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Showing posts from March, 2015

Minutes of CRZ clearance to Mithi Virdi N-plant silent on dangers to Alang Yard

Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti’s (PSS’) senior activists Krishnakant, Rohit Prajapati and Swati Desai have written a letter to Anil Razdan, chairman, Expert Appraisal Committee for Projects related to Infrastructure Development, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, New Delhi, opposing the recent CRZ clearance recommended for the proposed Mithi Virdi Nuclear Power Plant at village Mithi Virdi, Dist Bhavnagar, Gujarat. Copy of the letter: In March 2015 we read in the Indian Express that the proposed Mithi Virdi nuclear power plant had received the coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) clearance from the EAC of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. We thereafter became aware of the minutes of the 144th meeting of Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for Projects related to Infrastructure Development, Coastal Regulation Zone, Building/Construction and Miscellaneous projects held on January 28-30, 2015 in which the broad, vague grounds for giving CRZ clearance to the

Socially disadvantaged groups in Gujarat have lower purchasing power than other states

By Rajiv Shah*  Fresh data released by the National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) in the report “Household Consumer Expenditure across Socio-Economic Groups” have suggested the purchasing power of the three socially disadvantaged groups – scheduled tribes (STs), scheduled castes (SCs) and other backward classes (OBCs) – in Gujarat is considerably less than what prevails in most of the Indian states, especially in the rural areas. Calculated as monthly per capita expenditure (MPCE), purchasing power figures are based on NSSO’s survey in 2011-12. The report was released in February 2015. In Gujarat’s rural areas, the STs’ average MPCE is Rs 1,155, which is less than 12 out of 20 major Indian states (Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Maharashtra). The SCs’ average MPCE is Rs 1,374, which is less than 11 major states (Kerala, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, And

The first jail reforms: Addressing plight of SC, ST undertrials needing legal aid

By Gagan Sethi* The Centre for Social Justice started a programme of Janvikas in 1996 with a view to ensure that access to justice became a reality for those who needed it most. Begun in two districts, Surendranagar and Vadodara, we were given a small room in district court premises to proactively provide quality legal services free – courtesy then acting Chief Justice RA Mehta. It was an attempt at fulfilling and understanding Article 39A of the Constitution, which provides that the state shall secure the operation of a legal system, which promotes justice on the basis of equal opportunity, and offers free legal aid through suitable legislation or schemes to ensure equal opportunities. It was necessary to see that justice is not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or any other disability. Articles 14 and 22(1) also make it obligatory for the state to ensure equality before law and a legal system which promotes justice. One of the vulnerable groups to whom legal aid is most nee

CIC’s order on political parties is a blow to transparency, rule of law

By Venkatesh Nayak* The regime of transparency, established by the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act) received a body blow from none other than the very body appointed to champion its cause and effect, namely, the Central Information Commission (CIC). In an order issued on March 16, 2015, the CIC has thrown up its hands saying it cannot do anything about the six national level political parties which refuse to comply with its two-year old order declaring them public authorities under the RTI Act. So the CIC has decided to tamely wind up the inquiry into the complaints of non-compliance. Background to the CIC’s order Readers will recollect that a full bench of the CIC had in June 2013 declared six national level political parties namely, the Indian National Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India-Marxist, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Nationalist Congress Party, as public authorities with direct obligations to receive inf

Gujarat fails to provide guaranteed jobs to 30% rural jobseekers under NREGA

By Rajiv Shah  In an important revelation, the National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) report, “Employment and unemployment situation among social groups in India”, released in January 2015, has suggested that Gujarat is one of the few states which has failed to be effective in providing guaranteed job to those seeking it in the rural areas under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). The survey, carried out in 2011-12, finds that, in Gujarat, a total of 17.2 per cent rural persons registered themselves and got job cards under NREGA. However, these as many as 29.2 per cent failed to get any employment despite the fact that NREGA is a job guarantee scheme for 100 days to anyone in the rural areas seeking it. It is noteworthy that the all-India average of persons refused job under NREGA is considerably less — it is 18.8 per cent. The percentage of failure to provide job to the jobseekers in Gujarat was higher than most major Indian states, except four – Maharashtra 44.8

Advocacy’s fine art rural leaders know better: Organising tribals around forest rights

By Gagan Sethi*  Baba Pansare was a young tribal activist then. He was working in the Manchar taluka near Pune among tribals of the region. Adi Patel, one of the famous names in the development world those days, recommended to us in Janvikas that the Baba should be given a fellowship. He was organizing tribals around forest rights issues. The Baba knew it well: Forest dwellers take care of the ownership of their habitat and protect it better than any outsider agency. The archaic forest act, which ruled the roost, was penned by the British rulers. The Britishers used it as the prime driving force to hold complete sway over the forests. It was a thorn in the flesh for the tribals. Though forest department officials now have become friendlier, the powers they hold remain plenipotentiary. They harass tribals and tribal activists, who are often arrested and detained just under suspicion. But, clearly, times have changed. Tribals prefer to be identified as adivasis – the original dwellers of

President’s office doesn't know why was land acquisition Ordinance promulgated

By Venkatesh Nayak* Two interesting developments have occurred during the last few days in the “Quest for Transparency” in India. Those who frequent the website of the Prime Minister will recognise the source of that phrase. The first revelation pertains to the Ordinance which was promulgated by the President of India to amend the law on land acquisition and transparent rehabilitation and resettlement. The second relates to the Delhi High Court’s welcome decision declared yesterday bringing back the Attorney General under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act). No basis for urgency to promulgate the land acquisition law amendment Ordinance? Anticipating the current controversy over the land acquisition amendment Bill passed by the Lok Sabha on March 10, 2015, brought in to replace the earlier Ordinance, I had filed a right to information (RTI) application with the President’s Secretariat on January 5, 2015 within less than a week of the Ordinance being gazetted asking the followi

Seismic activity along Narmada dam: Why is no eco-clearance for Statue of Unity?

About 20 experts and activists* have written a letter to secretary, Ministry of Environment Forests & Climate Change , with copies to Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel and other senior officials seeking immediate halt of all activities related to the Statue of Unity project in view of recent seismic activity at the Narmada dam site. Copy of the letter: We seek your immediate response following two recent developments related to the Statue of Unity project. News reports dated February 27 and 28, 2015 of the local newspapers detail the latest seismic activity at the Narmada Dam in the Sardar Sarovar region and how locals panicked, coming out of their homes. This was not the first seismic shock experienced in the region. It occurs at regular intervals. This clearly indicates that the region is seismically active with earthquakes of varying intensity vividly experienced by everyone residing there. A February 4, 2015 news report indicates that construction activity is soon to star

When appearances can indeed be deceptive… Sushma, lean, thin, yet energetic activist

By Gagan Sethi* I received a mail from Shabnam Virmani, about whom I have written earlier, introducing me to Sushma Iyanger, another young pass out from Cornell in development communications. Shabman told me in the mail that Sushma was frantically exploring to do work on issues of women and development. This is where our journey of the Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan (KMVS), now a well-known women’s organization in Kutch, began. The year was 1989. Sushma, lean and thin, yet energetic, quietly walked into my office one afternoon, saying she was interested in exploring to work in remote rural areas of Gujarat. My first thought was: Was this yet another example of a person who has romanticized development work at the grassroots? Yet, I threw a challenge to her. I had a request from the Gujarat State Handicrafts Development Corporation (GSHDC) to look at women and development, as women were the largest beneficiaries of the drought relief scheme in Kutch, where different types of handicraft wo

Talented Shabnams need space to be agents of change to make India more humane

By Gagan Sethi*  We had just begun our voluntary organisation, Janvikas, as an incubator for those social workers who wanted to innovate and work on an alternate life mission. That was the time when some enlightened youth seemed not quite interested in a lucrative course like MBA. Nor were they interested in selling soap, or pursuing an architectural career, or building houses for the rich. The Indian civil society today has come of age. It now offers careers. At that time things were different. The young people, who would join civil society, would make a hard choice of an alternative life style. They knew that working for social change was not lucrative but a satisfying life mission. The salary received by them was anywhere between 4 and 10 times lower than the prevailing market rate. Perhaps, that is the reason why these inspiring pioneers of social change even today resent the name NGO or non-government organisation – a term used by government or industry to identify what’s not. The