Thursday, November 4, 2010

Scavanging might be coming to end in Badun in western UP

Although legally the practice of cleaning dry latrines and transporting human excreta has been banned in India since 1993, the practice continues in some parts of the country. In Badaun in western Uttar Pradesh, a survey done by the district administration this July showed 60,000 dry latrines were still being used in the district. These were manually cleaned by scavengers – most of whom are women – and regarded as ‘untouchables’.

Over the last three months the district administration has made massive efforts to convert all dry toilets to pour-and-flush – a simple technology that involves connecting the seat to a soak pit using pipelines.

In Uttar Pradesh, 67% households have no toilet facilities with the figure going up to 84% in rural areas. In Badaun, since July this year, funds to the tune of Rs 5 crores have been released under the Total Sanitation Campaign – the Government’s flagship programme – to convert 35,000 dry latrines. Of these, 16,000 are ready and the rest under construction. The target is to convert the remaining 25,000 before the end of the year. District Magistrate Amit Gupta’s leadership and commitment has been enormous.

Over the last few months 1600 scavengers have been rehabilitated through benefits under various government schemes such as BPL card, NREGA, pension schemes etc.

Badaun is one of the ‘hotspot’ districts for polio eradication: Of the 66 blocks in Uttar Pradesh identified as high-risk for polio, 16 lie here. Says Amit Mehrotra, water and sanitation specialist, UNICEF: “Since polio spreads through the faeco-oral route, it is important to prevent drinking water contamination with faecal matter and end open defecation. Safe disposal of faeces – which means that no one should be able to touch, see or smell it – is critical. Since all of this happens in a dry latrines, converting these are an urgent priority.”

The winds of change are strong and hopefully, finally, the inhuman practice of manual scavenging is close to an end.

For complete story read: http://www.indiatogether.org/2010/oct/hlt-badaun.htm

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

'Goddess English' for dalits

A temple dedicated to 'Goddess English' is coming up and mind you its not in an English county but in a nondescript village in UP's Lakhimpur Kheri district with an aim of encouraging the local Dalits to learn the language.


The temple, a single storey structure covered with black granite, would have an over-three-feet-tall idol of 'Dalit Goddess English" installed on a pedestal in the shape of a computer holding a pen, a copy of the Indian Constitution and donning a gown and a hat.

The temple in Banka village, whose construction began in April this year with the help of funds collected from well-wishers, was set to be inaugurated on 25th October to coincide with the birth anniversary of Lord Macaulay, whose attempts at Dalit empowerment are appreciated by the community.

But because of some problems, it will now be inaugurated in November, Chandra Bhan Prasad, the brain behind the temple, said.

The idol has been inspired by the Statue of Liberty and the computer screen would have a dharma chakra (a Buddhist symbol).

"When it was being debated as to what should be the national language of India after independence, Dr Ambedkar was the only national leader who vociferously batted for English while all the others were against it.

And on Wednesday we see the imbalances caused in the society because of English as those who do not know it are left behind," he said.

Prasad said that the temple is being built to popularise English among Dalits, who form a sizeable number in not just the village but also in the area, so that they can move ahead in their lives.

"This temple would help encourage them to learn the language which has become essential for one's growth as in 20 years' time, no decent job would be available without English knowledge," Prasad said.

"In future, the temple would become the focus of Dalits with most of their rituals like the ones relating to births and weddings revolving around it," he said.

The site for the temple is the Dalit-run Nalanda Public Shiksha Niketan.

The temple would be run by a trust, Prasad said.

"To give a touch of modernity, the engravings of symbols and formulae of physics, chemistry, mathematics and English sayings would adorn the walls.

Efforts are also being made to build the staircase of the temple in the form of a computer keyboard," he said.

The locals have also composed a song which would be played everyday during prayers, Prasad said.

----taken from ddinews.com

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Simla to be declared smoking free

Popular hill resort Shimla, once the summer capital of British India known for imported cigarettes and cigars, has been declared "smoking-free city".


Making the announcement at the state level Gandhi Jayanti function at the Ridge in Shimla on Saturday, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said that Shimla would be the fourth city after Kottayam in Kerala, Chandigarh and Sikkim to be declared smoking-free".

"All district headquarters would be made smoking-free by the end of May next year and a sustain campaign would be launched against drugs, liquor and smoking", he added.

He said smoking in public places and sale of tobacco product had been banned within 100 yards radius of all educational institutions and selling tobacco or tobacco products to minors and direct or indirect advertisement of tobacco had been made an offence.

The Chief Minister also announced setting up of de-addiction centres at all district hospitals where five beds would be reserved for patients for de-addiction.

This facility is now available only in government medical colleges at Shimla and Tanda.

Reiterating governments commitment to save the society, especially the youth, from all types of addictions, Dhumal said that in addition to strict legal provisions to curb drug addiction, overwhelming support of the society was imperative.

"An international agency in South East Asia had conducted a survey of Shimla town in May this year and found that 97 percent area of the town was smoking-free, warning hoardings were erected at 80 percent of public areas and no signs of cigarettes were detected in 94 percent of the area of the town," the Chief Minister said, adding over 4,000 persons had been challaned for smoking in prohibited areas and Rs. 8 lakh collected as fine from offenders.

- from ddinews.gov.in

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Community Radio Station in Harayana

Considered as one of the backward regions in Haryana, Mewat is all set to get its first community radio station that will focus on women empowerment, education and development in the district.


A Delhi-based NGO, SMART, working in the district since last eight years will launch the station in the second week of October which will have a reach of around 20 kms and will cover 50 to 60 per cent of the total villages in Mewat.

"Women have a low status in Mewat society. They are married when they are just kids and do not have a space in the development here. We will make them aware of their rights through our radio," says Archna Kapoor, General Secretary of SMART.

"We will aim to make women ready and bring them in panchayats so that they can assert their rights and get equal share as men in all spheres," she says.

The testing of the radio station is already underway since 1st September and a team of professionals is training the locals in reporting and producing the radio programmes.

"Local volunteers are coming out to learn the new experience. Villagers get thrilled on hearing their voice on radio sets. We are mobilizing the community," says Kapoor.

Mewat was carved out as the 20th district by Haryana government in 2005. People here are mainly dependent on the agriculture and the region is under-developed despite being close to New Delhi and Gurgaon.

"The main reason for Mewat's backwardness is that the information of welfare and developmental schemes does not reach the people. We will tell people about those schemes and act as a bridge between people and the administration," says Kapoor.

With the tag line 'Teri Baat Meri Baat, Suno Radio Mewat', the community radio aims to start a dialogue in the otherwise conservative society in the district. We want the people to get up and make their voice heard to the administration, says Kapoor.

Apart from women empowerment, education and development will also be the focus of the programmes made by the radio.

"We have to start an overall change. Literacy is as low as 29 per cent in females and 44 per cent in men on Mewat. There are problems of water, sanitation also," says Kapoor.

The NGO plans to apply for a booster once the radio station goes on the air and aims to cover all the 512 villages in the district.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Sub-Himalayan system of medicine recognised as official by Indian governmnet

Parliament has adopted a bill to recognise within the definition of Indian medicine the Sowa-Rigpa system practised in sub-Himalayan region of the country.


"It would be the endeavour of the government to bring to mainstream Sowa-Rigpa system of medicine in regions where it is prevalent," Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said replying to a debate on the Indian Medicine Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2010 in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The Bill was then passed by a voice vote by the Lok Sabha. Rajya Sabha had passed the Bill on 25th August.

Sowa-Rigpa system of medicine is practised in sub-Himalayan region and other parts of the country besides Tibet, Mongolia, Japan and some other countries, he said.

Azad said the bill will ensure protection and preservation of this ancient system of medicine and will help its propagation and development.

Besides, it would lead to setting up of a regulatory mechanism in the field of education and practice of Sowa-Rigpa.

He said the government had also decided to set up a Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Systems of Medicine, which now would also include Sowa-Rigpa.

The passage of the bill will enable setting minimum standards for education and maintain a register of all practitioners of Sowa-Rigpa.

Indian Election Commission being Pro-active

Poll candidates will now be monitored with a separate "shadow" expenditure register and will have to open an exclusive election bank account under the new guidelines framed by the Election Commission to check flow of illegal money at the hustings.


The Commission has set up for the first time an Election Expenditure Monitoring (EEM) cell headed by a senior Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) officer and support staff.

The new guidelines for expenditure in elections will come into force with the Bihar Assembly polls scheduled in late October and the cell in the Commission headquarters will operate 24x7 with its control rooms working in each district of the state where elections are being held.

The EC will also field surveillance teams and flying squads in each police station area of the constituencies which will have the power to search and seize illegal and suspicious cash.

"If unexplained cash is found in possession of any person, it will be immediately seized. The flying squads will also watch distribution of cash, liquor or any other bribes to the voters," sources said.

The sleuths in the teams, drawn from tax and revenue departments, will keep vigil over expenditures made by a candidate beginning from the filing of nomination till the declaration of the result.

The candidates will also have to open an exclusive bank account and the monitoring teams will maintain a "shadow" expenditure register in the same format as maintained by the candidate, they said.

The new guidelines also envisage arrangements for a 'video surveillance and viewing team' for each candidate, comprising an officer and a clerk, to watch, tabulate and prepare report of expenditure after gleaning through the video footage every day.

The video surveillance team will consist of a cameraperson who will record the number of vehicles, tents, furniture, dais, rostrums, barricades, posters, hoardings put up by the candidate.

In order to check illegal spending through paid news, a team headed by Deputy District Education Officer (DEO) and district Public Relations Officer (PRO) and their staff will monitor both print and electronic media and the local cable channels and will submit daily reports to the accounting team which will have officials from the Income Tax department, Central Excise and Customs and Audit and Accounts.

The Commission, in a maiden initiative, will also activate a call centre and complaint monitoring system at the district level where callers can register any information about illegal expenses by a candidate or a political party and all such calls will be recorded.

Every candidate will be exclusively covered by an Expenditure Micro Observer and he or she will liaise with the DEO regarding monetary expenditure and other movements of the candidate.

Monday, September 6, 2010

an improvement by government and it is highlighted in newspaper

In many Indian cities public buses have seats reserved for women. Many a times it is seen that this is only for notices, but never actually followed. Women are standing while their 'reserved' seats are occupied by men, many a times young and strong. This was the case in Pimpri-Chinchwad, a satellite city of Pune.

A local vernacular daily followed this case and reported facts. It was brought to the notice of officials of the transport service as also to municipal corporators and officials. They agreed that rules are not followed and assured to improve the situation. Training and rules' guidelines were given to all bus drivers, conductors, ticket checkers etc. The newspaper reviwed the situation and noted that there was improvement but not enough. Matter was again taken up with the bus service and they carried out internal improvements with more vigour. Another check after a few weeks and to the surprise of everybody that the seats were actually used only for and by women. It was also observed at PMC starting point that passangers enter in queue and if these reserved seats are vacant even after rest of the bus is full, then women still standing in queue waiting for the next bus are asked to come in ahead and occupy these vacant seats. Kudos to everybody involved in this exercise - the newspaper and its staff, officials of the transport service and of municipal coporations.

I feel that the newspaper deserves special accolade for highlighting the actual improvement. In today media full of negativities, such an act must be appreciated.

My thanks to everybody involved.

People coming together to get food grain due to them

http://www.indiatogether.org/2010/sep/rbs-pds.htm

Read the content of the link above. People in a village in Karanataka came together to demand amount of food grain due to them and followed it up to ensure that they actually get that

Friday, August 6, 2010

skills developement scheme bu indian government

Textile minister Dayanidhi Maran on Thursday announced the launch of an integrated skill development scheme to help the textile industry meet the acute shortage of trained manpower by training over 2.5 lakh people over the next two years, besides generating more employment.


The scheme, to be implemented mostly through government agencies and the rest through private-public partnership model, involves an investment of Rs 229 crore over the next two years and is part of the Rs 2,200-crore scheme announced in the 2010-11 budget.

"The scheme will help the textile industry meet the shortage of skilled workers," Maran announcing the first phase of the scheme in New Delhi.

Of the overall target of training 2.56 lakh people, about 2.20 lakh people in all segments will be trained under the ambit of the textiles ministry, while 0.36 lakh people will be trained through public-private-partnership model with the help of industry associations and NGOs, said Maran.

Skill development, based on industry demand, will cover basic training, skill upgrade, advanced training in emerging technologies, training of trainers, retraining and managerial skill, the minister said.

The scheme would commence from 2nd October and cover all segments like textiles and apparel, handicrafts, handlooms, jute, sericulture and technical textiles.

"It is a huge exercise. If the scheme is successful we will scale it up further in the next three years of the 12th Plan," Maran said.

This is a part of the sectoral target of training of 100 lakh persons fixed by the government envisaged under the National Skill Development Policy by 2022, the minister added.

The training will be provided through government institutions like the powerloom and weavers' service centre and textile research associations, apparel training and design centres.

The USD 52-billion textile sector has a domestic market size of USD 30 billion and exports worth USD 22 billion. It is the second largest employment generator after agriculture, employing over 35 lakh

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Organs of a baby donated after death

Kishore Kumar, a government officer in Andhra Pradesh, with his wife (Hymavathi) and family, has made a history in humane world. The couple had suffer pain of very unfortunate death of their baby girl just in four days after her birth. A NGO, Mohan Foundation, was contacted. And eventually heart valves and eyes were donated. These would be very useful in cases where children are born with birth defects.

My compassionate salute (namaskar) to these parents. May baby's soul be more blessed with this divine act of her parents.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

'Facebook for Farmers' in rural China - CNN.com

'Facebook for Farmers' in rural China - CNN.com

Noise Monitoring Netwroks to come up in some cities

In a move to ensure compliance with noise regulations, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has initiated the process of developing a noise monitoring network across the country.


Initially, the pollution watchdog plans to install five monitoring stations each in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Lucknow, for which it has already floated global tender.

"We plan to install the 'Real Time Ambient Noise Monitoring' network in seven cities initially. It will consist of 35 stand-alone unmanned remote noise monitoring stations or systems. Five each stations will be installed in each city on pilot basis," CPCB Chairman SP Gautam said.

He said the network is likely to be commissioned by 12th October in Delhi while for other cities, its installation is expected to be completed only after October.

The network will be extended to 18 more cities in 2011 with five stations in each of them aiming to help create a baseline data and facilitate its analysis for policy-makers and implementing agencies so that the latter can take appropriate action at regional and national levels.

The initiative follows the road map for systematic monitoring of ambient noise levels announced by Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh in January.

He had called for a systematic monitoring of ambient noise under the National Ambient Monitoring Network Programme (NANMP).

The network would help the government better implement the recently amended Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules 2000 according to which the use of construction machines, musical instruments, bursting of noise-emitting firecrackers and horns beyond permissible limits at nights in residential areas have been made punishable offences.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Wish for greater work from this girl in her career.

Sandeep Kaur, the daughter of a peon from Morinda in Punjab, has made it to the IAS.

Sandeep is the eldest of her three siblings and attributes her success to her father employed in Morinda sub-tehsil.

Citing her father as her immense source of inspiration behind her success, Sandeep, a civil engineer from Panjab Engineering College, had the sole goal of making it to the IAS.

"I dedicated myself to preparing for the civil services and failure at earlier attempts made me stronger to prepare for the examinations," she says.

Her dream is to work against female foeticide which is a big problem in Punjab.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

'Mountain Echoes' - a literary festival in Bhutan

The hills of Bhutan will soon be alive with literature as renowned authors and poets gather in the tiny kingdom to participate in a literary festival focussing on the magic and mystique of writings off and from the Himalayan regions.


Indian writers like Gulzar, Chetan Bhagat, Bulbul Sharma and Omair Ahmad will be joined by international names like British author Patrick French as well as local writers and poets from Bhutan for the three-day festival "Mountain Echoes" in Thimphu from 17th May.
The fabled kingdom of dragons known recently for its policy of promoting Gross National Happiness (GNH) over the economic Gross Domestic Product (GDP), provides the perfect setting for writers from different tracts of trans- Himalayan belt to sharing their ideas and literary traditions, say organisers.

"This is the first time that Bhutan is hosting a literary festival. It is a collaborative venture between the governments of India and Bhutan and will focus on the wealth of mountain writing from these countries as well as other international writers," Mita Kapur, who heads Siyahi, one of the organisers told a news agency.

The shortlist of speakers at the festival "Mountain Echoes" includes among others author and Indian ambassador to Bhutan Pavan K Varma, poet Temsula Ao, Namita Gokhale, Omair Ahmed, Bulbul Sharma, Urvashi Butalia and Leila Seth.

Conceptualised by current Indian ambassador to Bhutan, Pavan K Varma "Mountain Echoes," is held under the India Bhutan Foundation.

The foundation was established in August 2003, with the objective to enhance exchange and interaction among the peoples of both countries, through activities in the areas of educational, cultural, scientific and technical fields.

Sessions at the festival include Bhutan through the Ages, Grandmother's Tales, History and Biographies, Language and Identity, Poetry and Archery, Shared Dreams and Shared Metaphors, Writing about Mountains, Architecture and Heritage, Music, Love, Poetry, These Hills called Home, Beyond the Frame, Of Women, By Women, Travellers and Magicians, Winds of Change, and Languages of Belonging which shares the stories, tales and folk narratives

Friday, April 23, 2010

Taxi Drvier Pledges His Taxi to Help Passanger

Mr. Taras was taking a passenger in his taxi from Pune to Mumbai. On the way the passenger started feeling very uncomfortable. Mr Taras sensed that something might be seriously of concern. By the time the passanger handed over his mobile phone to Mr Taras. Passenger's sister was talking and she requested Mr Taras for help. So he took the passenger to a doctor who felt that it was a heart attack and passenger needed to be admitted to a hospital immediately. Hospital would not admit without receiveing a heft advance payment. Neither Mr Taras nor the passeneger had much money on them. Assurances were of no use. So finally Mr Taras offered to give his car keys as pledging his own taxi.

This is a rare and noble gesture of a taxi driver and a human being. This needs to be applauded when we have been reading so many news about passenger being looted or raped. Thank you Mr Taras

Monday, April 19, 2010

Finally there is some concern in India for road accidents

Finally, there seems to be a feeling coming into existence that something should be done and can be done to reduce road accidents. And this time surprisingly the initiative is coming from a government.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah on Sunday favoured constitution of a Road Safety Coordination Panel comprising senior officials from the departments concerned to regularly meet and chalk out steps to minimize road accidents. Rosaiah will soon hold a high level review meeting with ministers and top officials in this regard and this will be followed by interaction with district officials, highway patrolling police and other departments concerned.

This cannot go on like this. We have to get into action and see that road accidents are minimised, Rosaiah said in an official release in Hyderabad today.

(taken from http://www.ddinews.gov.in/National/National+-+State/Road+Safety.htm )

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Novel Way for Remembrance

On occassion of birth anniversary of great Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, students from a college found a novel way for remembarance and for paying homage. The group studied non-stop of 18 hours.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Sanskrut language is still used here

http://www.ddinews.gov.in/Social/sanskrit.htm


In a way, this is a service to humanity. Languages are windows to human minds and keeping old languages alive helps us to keep our contact with old intact. It may help us understand, in current perspective, how people of the past thought and felt, and what happened of that. This may assist us moulding our future.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Water Distribution

Location: Nashik, India

One hot sunny afternoon Mr. Punjabi had his car broke down in the middle of the road. He was exhausted by the time he pushed towards side of the road. A policeman on duty saw him and bought him a bottle of water. Mr. Punjabi realised later that there would be many who would thirsty for water but can not afford buy bottled water.

He was one person who did not stop at empathy and symapthy. He went ahead and bought a three wheeler vehicle which can carry a water tank in it. He also employed two people. Now every hot afternoon his tempo crawls through the city offering drinking water free for anybody who wants it. As soon as the tank gets emptied its filled up again and distribution restarts.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Funds for Ganga River Cleaning

Govt of India has allocated nearly Rs1400 crores (INR 14 billion) by clearing projects in states. The money will be spent by the states on projects that include development of sewer networks, sewage treatment plants and sewage pumping stations, electric crematoria, community toilets, development of river-fronts, resuscitation of canals, and public campaigns.

In December 2009, the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) created the empowered steering committee with the environment and forests secretary as chair to sanction projects. The committee includes members representing other Union ministries, Central Pollution Control Board, Central Water Commission and the states concerned.

The first meeting of NGRBA In OCtober, 2009 was chaired by the Prime Minister himself. With this seriousness we hope that the allocation of funds gets converted into results on ground

Monday, March 1, 2010

Show of love, where hate was expected

India does it again. Indian diversity evident in full brightness! Godhra in Gujarat, the very place of cause of one of the worst Hindu-Muslim riots in the history, post-partition. This very place recently wonderful mixing of the two religions so commonly seen all over India. The same two religions which fight each other as arch enemies also love each other as siblings.
This year the Muslim festival of Eid-E-Milad and Hindu festival of Holi were one after the other. Hindus and Muslims in Godhra greeted each other on those occassions. At Dakor near Godhra, Muslim organizations had open centres to distribute water and drinks to devotees in the Shri Krushna procession.

The very day also marked the eighth anniversary of the ghastly Godhra rail-carnage. Muslims had organised a social marriage ceremony. Many Hindus not only attended the function but also participated as parents of girls known to them. They did this for nearly 34 girls. Gifts worth nearly hundred thousand rupees were also distributed by Hindu brothern.

Thank you folks, you have blessed the country by your act !

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Personal Day-care for son

Shubha Mudgal was ecently speaking at a funtion in Pune. She recalled her memories when she used to go to Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki for singing tutions. Her son was quite young then and at times it would be painful to leave a crying son home and learn music. Mrs. Vidya Abhisheki sensed her state and asked her to get her son along. Till music tution was going on Vidya Abhisheki would play with Subha's son. Its only because of this understanding and love by Mrs Vidya Abhisheki that Shubha Mudgal could take her music lessons.

In today's era of formalitities and 'whats in it for me?' etc , it might be a hearty and worthy act to emulate

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Award for couple working for AIDS affected children in rural India

Mr Santosh Pawar and Ms Ujjwalaa Pawar, a couple working in Sangmner (north of Pune), Maharashtra, India, has received award for their social work. These two are founders of an NGO named as Self-Motivated Social Developement. In 1999, they have started a hostel near Sangamner for AIDS affected children.

This award is being confered annually for last 9 years to persons doing work in the field of AIDS prevention and support to AIDS affected people.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Tatas learn to innovate and democratise it too . . . oh really !

A water filetr commerically selling at Rs1000/- is not all by accident. There is a culture being developed and nurtured. See the link :


http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/tatas-learn-to-innovate/384997/

DO you agree?

Girl drop-out rates drops in Bihar, India

Fortunately, not the entire ASER report is gloom and doom. One of the brighter moments in it is the fact that in Bihar, the state considered a basket case on most counts, the dropout rate for girls in the 11-14 age group has reduced from 17.6 per cent in 2006 to 6 per cent in 2009. So Bihar must be doing something right. In fact, one of the striking sights in Bihar today is of girls on bicycles, given by the government if they clear Standard VIII, going to the nearest high school.

The desire to ensure that children get a good education runs deep in most Indian families. Parents will sacrifice and save to invest in their children's future. Even poor families, including the homeless with no secure shelter, find a way of sending their children to school. The increase in the enrolment rate in India - 96 per cent of children between the ages of 6-14 are enrolled in school, government and private - is proof of that.

What urgently needs to be tackled is the quality of education, basic facilities like toilets and running water, and transport, particularly for girls. Even this will not suffice unless there is a notable change in the status accorded teachers who ultimately decide whether and what children learn. Instead of the inordinate amount of attention that continues to be paid to institutes of higher learning, or private institutions that promise to prepare rich children for studies abroad, something much more simple and basic can and needs to be done to educate India and Indians

Friday, February 12, 2010

Where Three Dreams Cross

London's Whitechapel Gallery is currently featuring 'Where Three Dreams Cross,' an exhibition of photography from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The show says a lot not only about the three countries, but also about Britain today.

The ambition in 'Where Three Dreams Cross' is both to be admired and treated with caution. Dealing with a land mass larger than Western Europe and a population of over 1.5 billion people is a challenge, especially with the complicated family history of Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. It seems bound to disappoint by missing some particular event, region or body. So the fact that it does not is testament to the skill of the photographers and curators involved. It is not curated by border or nation.

Anita Khemka’s photographs of Jabalpur Station in India show the exuberance and anarchy of the railway station as market, bazaar and human playground, which anyone who has been to South Asia will recognise.
It is a history of our shared, not separate, cultures. This is an exhibition not just about Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, but the history of Britain.

For complete news please go to:
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/culture/03-where-three-dreams-cross-a+stunning-success-ss-02

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Rainwater Harvesting @railway station - a step is t aken

http://www.indiatogether.org/2010/jan/env-ankola.htm

Ankola railway station is the first along the Konkan Railway route to implement rainwater harvesting. Pic: Farmland Rain Harvesting.

The station has two open wells in its premises. They dry up by December end. As such five months a year, each drop of water this railway station uses comes from outside. Years later, one after another, two bore wells were dug. Both of them went upto 300 feet depth. But neither borewell was even partially successful.

It seems highly likely that if proper rain harvesting is done, this railway station can become self-sufficient in water in just two years. But then, there is a big ‘if’ too. If the staff and public take good care of these systems

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Programme to incorporate Ayurved in rural women's healthcare

With an aim to ensure that ayurveda is accessible to the rural community, especially women, efforts are being made to make the discipline a part of primary health centres and create awareness about it.


A programme has been conceptualised to create awareness, clear myths and generate suggestions for policy formulations for incorporating ayurveda in National Rural Healthcare systems for women.

India's Book Restorers

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/culture/14-indias-book-restorers-saving-the-past-for-the-future-zj-09

In the basement of the University of Mumbai's Fort Campus library, a towering Gothic-style cathedral to knowledge built by the British in the mid-19th century, half-a-dozen people are hard at work, reports AFP.

The 2.5 million rupee project began early last year and is nearing completion. So far 100,000 pages — or around 300 books — have been digitised to UNESCO standards and 88,000 pages cut, cleaned, laminated with chemical-free Japanese tissue paper and rebound in red leather covers with gold-embossed lettering.

Mumbai's Anglican cathedral, St Thomas's, for example, has birth records dating back to the 17th century

The giant Tata Group conglomerate is also involved in helping the prestigious Asiatic Society of Mumbai restore its 200,000-strong collection.

Some 3,200 books have been restored there, including a manuscript of Dante's “Divine Comedy”, a copy of Charles Darwin's “On the Origin of Species” and delicate illustrated Buddhist palm leaf manuscripts dating from the 13th century.

An adopt-a-book scheme has been running at the 195-year-old institution since 1991 for individuals to donate cash towards the cost of restoration.

Galileo's 1632 work “Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems”, one of the many volumes gathering dust in the society's dark, musty basement, is to be restored with finance from local Italian business people.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Telugu Cultural Museum

A Telugu cultural museum, depicting Telugu culture, history and arts from the period of Satavahanas to the freedom struggle, is coming up atop Kailasagiri in Visakhapatnam.


The Telugu Culture and Heritage Museum, a joint endeavour of Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority( VUDA) and the World Telugu Federation (WTF),will be set up

The World Telugu Federation will showcase the evolution of Telugu language and culture. 32 to 38 episodes would be designed and placed in the museum in the form of artistic displays.

The evolutionary stages of Telugu language and culture starting from the period of Sathavahana to the present century would be brought live which will educate even the illiterate and non-Telugu people.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

blind man becomes manager is bank

A man, blind by birth, persistently followed up with his own study to become a law graduate. He was taken in by Bank of Maharashtra, one of the leading nationalised banks in India. Now he has been promoted to the grade of Assistant Manager.

This is a real big feat in a country like India, where people with special physical and mental needs may not be given due consideration.

Sunlight Is The Best Disifectant

http://epw.in/epw/uploads/articles/14391.pdf

This is an article in Economic and Political Weekly on declaration of assets by SC and HC judges. A Delhi HC Signle Judge order allowing for such declaration was challenged by SC secretariat. A full bench of Delhi HC, headed by Justice A P Shah, upheld the earlier order.

60 people battle giants

Sixty people, each from different profession, have come together in Mumbai to battle mobile giants against illegal installations of mobile towers. They came from all walks of life, from across Maharashtra, and met up for the first time in a public meeting at Mumbai's Shivaji Park. They exchanged notes, bonded, and vowed to work together. Each of the 60 people gathered under the Mobile Tower Grievance Forum had their own story to tell. They told stories of their battle against illegal installation of mobile towers, of money power, and of cancer, brain tumour, skin rashes and insomnia caused by the towers erected atop apartment buildings. The narrations cemented the group and the meeting culminated in an action plan that included selecting a 10-doctor team to document the impact of radiation from towers on people’s health.


The law is clear in this:
before installing mobile towers near residential areas, companies have to get a no-objection certificate from the residents’ cooperative society and permission from the municipal corporation and the pollution control board. There should be a gap of 36 metres from human habitation, the law stipulated.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Women's Bills in Pakistan



Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Bill and the Criminal Law Amendment Bill, and Domestic Violence Bill are the three bills which are under process to enactment in Pakistan. They were almost scuttled under influence of religious parties. But intense lobbying by women had pushed the bills a step further towards enactment.

In the wider picture, these bills, when they become law, may appear to be the harbingers of major change. But their significance is at the moment symbolic and only in the legal context. In practical terms, they will spell greater protection for women in their workplace only when the prescribed mechanism is made available to them to complain of sexual harassment and obtain redress if needed.

More importantly, these bills explicitly recognise the right of a woman to go out of her home to earn a living, to acquire an education, to obtain healthcare and to involve herself in the day-to-day business of caring for her family and herself. The statement of objectives of the bill passed in the National Assembly last week states, “This bill builds on the principles of equal opportunity for women and their right to earn a livelihood without fear of discrimination.”

Friday, January 22, 2010

Maharashtra farmers revive local crop varieties

Interesting read on the subject of how efforts can yield results

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/full6.asp?foldername=20100131&filename=news&sec_id=50&sid=30

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

In US, more wives outearning their husbands

A US study of people aged 35-44 years old show that increasing number of wives are more educated than their husbands and are earning more than their husbands.!

US government data indicates that men constitute 75% of the decline in employment in 2008.

Indian supreme court directs govt to grant land to farmers displaced by dams

Good gracious God, in India things do move, albeit very verrry slowly. Soon it may be time that due compensation for project affected people becomes a norm. Soon Indians can proudly say that we dont build our development on sacrificial lambs, viz. project affecties!

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked Madhya Pradesh govt to identify the farmers whose 75 per cent or more land were acquired for carrying out of excavation and construction of canal work for Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar projects.


A Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan favoured the proposal for granting land-for-land by identifying the project-affected families of farmers.

The Bench accepted the plea of Madhya Pradesh government that it would need two weeks to identify such farmers and posted the matter for further hearing on 13th February.

The apex court had on 18th December last refused to stay the Madhya Pradesh High Court order restraining the state government from further acquisition of land and carrying out of excavation and construction of canal work for Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar projects.

The High Court had passed the order on the petiiton filed by Narmada Bachao Andolan activist Medha Patkar.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Unofficial city bus time table put up by a citizen

Pune (india) is a city traditionally famous for its erratic city bus service. Nobody is certain when a bus will come at any stop. Nobody is sure what all routes pass through any particular stop. Even the website of the bus service does not give its time table, it only says 'site under construction'.

Then a concerned citizen of Pune, Mr. Vijay Patil, got to task. He collected all the time table bits and pieces from sources of the bus service, depots, staff etc and collated complete time table. He has put this Pune PMPML Bus Service Time table on the web for anybody to see. Of course this is to be taken as reference only as he has not got this information through official routes neither would he may know fast if any changes are made.

Here is the website address for this time table :
http://ptransit.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/rgen/html/en-index.html

But it is a wonderful effort, for sure.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Quick Response from Pune Police in the middle of night

This is an personal experience of a newspaper reader. Reader is a young girl of 19years age. She has started studying very very early morning, rather very very late into night, at about 2am. She sensed couple of people sneakily walking out of her door. When she looked through the eye-hole in the door, she did see two men locking her main door and climbing up the stairs, with some iron weapons in their hands. She woke up her father. They first rang up some phones in their building trying wake up people. Then they called police on 100. The speed of police response that she had described truly deserves hearty accolades, particularly in Indian reality. She called up 100 at 2:53 am. Exactly at 3 am she got a call from local police station saying not to worry as their police vehicle is at doorsteps. At 3:04 am police had reached their house and unlocked their door from outside. There were 9-100 policemen with AK-47 rifles and walky-talky etc.

Till then all her life she never had any interaction with police force. But she was really moved by the speed with which police had responded to her SOS at 3am. She has saluted the Pune police force for it.

I wish to join in her saluting

Monday, January 4, 2010

Shillong Lajong FC

Shillong Lajong FC (Football CLub), a little known soccer club from a north-eastern Indian state of Maghalaya has made history in the Indian football world. It got entry into the I-League and in its first appearance in the league the club made to the finals of premiere Federation Cup Tournament. It held on to its nerves till end with many missed chances. Finally it lost only on penalties. The young boys probably could not handle the pressure, not being used to it.

The club was formed in Shillong, Meghalaya with the prime objective of improve diminishing football standard in the state, and to spot, train and nurture local football talent. 'Lajong' in the local Khasi language means 'our own'. In Shillong, Professionally managed Lajong has access to the largest student base in the north-east and has a strong fan support in the region.

India football's legendary star Baichung Bhutia is from the region.

The club is being sponsored by some major corporates. People are looking forward to times when football will be flourishing all over the region.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Natwar Thakkar Conferred Naga people's award

Noted Gandhian worker Natwar Thakkar has been conferred "Lifetime Service to Naga people award" by the villagers where he started his work in the fifties as a Sarvodaya worker.


Chuchuyimlang Senso Mongdang (people's union) gave the award to octogenerian Thakkar, founder of Nagaland Gandhi Ashram, at a function on Tuesday at Chuchuyimlang village near Mokokchung.

The award carrying Rs 1 lakh was given in recognition of his service to the people of Nagaland and Chuchuyimlang and surrounding villages for more than five decades, Senso Mongdang president Supongmatong said.

The ceremony was attended by over 3,000 people which included women and children. Thakkar gave back the money to the village for development work.

Born to Gujarati parents at Dahanu, a small town on the western coast of Maharashtra and inspired by the upsurge of nationalism in his younger days, Thakkar volunteered to come to Nagaland with a mission of service in 1955 at the age of 23. He made Nagaland his home.