Year: 2016

Pahel is an initiative to bring development in Uttar Pradesh's rural belt

By LokMarg


In an example, Baathipar Pathin, a remote village in Gorahi post, Khalilabad block, Sant Kabir Nagar district stands a witness to the life saving story of toddlers. Khushi, daughter of Sangita and Vijaynath was seriously infected by diarrhea for more than a week, which endangered her life and took her closer to the jaws of death.  Luckily, a street play regarding diarrhea was organised in village by Pahel workers. The devastated mother Sangita, in the absence of her migrant husband who worked as a labour in Ludhiana, Punjab, needed quick medication in order to save her child from this dangerous situation.

Looking for instant medical aid for the ailing Khushi, Sangita visited Rural Medical Practitioner (RMP) who prescribed Khushi a complete dose of Zinc-ORS (Oral Rehydration Solution) combined therapy. Earnestly serving Khushi with prescribed ORS solution and Zinc syrup, Sangita saved her little daughter from the deadly infection of diarrhea. “Earlier people in the area used to medicate their children at home with homemade remedies. This practice is not only dangerous but also took many lives of infants in the area.”

Digital Empowerment 

Mobile phones have reached almost all the villages, but due to the absence of internet, people are still cut off from the rest of the world. “Recently we have established a library where villagers learn computer, internet and read books etc. We are also starting a project where villagers can purchase their daily needs at home.” On asking is it an e-commerce platform, Pahel confirms: “It is not e-commerce as we are educating them with internet. Many of the villages don’t have internet till date. We are establishing free wi-fi with help of self-help groups and NGOs. With that internet we are giving them a platform where villagers will learn using internet.”  Such small-scale initiatives will involve local shopkeepers from nearby villages to market homemade products.

Challenges 

Spreading awareness through limited means such as street play, pamphlets, one-to-one interactions are major initiative of  Pahel. But, resource crunch and lack of money always pose to be a big challenge. “Sometimes people don’t understand what we are talking about. For example, when we talk about solar energy they don’t accept this method at one meet-up.  Villagers feel that solar lamps can destroy their cottages or it can harmful. Similarly, using same toilet by women and men is another mental hindrance for villagers.” If you want to be a volunteer, please contact: +91 9235411007

1984 RESURFACES, BADAL EXPLOITS, BENGAL CONGRESS SICKENS

By LokMarg


th August, he described the Congress as well as the AAP as “anti-Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiat”. Asking people to ensure a “complete wipeout” of both the parties in the upcoming assembly polls in the “larger interest” of the state, Badal said that the Congress had harmed the state “religiously, economically and socially” and AAP was treading on the same path.
Badal said it was Congress which perpetrated “planned attack” on Sri Harimandir Sahib as well as the 1984 Sikh genocide, which tormented the Sikh psyche. However Badal failed to look at his own party’s track record on what it had done to bring the culprits to justice and succour to the victims or their families.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has been in power, along with its partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for nearly a decade and had also had a stint in late 1990s. There could have been no better opportunity to bring the perpetrators to book with the BJP now also enjoying a comfortable majority in Lok Sabha.
Simply blaming the Congress, which of course does not deserve any sympathy on this count, and not initiating prompt and time bound action rings his criticism hollow and few Punjabis, particularly Sikhs, would be prepared to swallow Badal’s rhetoric hook, line and sinker.
The short lived first Kejriwal government had announced formation of a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to reopen the closed cases pertaining to the 1984 massacre. However the proposal had got stalled after the fall of the government. Then just two days before Kejriwal was to take oath after a remarkable victory, the Modi government had announced setting up of an SIT in February 2015. It was supposed to submit its report within six months and was later given an extension of one year. However no significant progress has been made by it till now.
“The SIT has made no progress. Now an apprehension is growing in the minds of people that the SIT was just an eyewash to prevent us from forming an effective SIT,” Kejriwal mentioned in a letter to the prime minister recently. “I would urge you (Modi) to get your SIT to do something or wind it up and allow the Delhi government to set up an SIT which will do a proper investigation and bring justice for the victims,” he added.
Senior advocate and AAP leader H S Phoolka too had reminded SAD of its promise for reopening and re-investigating 237 cases of 1984 anti-Sikh riots which were closed but has pointed out that little has been done for securing justice for victims or punishing the guilty.
There were reports in media recently that the SIT was likely to re-open around 186 cases related to the 1984 massacre in Delhi and states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Over 3,000 Sikhs were killed and as many as 2,733 deaths were reported in Delhi alone. A total of 587 cases were registered by the Delhi Police, of which 241 cases were later closed. Four of these cases, however, were reopened in 2006 and one in 2013. A total of 35 persons have so far been convicted in the cases. However none of the big guns, who reportedly instigated the mobs, were tried and punished and this has always remained a sore point with the Sikhs.
AAP leader Bhagwant Mann has said that the Congress had a poor track record in dealing with such cases and it was equally true of the BJP and its electoral ally SAD. He said the leaders of these parties had been only shedding crocodile tears with an eye on the elections.
[su_pullquote]The attack on Sri Darbar Sahib in June 1984 and the massacre of Sikhs in Delhi in 1984 are both one of the most shameful events in the history of India.[/su_pullquote] They continue to put a distance between the nation and many Sikhs around the world. The country has not given justice on either count.
Instead politicians continue to prey on sentiments and rake these issues up near elections. When in power, they seem unwilling to do anything. If Badal is sincere in his contempt of Congress for the attack, why not ask for an enquiry into the attack on Sri Darbar Sahib and why not use visits to the PM for a quick result on the SIT. After all Akali Dal and BJP are partners in power.
Justice should not be the hostage of electioneering politics. It has to be delivered on its own merits. As for the Bengal Congress tweet, Rahul Gandhi should come clean on what his position is on his father’s statement, “When a big tree falls, the ground shakes”.  This tweet gives him an opportunity to condemn it and to extend an apology to the victims. He can also give his support to ask for a speedy SIT.

Anushka Jain's mantra-Make a donation, fulfil a wish

By Priyanka


In 2010, she started collecting donations with an aim to reach every single child require an aid. She said: “My mother used to donate clothes on my birthday to NGOs and it made me wonder why I couldn’t do this all the time.  That’s how this idea came to me.”
“We coined the idea of Share At Door Step in 2011. We noticed that we have doorstep services for almost everything, but nothing catering to our pursuit of inner satisfaction, which comes from making other people happy,” Jain said.
Initially, she had to work hard to pick and drop donations by her own. Today she has several volunteers in her team who are equally dedicated. “Initially, I would pick up as many as 200 donation items and would contact those who were in need.”
Share at Door Step
In 2011, she started a group called Share at Door Step with an aim to reach out every single child in need.  This group work on three basic principles, first, to meet people who are too busy and unable to go out and donate. Second, there is a big gap between NGOs and people as they don’t know the requirements. Third, there is no easy way to make a monetary donation. That’s why Jain founded her venture, where people simply need to schedule their pickup in advance.
In her group she has more than 150 volunteers most of them are college students and youngsters. “We have some strict standards that donors as well NGOs need to follow. We send a receipt and picture of donation to NGO and person in need.”
How to reach
All one needs to do is contact SADS via mail or on the phone or through Facebook to connect with the volunteers. “As soon as we receive the notification saying you want to make a donation, we contact you and fix an appointment that suits you,” she added, “We have the requirement lists from different partner NGOs. After basic levels of audit and verification, we send the donations to the respective NGOs and credit your account with share points within a week. Also we will mail you the receipt and the snaps in five working days.”
Difficulties 
Initially they had to face lot of challenges, but things are improving steadily as she believes. According to her volunteers, people don’t trust at first sight, they usually make them aware about the cause and entire picture. “Whenever we go to the public and ask for some donation, they look at us in a doubt. However, we have all authentic proofs with proper documents with us, people don’t get ready to come forward for donations. To please them and to make them satisfy is a biggest challenge.”

GAG ORDER AT JADAVPUR IS AGAINST BENGAL’S HERITAGE

By Priyanka



Will it lead to an uproar?
In defiance, University employees have already made it clear that freedom of speech in the University will not be controlled under any circumstances. A section of JU employees have already decided to protest against the decision by the state government. After all, University is where students go to sharpen their minds, their arguments and debate. By stifling free speech, it will achieve the opposite. The University teachers are taking this gag order seriously.
The Jadavpur University Teachers Association (JUTA) held its general body meeting on Friday, where they have been discussing how they should approach this entire issue. Taking a strong objection to the included clauses in the draft statue which has raised fear of gagging any opposition voice in university by the government, JUTA observed that there will be univocal protest against the additions made in draft statue and demand for the withdrawal of those clauses.
The teachers, officers and non-teaching staff, have already declared it as yet another instance of vendetta politics.
The clause states that any employee found guilty of “unethical propagation” of views against the interest of the university and policies of the state government are liable for punishment that may also take his job. What is an ‘unethical propagation’? It seems to be a catch all phrase that the University authorities under the Government direction can use against any form of criticism. Is critical analysis and debate ‘unethical’?
JU teachers see this as a “draconian step” to stifle non-conformist views in the mass media, a step that is likely to be replicated in other state universities as well. The state government had earlier tried a similar restriction on state government college teachers that didn’t work out as planned.
The Mamta government needs to keep in mind that University politics Vermula had led to crisis in Andhra Pradesh, and had also led to severe criticism of then HRD minister Smriti Irani. The Mamta Government should connect with the young voters in her state and not fear their voices. Freedom of expression should be the rule of the state that has traditionally been known for free flowing thought process.
The State Education Minister Partha Chatterjee has promised to look into the matter. But the opposition government has already grabbed the issue and has been highlighting that the state government has imposed a dictatorial rule. They have been supporting the students and the university teachers. CPI (M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said by imposing such order, the democratic environment of the university will be
harmed.
Bengal has been the crucible of ideas in India with great free thinkers like Tagore and Amartya Sen. Mamta Benarjee should defend the great tradition of the state and not stifle it with incoherent words such as ‘unethical propagation’.. She should celebrate Bengal’s heritage of free speech and not gag it.

'Women need to break silence' says Sunitha Krishnan 

By LokMarg


She was born in Bangalore in 1972. She was a bright child from the early age who was blessed with very supportive parents. They loved her decision to pursue social studies and support social causes even as a student. From beginning of her college education she was keen to teach poor and underprivileged children.

One day she was going to organize academic classes for children in her village. This did not go down well with the men in her society and some villagers got against her. One day, a gang of eight men came and assaulted her just because they were not happy with her interference in ‘man’s society.’  The assault was so brutal that it left her partially deaf with one ear.

Despite that she refused to be broken down and started an institution to assist the rape victims or women who are caught in trafficking, sex slavery, and rape and so on. Sunitha said: “Society makes you feel cheap. I chose not to feel like a victim. I am not a victim, but a survivor. I speak about it with a lot of pride, because I am proud of what I have become today. I have not done a mistake. I don’t want my face to be blurred because I should not be ashamed of it.”

It was the men who did wrong and they should be punished. “The guys that have done it should be hiding their faces and they should be blurring their faces,” said Sunitha.
Her strong view and brave ideologies gave birth to the social group Prajwala.

Her work:

“Sex trafficking not only results insevere violation of human rights, but also causes adverse physical, psychological and moral consequences for the victims.”

All hopes and dreams of a better life are shattered and over a period of time, girls become penniless, mentally broken and affected with serious or life-threatening illnesses such as HIV/AIDS. “The journey of sex trafficking destroys the body, mind and soul of a victim, and fundamentally takes away her capacity to trust herself or anyone around her,” she describes.

Prajwala works for the betterment of the society and imparts programs which gives education and other community campaigns. Apart from this, she also runs various rehabilitation programs such heal psychologically, treats the patients of HIV and give economic support.

Awards and recognition

Sunitha have bagged many accolades for her achievements, her programs on the rescue and rehabilitation of victims of trafficking has become very popular around the world. Several state government bodies have made her their consultant for the programs associated with the rehabilitation of human trafficking. She believes that silence against such crimes should be broken and that women victims need to come forward for their rights.

Stop mom-shaming those wanting to breastfeed (World Breastfeeding Week)

By LokMarg


With breastfeeding considered “gross”, the concept of nursing rooms for moms in public places also continues to be a dream. Being able to get out of home following birth is incredibly important for women as they are likely to suffer post-natal depression. And so please, it is not appropriate to confront, ridicule, scoff at, harass, or mistreat a woman who is breastfeeding.
Indian women, while feeding in public, do not bare their breast. It is certainly unacceptable in a country that brags of moral policing and cultural vigilantism. The breastfeeding mothers do “cover up” fearing lashes but several mothers feel that the child is put to a lot of discomfort. How would it be like to eat all covered up, under a blanket?
To put things into perspective, Brock Smith from Florida was filmed by his wife eating at a restaurant under a blanket — something many babies are forced to do when being publicly breastfed, in order not to upset onlookers.

Public places with nursing rooms in India are not in plenty. And a few that are blessed with such rooms, mostly remain unused. The stigma attached to feeding anywhere outside home has demoralised women to a great extent as they hesitate to satiate the hunger pangs of their infants once they step out, even as it is proven time and again that breast milk is the best.
For a civilised society of the 21st century, shaming of women who feed in public seems to be overdoing of things. The mother is being judged, chastised, and pressured for trying to avoid bottles to boost immunity and protect the child against chronic conditions.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Medical Association (AMA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommend breastfeeding as the best choice for babies. Breastfeeding helps defend against infections and prevent allergies. Often called the “perfect food” for a human baby’s digestive system, breast milk’s components — lactose, protein (whey and casein), and fat — are easily digested by a newborn.
To add to the physical benefits, some studies suggest that children who are exclusively breastfed have slightly higher IQs than children who are formula-fed. Busting myths that a mother can never regain her shape, breastfeeding burns calories and helps shrink the uterus so nursing mothers may be able to return to their pre-pregnancy shape and weight quicker. Also, studies show that breastfeeding helps lower the risk of breast cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease — and also may help decrease the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer.
Mothers should get it straight that none of the antibodies found in breast milk are available in manufactured formula feeds, so these can’t provide a baby with the added protection against infection and illness that breast milk does. Now, with all the positives of mother’s milk, it is very important to encourage women and show a positive attitude towards breastfeeding. Spouses should be made to understand the importance of the natural feed as the mother is much likely to continue with her husband’s support. And finally, give the thumbs up to women breastfeeding in public.
(Dr. Rajat Arora is an Interventional Cardiologist and Medical Director at Yashoda Hospitals in Delhi. . He can be contacted at drrajat@yashodahospital.org)

WHAT WILL ERADICATE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE – STRONGER LAWS OR GENDER-NEUTRAL MINDSET?

By Priyanka


It had come to the notice that the current legal system is beneficial largely for women, which leaves the abused men without any help from the police and the law. What India need is a strong legal system which is justified and useful for a gender neutral world. Since we live in a massively gender-unequal world, domestic violence is one of the biggest threats restricted to only the women’s lives.

How effective is the Domestic Violence Act: In 2005, The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA) was introduced, which takes into account all the types of domestic violence women experience and also empowers judges to implement restraining orders, requires abusers to pay maintenance to the victim and grant property rights to women rights to shared homes.

The progressive move covers couples in live-in relationships, so that women do not get a raw deal. For a long time, live-in relationships in India was considered a taboo and most women failed to get respect in the society and rarely hoped of getting justice if embroiled in a case involving domestic violence. A report in the Indian Journal of Community Medicine’s latest issue highlights that many women face sexual and physical violence from their husbands over disagreements about safe sex. The study, conducted by the departments of obstetrics and gynecology, and family planning at Delhi’s University College of Medical Sciences, also shows that several victims silently tolerate the abuse, believing it’s their destiny. Of the 500 women who participated, about 46 per cent said they could not use condoms because it was their husbands’ decision.

The study found forced sex and sexual violence in 39 per cent of the cases, physical violence in 23 per cent of cases, and verbal abuse in nearly 33 per cent of cases. Physical violence mainly consisted of pushing, slapping, punching, kicking, beating with a weapon, and even inflicting burns. Women in India face a slew of violence, such as sexual and physical abuse, dowry killings, and domestic assault, largely due to deep-rooted patriarchal attitudes.

According to a report published in the Daily Mail, the author of the study, Dr Nilanchali Singh, said wives are not allowed to make independent choices regarding family planning and have no “reproductive autonomy” in India’s male-dominated society. If the society wants to grow, then it needs to work towards formulating legal processes which helps in anyone irrespective of the gender get justice in the legal process.

A makeshift cinema under 140-years-old bridge for poor people

By LokMarg


Makeshift Cinema

This is a place where use of easily available things have been made to convert it into a theatre. It has a humble set up where rusty iron floor of a bridge working as the ceiling of the cinema house. The organisers are the local shopkeepers, who have made an enclosure by covering the place with blankets, bed-sheets, curtains and cloths whatever available. A 32- inch LCD television has been installed at front and rest space being used as sitting space.
Poor rickshaw pullers, small vendors and others can watch cinema by paying a ticket of Rs 10. Mohammad Noor Islam, a junk dealer and one of the regulars at the cinema under the bridge over the Yamuna river, said, “It helps to keep them away from bad habits like drugs and gambling.”
The dark and breezy environment of the “cinema hall” provides relief for daily laborers from their jobs on the city’s sweltering streets where temperatures have soared as high as 47 Celsius in summers. After dark, this place become night shelter as well, “Watching movies helps us to forget many tensions. I was tensed earlier but when I sat down to watch the film I felt my tension easing,” said Manoj Kumar, a rickshaw puller from Bihar.

The Idea
Nooruddin Mohammad, one of the founders of this makeshift cinema, describes: “I have my shop nearby this place. I used to see people like rickshaw pullers and vendors staring posters of bollywood movies. Once I asked a rickshaw puller – ‘do you want to watch cinema’ he replied, ‘Yes, but I know I can never because I can’t spare Rs 200 for a three hour show. I earn these 200 rupees with several efforts, I have to purchase many household items with this money.”

“That innocent answer of the poor man shook me. I shared this idea with my friends. We thought a little and started this makeshift cinema under bridge,” said Nooruddin. On an average day, about a 100 people use the cinema hall to watch films, rest and catch up on some sleep.

Ishfaq, one of the cinema’s co-founders, runs a small food stall nearby. He said it was an excellent place for people to unwind after hours of hard labour.

Problems 

They are facing several issues, but, the locals simply love watching movies at the makeshift theatre. Mohammed said: “Sometimes Municipal Corporation and local police force us to stop this. But, on a human ground we are running this cinema with our majority of votes. We discussed this issue with many NGOs and social workers; they have been helping us to continue.”

On an average day, about a 100 people use the cinema hall to watch films, rest and catch up on some sleep. But Ishfaq fears it won’t run for long time as the authorities are putting pressure on them to stop it also many local goons try to capture space.

Tughlaqabad Fort: Glorious past with a mourning present

By LokMarg


Despite the legal restriction of not constructing any structure within 100 meter radius of the monument, some houses are constructed which are clearly within this radius. The area is occupied by shop owners, and other small vendors, who have no intention to leave this place. The Supreme Court had also barred in 2003 construction activities around this protected monument.
According to the Arvind Kumar residents have filed a petition in Supreme Court on September 28, 2011 and in October 12 the ASI decided to go ahead with the demolition. However, due to protests, the demolition in this area stopped, but now ASI again sent notices to such violators to demolish their constructions.
When we asked the Director of the monuments, he said that the ASI is following court’s orders. “Issue is under scanner since 1995. ASI got this land after Land Reforms Act, from that time issue is continuing. Last year, when the demolitions were planned, villagers started the protests and went to the High Court and got a stay orders. After that the matter was brought to the Supreme Court’s notice after S N Bhardwaj, a Supreme Court lawyer, filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP). Now we are following court’s orders.”
According to the ASI, in the year 1995, total 2,661 bighas of land around Tughlaqabad Fort was handed over to ASI, of which the authorities found that 351 bigha of land was already encroached. In the year 1997, ASI recovered 50 bigha land from the encroachers, but in year 2000, after a survey conducted by ASI, they found encroachment area had extended upto 928 bighas.
 
Tughlaqabad Fort
Ghiyasu’d-Din Tughluq (1321-25) built the fortified town of Tughluqabad, the third city of Delhi. With its slanting walls on desolate hills, its position gives it a natural advantage, Tughluqabad was raised as a stronghold rather than as an architectural enterprise. It is in two parts, the citadel and palaces along the southern walls forming one unit and the city to the north the other. On plan it is an irregular rectangle with over 6 km. Tughalaq also built Qutub-Badarpur Road, which connected the new city to the Grand Trunk Road. The road is now known as Mehrauli-Badarpur Road.

How Amla Ruia revived 100 drought-inflicted villages of Rajasthan 

By LokMarg


Idea
Amla Ruia originally hails from Mumbai, but the plight of people in Rajasthan drove her to move here and take up a cause. “I was aware about the alternate solutions provided by the government to people. Government used to provide water through water tankers, which was not a sustainable solution. I had an idea in my mind that I knew would change the face of affected area,” said Amla Ruia.

She decided to construct check dams in this area to make water flow better and to provide almost equal amount of water to entire village. She explained: “Rajasthan farmers are among the poorest in the country. Using rain water harvesting technology to alleviate the situation seemed like a good choice. It was important to involve the local community and engage them to make our model more sustainable.”

Implementation
She founded a group called Aakar Charitable Trust to build check dams (temporary dams) for villages to provide regular water. With these dams, water was stored in large dam, but the entire process was more cost effective. Her first success project was in the village of Mandawar, where two check dams were constructed, which provided water to the villagers on a regular basis.

Her first project in Mandawar village showed great success and the farmers managed to earn as much as Rs. 12 crore within a year with the help of two check dams constructed by the Trust. After that there was no looking back. Aakar Charitable Trust has constructed 200 check dams in 100 villages of Rajasthan so far, which has helped more than 2 lakh people to lead a comfortable life. The water availability has helped them earn a combined income of Rs. 300 crore per year through their farming, animal husbandry, dairy and other related works.

Effect
The water from the dam is sufficient to supply regular irrigation to crops for an entire year. The farmers, who could barely grow one crop a year, are now able to grow even three crops. “For the first time, villagers managed to grow rabi crop along with a few vegetables,” she adds
With no drought, villagers are having better harvests with the irrigation facilities and have also started to indulge in animal husbandry. Today many people are keeping cattle in their houses as they have enough water and fodder for animals. With all these positive changes, the per capita income has also increased in these villages. People now have more money to buy milk, ghee and whoa, which was till now considered  to be luxurious product.

With their active participation in regional economy, state government is also looking at providing better facilities like roads, electricity, mobile towers etc. Every household has a motorbike and few of them have also purchased tractors.

Biggest issue of the country is migration; and this area has proved that migration can be stopped if facilities are being provided at the door step.  “Regular availability of water has controlled migration to cities like Delhi and Lucknow. Now, we have facilities that an urban family would dream of. All this was not possible without support of Amla didi,” a villager expressed.

What’s next

Amla and her team want to expand their efforts to other states as well. Much work has already been accomplished in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The organisation is now extending its efforts in the backward Dantevada district in Chhattisgarh.