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| Jun 12 - 18, 07 |
British firm sponsors Jharkhand archer
Mangal Ho is one of two Indians who have been selected for full sponsorship by the British company, Group 4.
It's an initiative that seeks to make sporting heroes out of young kids from underprivileged backgrounds.
Mangal and Hyderabad based rifle shooter Manda Snigdha join 12 other kids in honing their skills for the 2012 London Olympics and that effort is being promoted by the legendary long distance runner, Haile Gebrsellasie.
When 14-year-old archer Mangal Ho took to bows and arrows three years ago, he wouldn't even have dreamt of being a part of the 2012 London Olympics.
Ho, who hails from a small village in Jharkhand called Patahatu, is one of the 14 young sportspersons who have been chosen as sporting ambassadors for the next Games.
A British firm called Group 4 Securicor, or G4S is going to provide Mangal financial assistance to the tune of Rs 27 lakh over the next six years, in a bid to give him the best possible chance of fulfilling his potential on one of the world's biggest sporting stages, the London Olympics.
"I performed well here, which prompted a London-based company to select me for its programme. They took me there, and made sure I dined in a different hotel. It was great fun," said Mangal Ho, G4S 4Teen Ambassador.
NDTV: Have you ever been to Delhi ?
Mangal: No, but I've been to London!
But to his family and peers, he's gone quite far already, at such a tender age. Mangal, who trains at the Seraikella-Kharsawan Archery Academy, was marked out as a budding superstar not long after he picked up his first quiver-full of arrows.
This institute has churned out 12 internationals and 25 national-level archers, but it is Mangal who has emerged as the biggest and most popular hero.
"Mangal has worked hard day and night, to achieve this," said Meere Munda, Chairman, Seraikella Archery Academy.
"Mangal and I were selected together, for the team here. When he was picked up by the London firm, I couldn't believe it at first. But I'm really happy now," said Asrita Kerketta, Mangal's friend.
Archery could well become one of India's best bets for a medal in the next few multi-discipline events, and if youngsters like Mangal get the sort of assistance that the G4S 4Teen programme provides, India's long wait for that elusive Olympic gold could well come to an end soon.
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/showsports.aspx?id=SPOEN20070015871
Visa Steel to set up plants in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand
KOLKATA: Visa Steel is setting up a 1.5 million special and stainless steel project in Orissa at a cost of Rs 4,500 crore and planned to put up another special steel project in neighbouring Chhattisgarh.
The company's first priority was to implement the first phase of the fully integrated 0.5 mt special steel project involving Rs 1,800 crore at Kalinganagar in Orissa, Visa Steel Chairman V Saran said. The company posted a net profit of Rs 20.52 crore during 2006-07.
The first phase the project would include a rolling mill and a 75 MW power plant among other facilities and would be completed next year, he said.
It would take up the work of expanding its capacity to 1.5 mt, which would take another two and half years to complete.
Visa Steel, he said, was keen to take up the project at Chhattisgarh, for which a MoU was signed with the state government.
Visa Steel, he said, has also applied for setting up a 5 mt tonne mild steel plant in Jharkhand.
Turning to financial performance of the company, Saran said Visa Steel's net profit during 2006-07 recorded a growth of 64 per cent compared to previous year.
The company recorded a turnover of around Rs 538 crore in 2006-07 registering an increase of 39 per cent over the previous year.
On the Chhattisgarh project, Saran said Visa Steel was in possession of 160 acre and has applied for another 440 acre to the state government. "Earlier, we had planned to have a capacity of .35 m.t, but now we want to build it with bigger capacity."
He said in Chhattisgarh the company would follow the Orissa module and gradually increase the capacity to 1.5 m.t. The work was likely to begin in 2008-09.
The company has also applied to the to Chattishgarh government for iron ore mine and coal block, he said.
About the company's proposed project in Jharkhand, he said if it received approval from the state government, the new plant would produce construction steel.
On the proposed investment in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, he said it was too premature to announce.
To a question, Saran said Visa Steel was not averse to acquisition, but the company was not hunting for any.
To question on starting a joint venture with Bao Steel of China, he said Visa Steel was talking to a number of company across the globe, but no definitive agreement was signed with anyone.
He said the strategy of the company is to be a low cost producer through full integration, location and logistics advantages, raw material linkage and focus on value niche products.
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1104145
Humiliations by 'casteist' teacher force Dalits in Jharkhand village to start their own school
Dumka (Jharkhand) June 18,: Dalit villagers in Thadi Village of Jharkhand's Dumka District have started a school on their own, after their children were humiliated by a 'casteist' teacher.
In April this year, Dalits belonging to Bhandoch caste started a Bhandoch Middle School, after upper caste teachers and students at a local state-run school allegedly subjected their children to caste bias.
The low-castes alleged that neither the District administration nor the police took any action against the erring teachers.
"The police station in-charge just spoke to the teacher and his friends and refused to register our complaint. The teacher Subhash was casteist and was biased towards our children. He would call them by derogatory names. When we realised that no action is being taken against him, then we decided to open a school for our children," said Surendra Maholi, who opened the Bhandoch Middle School.
It was the beating up of a young boy, Sarun Kumar, by a teacher named Subhash that infuriated the community.
"Once when I was drinking water here, Subhash sir came and started calling us by dirty names. He said we would not be allowed to drink water from there and started beating us. I went home crying and told this to my father. When my father came and spoke to sir, he said he would continue to beat us," said Kumar.
The education officials said they are investigating the matter and would take strict action if required.
"We are investigating the matter and if these charges are proved then we will take stern action against the teacher as per the Dalit Act," said Shiv Narayan Sah, District Education Superintendent.
Nearly 50 low-caste children are enrolled in the one-room Bhandoch Middle school. All the schoolteachers and members of the school management are from the low-caste community.
http://www.dailyindia.com/show/150347.php/Humiliations-by-casteist-teacher-force-Dalits-in-Jharkhand-village-to-start-their-own-school
De Beers Gets Green Light for Jharkhand Survey
Four years ago De Beers requested permission to explore for diamonds in Jharkhand. Today the company has finally gotten the green light from the Jharkhand Mines Department to carry out an aerial survey along the Sankh River in Gumla and Jashpur.
The village of Heeradih, which is located near Gumla on the river bank, is pocked with ditches, indicating that mining was conducted there many years ago.
According to the Indian Express, Jharkhand's Director Bipin Behari Singh noted that De Beers had already conducted preliminary research and "now it will do the reconnaissance work by sophisticated aircraft."
http://www.israelidiamond.co.il/english/News.aspx?boneID=918&objID=2208
Man pays with life for wood
Hazaribagh, June 17: Jeevan Munda, 35-year-old villager of Katkamsandi block in Hazaribagh district in Jharkhand was allegedly beaten to death for a new chowki (wooden cot) that he had brought home.
Three forest officials, according to an FIR, punished him with death after dragging him inside the Hazaribagh wildlife sanctuary in the pretext of "enquiring as to how he arranged for the wood for this bed".
Today, hundreds of villagers led by CPI MP Bhuvaneshwar Prasad Mehta hit the streets and blocked Ranchi-Patna highway near District More for more than five hours, after they recovered Munda's body with injury marks all over.
Vehicles, including long-distance trucks, were seen stranded on both sides of the road for several kilometres. This made police officers, including sub-divisional officer Ravindra Kumar Singh and deputy superintendent of police Naushad Alam, to reach to the spot and pacify the agitators.
The blockade was lifted after the forest officials agreed to pay Rs 200 every month to the victim's family, besides foodgrain and immediate compensation of Rs 10,000.
Later an FIR was lodged against range officer Saket Bihari and two others.
According to sources, Munda had gone to his inlaw's house at Patiyatari of Ichaak on June 15, from where he went missing till his body was recovered from a field today.
Munda's wife Etwaria Devi told the police her husband had last been called by the forest department employees to enquire about how he got the wood for a new chowki. She charged the employees for "killing" Munda.
Driver of forest department jeep JH02G/1958 Loknath Mahto, who has been charged in the FIR, said Munda was taken to Rajderwa forest area under Hazaribagh wildlife sanctuary and beaten up by Durga Oraon and Devlal Mahto, which resulted in his death.
Divisional forest officer (wildlife) Manish Arvind said Munda had been suffering from dysentery. "My men had picked him up to provide treatment but he died," he said, adding that he was drunk when he was picked up.
Forest department officials claimed they had started an operation against villagers for killing wild animals and felling trees, and as a fallout it, "all possible effort has been made to trap us". They added that the jeep driver was under pressure to make such a statement.
The parliamentarian said that Jeevan was a daily wager and due to this they continued with their agitation till officials agreed for proper help.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070618/asp/frontpage/story_7936889.asp
SAIL stakes claim to all of Chiria
New Delhi, June 17: The Steel Authority of India Limited has said it will not part with its iron ore leases for the Chiria mines in Jharkhand. It is, however, open to other steel makers getting access to the adjacent reserves at Ankua.
SAIL chairman S.K. Roongta told The Telegraph that the PSU has firmed up its investment plans till 2020 that envisage use of the entire "ore production from Chiria".
Sparks are now likely to fly at the meeting on Chiria to be held at the Prime Minister's Office next month.
It needs to be seen whether an out-of-court settlement between SAIL and the Jharkhand government emerges from the meeting.
Jharkhand wants to give some of SAIL's mining leases for Chiria to other steel companies. Roongta said this was not possible because SAIL would utilise the ore for its expansion plans in the state and IISCO Steel Plant's Burnpur facility.
He said he had no objection to Jharkhand allotting the ore at Ankua to others.
Private steel companies such as ArcelorMittal, the Jindals and Essar Steel have been eyeing the Chiria reserves. The leases were with IISCO, but got transferred to SAIL after the PSU acquired the ailing company.
Both Chiria and Ankua fall within the Saranda forests; SAIL holds the mining rights for Ajitaburu, McLellan, Dhobil, Sukri and Tatiburu at Chiria. It also holds the rights for 67 acres at Ankua. In all it holds the rights to 2,350 hectares of leased mining area. Though the reserves at Ankua have not been mapped out fully, analysts peg them at 600 million tonnes on the basis of preliminary surveys.
Steel makers, too, are keen on this area because it will be easier to get the leases rather than wait for the outcome of the discussions over Chiria.
Jharkhand and SAIL have been engaged in a prolonged tussle over Chiria, with the state government saying it will only renew the leases to the extent of the PSU's requirements in the state and for IISCO. The reserves are estimated to be 1.7-2 billion tonnes.
SAIL said it would need all the ore — reputed to be the best in Asia — for its projects in the state and IISCO.
The PSU will take its steel making capacity in Jharkhand to 29mt by 2020 and ramp up the capacity at Burnpur to 3.2mt.
In Jharkhand, the plan is to increase the capacity of its steel plant at Bokaro to 17mt and set up a new 12mt plant at Manoharpur.
For SAIL, retaining Chiria is vital to its growth plans. The raw materials division of the company has set a target of producing 19mt of ore by the end of this fiscal and wants to increase this to 26mt by 2012.
The major chunk of this supply will come from Chiria, for which SAIL has prepared a blueprint to upgrade the mining facilities.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070618/asp/business/story_7937962.asp
'We believe in inclusive growth and long-term associations'
At a time when land acquisitions have caused much bloodshed, leading to a nationwide debate, Sajjan Jindal, vice-chairman & managing director of JSW Steel, seems to have an innovative formula. Jindal's model of inclusive growth proves that he is not only a man on a mission to build a 31-million tonne steel conglomerate by 2015, but that he is also an industrialist who can take on global biggies when it comes to thinking out of the box. In an exclusive interview with FE's Papiya De, Jindal discusses his strategies for the future. Excerpts:
We have witnessed a lot of violence over land acquisition for large projects. Yet, you have some pioneering strategies to acquiring land. Could you share some details?
Fortunately for us, 90% of the 5,000 acres we required was with the government, which we have already acquired. For the remaining 10%, some of which is barren and the rest agricultural land, we have so far had a fairly good response. Getting contiguous land without any violence was at the top of our agenda. Land acquisition has become a national issue with farmers agitating everywhere.
However, larger projects such us ours require large chunks of land and some of it will have to be agricultural land. We cannot afford to displace people by just giving out money. People have emotions attached to their ancestral land. We, therefore, are firm believers of inclusive growth and in building long-term associations.
To make inclusive growth a reality, we have developed a model that will break up the price of land into two components. Half will be given to the owners in cash and the remaining portion will be placed with Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) as a single-premium annuity. This will ensure a regular monthly income, plus insure their lives. This arrangement with LIC will be managed by the district magistrate. We would also employ one person from each of these displaced families at JSW Steel and any of its associate companies. There are about 741 such families.
We are also issuing shares worth the land value in the name of the owner. This is over and above the cash payment. The shares will be of the new entity, JSW Bengal, and when it is listed after the start of commercial production, the owners will be able to garner many times more than that amount. So, apart from paying cash, we offer employment to a family member and make the owner a shareholder in the company.
When do you expect the Bengal project to go on stream?
We have set a deadline of April 2011. We should start construction towards the end of this financial year.
Given that raw materials seem to be one of the perennial problems of steelmakers, have you been assured of raw materials for your Bengal project?
We will be sourcing iron ore from Jharkhand and Orissa. Since the Bengal project is very close to both states, we would be at an advantage. Bengal does have a few collieries, but they are not very easy to mine. So, we will source half of our requirements from neighbouring states; the rest will be sourced from mines in Raniganj in West Bengal. Since the project is close to a port, the transportation cost for raw materials as well as finished goods will be substantially low.
Your plans for the 10-million tonne steel plant in Jharkhand was announced much earlier than the Bengal project. Why then is your Bengal project taking off first?
The problem with Jharkhand has been the lack of a stable government. As a result, no decisive action has been taken on a relocation and rehabilitation policy. With the kind of resources Jharkhand has, it can be the steel hub of the world. The state is capable of producing 100 million tonne of steel. We at JSW Steel want to start our Bengal project by 2007-08 and by 2008-09, work should start on the Jharkhand project.
Would you agree that your plans of becoming a 30-million tonne steel group by 2015 is ambitious?
Yes it is ambitious—but certainly doable. Our expansion at Vijayanagar is over in the next two years, whereby we will have 10 million tonne. Another 3 million tonne each will come from the first phases of the Bengal and Jharkhand projects. The rest of the expansion plans will depend on market conditions.
However, I don't see the market dynamics changing very quickly. To catch up with the global average per capita consumption of 190-200 kg, India's current capacity has to expand by four times. Currently, none of the greenfield expansions are progressing smoothly; additional capacities are coming from only brownfield expansions. So, the demand shortage will continue.
Your plant at Vijayanagar is one of the most cost efficient steel-manufacturing units in India. Will you be able to duplicate the same efficiency in Bengal?
Bengal should be even better as we will have fewer units, but much larger in size, helping us draw economies of scale. We would also use local coal to a great extent and that would reduce costs further.
Competitors seem to have inched ahead of you acquiring assets overseas. What has not worked in your favour? Will you continue to explore overseas acquisitions?
I am not keen on picking up integrated steel companies abroad. I am a firm believer of a model that makes use of the low-cost steel manufacturing structure in India and adds value overseas. We have already picked up service centres in Europe and will be looking at more similar options. I am interested in hot-strip mills and cold rolling complexes in western Europe and north America . I am also keen on securing mineral resources. Currently, we are looking at coking coal assets in Africa, Australia and Indonesia.
You are also diversifying into aluminium and power. Looking slightly longer term, apart from steel, in which businesses do you expect your group to have a strong foothold?
Our core competence lies in bulk materials like steel, aluminium, energy and cement.
What are your plans for the cement business?
We are setting up slag-based clinker units in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=167420
Lightning kills 21 in Jharkhand
Ranchi, June 14: Lightning during monsoon rains has claimed 21 lives in Jharkhand, with six school students among the victims, the police said.
Jharkhand received the first monsoon shower Wednesday. The children died and nearly a dozen were injured when lightning struck Greenfield School in Rampura village, 12 km from here.
The children were playing in the school ground when the tragedy struck.
A seventh death was also reported in Ranchi district, followed by six in Hazaribagh, two each in Chatra, Lohardagga and Balumath, and one each in Sahebganj and Godda districts.
The government has announced a compensation of Rs.50,000 to the families of each of the dead students and Rs.10,000 to the injured students.
The rains also disrupted power supply in the state, plunging many districts into darkness.
The rainfall brought down the temperature across the state. Ranchi received a rainfall of around 30 mm.
--- IANS http://www.newkerala.com/news5.php?action=fullnews&id=38798
Jharkhand to train 25 tribal girls as air hostesses
Ranchi: The Jharkhand government has decided to provide air hostess training to 25 tribal and Dalit girls of the state, an official said on Wednesday.
The decision to train the girls was inspired by the positive response to an earlier programme that trained tribal boys as pilots. The state government had sponsored 25 tribal boys who were trained as pilots and most of them have now been placed professionally.
"The welfare department has decided to select 25 girls belonging to tribal and Dalit communities in the state. These girls will be provided air hostess training and the state government will bear the cost," an official of the welfare department said.
"We will soon come out with advertisement in newspapers inviting applications from the interested tribal and Dalits girls.
"The minimum qualification for eligibility is completion of Class 12. The girls will be selected on the basis of a written and physical examination," he said.
After selecting the girls, the welfare department will invite applications from institutes willing to train the girls.
Initially, 25 girls will be chosen and later the number could be increased depending on the response of the first batch. (IANS)
http://www.indiaedunews.net/Jharkhand/Jharkhand%5Fto%5Ftrain%5F25%5Ftribal%5Fgirls%5Fas%5Fair%5Fhostesses%5F1347/
Jharkhand to get two new universities
Ranchi: Jharkhand Governor Syed Sibte Razi has given his consent for the establishment of two new universities in the state.
One of the two universities is Kolhan University. The second will be named Neelambar and Pitambar University after two freedom fighters from the state.
Razi approved the establishment of the universities Monday while the state cabinet had already given its approval earlier.
Kolhan University will be based in Chaibasa district while the Neelambar and Pitambar University will be at Daltanganj.
The spokesperson of the governor's office said, "The governor has directed the state government to create posts for the new universities and prepare budgets in three months".
At present, Jharkhand has three universities. They are Ranchi University, Siddo and Kannhu University at Dumka and Vinobha Bhawe University at Hazaribagh. (IANS)
http://www.indiaedunews.net/Jharkhand/Jharkhand%5Fto%5Fget%5Ftwo%5Fnew%5Funiversities%5F1336/
World Bank to help Jharkhand in development
RANCHI: The World Bank is eager to engage itself in the development process of Jharkhand which has huge mineral and forest wealth, a senior Bank official said on Tuesday.
"The World Bank would be happy to partner with the state in development endeavour," said Fayez Omar, senior manager, World Bank, India, after Jharkhand Deputy Chief Minister Stephen Marandi released a Bank report 'Jharkhand Addressing the Challenges of Inclusive Development' at a function here.
Stating that he was struck by Jharkhand's potential, Omar said "Jharkhand will be our focussed state, ... Jharkhand has every ingredient to achieve success".
Suggesting several short to medium term measures to improve the investment climate, the report said infrastructural improvement and addressing issues in the mining sector could help the state bring in the required investment from the private sector.
Praising the decline in poverty by an impressive two per cent a year between 1994 and 2002, the report said that expanding rural opportunities like accessibility to favourable market could help the poor in villages.
According to the report, access to rural infrastructure such as irrigation, power, roads, credit and attainment of secondary and post-secondary education could also change the rural life.
The report said through an in-depth analysis of various sectors, including health, education, irrigation, power and mining, Jharkhand could lead to development by across the board generic reforms as well as sector-specific reforms.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/World_Bank_to_help_Jharkhand
_in_development/articleshow/2117520.cms
State on a short fuse, warns report
Ranchi, June 12: Politicians have little patience with home-truths. It came as no surprise, therefore, when deputy chief minister Stephen Marandi today hurriedly read out his prepared speech and left before a World Bank team could make its presentation on the strength and weaknesses of the state.
With the chief minister leaving for a week-long honeymoon, Marandi was the only minister to be present. There were three or four secretaries present but the chairman of the state electricity board also left the venue in the wake of Marandi and his entourage. Other ministers and secretaries were conspicuous by their absence.
It was left to principal secretary, Finance, Mukhtiyar Singh, to defend the government.
He fell back on his home-state Haryana to declare that people too must contribute towards development. In Haryana, he claimed, villagers first laid roads at their own initiative and the government dealt the finishing touch.
Ironically, the World Bank had undertaken the study at the behest of the state government.
A team of 20 World Bank staff, led by economists Binayak Sen and Rajni Khanna, took over a year to prepare the 120-page report on the challenges of inclusive development in Jharkhand.
World Bank senior manager Fayez S. Omar was present when the report was released.
The report does record some positive developments. Poverty in the state, it points out, declined by 2.5 percentage points a year while agriculture grew by 4 per cent. Impressive improvements in primary education and different health related programme were also observed.
But the report cautions that the state faces a stiff challenge to overcome odds before development.
With the highest incidence of poverty in the state and with very poor infrastructure, governance and fiscal control and supervision, the World Bank report warns, there is an urgent need for reforms.
The WB officials and economists held several rounds of talks with different stakeholders, including bureaucrats and businessmen and as many as three surveys were commissioned and conducted before preparing the report.
"We have suggested the state government should toe a middle path for the development of Jharkhand. And the middle path involves a balance between agriculture and mineral based industries," said Sen.
Political commitment at the highest level and a consensus on reforms would be required for development, he emphasised. An effective monitoring mechanism on spending and utilisation of funds had to be put in place, the report underlines.
Inclusive growth would be impossible without an effective Panchayati Raj institution, the report warns. The institution is even more necessary in view of the perception in civil society that level of corruption in government is high.
The state having sharp social and regional divisions and tribals feeling deprived, the state has the responsibility to tread cautiously, ensure transparency and ensure the inclusion of tribal groups in the development process.
The survey reports included in the report indicate that frequent transfer of deputy commissioners and secretaries have harmed development.
Senior officials have ceased to monitor the functioning of blocks regularly while block level officials have stopped attending office regularly on the pretext of Naxalite insurgence.
People remain unhappy and a vast majority of PDS dealers admitted to paying bribes for lifting material. The number of such dealers in Jharkhand, the report says, is the highest in the country.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070613/asp/frontpage/story_7915168.asp
Milk is the way to dignity in Jharkhand
The script is refreshing, replete with hope. Twelve tribal women from Jharkhand have given remote Kudu and Sneha, two blocks in the backward Lohardaga district, a new economic lifeline: dairy farming.
Taking a cue from the Amul success story in Gujarat, these women have started a milk cooperative movement that is yielding rich returns.
Aided by PRADAN, a voluntary organisation, the dozen form the spine of the milk chilling plant at Lohardaga — supplying bulk of the raw milk.
What started as a cottage enterprise has become a wave with 196 members. This excludes 158 women from the Sneha block, who have a similar set-up of their own.
The milkmaids of Kudu have formed a self-help group, Mahila Mandap, under the United Nations Development Project that gained strength after they received funds under the centrally-sponsored Rashtriya Sam Vikas Yojana.
A grant of Rs 24,250 and a loan of Rs 25,150 each will enable them to purchase two cows each and erect a shed.
"The Lohardaga plant had to manage with 1,200 litres of milk daily despite a capacity of 10,000 litres. Now, it gets 6,000 litres everyday, most of it supplied by these women," said Aradhana Patnaik, who took over the RSVY in 2004 as the Lohardaga Deputy Commissioner. Patnaik is now Deputy Commissioner of Gumla.
The women, belonging to the Oraon, Munda and Lohara tribes, make an additional Rs 800 every month. "Now, they produce 3,000 litres per day in Kudu. Assessing their success rate, we have set a target of 10,000 litres for 2008," said PRADAN's Programme Director Soumen Biswas.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Redir.aspx?ID=55be5b97-d0c4-41a7-b9ea-3733af0e032f&ParentID=f6f8d507-78af-4a77-a368-bec2ea09e281
6 mn displaced tribals yet to get compensation
In Meghalaya's West Khasi Hills, tribals are protesting against the government's plan to mine uranium fearing that the radiation would damage their health and ecology.
At Kalinganagar in Orissa, 16 people were killed last year when police opened fire on tribals protesting against the takeover of their land for a steel plant.
From Chipko movement against logging in Garhwal to Jadugoda protests in Jharkhand to Narmada movement in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, more and more tribal people seem to be fighting a losing battle against the industry, mines or dams.
Since 1980, about 9.8 lakh hectares of forestland has been diverted for 11,282 development projects according to an official reply to a Parliamentary question. It specifically mentions that about 1.6 lakh hectares of forestland was diverted for 300 mining projects alone.
Though exact official figures are not available on the total number of tribals displaced from India's forests due to development projects, a 2004 study by NGO Manthan Adhyayan estimates that the Indira Sagar Dam in Madhya Pradesh has submerged 42,000 hectares of forests land and displaced over 80,000 tribals. Ekta Parishad, another NGO, estimates that in the last one decade about 4.7 million hectares of forestland has been occupied by the Chattisgarh government, displacing about 15 lakh tribals.
A 2005 National Advisory Council paper titled Tribal Welfare and Development authored by D. Swaminadhan, president of Hyderabad-based Mahatma Gandhi National Institute of Research and Social Action, says in the last 50 years over 9 million tribals were displaced out of which 6 million are yet to get any compensation. Noting that displacement has led to far reaching negative social and economic consequences, the author of the paper warns that economic planning cannot ignore these consequences of displacement that come at enormous economic, social and psychological cost. It is well known that uprooting people from their ancestral lands and livelihoods alienates them from kinship and family systems completely disrupting their market links.
The government acquires land for 'public purpose' through a 113-year-old Land Acquisition Act. The displaced tribals cannot take any legal recourse as the country's laws only recognise individual ownership of land and not community ownership of shared resources like the land, water sources, ponds and pastures, as is the case with tribal 'possessions.'
The present National Policy on Resettlement and Rehabilitation for Project Affected Families of 2004 compensates only assets, not livelihoods. And since forest tribals depend on common property resources, they get very little compensation and a large part of this meager payment is spent on debt repayment and subsistence in the interim period between displacement and rehabilitation, leaving little or nothing for future livelihoods.
A study conducted by Biswaranjan Mohanty, Associate Professor of Utkal University concluded that only 25 per cent of tribals displaced from forests in Orissa since independence have been rehabilitated with proper livelihood. The rest, the study says, are languishing because of bureaucratic apathy.
The new ST and Forest Dwellers Act offers some hope by underlining that the acquisition of forestland for national parks, sanctuaries and development projects should be accompanied by resettlement packages that provide secure livelihoods to the affected communities.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/storypage/storypage.aspx?id=1f5ba796-ef12-4a48-a9f0-
2050ebdf88d8&MatchID1=4469&TeamID1=2&TeamID2=4&MatchType1=1&SeriesID1=
1110&PrimaryID=4469&Headline=6+mn+displaced+tribals+yet+to+get+compensation
No ST status to offspring of tribal women married to non-tribal
Ranchi : In a significant judgement, the Jharkhand High Court has ruled that the offspring of a non-tribal father and a tribal mother are not entitled to Scheduled Tribe (ST) reservation benefits.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice M.K. Vinayagam and Justice N.N. Tewary passed the judgment while hearing an admission case Thursday.
The Tribal Medical Association (TMA) had filed a case in the high court challenging the state government's move to give ST certificate to children whose fathers are non-tribal and mothers tribal.
The court clubbed the hearing of TMA with a writ petition of Savita Bala Tuti, a student. Tuti in her petition said that Salila, another student, was given admission in Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, because she produced a ST certificate despite her father being a non-tribal.
Tuti challenged the state government move to include Salila in ST category.
The court directed the government to admit Tuti in place of Salila.
In Jharkhand, tribals constitute 27 percent of the total 27 million population.
Tribal people have welcomed the high court order.
"There are scores of examples of tribal exploitation in Jharkhand. The facilities given by the government to tribal people are utilised by non-tribals by using legal leeways. Many non-tribals married to tribal girls get the ST benefits and land rights. The court judgement will prevent exploitation," said Ganesh Hembrom, a tribal teacher.
http://www.indianmuslims.info/news/2007/jun/15/no_st_status_offspring_tribal_women
_married_non_tribal.html
A Dalit? Go find a Dalit society
Ahmedabad, June 17: IN a recent trend, Ahmedabad is witnessing "only-Dalit" residential societies — around 300 of which have come up in the last few years. However, for most Dalits, it is not a matter of choice, but of compulsion.
"Even if a Dalit can afford a flat in areas dominated by the upper castes, they are often denied by the builders or the seller," retired IAS officer P K Valera, who lives in one such Dalit society in Ramdevnagar, says. Some social scientists say the alienation started since 1982, after the anti-reservation agitation, but agree that the caste and class distinctions have become more serious in recent years. This trend can be seen not only in the walled city but also in the posh areas of west Ahmedabad like Satellite, Vastrapur, Bodakdev, Ambavadi. Socio-political scientist Achyut Yagnik says, "There are more than 300 Dalit societies in the city. In Chandkheda alone, there are 200 societies, most of which have come up after the 2002 riots when people moved out from Gomtipur, Bapunagar and Dani limda area. You will find construction contractors who only build Dalit societies."
Jayantibhai Jadav, a Congress councillor from Chandkheda and a builder-constructor, said, "In case a Dalit approaches a upper caste builder for accommodation, he is either directly discouraged or tacitly denied. The upper caste buyers don't even approach Dalit builders."
Jadav points out that while a Dalit from Gujarat cannot find a house in the upper caste societies, things are different for Dalits, who are non-Gujarati. "As the unfamiliar surnames do not reveal the caste of non-Gujaratis, Dalits from other parts of the country stands better chance to get accommodation in mixed societies," he adds.
Ashok Shrimali, who moved from Gomtipur to Shyam Bungalows, one of the Dalit societies in Chandkheda post 2002 riots, said, "A quest of safety took me to various Hindu-dominated housing societies in Ahmedabad. But I was denied an accommodation everywhere as I am a Dalit," says Shrimali. Even in Chandkheda, he could not find accommodation in any of the mixed societies. "Finally, I moved to this society, inhabited by Dalits only," he says.
"When does they (Sangh Parivar) consider us Hindus? Just check the list of the dead and wounded in the riots, you will find names of only Muslims and Dalits." says Bharatbhai Makwana, a small time businessman in a Dalit society in Ranip. "Only during elections and riots, they come to us. Otherwise, we are never considered as a part of Hindu society," he adds. "It is not only people from the lower income bracket, but Dalits retired from senior government position also find it difficult to find accommodation in the up market residential areas," says Valera, pointing to Kanabhai Parmar, a former under-secretary of Gujarat Legislative Assembly, who being a Dalit was denied accommodation in a upper caste housing society in Gandhinagar.
Bitthal Bhai Makwana, a former government official and an ex-editor of National Book Trust, points out that even today, a Dalit cannot buy a house in the upper caste housing societies coming up in Chandkheda Gandhinagar Highway. "We have been trying to buy a house in Satelite for last 10 years with no result, as people refuse to sell their house to a Dalit," says Makwana. He adds that only recently, a gentleman from Uttar Pradesh has sold them a house in that coveted area. "Right behind my house is the Pramukhswami Society, a upper caste housing society, which has couple of shops vacant for sometime," he says. So far Makwana had made futile attempts to hire a shop there. "They would rather let this shops decay than rent it out to a Dalit," he adds.
Builders and real estate agents say selling property to even one Dalit family in a society becomes detrimental to sales. Pulin Modi of Modi Constructions says, "Buyers do check out their neighbours before they book a flat in any area. Caste plays an important role as people want to live with their own class of people." He further said that people even avoid the builders, who sell houses to Dalits.
Pankaj Shrimali, lecturer of history in G L S Arts college, says, "Wherever I had approached for house in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, I was denied as I was a Harijan. In Hari Nagar society in Gandhinagar, as a rule, they do not allow Harijans."
Manjula Pradeep of Dalit Shakti Kendra says, "It is not always that people move to such ghettos because they were refused houses elsewhere. Even if a Dalit manages to find a house in such areas, the moment his identity is disclosed, his neighbours start avoiding him. This fear of rejection, social isolation and a need for social security has pushed most of the Dalits to such ghettos," Pradeep adds.
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=241627
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