newsletter to your lists and friends!

अंग्रेजों ने अन्यत्र की भांति आदिवासी विद्रोहों को दबाने के लिए उन अंचलों में आदिवासी छावनियों की स्थापना की थी जिनमें नीमच, देवली, खेरवाड़ा, कोटड़ा सहित जिला पाली के सुमेरपुर क़स्बा के निकट एरनपुरा में मीणा फ़ौजी छावनी थी जिसमें अफ़सरों के अलावा अन्य फ़ौजी मीणा आदिम समुदाय में से ही भर्ती किये गये थे. प्रथम विश्व युद्ध में उस छावनी की एक कंपनी यानी कि कुल नफरी 120 सैनिक रूस-टर्की की सीमा पर हुई लड़ाई में शामिल हुए थे.

0
0
Hari Ram Meena

अंग्रेजों ने अन्यत्र की भांति आदिवासी विद्रोहों को दबाने के लिए उन अंचलों में आदिवासी छावनियों की स्थापना की थी जिनमें नीमच, देवली, खेरवाड़ा, कोटड़ा सहित जिला पाली के सुमेरपुर क़स्बा के निकट एरनपुरा में मीणा फ़ौजी छावनी थी जिसमें अफ़सरों के अलावा अन्य फ़ौजी मीणा आदिम समुदाय में से ही भर्ती किये गये थे. प्रथम विश्व युद्ध में उस छावनी की एक कंपनी यानी कि कुल नफरी 120 सैनिक रूस-टर्की की सीमा पर हुई लड़ाई में शामिल हुए थे. 
युद्धरत राष्ट्रों की सभी सैनिक यूनिटों में वह एकमात्र कंपनी थी जिसके प्रत्येक सैनिक को अप्रतिम बहादुरी के लिए सेना के सर्वोच्च सम्मान 'विक्टोरिया क्रोस'से नवाज़ा गया था.
वीर सैनिक जमादार राजाराम मीणा का एक दुर्लभ चित्र मेरी फ़ोटो गैलेरी में है जिसे मैं यहाँ पोस्ट कर रहा हूँ. साथ ही उस कंपनी का एक ग्रुप फ़ोटो. (दो फ़ोटो एक साथ स्केन हो गये. नीचे वाला यहाँ प्रासांगिक है.)


Hari Ram Meena's photo.
Hari Ram Meena's photo.
--
Pl see my blogs;


Feel free -- and I request you -- to forward this newsletter to your lists and friends!

यूनेस्को ने की भारतीय पत्रकार की मौत की जांच की मांग ‪#‎Vyapam‬ ‪#‎व्यापमं‬

Previous: अंग्रेजों ने अन्यत्र की भांति आदिवासी विद्रोहों को दबाने के लिए उन अंचलों में आदिवासी छावनियों की स्थापना की थी जिनमें नीमच, देवली, खेरवाड़ा, कोटड़ा सहित जिला पाली के सुमेरपुर क़स्बा के निकट एरनपुरा में मीणा फ़ौजी छावनी थी जिसमें अफ़सरों के अलावा अन्य फ़ौजी मीणा आदिम समुदाय में से ही भर्ती किये गये थे. प्रथम विश्व युद्ध में उस छावनी की एक कंपनी यानी कि कुल नफरी 120 सैनिक रूस-टर्की की सीमा पर हुई लड़ाई में शामिल हुए थे.
0
0

यूनेस्को ने की भारतीय पत्रकार की मौत की जांच की मांग
‪#‎Vyapam‬ ‪#‎व्यापमं‬

न्यूयार्क ! संयुक्त राष्ट्र शैक्षिक, वैज्ञानिक तथा सांस्कृतिक संगठन (यूनेस्को) की महानिदेशक इरिना बोकोवा ने पत्रकार अक्षय सिंह की मौत के मामले की पूरी जांच कराने की मांग की है।सुश्री बोकोवा ने कहा,"मैं अक्षय के परिजनों, उनके मित्रों तथा सहयोगियों के प्रति संवेदना व्यक्त करती हूं

--
Pl see my blogs;


Feel free -- and I request you -- to forward this newsletter to your lists and friends!

Mamata Banerjee added 8 new photos. 11 hrs · Today I attended Eid prayer at Red Road in the morning. Then, I inaugurated the Rathjatra Festival of ISKCON. Some pictures of the events are uploaded here for all of you.--

Dalits, Jats clash in Jind village over panchayat land; 1 dead.Dalits Media Watch - News Updates 19.07.15

0
0

Dalits Media Watch

News Updates 19.07.15

 

Dalits, Jats clash in Jind village over panchayat land; 1 dead - The Tribune

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/dalits-jats-clash-in-jind-village-over-panchayat-land-1-dead/108506.html

Dalit boy from Sambalpur struggles to achieve IIT dream - The Times Of India

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/Dalit-boy-from-Sambalpur-struggles-to-achieve-IIT-dream/articleshow/48128326.cms

Moga 'tantrik' lived under fake identity - The Hindustan Times

http://www.hindustantimes.com/bathinda/moga-tantrik-lived-under-fake-identity/article1-1370828.aspx

Pond water here is still 'untouchable' - The Hindu

http://m.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/pond-water-here-is-still-untouchable/article7436114.ece

Hassan village puts an end to untouchability - The Hindu

HTTP://WWW.THEHINDU.COM/NEWS/NATIONAL/KARNATAKA/HASSAN-VILLAGE-PUTS-AN-END-TO-UNTOUCHABILITY/ARTICLE7438963.ECE

Yet another 'honour killing' in Ramnad - The Hindu

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/yet-another-honour-killing-in-ramnad/article7439604.ece

Four degrees in hand, he still cleans Mumbai's sewers - The Times Of India

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Four-degrees-in-hand-he-still-cleans-Mumbais-sewers/articleshow/48129319.cms

Transgenders demand own shelter - Deccan Herald

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/150718/nation-current-affairs/article/transgenders-demand-own-shelter

The writer who brought glory to Telugu Dalit literature - The Hindu

HTTP://WWW.THEHINDU.COM/NEWS/NATIONAL/TELANGANA/THE-WRITER-WHO-BROUGHT-GLORY-TO-TELUGU-DALIT-LITERATURE/ARTICLE7439977.ECE

ODISHA NEEDS TO COORDINATE EFFORTS AT POVERTY ALLEVIATION - The Pioneer

 

 

Please Watch :

Nonadanga Activist Says: "Upper Caste Bengalis Call Dalits Pigs When We Assert"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3BLyt6z4TM

 

 

Note : Please find attachment for DMW Hindi (PDF)

The Tribune

 

Dalits, Jats clash in Jind village over panchayat land; 1 dead

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/dalits-jats-clash-in-jind-village-over-panchayat-land-1-dead/108506.html

 

Parvesh SharmaTribune News Service

 

Narwana/Jind, July 18

 

The Jind administration reportedly tried to allow possession of 146 plots on panchayat land to below poverty line Scheduled Caste families under the Indira Awas Yojna at Dharodi village of Jind district on Saturday

Some persons in the illegal possession of the land,however, refused to vacate it and allegedly attacked policemen, village sarpanch, Panchayat Departmentofficials and others

The ensuing clash claimed the life of one personwhile another sufferedserious injuries

 

 

One person was killed and another one seriously injured in a clash that broke out in Dharodi village of Jind district today. An attempt by the Jind administration to allow possession of 146 plots to below poverty line (BPL) Scheduled Caste families under the Indira Awas Yojna reportedly led to the clash between Dalits and Jats.

 

A group of Jats allegedly attacked houses of SCs in the village and thrashed people, including women and children. The Jats also set a Haryana Roadways bus on fire near their village on the Narwana-Tohana road.

 

A team of the Narwana police, some officers of the Panchayat Department, village sarpanch Mahinder Singh and around 50 members of BPL families had reportedly gone to take possession of 146 plots carved out on five acres of panchayat land. Shamsher Singh and some others who had encroached upon the land, however, refused to vacate it and allegedly attacked policemen and others accompanying them. "Shamsher, along with 100 others from our village, attacked us with sharp-edged weapons. They did not spare even the policemen and Panchayat Department officers.

 

They pelted government vehicles with stones. I, along with my family, am hiding at some place as Shamsher and his accomplices have been trying to attack us and set my house on fire," village sarpanch Mahinder said.

The person killed in the clash was identified as Vikram Singh (28) while the one who suffered serious injuries was identified as Sandip. 

 

He was admitted to a hospital in Hisar. Policemen and Panchayat Department officials were among those injured in the clash. They were admitted to a hospital at Narwana.

 

"After the death of Vikram, members of his community attacked our houses. They beat up our women and damaged our houses. We informed the police on phone number 100, but to no avail. There is tension in the village as our houses might be attacked again," a villager said. Jind Superintendent of Police Abhishek Jorwal and other senior police officials later reached the village and tried to pacify the people who were blocking the Narwana-Tohana road.

 

"The situation is under control now and we have deputed police force in the village. We are trying to convince both sides to maintain peace. Action will be taken against all those involved in the clash," Jorwal said.

At the time of filing this report, the SP was holding a meeting with representatives of both communities to restore peace in the village.

 

The Times Of India

 

Dalit boy from Sambalpur struggles to achieve IIT dream

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/Dalit-boy-from-Sambalpur-struggles-to-achieve-IIT-dream/articleshow/48128326.cms

 

Minati Singha,TNN | Jul 18, 2015, 11.13 PM IST

 

BHUBANESWAR: While the story of dalit brothers from Uttar Pradesh, who cracked Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) overcoming poverty and social stigma became inspirations for many overnight, Sumit Sindhria an IIT-qualifier from a remote village of Sambalpur district has been struggling to arrange funds for taking admission to the premier technical institute.


Sumit, a dalit boy from Jamankira village, has secured 840 rank (scheduled caste) in the IIT (Main) entrance. His father Narangdhar Sindhria, who works as a sweeper in state government, could not arrange Rs 80,000 required for his admission in IIT.


Sambalpur collector Balwant Singh said "When we came to know about the weak financial condition of the boy, we offered him funds required for taking admission in the IIT. But meanwhile Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) agreed to pay the admission fee." 


The boy has been selected in mechanical engineering stream in IIT, Rapor in Punjab. "He attended the counseling and submitted Rs 20, 000 for registration. Then he returned to arrange the rest of the amount," said N K Mishra, a senior officer in MCL. 


Student of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Sambalpur till class-X, Sindhria has been a bright student from childhood. "After class-X the boy was selected by a Bangalore-based institute where they provide him scholarship for plus two along with coaching for IIT. It was his hard work for which he became successful otherwise I don't have money to arrange a square meal for my family let alone having money for his education," said his father. 


MCL sources said, they gave Sindhria Rs 80,000 for admission fee as he left for Punjab urgently to attend the admission process on Monday.

 

The Hindustan Times

 

Moga 'tantrik' lived under fake identity

http://www.hindustantimes.com/bathinda/moga-tantrik-lived-under-fake-identity/article1-1370828.aspx

 

HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times, Moga

 

The 80-year-old 'tantrik' who had allegedly killed himself after killing five Dalits at Kotla Mehar Singh Wala village near Moga recently, lived at the gurdwara under a fake identity.

 

He has been identified as one Bikkar Singh who had left his native village in Ludhiana district about 15 years ago. On searching his room in the gurdwara the police found some aphrodisiacs.

 

The investigation found that the real name of Harinderpal Singh Sodhi was Bikkar Singh and he was a native of Sekha village under Malaud sub-division of Ludhiana.

 

The police approached his family at Sekha village on Saturday evening. The family and the panchayat confirmed that Bikkar had disappeared from the village about 15 years ago and did not return.

 

SSP Jatinder Singh Khaira said Mukhtiar Kaur, wife of Bikkar Singh, sarpanch Kamaldeep Singh, nambardar Gurdas Singh and panch Jagjit Singh had identified him as Bikkar Singh.

 

"However, the investigation is underway. The post-mortem on the body will be conducted at the Moga civil hospital on Sunday and then it will be handed over to the family," Khaira said.

 

Meanwhile, Baldev Singh, brother of deceased Sandeep Kaur, and Gurpreet Singh, father of Rajpal Kaur, said the sharpedged weapon used for murders belonged to the priest.

 

The Hindu

 

Pond water here is still 'untouchable'

http://m.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/pond-water-here-is-still-untouchable/article7436114.ece

 

Updated: July 18, 2015 05:47 IST | Sathish G.T.

 

People residing in Dalit colony in Kuruvanka village in Channarayapatna taluk are not allowed to touch water in the village pond. This has been the practice from time immemorial. If they want water, they have to request someone from the 'upper' castes in the village to pour water in their pots.

 

When this reporter visited the village on Friday, an elderly woman from the colony was seen requesting girls from 'upper' castes to help her get water. "This has been the practice for many years," said another village resident, matter-of-factly.

 

In the village, which is about 10 km from Channarayapatna town, there are about 200 houses, including those of 20 Dalit families. The Dalits are neither allowed inside the Mahdavaraya temple, which belongs to the Muzrai Department, in the village nor allowed to take water from the pond. Many Dalit organisations have raised this issue, but there has been little change.

 

"Here the system continues even today," lamented Manju Dandora, an activist. "Recently in a meeting on atrocities on Dalits, convened by police officers, I raised this issue and demanded measures to put an end to the discrimination. I wish the district administration takes the matter seriously," he said.

 

The Hindu

 

Hassan village puts an end to untouchability

HTTP://WWW.THEHINDU.COM/NEWS/NATIONAL/KARNATAKA/HASSAN-VILLAGE-PUTS-AN-END-TO-UNTOUCHABILITY/ARTICLE7438963.ECE

 

SATHISH G. T.

 

Dalit families allowed to fetch water from pond.

 

Following media reports on the practice of untouchability at Kuruvanka village in Channarayapatna taluk, the Hassan district administration officials rushed to the place on Saturday and held a meeting with the residents. The Hinduon Saturday, had carried a report on Dalits not being allowed to fetch water from a public pond.

 

N.R. Purushottam, District Social Welfare Officer, Bheemashankar S. Guled, Assistant Superintendent of Police of Holenarsipur sub-division, and Vijaya, Assistant Commissioner, visited the village.

 

The officers told the residents that the pond belonged to everybody and imposing restrictions on a section of them would attract strict action.

 

Mr. Purushottam said, "The people were convinced. We invited some members of the Dalit families and made them fetch water from the pond in the presence of other residents. We have warned them of legal action if they continued the age-old practice," he said.

 

Members of Dalit families were also happy with the development, the officer said.

 

The Hindu

 

Yet another 'honour killing' in Ramnad

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/yet-another-honour-killing-in-ramnad/article7439604.ece

 

D.J. WALTER SCOTT

 

Death of woman lawyer turns out to be murder

 

The suspicious death of a woman lawyer at Parthibanur near Paramakudi in September 2013 has turned out to be a "honour killing" as the district police filed a charge sheet against her parents and brother, accusing them of murdering her for marrying a Dalit classmate.

 

The police said foul play in the death of lawyer Sangeetha Priya (28) came to light in August last year, almost a year after the incident, when the police arrested Muniasamy, her maternal uncle, who had helped in bringing her body from Parthibanur and dispose it of at the cremation ground at Zamindarvalasai in Devipattinam near here.

Giving details of the charge sheet here on Saturday, Superintendent of Police N.M. Mylvahanan said that he had ordered a detailed probe into the death after the victim's husband, Sundaresan (29), lodged a complaint three months after her death, stating that he could not contact his wife after she was taken home by her parents.

 

The police initially registered a case under Section 176 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for disposing of the body without informing the police but altered the section and registered a case under Section 302 after finding that the woman was strangulated to death by her parents – Velusamy and Rani – and younger brother Anandaraj, the SP said.

 

When the police intensified the investigation, the trio absconded and obtained anticipatory bail, stating that Priya died of chest pain but the police harassed them.

 

The investigation, however, revealed that they committed the murder, "a clear case of honour killing", as Priya had eloped with Sundaresan after completing her studies and married him, he said.

After the couple lived in Tirupachur in Tiruvallur district for nearly two years since 2011, the accused brought her home promising to arrange a wedding reception for them. Priya, belonging to a backward community, fell in love with Sundaresan while studying at Salem Law College, the SP said.

 

The police filed the charge sheet before the Fast Track Mahila Court here recently, the SP said, adding they had also arraigned Ramalingam, a community leader at Zamindarvalasai, as an accused for helping the accused dispose of the body and failing to inform the police.

 

Superintendent of Police said he had ordered a detailed probe after the victim's husband lodged a complaint three months after her death

 

The Times Of India

 

Four degrees in hand, he still cleans Mumbai's sewers

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Four-degrees-in-hand-he-still-cleans-Mumbais-sewers/articleshow/48129319.cms

 

Anahita Mukherji,TNN | Jul 19, 2015, 01.56 AM IST

 

MUMBAI: Sunil Yadav does not believe in heaven and hell. But he knows what hell feels like. "Narak" is the word he uses to describe what it was like the first time he waded through open sewers with floating garbage and dead rats when, at 25, he took over his father's job as a municipal conservancy worker in Mumbai.


Part of an almost entirely Dalit taskforce, Yadav figured that, much like Babasaheb Ambedkar's pursuit of an education, he, too, would have to study further to better his lot.


But a decade on, with four degrees under his belt, Yadav, who pursued an MA in globalization and labour at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), continues to work as a conservancy worker with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). While Yadav, now 36, is currently working on an MPhil at TISS, he spends his nights cleaning Mumbai's garbage.


Yadav, who grew up in the slums around Arthur Road in the 1980s, during the heyday of Mumbai's underworld, says he felt the full force of social inequality when he joined the BMC. After his MA degree, when he applied for better positions in the civic body — for which he was well qualified — he was rejected even though there were vacancies, he says.


"I could not afford to quit work and study because I have a family to support," he says. He hopes that, someday, his degrees will get him a less degrading job.


Yadav, whose family has been involved in conservancy work for three generations, recalls his father coming home drunk after a day's work and routinely beating up his mother.


"My mother believed in Ambedkar and wanted all of us to study hard," says Yadav, who studied till Class X in a municipal school, but failed his SSC exams. He went to work as a delivery boy at a share firm, carting 300kg of shares across the country in the pre-Internet era. He also worked as a security guard and an office boy. It was only when his father suffered a stroke that Yadav took over his job. "Even to get that job, I had to pay Rs 2,000 as bribe to push the file," he says.


When he got time off from cleaning the city's garbage, Yadav would pore over newspapers. He came across an advertisement issued by the Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU) offering those who failed the Class X exam the opportunity to pursue a degree if they cracked the university's entrance test. Yadav credits his general knowledge for the ease with which he breezed through the exam.


He went on to do a BCom and a BA in journalism from YCMOU, a diploma in social work from Nirmala Niketan, and a master's degree in social work from Tilak Maharashtra University before he joined TISS and bagged another MA.


Now, Yadav lives in a pint-sized room in a Chembur chawl with his wife and two daughters. He says his wife has been very supportive of his studies.


He is still bitter about being denied study leave when he was pursuing an MA at TISS. "The BMC's rules and regulations allow for 24 months of paid study leave. Very few people know about it. Usually only bureaucrats in the department avail of it. But when I applied for it, the civic authorities said they could not give it to someone like me," says Yadav.


His colleagues and professors at TISS did their utmost to support him in his quest for study leave. Yadav did not get the two-year break, only three months of leave when, in the course of his MA, he was selected to travel to Johannesburg by a Swiss development agency.


Yadav still wants to fight inequities with his education, like Ambedkar. He does not want to give up his job, but aims to challenge the system from within.

 

Deccan Herald

 

Transgenders demand own shelter

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/150718/nation-current-affairs/article/transgenders-demand-own-shelter

 

Deccan Chronicle | July 18, 2015, 03.07 am IST

 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The document prepared as part of TG Suraksha Project of the NGO Dale View has proposed construction of a shelter for people belonging to the transgender community.

 

The document was released by city police commissioner H. Venkatesh at his office here on Friday.

 

Dale View project manager B. Jose Suraj said one of the immediate requirements of the transgender community was a space of their own.

 

"Now they assemble in various parks in the city. However, they are facing harassment from cops and security personnel there," Mr Suraj told DC.

 

"One of the peculiarities of the transgender people is their desire to cross-dress. They could not do it in the public space because of various taboos. At present, we provide such a space by setting apart one room in our office at Karamana where they are allowed to behave in their true self".

 

Another problem is that most of the members of the community live in rented houses either as single or in group as the families discard them when they realise of their identity.

 

"There are also problems for getting houses on rent for transgender community members," Mr Suraj said. "At present we have identified 306 transgender community members."

 

The Dale View currently provides classes in communicative English, computers and vocational training for members of the transgender community.

 

The Hindu

 

The writer who brought glory to Telugu Dalit literature

HTTP://WWW.THEHINDU.COM/NEWS/NATIONAL/TELANGANA/THE-WRITER-WHO-BROUGHT-GLORY-TO-TELUGU-DALIT-LITERATURE/ARTICLE7439977.ECE

 

GOLLAPUDI SRINIVASA RAO

 

Young poet and short story writer Pasunoori Ravinder not only earned name and fame for his literary work but also brought recognition to Telugu Dalit literature at the national level by winning the Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar recently.

 

Born into a poor family in Shivanagar in Warangal in 1980, Ravinder was influenced by the Leftist ideology at an early age. He got to know more about inequalities and caste discrimination, which continued to haunt him and provoked him to question them in his writings.

 

Despite the challenges of poverty, he went on to complete his studies, specialising in Telugu literature. He did his Ph.D from Central University and is currently pursuing post-doctoral studies.

 

Mr. Ravinder was actively involved in the separate Telangana movement and contributed to it through his writings – songs and short stories. Speaking to The Hindu , he said, "My stories revolve around discrimination and caste because they are an integral part of our lives. However educated and civilised we are, caste consciousness cannot be taken away from our lives."

 

Mr. Ravinder also strives to expose Dalits, who for their selfish ends try to exploit their own community, in his writings.

 

The Sahitya Akademi honoured him for his anthology of short stories titled Out of coverage area .

Besides editing anthologies, he came out with his own writings – Ladai , a long poem and Madiga Poddu, an anthology of poems.

 

The Pioneer

 

ODISHA NEEDS TO COORDINATE EFFORTS AT POVERTY ALLEVIATION

Saturday, 18 July 2015 | MANAS JENA

 

The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) report 2015 says though progress is taking place in different spheres but it has not been inclusive. The poor and disadvantaged are being left out in spite of increase in official aid for their development by developed countries, Governments and private sector spending during last 20 years.

UN report on MDG says the official development assistance from developed countries has increased by 66 per cent in last 15 years. The countries such as Denmark, Norway, Sweden and UK have been contributing more than 0.7 per cent of their gross national income which is more than the UN official development assistance target. Along with a number of development programmes, the food subsidy of the Central Government has increased by 25 times during last 20 years; by 2012 it was Rs 75,000 crore. After the change in The Companies Act 2013, many of the foreign and national companies are getting involved in the programme that target to reduce poverty and inequality.In the context of Odisha, the international aid, Central assistance and corporate funding have increased in fighting poverty but still the progress is very discouraging and the poverty gap among social groups and regions is a matter of concern.

 

A number of reports by the Government and private bodies revealed that poverty reduction in Odisha is very slow and the incidence of poverty is higher in southwest and northwest region of the State. It is more acute among STs followed by SCs, and agricultural workers. There are more numbers of people living below poverty line in southwest Odisha and SCs and STs continue to be a majority among the poor. There are backward areas having poor social infrastructure and very marginal State investment has been done in building basic infrastructure, connectivity and communication, such as linking road, sanitation, drinking water supply and electricity, telephone and assets to provide educational and health services to the marginalized people. There are seven districts in the State which have no railway link and other infrastructure. Majority of the rural households have no productive assets such as land and landlessness is relatively higher among Dalit households all over the State in comparison to other social groups.

 

The last Odisha Economic Survey Report 2014-2015 says that given the Poverty Head Count Ratio (PHCR) percentage by different social groups for rural Odisha for the period 2004- 2012, the overall poverty level has reduced from 60.80 per cent to 35.69 per cent but in case of STs it has very marginally reduced from 84.40 per cent in 2004 to 63.52 per cent in 2011-2012 which is just less than two per cent per year. Similarly in case of SCs, it has reduced from 67.90 per cent to 41.39 per cent but in case of OBCs and others, the PHCR has come down from 52.70 per cent to 24.16 per cent and 37.10 per cent to 14.20 per cent respectively. The PHCR in case of coastal regions has come down to almost 50 per cent from 41.60 per cent to 21.65 per cent but in case of southern region, which includes the KBK districts, it has come down from 73.40 per cent to 48.00 per cent and in northern region, it is from 70.50 per cent to 39.97 per cent. The incidence of poverty in KBK region has been remaining high and not being reduced to the desired extent.

 

In spite of continued spending in the backward districts, they still remain below the State average in many aspects even in achieving basic minimum. The district wise household access to toilets within their premises data for the year 2013-2014 says the districts features below State average of 22 per cent are mostly from southwestern and northern districts. The Odisha Economic Survey data 2013-2014 says the districts of Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkanagiri, Kandhamal, Boudh and Nawarangapur have very less percentage of village covered under rural electrification which is below the State average. Drinking water has been a major issue in these districts for a long time and all villages have not been covered under national rural drinking water supply programme.

 

The district development and diversity index report for India by US India Policy Institute in 2015 says there are eight most backward districts in Odisha which featured in the most backward 50 districts of the country. They are Malkanagiri, Nuapada, Nawarangapur, Boudh, Mayurbhanj, Gajapati, Kandhamal and Kalahandi. Among these districts, Boudh is the most poverty- stricken district, followed by Malkanagiri,

 

Mayurbhanj and Kalahandi. The survey said none of the 30 districts of Odisha featured in the top 100 developed districts of the country. The KBK plan was started in 1995 by the then Prime Minister to improve productive infrastructure in the region and develop livelihood of marginalized communities. Mid Day Meal (MDM) also started in the same year in the State as per direction of the Supreme Court of India. The Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) started in 2006-2007 in 20 backward districts of the State and later an additional Central assistance special scheme was introduced for Left wing extremism affected districts covering around 15 districts in 2010-2011. Apart from these there has been regular Central assistance to TSP area and SCSP for SCs since 1979 and grant under Article-275 (1) of the Constitution for the 5th scheduled areas. These Central Government programmes have been mostly for the backward districts of southwest and northern Odisha.

 

The international agencies such as Department for International Development (DFID), UK, International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) and World Food Programme (WFP) have been supporting jointly the Odisha Tribal Empowerment and Livelihood Programme (OTLP) since 2004-2005 primarily for tribal food security and livelihood development in seven districts. There have been additional programmes by the State Government such as Biju KBK, Biju Kandhamal O Gajapati, and Western Odisha Development Council etc. Added to them, a number of popular Central Government schemes such as NREGS, NRLM, ICDS, IAY etc which primarily target the backward communities and backward areas are also in operations in the vulnerable districts, but unfortunately all such schemes have not created desired impact in improving the condition of the poor in the region though it shows that the districts in southwestern Odisha have been getting maximum anti-poverty programme in different ways. It is also observed that  mostly the Central Government has been spending in these backward region for the development of backward region and communities, but the ineffective implementation by the State has not earning the desired results.

 

The Regional Imbalance Inquiry Commission headed by Justice SK Mohanty submitted his report in 2008 with several suggestions which have not been widely discussed and worked out by the State Government in its planning and programme implementation. The commission has suggested classifying the districts and blocks based on their development status to mitigate regional imbalance within the State. It has been argued that there has been lack of coordination among different players of anti-poverty programmes and also lack of integration among different interventions. The planning process is very poor without long term vision and focus. The State level planning board and district level planning committee have no role in shaping the vision of the people. There has been lack of disaggregated data on status of different social groups and regions within the State by the State Government and it is mostly the Central Government which provides data through census and NSSO based on which development planning and evaluations are taking place.

 

The research reports, a number of studies and recommendations have been an eye opener to the situation of the people which needs to be discussed at appropriate bodies of Government such as State Assembly and State Planning Board and needs to be reviewed to re-strategize the policies and programmes that target to eradicate poverty and inequality among different social groups and regions within the State. The State Government should have a special department for anti-poverty programme to coordinate several initiatives and give direction to different players by integrating their interventions in common direction to mitigate unequal development and geographical imbalances.

 

 

News monitored by Girsh Pant & AJEET

 

 

 

.Arun Khote
On behalf of
Dalits Media Watch Team
(An initiative of "Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre-PMARC")
--
Pl see my blogs;


Feel free -- and I request you -- to forward this newsletter to your lists and friends!

Maharashtra Purogami is dead – 62 year old dalit killed for not’ GREETING’ #WTFnews

0
0
Image Curtsey: gsannah.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/ambedkar-1.jpg

Maharashtra Purogami is dead – 62 year old dalit killed for not' GREETING' #WTFnews

Image Curtsey: gsannah.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/ambedkar-1.jpg

 

Image Curtsey: gsannah.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/ambedkar-1.jpg

 

 

In a small village called Borgaon in Tasgaon tehsil in Sangli district a 62 year old dali man lost his life to upper caste arrogance. Vaman Nyaynirgune was working on his farm with his wife's brother Sunil Kamble on 15th July 2015.

Two men from the Martha caste Sachin Patil and Chandrakant Patildrove by on their motorcycle and asked Sunil for Vaman whereabouts. Sunil answered them and turned around to continue work, only to be beaten without any provocation. They just said he did not 'GREET' them with the respect befitting a Patil.

Sunil went and informed Vaman who sent him with his son to the nearest police station which is in Tasgaon 14kms from Borgaon, and continued to work on the farm. When Sachin and Chandrakant found that a case is being registered against them, they got so angry that a dalit could go to the police station to report them, they went back to Vaman's farm and beat him up. When Vaman's son returned to the farm he found his father beaten up and lying on the ground. They rushed to the hospital in Tasgaon but he was declared dead on arrival.
This is the second death of a dalit man to uppercaste arrogance in recent times in the so called progressive state of Maharashtra .

Maharashtra is known for its purogami   progressive ,reformist or forward  movement which was s led by PhuleShahuAmbedkar in modern times.

Unfortunately progressive groups are fast asleep and have not responded to this atrocity.

How many more dalit deaths do they need to fight back?

If we had responded in anger when the young boy in Shirdi was killed recently, maybe just maybe the uppercaste would not become so emboldened.

How many more such deaths?

 Meena  Seshu, Sangram – meenaseshu@gmail.com 
enclosed letter to DCSangli.
--
Pl see my blogs;


Feel free -- and I request you -- to forward this newsletter to your lists and friends!

Illegal Mining – The mother of all loot

0
0

Illegal Mining – The mother of all loot


Illegal mining of natural resources like river sand, granite and placer minerals in utter disregard of the laws of the land, the environment and the lives and livelihoods of millions of people has made Tamil Nadu a disaster waiting to happen. By ILANGOVAN RAJASEKARAN

TAMIL NADU is an environmental powder keg. In what can be termed the mother of all loot, relentless exploitation of its natural resources has been going on for two decades now in contemptuous disregard for the environment and people's livelihoods.

Government sources, who insist on anonymity, estimate the losses from it in terms of revenue and degraded natural assets—beach minerals, river sand, bauxite, magnesite, granite, and so on—at Rs.1.43 lakh crore. Environmentalists put the annual loss to the government from beach sand mining at Rs.20,000 crore to Rs.30,000 crore and from illegal river sand mining at Rs.30,000 crore. According to a report submitted to the State government by U. Sagayam, former Madurai District Collector whom the Madras High Court has appointed as the Legal Commissioner to study the granite mining scam, Rs.13,000 crore has been lost because of illegal granite mining since 1995.

The mining mafia rules in pockets from Kanyakumari in the deep south to Tiruvallur near Chennai in the north and in neighbouring Puducherry, gouging out tonnes of sand from beaches and riverbeds and huge blocks of granite from farmland and hillocks. Bauxite mining has wreaked havoc on the fragile ecology of the Kolli hills in Namakkal district and the Shervaroyan hills in Salem district. The rampant mining, which is regulated only on paper, poses a major threat to the ecology and affects the availability of water sources in Tamil Nadu, a State that falls in the rain shadow region of the Western Ghats and has few perennial rivers except for the Cauvery and the Tamiraparani.

The south-west and north-east monsoons are the main sources of water, and the major share of it is realised from the latter. The normal annual rainfall in the State is about 945 mm, of which 48 per cent is from the north-east monsoon and 32 per cent from the south-west monsoon. Frequent monsoon failures lead to acute water scarcity and severe drought.

In fact, a study of the State's hydrology reveals that its entire surface water has been exhausted and nearly 85 per cent of the groundwater potential has been tapped. The untapped groundwater potential has been classified as 97 safe blocks (70 per cent tapped), 105 semi-critical blocks (70 to 90 per cent tapped) and 183 critical blocks (90 to 100 per cent tapped). Nearly 130 blocks have been overexploited.

Water experts fear that in such a situation, the unscientific mining of beach sand, river sand and other minor and major minerals such as granite and bauxite can have disastrous consequences for the environment. For instance, in the coastal villages of Tuticorin and Tirunelveli districts, mining of beach sand for placer minerals such as garnet has resulted in the groundwater falling to 300 feet (91 metres), a depth at which salinity renders the water unfit for human consumption.

It was the neoliberal economic reforms initiated by the P.V. Narasimha Rao government in 1991, which dismantled the licence raj, that accelerated the exploitation of natural resources to keep pace with the construction boom and the thrust to industry and the services sectors.

Money-spinners

River sand soon emerged as a money-spinner in Tamil Nadu. The shift from the traditional and eco-friendly brick- and clay-tiled buildings to multistoreyed concrete structures increased the demand for cement and sand. Tamil Nadu consumes nearly 20 lakh tonnes of cement a month. Sand is the main aggregate in the concrete mix.

The industry's ever-growing demand for sand has prompted miners to dig deeper and deeper in riverbeds, thus spawning a black market for sand. The casualty is not only the environment but the livelihood options of rural people, especially those who survive on agriculture. Any attempt to regulate mining or the price of sand, despite the Public Works Department (PWD) taking control over river mining in 2003, has been met with contempt. The nexus between miners, politicians and the executive, which silences whistle-blowers and other voices of dissent, continues to be strong.

Mining using heavy machinery continues day and night on the Cauvery, on which around 4.5 lakh farmers depend for their livelihood. The dry bed of the Cauvery in Tiruchi, Karur, Kulithalai, Thottiyam and Musiri is dotted with deep pits from which sand has been scooped out. The situation in the heavily mined Palar, coursing through Vellore and other northern districts of the State, has been made worse by the pollutants released from tannery units. In 2010, the Madras High Court came to the rescue of the Tamiraparani by banning mining of the river for five years.

In fact, other rivers, too, are on the verge of annihilation. Illegal mining is rampant in the Pennaiyar in Villupuram district, the Vellar in Vriddachalam (Cuddalore district), the Vaigai in Madurai and the southern districts, the Amaravati in Karur district and the Bhavani in Erode and Karur districts. The miners have not spared even the tributaries of these rivers and also streams. The riverbeds are full of pits and trenches, some even 20 metres deep. People residing in villages on the banks of the rivers now have to struggle to get water, which was once available in plenty.

Laws, be it of the Centre or of the State, banning unscientific mining remain on paper. The executive, which has the responsibility to enforce them, is a mute spectator. A few who attempted to rein in the mafia had to pay dearly. "Friendly bureaucrats," a corrupt political class, and miners' cartels silence any voice of resistance.

A silver lining in this distressing situation is the resistance put up by local communities. Many senior officials such as former Madurai District Collectors U. Sagayam and Anshul Mishra and former Tuticorin Collector Ashish Kumar initiated legal proceedings against illegal mining in their respective districts. As a consequence they were shunted out. Lower-level officers in the Revenue and Police Departments who dared to oppose the mining mafia were intimidated, manhandled or even murdered.

An exhaustive tour of the mining sites in the State —on the coast, along rivers and on the hills—by this correspondent made one thing clear: mining on the scale at which it is going on in the State, if allowed to continue unchecked, will lead to a serious depletion of natural resources and environmental problems with consequences for the State. It will not be an exaggeration to say that in another decade or so the State could turn barren.

The indiscriminate mining has destroyed hills, eroded biodiversity spheres, denuded forests, contaminated water resources and degraded fertile soil. It has changed the physical characteristics of river basins, impacting heavily the socio-economic condition of local people. Livelihood options of rural populations are drying up at a fast pace, which in turn has triggered an exodus of people to urban clusters, upsetting the economic and cultural balance of a society.

Impact of sand mining

A State-level public hearing on the "Impact of sand mining in Tamil Nadu", organised by the Campaign for the Protection of Water Resources–Tamil Nadu, in 2002, identified 15 adverse consequences of sand mining, according to M. Naveen Saviour, a soil science researcher at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. In his article, he states that these consequences include depletion of groundwater, destruction of farmland, loss of employment to farm workers, rights violations, and heavy damage to infrastructure.

The pollution caused by mining even changes the colour of water, both sea and river, into reddish orange. "Low pH, high electrical conductivity, high concentration of ions of sulphate and other toxic metals, low dissolved oxygen and high BOD [biochemical oxygen demand] are some of the physiochemical and biological parameters that characterise the degradation of water quality," he points out in the article. These "topographical disorders" can be seen at every site of mining in Tamil Nadu.

He lists weak governance and rampant corruption as the main causes of the "illegal mining". "The socio-economic significance of the mining operations is often overlooked. Because of poor handling of resources, soil and sand mining causes a negative impact on the environment," the article says. The government, it says, should exercise prudence when it comes to leasing out riverbeds for mining activities and demarcate areas clearly and monitor mining through a suitable institutional mechanism. But, sadly, the State has been silent on the issue, indicating its indifferent attitude to the loot.

Mining of all forms, involving 36 lakh hectares of land, contributes to 4 per cent of the nation's GDP and provides employment to 1.1 million people. "But the loss in terms of asset destruction will be much more and can lead to social tensions. Already, affected people in certain pockets have started raising the banner of revolt against indiscriminate mining," said the activist-cum-environmentalist Mughilan, who has been in the forefront of many struggles.

Academics, research scholars, government agencies and even voluntary institutions have carried out studies on the ill effects of unscientific and indiscriminate mining. Various courts too have passed strictures against the State on this issue, but mining continues unhindered. One reason why there are no complaints from the local people is the enormous amounts of money the miners have pumped into the villages adjoining the mining sites. They donate money liberally to temple festivals, attend weddings in the village and condole with the bereaved. The outcasts and the unemployed, weak links in a tight and conservative village community system, are lured into their web. They are encouraged to form local cartels, which in turn take care of silencing any voice of dissent against the mining activities. "In brief, the entire village administration is controlled by these elements," said an activist.

If the residents remain united despite these enticements, the miners whip up caste tensions to divide them. Raju, who heads the "Save Vellar River" movement in Vriddachalam, said that with the connivance of the local police, the sand mafia that looted the river attempted to divide the people. "Fortunately, we were able to defeat their evil designs. We have remained united against all inducements," he said.

According to scientists, sand accumulation in riverbeds reduces their depth and causes frequent floods. "But we need proper dredging of sand that keeps the bed at the proper level and not indiscriminate mining such as what Tamil Nadu has been witnessing," said a geologist who was manhandled in Tuticorin for speaking to this correspondent on beach sand mining in 1995. He has shifted to Tirunelveli since then.

Sand mining, according to an estimate, directly provides jobs to around two lakh people in the State. In fact, nearly 40 per cent of the villagers in the districts of Tiruchi and Karur on the banks of the Cauvery are engaged in sand-mining activities, while many others are encouraged by miners to become their partners in crime. Thus sand miners are slowly taking over the entire economy of the blocks where they mine.

Taking on the mining mafia is not easy. Once the miners establish themselves in an area it is virtually impossible to dislodge them. "For example, the State leases out a small part of its 'poromboke' land for a paltry annual tenancy fee for mining. Later, the miners encroach on adjoining areas and patta land," said Mughilan. They rake in millions, paying only a small royalty to the government, he said.

Granite scam

On the southern side of the State, in Keelavalavu village in Melur taluk in Madurai district, a shocking granite scam running into crores of rupees was unearthed by Sagayam when he was Madurai District Collector. (According to his initial report, the State has suffered a notional loss of Rs.13,000 crore from quarries in Madurai.) Waste stones lie scattered in almost all places, leaving very little space for farmers and other people to eke out a livelihood. His successor, Anshul Mishra, tightened the noose around granite barons by slapping legal cases against them and suspending quarrying for almost a year.

What remains of the once-green villages located in the Vaigai-Periyar river irrigation system are stunted hills, damaged waterbodies, useless water carrying channels, broken roads and dilapidated houses. Agriculture has been destroyed totally. Many people in and around Madurai poured out their grief before Sagayam who has been appointed by the Madras High Court as its Legal Commissioner to look into the granite scam in detail. Sagayam, despite hostile responses from within the government and the granite mafia, is on the threshold of completing his five-month-long investigation. He has to submit his report, which insiders say, might run into a few thousand pages, with video footage and visuals, to the Madras High Court shortly.

Placer deposits

Meanwhile, on the seaside, between Tuticorin and Kanyakumari, mining for "placer metals" on the beach goes on unhindered despite a ban on it following a volley of allegations of widespread irregularities. A lorry that transports beach sand to the purification plant for leaching ran over a labourer in Udankudi town in the first week of March, exposing the miners' impudence to any legal action. To avoid the embarrassment of facing a possible judicial intervention as in the case of granite and to pacify the agitated fisherfolk, the State government in 2013 asked the then Revenue Secretary, Gagandeep Singh Bedi, to investigate the allegations of irregularities in beach sand mining. He submitted his report some six months ago, which is yet to be made public. Pending further inquiry, the State government has issued an order suspending mining operations on the seashore of Tuticorin, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts.

Miners of minor minerals have been robbing the State for close to two decades now. Ecologists and activists urge the State and Central governments to carry out a social audit on the mining activities with the aid of an independent expert committee. The sands of time are running out.

http://www.frontline.in/cover-story/the-mother-of-all-loot/article7391496.ece

Share this:


--
Pl see my blogs;


Feel free -- and I request you -- to forward this newsletter to your lists and friends!

India lost original forests 70 times Delhi’s area in 14 years

0
0

India lost original forests 70 times Delhi's area in 14 years



  • Records show the country may have lost close to 10.6 million hectares, or about 70 times Delhi's geographical area, of original forests between that year and 2013. (HT Photo/ K Sasi)

Is India's forest cover increasing? Or is it shrinking?

The government claims a steady increase in the country's forest turf since 1999. But official data indicate it may be missing the woods for the trees. Records show the country may have lost close to 10.6 million hectares, or about 70 times Delhi's geographical area, of original forests between that year and 2013.

This is more than three times the reported increase in the nation's forest cover in this period and 15% of India's existing green cover.

According to the biennial state of forest reports (SFRs) from the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC), forest cover in the country went up by 3.3 million hectares between 1999 and 2013.

The Centre and states have been using the numbers from these reports, the latest released last year, to pat themselves on the back for "stabilising" the country's forest cover despite huge demand for land from industry and growing need for food, fodder and timber.

The stated spread of forest cover, however, is mostly due to proliferation of plantations outside forest areas, masking a massive deforestation in the natural forests.

http://i0.wp.com/www.hindustantimes.com/Images/popup/2015/7/17_07_15-metro12.gif?w=520

The disparity came to light from the analyses of the data and the methodology adopted in the past few years by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), the nodal agency of the government that maps forest cover.

Due to technical limitations till 1999, the FSI calculated forest cover only over the traditional or legally notified forest areas.

Because there are no digital maps of notified forests in the country, FSI used the regions marked as green patches, also known as "green wash areas", in the government's Survey of India (SOI) topographic sheets as a proxy to such forests.

Green wash areas represent the forest territories in the country at the time of the SOI studies carried out till the 1980s. FSI started digital interpretation of satellite images with improved resolution from 2001. With this, it began estimating forest cover for the entire country without differentiating between the notified forests and the plantations outside.

It now counts all land, irrespective of its ownership, with more than 10% canopy cover over an area of more than one hectare as "forest cover", which now includes all plantations like tea and coffee gardens as well as orchards apart from traditional forests.

Estimated through this method, India's forest cover showed a substantial growth over the years. But forestry analysts criticised the methodology as it did not give the idea of how our natural forests were faring.

Responding to this criticism, the FSI digitised the Survey of India topo-sheets and estimated the forest cover in green wash areas afresh in the SFR 2013.

As per the report, out of the total 69.8-million-hectare forest cover in the country, 53.08 million hectares lie in green wash areas.

While the 2013 report does not make any reference to the pre-2001 data on forest cover in green wash regions, SFR 2009 contains the forest cover data for the period till 1999 revised for the technological advancements in methodology to make it comparable with the latest figures.

According to the 2009 report, forest cover in green wash areas in 1999 was about 63.66 million hectares. This indicates a deforestation of at least 10.58 million hectares in original forests over 14 years.

Experts say while any increase in green cover is welcome, the massive loss of original forests in the country should be a cause for concern.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-lost-original-forests-70-times-delhi-s-area-in-14-yrs/article1-1370093.aspx


--
Pl see my blogs;


Feel free -- and I request you -- to forward this newsletter to your lists and friends!

The World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2015: Key insights

0
0

The World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2015: Key insights


nuclear

  • Japan without nuclear power for a full calendar year for the first time since the first commercial nuclear power plant started up in the country 50 years ago.
  • Nuclear plant construction starts plunge from fifteen in 2010 to three in 2014.
  • 62 reactors under construction—five fewer than a year ago—of which at least three- quarters delayed. In 10 of the 14 building countries all projects are delayed, often by years. Five units have been listed as "under construction" for over 30 years.
  • Share of nuclear power in global electricity mix stable at less than 11% for a third year in a row.
  • AREVA, technically bankrupt, downgraded to "junk" by Standard & Poor's, sees its share value plunge to a new historic low on 9 July 2015—a value loss of 90 percent since 2007
  • China, Germany, Japan—three of the world's four largest economies—plus Brazil, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, and Spain, now all generate more electricity from non-hydro renewables than from nuclear power. These eight countries represent more than three billion people or 45 percent of the world's population.
  • In the UK, electricity output from renewable sources, including hydropower, overtook the output from nuclear.
  • Compared to 1997, when the Kyoto Protocol on climate change was signed, in 2014 there was an additional 694 TWh per year of wind power and 185 TWh of solar photovoltaics—each exceeding nuclear's additional 147 TWh.

Access the full report


--
Pl see my blogs;


Feel free -- and I request you -- to forward this newsletter to your lists and friends!

Agenda 2030 to make the world Hindu declared!

0
0
Agenda 2030 to make the world Hindu declared!
RSS  earlier declared to make India free of Non Hindus by 2021 nad we see India on fire.Gujarat or Punjab or Assam,no land in the end of the world and the Hindutva tsunami has to hit every coast of humanity.

India to become Hindu Nation by 2020, World by 2030,  VHP Makes it an open Jihad!

 Palash Biswas

The greatest Genie carries the Hindutva agenda everywhere he goes,we have pointed out again and again.It is No more internal affair at all.It is not limited within Gujarat Genocide,Babri Mosque demolition,Sikh Genocide or Assam Killings or persecution of Kashmir,it is a JIHAD declared against the humanity.

The world has to see the face of Hindu Taliban,Hindu Al Quaeda,Hindutva state sooner or later as VHP has declared to make in the World HINDU by 2030.RSS is the institutional fountain head of the governance of Fascism while VHP is the name of Fascism DIRECT.

VHP led the Babri demolition action and Dmeolshed it.

VHP cleared the decks of Hindu Rashtra.

Now,VHP is all set to make  a Hindu WORLD by 2030.

RSS  earlier declared to make India free of Non Hindus by 2021 nad we see India on fire.Gujarat or Punjab or Assam,no land in the end of the world and the Hindutva tsunami has to hit every coast of humanity.

Those accusing sedition against every democratic secular voice,those RSS Cadres governing the masses to ensure the ethining cleansing haveing streamlined all the guillotines have not to act against these voices of war declration against the humanity.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) patron Ashok Singhal on Saturdaysaid India will become a Hindu nation by 2020 and the entire world would be Hindu by 2030.

Singhal was speaking at a function here to release a book on the life and work of former RSS chief K.C. Sudarshan.

The function was attended by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi and RSS functionaries among others.

Singhal said: "Sudarshan ji, a great visionary, once told me that the entire country will be Hindu by 2020 and the entire world will be Hindu by 2030."

"Sudarshan ji was not only a saint but a visionary, who had predicted that a revolutionary change in the country will begin in 2012 and ultimately that happened in 2014," he said in an oblique reference to the BJP-led alliance's victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Sushma Swaraj said: "Sudarshan ji was like my mother. As girls used to share everything with their mother, I used to share with him everything."

--
Pl see my blogs;


Feel free -- and I request you -- to forward this newsletter to your lists and friends!

कब सुधरेगी किसानों की आर्थिक दशा,वर्ष 2014 में 5500 किसानों ने की खुदकुशी

0
0
नई दिल्ली ! देश में पिछले वर्ष कुल 5,650 किसानों ने खुदकुशी की और महाराष्ट्र इस मामले में सबसे ऊपर रहा। आधिकारिक आंकड़ों से यह खुलासा हुआ। महाराष्ट्र के बाद तेलंगाना और...

--
Pl see my blogs;


Feel free -- and I request you -- to forward this newsletter to your lists and friends!

तृणमूल कांग्रेस के सांसद अभिषेक बनर्जी ने आज दावा किया कि राज्य सरकार ने ही माओवादी किशनजी को मारा था। ‪#‎रामराज्य‬

0
0
तृणमूल कांग्रेस के सांसद अभिषेक बनर्जी ने आज दावा किया कि राज्य सरकार ने ही माओवादी किशनजी को मारा था। ‪#‎रामराज्य‬

प्रो. विजयानंद तिवारी को जसम की ओर से श्रद्धांजलि

0
0

प्रो. विजयानंद तिवारी को जसम की ओर से श्रद्धांजलि

जन संस्कृति मंच साहित्यकार प्रो. विजयानंद तिवारी के निधन पर गहरा शोक व्यक्त करता है और उन्हें हार्दिक श्रद्धांजलि देता है। 
श्री विजयानंद तिवारी बक्सर में रहते थे। बिहार में जब नवजनवादी सांस्कृतिक मोर्चा का निर्माण हुआ था, उस वक्त वे इसके साथ जुड़े थे। तब भोजपुर-बक्सर के भूमिगत वामपंथी आंदोलन से भी उनका संपर्क था। महान कम्युनिस्ट नेता माओत्से तुंग के निधन पर उन्होंने लिखा था- मत कहो अध्यक्ष माओ ना रहा, ये सब उसी के आगमन की हो रही तैयारियां हैं, यादें महज यादें नहीं चिंगारियां हैं। 
नवजनवादी सांस्कृतिक मोर्चा के बाद जब जन संस्कृति मंच बना, तब भी उसकी बैठकों और आयोजनों में आते-जाते रहे। कविता, कहानी लेखन के अतिरिक्त रंगकर्म से भी उनका जुड़ाव था। जनभाषा की ताकत को वे बखूबी समझते थे। वे 'जगरम'नामक भोजपुरी पत्रिका प्रकाशित करते थे, जिसके कुछ महत्वपूर्ण विशेषांक भी निकले, जिनमें श्रमगीत विशेषांक काफी चर्चित रहा। 'खोलकदास का चिट्ठा'नाम से उनकी एक किताब भी प्रकाशित हुई थी। अपने समकालीन विजेंद्र अनिल और सुरेश कांटक की तरह उन्होंने भी साहित्य को राजनीतिक-सामाजिक परिवर्तन का माध्यम समझा। जिस तरह विजेंद्र अनिल ने लेखक कलाकार मंच और प्रेमचंद अध्ययन केंद्र का गठन किया, सुरेश कांटक ने कबीर कला मंच बनाया, उसी तरह उन्होंने परिवर्तन सांस्कृतिक मंच का गठन किया था। 
श्री विजयानंद तिवारी अंग्रेजी के शिक्षक थे। अंग्रेजी पत्र-पत्रिकाओं में लिखते भी थे। अभी भी स्वस्थ दिखते थे। चंद रोज पहले ही एक मुलाकात में उन्होंने जगरम को फिर से निकालने की बात की थी। लेकिन 16 जुलाई की सुबह अचानक हृदयाघात से उनका निधन हो गया। जसम उनके शोक-संतप्त परिजनों के प्रति अपनी संवेदना जाहिर करता है। 
शोक व्यक्त करने वालों में जसम के राष्ट्रीय उपाध्यक्ष आलोचक रामनिहाल गुंजन, राष्ट्रीय सहसचिव कवि जितेंद्र कुमार, जसम बिहार के राज्य अध्यक्ष कथाकार सुरेश कांटक, राज्य सचिव सुधीर सुमन, राज्य सहसचिव सुमन कुमार सिंह, कवि सुनील चैधरी, राज्य कार्यकारिणी सदस्य प्रशांत, डाॅ. विंदेश्वरी, निर्मल नयन, कृष्ण कुमार निर्मोही, कवि अरविंद अनुराग, शमशाद, चित्रकार राकेश दिवाकर, रंगकर्मी अरुण प्रसाद, सूर्यप्रकाश आदि प्रमुख हैं। जनपथ पत्रिका के संपादक अनंत कुमार सिंह, कवि सुनील श्रीवास्तव और आशुतोष पांडेय ने भी श्री विजयानंद तिवारी को श्रद्धांजलि दी है। 
-सुमन कुमार सिंह, सहसचिव, जन संस्कृति मंच, बिहार

Sudhir Suman's photo.
Sudhir Suman's photo.
--
Pl see my blogs;


Feel free -- and I request you -- to forward this newsletter to your lists and friends!

नेपाल: जैसा तैसा कैसा संविधान, ब्रूटस

0
0
एक अदद संविधान बन जाए तो क्या होगा? इससे क्या रास्ता खुलेगा और क्या ही रास्ता बंद होगा। नेपाल में जो संविधान जारी होने वाला है उसको अपने नहीं पढ़ा। उसे देखा तक नहीं। यदि देखा होता तो बैठ सकते थे उसके साथ? सहानुभूति हो सकती थी उसके साथ? 'कोई बात नहीं कॉमरेड', क्या यह वाक्य आ सकता था तुम्हारी जुबान में? लेकिन मैंने देखा है तुम्हें उससे उसी गर्मजोशी के साथ हाथ मिलाते जैसा कि तुम मिलते थे उससे जब वो ठीक उलटा था। इसमें मेरे लिए क्या सबक है? ब्रूटस, नेपाल की जनता को अब शुभचिंतक नहीं चाहिए जो इस संविधान को उन के गले में डाल कर उनका गला घोंट देना चाहता है। उसे चाहिए एक बेरहम साथी जो कहे जला दो इस संविधान को इससे पहले कि ये संविधान तुम्हें जला दे। 

नेपाल: जैसा तैसा कैसा संविधान, ब्रूटस


नेपाल: जैसा तैसा कैसा संविधान, ब्रूटस

Posted by Reyaz-ul-haque on 7/19/2015 03:17:00 PM



विष्णु शर्मा 

ऐसा लगता है नेपाल के मामले में रुचि रखने वाले भारतीय वाम 'चिंतक'भी पूंजीवादी का दबाव सहन नहीं कर पा रहे हैं। वे घुटन महसूस करने लगे हैं। और यही वजह है कि वे भी जो स्वयं को नेपाली जनता का हितैषी बताते हैं उसी तर्क को, उसी भाषा में दोहराने लगे हैं जो बात न जाने कब से 'उदार'और 'भले'चिंतक दोहरा रहे हैं कि 'बस एक बार जैसा तैसा संविधान बन जाए और आगे का रास्ता खुले'।

ऐसी घटिया दलील करते हुए भी वे यह मनवाना चाहते हैं कि वे जनता के असली शुभचिंतक हैं। वे लगातार यह साबित करने की कोशिश में रहते हैं कि संविधान के न बनने से जनता बर्बाद हो रही है, वो मर रही है और वो गिड़गिड़ा रही है 'हे भगवान कोई हमें संविधान दे दे'। सच तो यह है कि अगर जनता को 'जैसा तैसा संविधान'ही चाहिए था तो वो तो उसके पास सदियों से नहीं तो दशकों से है ही। क्या कोई जनता 13 हजार अपने सबसे उत्तम बच्चों का बलिदान 'जैसा तैसा'संविधान के लिए करती है?

ये 'जैसा तैसा'संविधान'कितना लिजलिजा शब्द है और कितना गिलगिली होती है इसको कहने वाली जुबान। मवाद से भरी पीली गिलगिली जुबान।

संविधान का एजेण्डा यकीनन माओवादियों का था। और यह होता भी किसका। हालाकि यह एक सफेद झूठ है कि संविधान सभा के लिए माओवादी जनयुद्ध हुआ। संविधान सभा को जनयुद्ध के एक पड़ाव की तरह ही प्रस्तुत किया गया था न कि जनयुद्ध के अंतिम लक्ष्य की तरह। बाद में नेपाली क्रांति के गद्दारों और उनके दलालों ने इसे छल से साध्य का रूप दे दिया। नेपाल की जनता ने तो इस छल के पकड़ लिया और खुल कर इसके खिलाफ खड़ी हो गई। लेकिन भारत में इन वर्षों में लगभग इस झूठ को स्वीकारता मिल गई। दुख तो इस बात का है कि हमारे 'ब्रूटसों'ने ऐसा किया। 'एट टू, ब्रूटस'।

अपनी कमजोरियों और डर को ढंकने के लिए कथित रेडिकल पार्टियों और वाम चिंतकों ने इन 9 वर्षो में संविधान सभा के इर्द-गिर्द भारतीय क्रांतिकारी जनता को गोलबंद किया। नेपाल से बुद्धिजीवियों और नेताओं को बुला कर संविधान को जनता का संघर्ष दिखाने का षड्यंत्र किया गया। 'एट टू, ब्रूटस'।

बाबुराम और प्रचण्ड आते रहे और रेडिकल बुद्धिजीवी इन्हें एकतर्फा ढंग से जनता के बीच ले जाते रहे। कोई सवाल नहीं सिर्फ एकतर्फा कुतर्क। और सवाल पूछने वालों पर तंज और व्यंग। फेंकने वाला क्रांतिकारी और जवाब मांगने वाला 'बेचारा'साबित किया जाता रहा। 'एट टू, ब्रूटस'।

नेपाली क्रांति के भारतीय 'शुभचिंतक'नेपाल और भारत के सच्चे माओवादियों और क्रांतिकारियों को 'जड़'साबित करते रहे और राजा को नंगा कहने वालों को किनारे लगाते रहे। इन सालों में उन्हें 'रूमानी', '100 साल पीछे चलने वाला', '24 कैरेट क्रांतिकारी'और न जाने क्या क्या नहीं कहा गया। लेकिन इससे क्या हुआ? होता भी क्या?

हाल में ग्रीस में एक गद्दार पर जनता ने विश्वास किया। उसने कहा 'तुम मुझे अपना लो, मैं तुम्हें युरो जेल से आजादी दूंगा'। जनता ने उसे चाबी दी। चाबी हाथ में आते ही वो जेलर के साथ खड़ा हो गया और बोला 'मुझ पर विश्वास करो, तुम्हारे भले के लिए तुम्हें यहां रहना होगा'। वो मालिक बन गया। फैसला करने लगा। 'एट टू, ब्रूटस'।

ऐसे ही नेपाल में जनता ने चाबी दी प्रचण्ड को लेकिन चाबी हाथ में आते ही वो उसे लेकर साउथ ब्लॉक भाग गया और फरियाद करने लगा, 'मालिक नेपाल की चाबी मेरे हाथ लग गई है अब मुझे प्रधान मंत्री बना दो'। राजतंत्र के खात्मे के बाद जिस किसी भी नेता के पास नेपाल की चाबी आई उसने सबसे पहले जेलर के आगे सर झुकाया और तर्क दिया'हम क्या कर सकते हैं, हम लैण्डलॉक्ड हैं'। जनता 'मरने'से नहीं डरती नेता डरते हैं। इस डर को छिपाने के लिए वे मार्क्सवाद में सुधार करते हैं, उसे समयानुकूल और प्रासंगिक बनाते हैं। मवाद की लिजलिजी तरलता 'जड़ता'के खिलाफ उनका तर्क है। और उनके वफादार बुद्धिजीवी बार बार उन्हें हमारे सामने पेश करते है। साल में दो बार महफिलें सजाई जाती हैं जहां 'महानता'के शोर में सच्चाई को मिममियाने के लिए मजबूर किया जाता है। सच्चाई पर समझदार होने का दवाब बनाया जाता है। बार बार गद्दारों को शहीद बनाया जाता है। 'एट टू, ब्रूटस'।

उसे अलेंदे मूर्ख लगता है। उसे खुशी है कि वो अलेंदे नहीं बना। वो अलेंदे न होने को अपनी प्रतिभा बता रहा है। और तुम ब्रूटस उसका मुंह नहीं नोच ले रहे हो। सहमति में सर हिला रहे हो। 'एट टू, ब्रूटस'।

एक अदद संविधान बन जाए तो क्या होगा? इससे क्या रास्ता खुलेगा और क्या ही रास्ता बंद होगा। नेपाल में जो संविधान जारी होने वाला है उसको अपने नहीं पढ़ा। उसे देखा तक नहीं। यदि देखा होता तो बैठ सकते थे उसके साथ? सहानुभूति हो सकती थी उसके साथ? 'कोई बात नहीं कॉमरेड', क्या यह वाक्य आ सकता था तुम्हारी जुबान में? लेकिन मैंने देखा है तुम्हें उससे उसी गर्मजोशी के साथ हाथ मिलाते जैसा कि तुम मिलते थे उससे जब वो ठीक उलटा था। इसमें मेरे लिए क्या सबक है? ब्रूटस, नेपाल की जनता को अब शुभचिंतक नहीं चाहिए जो इस संविधान को उन के गले में डाल कर उनका गला घोंट देना चाहता है। उसे चाहिए एक बेरहम साथी जो कहे जला दो इस संविधान को इससे पहले कि ये संविधान तुम्हें जला दे। 


तस्वीर: पूजा पंत 


--
Pl see my blogs;


Feel free -- and I request you -- to forward this newsletter to your lists and friends!

मुंबई में सीबीआई दफ्तर के बाहर तीस्ता समर्थकों का प्रदर्शन

0
0

मुंबई में सीबीआई दफ्तर के बाहर तीस्ता समर्थकों का प्रदर्शन

सोमवार को मुंबई के फोर्ट में स्थित सीबीआई की आर्थिक अपराध शाखा के दफ्तर के बाहर तमाम नागरिकों, संगठनों और सामाजिक कार्यकर्ताओं ने मानवाधिकार कार्यकर्त्री तीस्ता सेतलवाड़ के समर्थन में एकजुटता दिखाई। सीबीआई दफ्तर में पिछले तीन दिनों से तीस्ता को केंद्र सरकार के इशारे पर प्रताड़ित करने के क्रम में ही पूछताछ के लिए बुलाया जा रहा है। मुंबई विशेष सीबीआई कोर्ट में तीस्ता की अग्रिम ज़मानत याचिका के बाद ही सीबीआई ने भी तीस्ता को पूछताछ का सम्मन जारी कर दिया और रविवार के अलावा ईद के दिन भी तीस्ता सेतलवाड़ और जावेद आनंद को दफ्तर में कई घंटे बिठा कर पूछताछ की। ईद और रविवार के दिन के बाद सोमवार को भी तमाम साथियों और नागरिकों ने तीस्ता और जावेद के साथ एकजुटता दिखाई और बड़ी संख्या में सीबीआई कार्यालय के बाहर इकट्ठे हुए। मंगलवार को सुबह तीस्ता और जावेद की अग्रिम ज़मानत की सुनवाई मुंबई में ही सीबीआई अदालत में होगी। सीबीआई दफ्तर के बाहर से ताज़ा तस्वीरें….

IMG_20150720_170936

 

IMG_20150720_171032

 


--
Pl see my blogs;


Feel free -- and I request you -- to forward this newsletter to your lists and friends!

Mumbai Mayor and Shiv Sena Leader compares Modi with Hitler

0
0

Mumbai Mayor and Shiv Sena Leader compares Modi with Hitler



In an interview with the Afternoon Despatch & Courier, 43-year-old Ambekar also fancied herself akin to a chief minister and desired a red-beacon vehicle which bestows status on the position she occupies.

In the interview titled 'Modi's rule is quite Hitler-esque', she said: "I even admire Narendra Modi for his self-reliant way of working. But at some level, I feel his rule is quite like Hitler…"

"This is bound to happen when power is concentrated in the hands of one man," Ambekar, a first-time municipal corporator, said.

Elected as the city's seventh woman and first Dalit woman mayor in September 2014, Ambekar has been in the limelight for some time for seeking a red beacon for her vehicle.

Now, the former LIC officer claimed that her position in the city was akin to the chief minister.

"The mayor has constant emergencies, as well as we go to receive VVIPs as representatives of the masses. If a chief minister has red beacon, a mayor's status is pretty similar in terms of a city," she said.

"I believe there is nothing wrong for a mayor in using a red beacon fitted car," she said in the interview.

Ambekar's comments were the latest in a series of the barbs the Shiv Sena has fired at the BJP. Both the parties are allies in the centre andMaharashtra.


--
Pl see my blogs;


Feel free -- and I request you -- to forward this newsletter to your lists and friends!

How Essar handed out Diwali gifts to top politicians, bureaucrats and journalists in 2010

0
0

How Essar Handed Out 195 iPads as Diwali Gifts to Top Politicians, Bureaucrats and Journalists in 2010: List 1

By Krishn Kaushik and Atul Dev | July 20, 2015
 4

On 1 November 2010, Alok Chauhan, a corporate affairs executive at Essar Services India Limited (ESIL) sent an email to Sunil Bajaj, director and head of the corporate relations group at ESIL. Attached to this email was a list, in possession of The Caravan, that contained the names of 222 people, including some of India's top politicians, bureaucrats and journalists. The list indicates that those mentioned on it had been sent iPads ahead of Diwali—which fell on 5 November that year—by Essar.

This document is the latest in a long string of revelations often termed as the Essar leaks. At the end of last year, a person with access to Essar's internal communications approached the Delhi-based lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan. This whistle-blower was privy to details of the company's attempts at managing the government and the media. Bhushan's team went through hundreds of pages of the whistle-blower's trove, and found proof that the company provided favours to numerous journalists and political leaders such as Pranab Mukherjee and Nitin Gadkari.

A common sight today, the iPad—a line of tablet computers designed and marketed by Apple—had been launched in worldwide in April 2010, but was available in India only in the grey market, at prices that started from Rs 30, 000. The device was launched in India in January 2011, three months after this list was circulated. The tabulated list also stated the contact information of each person on the list, with a category for the number of iPads that were "issued", the number that were "delivered" and those that were "returned." Of the 195 people who received iPads according to the list, only 21 seemed to have returned it at the time that the list was tabulated on 1 November 2010. Over the next three days, The Caravan will be releasing the names of those people who have been mentioned in the list. This piece, the first in the series, contains the names of the journalists mentioned in the list along with their responses.

We contacted the nine journalists who figured in the list. Some confirmed that the iPads had indeed been delivered but that they had returned them, others denied that any such delivery had been made

1. Harish Khare was the media advisor to the prime minister then and is now the editor-in-chief of the Tribune:
"I think around that time the policy was to return any gifts that I received in my office, but if somebody would drop something at my home there was no way to keep track," Khare told a reporter from The Caravan over the phone. He remembered receiving an iPad but did not appear to be sure about which company had sent it. "I never used it, what I did was to pass it along to, I think the correct word here is, a socially deprived person," he said. He could not recall who this person was.

2. TN Ninan is the chairman of Business Standard and the only journalist listed in the Essar document as having returned the iPad:
"Something to that effect comes to mind but then we routinely send back anything of real value that comes here," Ninan told the reporter at The Caravan. He went on to say, "I wish to keep a low profile, but I can't ask you to not use the information that you have," before adding, "But since I haven't done anything particularly newsworthy here —laughs—[you don't need to put it up.]"

3. Karan Thapar is a prominent anchor and the head ofInfotainment Television (ITV), a production house:
Thapar said that the only iPad he ever received was gifted to him by the King of Bhutan. He added that he is not a gadget-friendly person and has no memory of ever collecting an iPad from Essar. "Now if you have some documents that say so—I am not denying it—but I have no memory whatsoever of ever collecting an iPad from Essar," he said.

4. Rajdeep Sardesai was the editor-in-chief of CNN-IBN then and is now a consulting editor at the India Today group:
"I was sent one which was promptly returned the very next day," Sardesai said, and added, "I return all the gifts that I receive except for food." Sardesai also put the reporter from The Caravan in touch with his secretary Surinder, who, he said, had returned the iPad to "the office of Shivnath Thukral at Essar." Surinder confirmed that the gadget had been sent back and told the reporter that, "We returned it with the same courier. I think it was Blue Dart. But I do not have the exact dates."

5. Barkha Dutt was managing editor of New Delhi Television (NDTV) then and is now a consulting editor with the same group:
Dutt replied to The Caravan through a text message on 18 July 2015, stating that, "I don't possess an iPad !!!! Gift or otherwise! 2010 is a long time back but even if it were sent it would have been sent back as I do not accept such gifts from anyone." The next day, she sent another message saying, "For your information I had my secretary pull out 2010 email records and I have a December email from my assistant confirming that iPad was returned to Sunil Bajaj of Essar. I suggest next time you do your due diligence before sending messages [accusing people]."

6. Shekhar Gupta was the chief executive officer of The Indian Express group then and is now the vice-chairman of the India Today group:
Terming himself a "notorious iPad loser," Gupta said he has never used an iPad given to him by anyone except his employer Viveck Goenka. He said that his office must have returned it if he ever received it. "Now I hope you won't run the story saying that 'Shekhar Gupta denies this'," he added, with a laugh.

7. MK Razdan is the editor-in-chief of the Press Trust of India:
Razdan responded through a text message, terming the query "utter rubbish that does not even merit a response."

8. Prannoy Roy is the co-founder and executive co-chairperson of NDTV:
Roy was contacted by The Caravan, but did not respond to any queries.

9. Raghav Bahl is the founder of Quint, a recently launched mobile-first digital news platform. He was the managing director of Network 18 at the time:
During a conversation over the phone with the reporter from The Caravan, Bahl said that, "I know nobody at Essar." He went on to add that, "I did not [receive an iPad]. That's the truth. I did not."

Manish Kedia, the senior vice president of corporate affairs at ESIL, responded to The Caravan's queries regarding this list and said that, " This email is now almost 5 years old and therefore we will have to check our internal records before confirming whether any such email was exchanged and what was the contents of that email. However, what is shocking is that you are claiming to be in possession of an internal email which may have reached you pursuant to a data theft. Admittedly this email according to you is a communication between our employees and therefore remains the property of the Company. We have recently come to know that data has been stolen from our IT system. This is a matter of grave concern to us because a large number of emails may contain confidential information about the Company and its employees. We request you to immediately provide us a copy of that email…If you circulate, publish and or disseminate any such data and or email or the contents therein then we will take appropriate action in accordance with law."


--
Pl see my blogs;


Feel free -- and I request you -- to forward this newsletter to your lists and friends!

Rs 33 crore splurged on PM Modi’s 3 cancelled Varanasi visits could have built 660 homes for poor

0
0

Rs 33 crore splurged on PM Modi's 3 cancelled Varanasi visits could have built 660 homes for poor

e been used to build 660 homes for poor or 33000 toilets in the city. The Parliamentary seat of PM Modi, Varanasi will be waiting for him for the launch of more new projects.

PM Modi's first visit to Varanasi was scheduled for October 14 last year, but was cancelled due to cyclone Hudhud and heavy rainfall. Rs 6 crore were spent on the arrangements then. Thereafter, Rs 9 crore were spent when PM was supposed to visit the city on June 28, 2015. The tour was once again cancelled because it was pouring cats and dogs.

PM Modi had planned to visit the holy city on July 16, 2015. However, the rain Gods once again did not agree and the visit was cancelled. Rs 11 crore were spent and a worker lost his life while setting up the stage for PM Modi.

According to the government scheme, Rs 5 lakh is spent on building one home. Thus, at least 660 homes could have been built from Rs 33 crore that were spent on PM Modi's 3 cancelled visits to Varanasi. As per Uttar Pradesh government, Rs 10,000 are consumed on building one toilet. So, as per calculation, construction of 33000 toilets in the city were possible.

The electricity for one day would have been supplied across more than 1000 houses since diesel generators which could produce up to 1.4-megawatt electricity were installed for the visit.

On June 28, PM Modi's visit was cancelled due to heavy rainfall. The stage in DLW ground was set on the sidelines of Common Wealth Games. Nearly 6 fireproof and waterproof German hangers were installed at the venue. It is notable that more than Rs 1 crore is spent on the making of 1 hanger. 5 hangers were reserved for public while one was for the VIP guests. Also, 3 cabins were constructed behind the stage for mini PMO which was equipped with facilities like WiFi.

Nearly 3 AC toilets were transported for PM Modi and other VIPs from Delhi. According to the event organisation JVA and Nagpal Event Company, nearly Rs 11 crore were spent ahead of the PM's visit. At least 15 digital displays along with high-quality sound system were installed at the venue for the 20,000 people expected to attend the event.

For PM Modi's rally, 100 tonne AC was brought from Delhi which was installed 3 days in advance. As much as 20 liters of diesel was used every hour by the air conditioner. You will be astonished to know that 10 people separately had come from Delhi for the maintenance of this AC. Also, 100 huge coolers and 2000 fans were put up for the public for the function.

http://indiasamvad.co.in/rs-33-crore-splurged-on-pm-modis-3-cancelled-varanasi-visits-could-have-built-660-homes-for-poor/


--
Pl see my blogs;


Feel free -- and I request you -- to forward this newsletter to your lists and friends!

After Chikki Scam, Another Rs 125 Crore Maharashtra Farm Machinery Scam

0
0

After Chikki Scam, Another Rs 125 CroreMaharashtra Farm Machinery Scam Stares at CM Fadnavis

By Kiran Tare

Published: 20th July 2015 03:40 AM

Last Updated: 20th July 2015 10:32 AM

MUMBAI: A scam pertaining to the purchase of Raised Bed Planter, also known as Broad Bed Furrow (BBF) machines, used for planting seeds in farmlands, has hit the Maharashtra government.

Officials have roughly estimated that machines worth Rs 125 to Rs 150 crore have been sold so far in the State, though there is no data yet on how many machines were sold. The figures may rise after compilation of the complete data.

The Maharashtra government had undertaken the initiative to provide machinery to farmers in rain-fed areas under the Centre's Farm Mechanisation Mission. The State Agriculture Department had categorised the BBF as a useful tool for farming and advertised it on a large scale especially in the regions of Marathwada and Vidarbha, where the agrarian crisis is at its worst. Nearly 1,500 farmers have committed suicides in these regions since January.

Papers available with Express show that the Agriculture Department purchased the BBF machines at a higher cost by neglecting the lowest bidder, Sagar International Pvt Ltd. The tender said Sagar had quoted a price of Rs 21,120 per piece. However, the contract was awarded to five other companies which had quoted higher rates.

An Agriculture Department official said that according to procedure, district-level agriculture officials register their demand for machinery with the state-run Maharashtra Agriculture and Industrial Development Corporation (MAIDC). The MAIDC decides the supplier. The rules also stipulate that a supplier must have done a quality check by Punjabrao Deshmukh Agriculture University. In this case, the suppliers procured the certificate from Hyderabad-based Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA). The Punjabrao Deshmukh Agriculture University had suggested changes in its design but they were overlooked.

Senior BJP legislator Sunil Deshmukh, a victim of the scam, confirmed to Express that he felt cheated after purchasing the BBF machine. "There was no manual with the machines. It took me four hours to assemble it. Shockingly, I found the machine useless as it leaves the seeds open and not under the soil. No crop can be grown using this technique," he said.

Maharashtra's chief minister Devendra Fadnavis speaks to his staff at his official residence in Mumbai. |Reuters
Maharashtra's chief minister Devendra Fadnavis speaks to his staff at his official residence in Mumbai. | (File Photo/Reuters)

Deshmukh's close aide revealed to Express that the BBF machine supplier approached the legislator from Amravati after his complaint and "requested" a "compromise". Deshmukh, however, declined. He also refused to comment on the supplier's request. However, he said he was determined to take the issue to its logical end. "One BBF machine directly causes a loss of Rs 13,500 to a farmer and Rs 34,000 to the exchequer. The farmers are already debt ridden. They can't withstand more financial loss. The Agriculture Department did not even bother to obtain feedback from the farmers on whether they were satisfied with the machine," he said.A former bureaucrat said, "It is mandatory to make the machines only in the State. However, the suppliers got the machines from Rajkot, Gujarat. It is a serious breach if the design of the BBF machines was not up to the mark."

--
Pl see my blogs;


Feel free -- and I request you -- to forward this newsletter to your lists and friends!

Terror to handloom, UGC issues guidelines

0
0

Terror to handloom, UGC issues guidelines

UGC has asked universities to avoid "elements" in the syllabus which may "advance the agenda of terrorism" to telling them to use "handloom fabric" for ceremonial dresses in their new notification.

Written by Ardhra Nair , Shikha Sharma | New Delhi/pune | Published:July 20, 2015

UGC, UGC higher education, UGC regulation, UGC notifiaction, 2015 UGC notifiaction, UGC terrorism notification, UGC chemical weapon notifiaction, UGC laltest notification, education news, pune news, delhi news, india news, indian express

UGC has asked universities to avoid "elements" in the syllabus which may "advance the agenda of terrorism" to telling them to use "handloom fabric" for ceremonial dresses in their new notification.From asking universities to avoid "elements" in the syllabus which may "advance the agenda of terrorism" to telling them to use "handloom fabric" for ceremonial dresses, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has come out with a series of notifications.

"The Government of India had set up the second Administrative Reforms Commission which submitted its eighth report. The eighth report on combating terrorism, protecting by righteousness deals with the menace of terrorism. The menace of terrorism is an unprecedented threat which requires extraordinary and multi-prolonged action by all organs of the government and society," says a notice put up on the website on July 17.

  • "One of the recommendations of the report contains that the media is a source for all channels of mass information and communication. Therefore, media policy should include principles of self-restraint. The institutions imparting education in mass communication and journalism need to be sensitised to avoid such elements which may advance the agenda of terrorism. You are requested to kindly bring it to the notice of all your departments imparting mass communication and journalism education of the recommendations," it says.

Another notice asks universities and affiliated colleges to use handloom fabric for ceremonial dresses prescribed for special occasions like convocations. "Honourable Prime Minister has emphasised on revival of handloom and improving earnings of thehandloom weavers. Use of ceremonial robes made of handloom fabric would not only give a sense of pride of being Indian but also be more comfortable in the hot and humid weather. Greater usage of handloom garments… would promote the handloom industry," says the notice.

A third notice talks about including topics like disarmament, weapons of mass destruction and peaceful use of chemistry in university curriculum. "The Government of India is a prominent signatory to theChemical Weapons Convention. The National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention has decided that education and awareness should be a thrust area to create mass awareness of chemical disarmament. The most important target is the youth studying in schools and colleges," it says.

"The coverage of topics on such important and vital issues such as weapons of mass destruction, disarmament and peaceful uses of chemistry are grossly inadequate in our curriculum at university level. The young students who are well conversant with profound scientific principles and advanced technological applications are largely ignorant of important international conventions like Chemical Weapons Convention which have a bearing on the welfare of the entire humankind," says the notice. "You are requested to kindly take necessary measures for inclusion of vital issues such as weapons of mass destruction, disarmament, peaceful uses of chemistry in the university curricula,

it adds.

 

 

When contacted, UGC Secretary Jaspal S Sandhu refused to comment on any official document. The UGC chairman was also not available for comment. "All these things mentioned in the notices are very important… The way to behave when a terrorist attack happens should be a subject for all students as this is a very real threat facing the nation. S

econdly there is a need for the students to understand where we, as a country, stand on major issues like chemical disarmament…

 

Thirdly, we need to promote the handloom industry because it is out heritage and must be preserved," said former UGC chairperson Arun Nigavekar. "We are ready to inculcate any new subjects in the curriculum, especially if it is of national importance.

But the issue has to be taken up in the academic council… As far as using handloom fabric is considered, we will definitely follow it," said W N Gade, Vice ChancellorSavitribai Phule Pune University. – See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/education/terror-to-handloom-ugc-issues-guidelines/2/#sthash.qij6YFtm.dpuf


--
Pl see my blogs;


Feel free -- and I request you -- to forward this newsletter to your lists and friends!
Viewing all 6050 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images