Footprints 16th June - Vol1 Issue4

T he Vedanta Mining case in Odisha has taken another

turn after the historic judgment

of the Supreme Court on 18th

April 2013.

The Odisha government had is-

sued notices on 27th May 2013 to Gram Sabhas in 12 villages

in the Niyamgiri Hills (7 in Ray-agada and 5 in Kalahandi Dis-trict), entrusting them to take a

decision within three months (from 18th April 2013) on whether the Vedanta group’s

$1.7 billion bauxite mining pro-ject in the area can go forward

or not. The decision of the government to call only 12 villages was met

by criticism and resentment from the Niyamgiri Surakhya

Samiti – NAPM, Forest Rights Campaign Groups and Cam-paign for Survival and Dignity.

Prafulla Samantara, National Convener, NAPM opposed it, saying, “the Odisha sarkar has

chosen only 12 villages out of more than 100 villages that will

be affected by the mining, thereby keeping away a large number of Dongria, Kutia and

Jharnia Kondh tribals against the judgment of the Supreme

Court”. He added that the state government is taking advantage of the loopholes to manipulate

future mining decisions in the area. Facing such protests and oppo-

sition, the Odisha Chief Secre-tary, B K Patnaik sent a letter

to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs

(MoTA) Secretary Vibha Puri Das on 1st June, explaining the deci-sion to consult Gram Sabhas of

only 12 villages in the Niyamgiri Hills. He said that the decision was

based on the affidavit filed by it in the Supreme Court of India on

7th January 2013, as per Su-preme Court’s direction in its prior order on 6th December

2012 asking the Government of Odisha “to file affidavit on the Status of the proceeding under

Section 6 of the FRA (Forest Rights Act) before the Gram

Sabha for the villages on the slopes of Niyamgiri Hill that are likely to be affected by the pro-

posed project and the mining operations on the top of the

Hill”. The Government of Odisha (GoO) justified it by saying that neither the MoEF (Ministry of

Environment and Forests) nor the MoTA had raised the issue of coverage of these 12 villages be-

fore the Supreme Court during

Violations of Forest Rights in Niyamgiri despite SC order

16th June 2013

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Volume 1, Issue 1

Protest Updates 7

Events 9

Policy Watch 11

Editorial 11

Inside this issue:Inside this issue:

Top Stories:-

Vedanta Mining Case: Forest Rights violations con-

tinue despite SC order

NREGA Minimum Wages: Struggle continues across

states

Policy Watch: Food Security Bill

the hearing.

The MoTA is vocally opposed to the deci-sion of consulting only 12 Gram Sabhas, and has made it’s stand clear to the Od-

isha government. It had written to the Chief Secretary of the state on 7th June, directing it to ensure the exact number of

villages that would be affected by bauxite mining, and reminding it of the Supreme

Court’s orders which stated that Gram Sabhas of all affected villages are to be consulted. The MoTA even offered it’s as-

sistance, should the government require it, in ensuring that “the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court are complied with

in both letter and spirit.”

The Supreme Court had given onus to the

more than 100 Gram Sabhas of all af-fected villages, together representing

around 10,000

Dongaria Kondh tribals who call

the Niyamgiri Hill their home, to decide on the fu-

ture of the min-ing project. Lead-ers of the Kutiya

Kondh and Ni-yamgiri Dongaria

tribes reportedly approached Gov-ernor S C Jamir

on 12th June, re-questing him to

intervene and prevent this bla-tant suppression

of tribal voices by the state govern-

ment. They emphasised upon the Gover-

nor the sanctity of the proposed mining site and the dependency of the tribes on

the hills, stating that the damage caused to the hills, forests and water bodies by bauxite mining would effectively spell “the

end of our tribe as a community.”

The biggest weapon in the hands of the

tribals is the Forest Rights Act, which

guarantees PTG (Primitive Tribal Group)

Habitat and cultural and religious rights

to the two tribes in question. This fact

has been acknowledged and pointed out

by the MoTA in some among the series

of letters it has written to the Odisha

government. A number of tribal rights

groups is also pressurising the govern-

ment on the same grounds. With the

lives and livelihood of 10,000 tribals on

the one hand and bauxite requirements

of Vedanta on the other depending on

the same 660.749 hectares of land, a

just solution is yet to be reached. But

can there ever be a just solution to

this?

FOOTPRINTS

tribal leaders had

approached

Odisha Governor

S C Jamir on 12th

June, requesting

him to intervene

and prevent this

blatant

suppression of

tribal voices by

the state

government

FOOTPRINTS

Minimum wages for MGNREGA workers across states – Struggle Continues

there are six states in the country where

MNREGA wages are less than the mini-mum wages for unskilled agricultural

workers prescribed by state.

The Karnataka High Court ruling- now upheld by the Supreme Court- has

obligated the Central Government to pay arrears to all its workers in Andhra

Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Kerala, Goa and Mizoram. The arrears alone are estimated to cost the Centre Rs. 1,800

crore for 2009-10 and 2010- 11, ac-cording to a statement made by Rural

Affairs Minister Jairam Ramesh to The Hindu. However, the minister also stated that he was in favour of paying mini-

mum wages to MNREGA labourers. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and the Na-

tional Advisory Council (NAC) had also pres-

surised Prime M i n i s t e r

M a n m o h a n Singh to ad-h e r e t o

m i n i m u m wages under t h e

M G N R E G A . Sonia Gandhi,

in her position as chairper-son of NAC,

had written to the Prime Minister as early as in 2010, urging him to treat the matter as “urgent”, and to bring

MGNREGA wages at par with minimum

wages guaranteed by State governments.

However, that remains on paper till date.

The battle recently won by daily wage labourers in Bihar, had begun years ago

in 2009 when the wage rate of MGNREGA was frozen at Rs. 100 by the

Central government. Numerous states have increased their minimum wage rates above Rs. 100 since then. The first

O n May 15, the Patna High Court ruled

against the Bihar government's deci-sion to reduce wages of workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Em-

ployment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) to Rs. 138 from Rs. 144 per day. The peti-tioner in the case - Jan Jagaran Shakti

Sangathan (JJSS), an union of NREGA workers - hailed the High Court’s decision,

and is now working to ensure for workers at least Rs. 168 daily wage - the minimum wage guaranteed to labourers by Bihar

under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948.

The Supreme Court of India had sent out

the same message in January 2012, when it had refused to stay an order by the

Karnataka High court that directed the Central government to pay MNREGA work-ers in Karnataka according to the mini-

mum wages decided by the state govern-ment. Senior Advocate Anil Divan, arguing

against the Union of India at the Supreme Court hearing, had pointed out that non- payment of minimum wages to workers for

the past 27 years is akin to forced labour. This statement has since been cited by numerous activists and people’s rights or-

ganisations in different states in their ar-guments for minimum wages to MNREGA

workers by the Central government.

The main contention of activists and or-

ganisatons like Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS), National Alliance for

People’s Movements (NAPM) and Peo-ple’s Action for Employment Guarantee (PAEG) is Section 6(1) of MGNREGA. The

section empowers the Central government to decide and revise wages in MNREGA projects, “Notwithstanding anything con-

tained in the MWA, 1948”. Thus, a la-bourer working under the MGNREGA is

paid wages determined by the Centre, regardless of the safety net of minimum wage for unskilled agricultural workers

that has been decided by the state where he/she resides and works. At present,

Labourers working

under the MGNREGA is

paid wages determined

by the Centre,

regardless of the safety

net of minimum wage

for unskilled agricultural

workers decided by the

state.

FOOTPRINTS

matter as “urgent”, and to bring

MGNREGA wages at par with minimum wages guaranteed by State governments.

However, that remains on paper till date.

The battle recently won by daily wage la-bourers in Bihar, had begun years ago in 2009 when the wage rate of MGNREGA

was frozen at Rs. 100 by the Central gov-ernment. Numerous states have increased

their minimum wage rates above Rs. 100 since then. The first voices of protests against frozen wage rates were raised in

Andhra Pradesh that very year, and the Andhra Pradesh High Court had ruled pay-

ment of wages below minimum wage as

“unconstitutional” in July 2009.

Though labourers in the State of Bihar are

yet to be granted this right, the recent

government decision to benchmark wage

rates against inflation is expected to pro-

vide some boost. In the meantime, it is

hoped that the Centre and States among

themselves may soon reach a compromise

and take responsibility for the anticipated

rise in wages.

O n April 25 afternoon, a mob of Pattali

Makkal Katchi (PMK) workers, all of them caste Hindu Vanniyars, burnt down houses, hit, and terrorized people of the

Dalit colony in Marakkanam and Kooni-medu areas in the East Coast Road

(ECR), Tamil Nadu, on their way to the

Chithirai Thiruvizha (a festival) at M a m a l l a p u r a m

beach. The PMK cadres

were reported set-ting fire to homes of

the dalits, govern-ment and private buses, cars, ration

shops and liquor outlets, damaging

culverts, cutting down trees, looting valuables worth lakhs of rupees and so on. They also targeted the

ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) legislators’ homes and offices.

The police have booked cases of rioting,

among other charges, under the IPC, be-sides Section 3 of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against 1,512 unidentified

persons for torching the buses, police

vehicles, ransacking the toll plaza at Anu-

manthai, and setting fire to tenements. On April 29, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa

declared in the Assembly that “action will be taken, as per law, against anyone who, for selfish ends, instigates the innocent

public on the basis of caste and religion and those who take part in violence and

endanger law and order”. She ordered an arrest of Ramadoss, PMK

chief. The police also arrested PMK presi-dent G.K. Mani,former Union Health Minister and Ramadoss’ son Dr Anbumani

Ramadoss, party legislator Kaduvetti J. Guru, former legislator Tirukachchur K.

Arumugam and former Union Minister A.K. Moorthy.

The arrests led to further violence by PMK cadre. They burned down 17 private vehi-

cles including lories and damaged about 800 public transport buses by hurling pet-rol bombs. PMK called for a bandh on May

3rd in Puducherry, which has a sizable population of Vanniyars, and threatened to block trains in order to highlight its de-

mand for the release of the party’s leaders. Other districts where dalits form a large

part of the population also got affected. Representatives of National Alliance of Peo-

ple’s Movements visited the affected areas

Tribal leaders had

approached

Odisha Governor

S C Jamir on 12th

June, requesting

him to intervene

and prevent this

blatant

suppression of

tribal voices by

the state

government.

Atrocities against Dalits in Marakkanam

FOOTPRINTS

on May 23rd and spoke with the members of the community who were affected by the

violence. Mr. Natarajan and Mr. Muthan were two of the victims. They reported that about 400 men, few of them who were

drunk, attacked their settlement with per-trol bombs, bringing down about 11 homes. They molested their women, insult-

ing and abusing them. The people didn’t feel secure even after the incident was over

as there was no immediate response from the police and there was no police station

nearby.

The PMK and Dalit conflict has been linger-

ing for quite some time now. The PMK

claims that Dalits marry Vanniyar women

for money, and they misuse the Scheduled

Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of

Atrocities Act), 1989. In November 2012,

the party was accused of large-scale vio-

lence in Dharmapuri, western Tamil Nadu,

where three Dalit villages were devastated

over an inter-caste marriage. PMK leaders

have been noted instigating hate speeches

against inter-caste marriages and support-

ing honour killings.

NAPM writes to NHRC asking for inter-

vention in the matter

T he unimaginable hatred and actions of

the Vanniyar community and PMK

party is violating the value and principle of

equity, enshrined in the Indian Constitu-

tion. It causes infringement upon the fun-

damentals of rights and dignity of dalit

communities, including Right to Life, un-

der Article 21 of the constitution. It is ab-

solutely necessary that the strictest possi-

ble legal action be taken against the

casteist force of PMK , their leaders and

identified local leaders who led the vandal-

ism, arson and loot. Since PMK is a party

that is also encouraging strong political al-

liance and open campaigning during elec-

tions, it is further infesting on politics,

against the framework of the Representa-

tion of People’s Act. All this has caused, is

causing and will lead to brutal and inhu-

man atrocities against dalits, shattering

the social fabric of Tamil and Indian soci-

ety, and therefore can’t be tolerated, with-

out the strictest possible action. It, being

an act of criminal offence against the dalit

communities, we demand the following ac-

tions to be taken with utmost priority and

promptness.

1. A team of senior most members of

the Commission should visit Marakkanam

and other places where atrocities have

been committed against dalits during last

two years (at least). Also, undertake an in

depth inquiry into

all casteist actions

of PMK/VS as a so-

cial political organi-

zation. Its result

may be submitted to

the citizens of this

country, the Presi-

dent of India, the

Governor of Tamil

Nadu, the Ministry

of Social Justice and

empowerment, and

the Chief Minister,

the Opposition

leader and the legislature (both houses) of

the Tamil Nadu Assembly and the Parlia-

ment, within next three months.

2. The state government of Tamil Nadu may be directed to file cases under the

Prevention of atrocities against SC/ST Act, 1989 and Rule 1995.

3. The state government of Tamil Nadu may be directed to provide full security and compensation including medical

About 400 men, few

of them who were

drunk, attacked their

settlement with

pertrol bombs,

bringing down about

11 homes. They

molested their

women, insulting and

abusing them.

FOOTPRINTS

treatment, replacement of lost and burnt

belongings and rebuilding of all houses that were set on fire, within next one

month, beyond whatever compensation is already paid to them.

4. The dalit families in Marakkanam are salt pan workers and other manual la-bourers without any protective measures

granted under the Social Security Act, without any benefits under various social

economic schemes. The state government and local authorities should be directed to extend all possible benefits to them, alto-

gether about 10000 families in Marak-kanam, we are told and report be submit-

ted to your honourable commission. 5. The dalit community we visited (under attack) don’t have even proper drinking

supply which the state government should be directed to immediately provide to them.

5. The state government should be di-

rected to take appropriate action consult-ing the Election Commission of India, against the casteism in politics promoted

by the PMK, at the earliest, to have reper-cussions as their role in 2014 elections. Hon. Governor of Tamil Nadu may be rec-

ommended to intervene as per his power under Schedule II of the Constitution and

take action to protect SCs in Tamil Nadu.

On May 23rd when our team along with Medha Patkar tried to reach the dalit

community affected, we were stopped by the state police, referring to orders against

our entry under section 144 CrPC. On be-ing asked to show us a copy of the order, the authorities present were unable to

produce one. Our team managed to reach the violence affected area but there too the policemen present made attempts to

stop us from talking and interviewing the

people and photographing the place

We, therefore, demand that orders under section 144 should be withdrawn as

the enclosed order, (Annexe 3) as seen from only page 3 furnished to us by the po-

lice at the end of our visit, is absolutely

discriminatory against social activists. The order equates us with the political leaders

spreading casteist venom, insulting and impinging upon our Right to Information, Right to Expression of solidarity with the

dalits facing atrocities and isolating the dalits who continue to live in fear. The state of Tamil Nadu should be recom-

mended to distinguish between the casteist, violent politicians and non violent

social and human rights activists and al-

low latter to visit any dalit community.

We are hoping a prompt response and ac-

tion towards fulfilment of our demands

mentioned above at the earliest possible,

with a promise to be of help and support in

the investigative work by the Commission.

FOOTPRINTS

Protest Updates GBGB: Struggle of Urban Poor in Mumbai in full swing

Since the 10 – day fast involving thousands

of slum dwellers in April 2013, the Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan has received

committed support from many citizens, or-ganizations & movements across the coun-try. Many positive developments have

taken place since then.

The process of enquiry by the Principal

Secretary - Housing into 6 large SRA pro-jects, that was approved by the Chief Min-

ister in January 2013 has progressed fur-ther. Hearing sessions, which began in February, resumed in full force on April

29th and were attended by all Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao activists with Medha

Patkar, Madhuri Shivkar, Sandeep Yeole, Sumit Wajale and also leaders and people from the six SRA projects. All the builders

too were present for their respective ses-

sions.

Post this hearing, each organization from the affected localities prepared a final writ-ten submission in response to the docu-

ments & arguments made by the builders. The report of the Principal Secretary, Mr. D. Chakravarty, is under preparation & we

hear that an extensive process of seeking replies from the officials implicated in the

statement by the complainants is also un-

derway.

Meanwhile a parallel process of the Jan-Ayog (People’s Commission of enquiry ap-

pointed by NAPM) was on. Public hearings

were held at the six projects sites under

the chairmanship of Justice Suresh with Prof. Amita Bhide (TISS), Shri Chandrasek-har D., Simpreet Singh and other mem-

bers. This Commission will release its re-

port on June 24th.

Our work in the undeclared slums was

successful in taking ahead the process of assessing amenities and getting the BMC

to provide those. There is a huge gap in the norms-based proportion of amenities and actual ground level situation. For thou-

sands of people, there are not even tens of toilet seats available. No water taps, no tanks have lead to a water mafia that reaps

huge benefits, causing severe deprivation to people. Malnourishment is another seri-

ous problem in 52% of the slums of Mum-bai. MCGM’s data on each is far from per-

fect.

We realize that contracts for toilet con-struction granted to certain NGOs are not

duly executed and there are many prob-lems. We have to take this further in the case of about 10 - 15 slums we work with,

following this monsoon as we now have

committees for each slum formed, who will

monitor & manage toilet, water supply and

such amenities.

Demolitions preceded the monsoon and

hence we had to be prepared. This year due to continuous protest the demolitions were limited, especially in the slums asso-

ciated with Ghar Banao Ghar Bachao An-dolan. There was a threat posed to hun-

dreds of houses in Adarsh Nagar and In-dira Nagar, Mankhurd. However after many long dialogues with Mr. Kishore Gan-

dhi, Assistant Municipal Commissioner and a thorough inspection conducted jointly by GBGB activists and BMC engi-

neers the demolition got limited to 150 houses and others were saved. Those

evicted stay and will be resettled, keeping

in mind the drainage requirement.

Rajiv Awas Yojana is a ‘RAY’ of hope for

slum dwellers in Mumbai, up against builder lobby, exploitation of land grab.

The Mandala pilot project is being taken

forward.

FOOTPRINTS

Civil Society Members rubbish Modi’s accusations against activist Harsh

Mandar

Civil society members rallied together to

declare their support for activist and for-mer civil servant Harsh Mandar, yet an-

other target of Narender Modi’s divisive games. A jointly issued statement stated ,“It is shocking that ‘PM aspirant’ Narendra

Modi is calling him(Mandar) a Maoist thus trying to belittle his work and vilifying his

name in public.”

Modi labelled Mandar a ‘Maoist’ since the

latter hired Padma, a poor single woman estranged from her husband, as a care giver in a children’s institution. The NDA’s

Election Chief also accused Mandar of be-ing involved in the abduction of former

District Collector of Malkangiri, Vineel Krishna. This tactic isn’t new with Syeda

Hammed, Teesta Setalvad, Shabnam

Hashni and Dr. Binayak Sen, all having been made targets of Modi’s continuous

hate campaign.

Harsh Mandar resigned from the Civil Ser-

vices in 2002 and plunged himself in Guja-

rat and other parts of India in order to

quell communal fire from spreading and

working towards justice and rehabilitation

of the survivors.

“This absolutely absurd claim only exposes

his (Modi) brand of politics. It is steeped in the practices of the RSS, from where Mr. Modi has learnt to distort facts and spread

hate. It is vital for all to understand that the perils of allowing such politics to take centre stage where democratic rights of

12th June, New Delhi

FOOTPRINTS

people are attacked and impacting their

right to work as they choose, amounts to an attack on the very basis of our country's

plural existence. We hope that such poli-tics will not be promoted by political par-

ties and the media so that people can con-

tinue to work freely for public good.”

Two workers die, Two injured in illegal sand mine in the Narmada Valley

NBA demands comprehensive inquiry: Complete halt to the illegal activity

In another shocking incident, two young

wage labourers Bhanu S/o Fathu and Jeevan S/o Vishram were crushed under

huge sand boulders and succumbed on the spot in the illegal sand mines in village Pendra, Badwani. Two other labourers

Mendubai, widow of Rajendra, and Gird-hari were seriously injured in a landslide caused by the erosion sinking them for

more than half an hour.

As per the brave and candid statement of

Mendubai, not less than 300 to 400 work-ers were working at the bottom of the 40 feet deep mining pit at the time of the inci-

dent. The rains had made the sand walls brittle on all four sides and suddenly there was a massive slide.

2nd June, Badwani

FOOTPRINTS

The police inquiry into these deaths is ob-viously has not been thorough; the illegal

mining mafia is trying hook and crook to silence the matter. Reportedly, the main

contractor, Mr. Suresh Patel and his two sons from village Kundia, had paid lakhs of rupees to Raju Jalal for excavation of the

land for sand. Earlier in the day, Medha Patkar and a few activists visited the la-

bourers admitted at the hospital and also the spot at Village Pendra where the inci-dent had occurred. The adjacent land of

Champalal Awasya and his brothers (Raju’s cousins), other lands belonging to Mohan, Bherusing and his father Ruk-

hadiya have also been sold, while they are either yet to get land or have been entan-

gled in the fake registry scam. However, some of such land owner outstees, along with the politician-bureaucrat-contractors

nexus have earned lakhs of ruppes in this illegal mine game, that is going on in vil-

lages in the Narmada valley, in the very

lands that have been acquired for or are adjacent to the lands acquired for the

Sardar Sarovar Project by the Narmada Valley Development Authority.

The Rehabilitation Officer, SSP, Badwani, has clearly stated in his letter dated 14-05-

2013 that the NVDA has never given a No-Objection Certificate to the sand mining on

the lands acquired for the SSP. The entire mining activity is illegal since it violates the provisions of the Narmada Water Disputes

Tribunal Award that stipulate that the lands acquired can be used only for the purposes of submergence and not other-

wise. In spite of the fact that the Supreme Court has categorically directed that no

sand mining leases or renewal of leases can be given without approval of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, the

Badwani Collector has given an illegal three – month extension from the sand

mines, from April, 2013.

FOOTPRINTS

NAPM YUVA SHIVIR—HYDERABAD

Jana Vigyana Vedika Office, Khairtabad, Hyderabad,

Andhra Pradesh

28th - 29th June

Contact: Sashank Rajwadi - 07842439062

Seela - 09818411417

When we are young, we are full of idealism,

visions and dreams of changing the world but we also have the pressures of career,

fulfilling parental and societal aspirations and with changing times dealing with new challenges. Yuva Shivir provides an oppor-

tunity to the yuva saathis to discuss con-temporary issues and know the dynamics

and challenges of organising at the grass-roots. Shivir will also be joined by Sandeep Pandey, Rajendra Singh, Suniti S R, and

others.

Please pass on the message to yuva saathis

in the andolan and even those in universi-ties and young professionals who want to

be with the andolan and are interested in

processes of change.

Please call and confirm your participation

so that necessary arrangements are made.

MGNREGA MEET - NEW DELHI

Venue yet to be finalised

29th—30th June

Contact: Kamayani - 9771950248, Anuradha - 9433002064,

The need has arisen for a national level platform to voice demands and strengthen

our local level struggles on NREGA related issues. Hence we invite you to join us for a 2-day meeting in New Delhi. The purpose

would be to exchange experiences and re-view our previous experiences of working

together (for example, the PAEG or People's Action on Employment Guarantee that was

very active in the campaign for enactment

or our attempts at organising common na-tional action on NREGA Diwas ). At the end

we would like to set up an agenda, a pro-gramme and a structure for working to-gether in the future.

A mail detailing agenda for the two days meeting and other logistical details would

be sent to you in due course. In the mean-time, if you have suggestions for the

agenda do let us know. We hope that you will be able to make your

own travel arrangements. In case accom-modation is needed for the 29th night,

please do let us know in advance. Please do carry a contribution for the food

expenses on the days of the meeting.

In solidarity

Abhay Kumar, Annie Raja, Anuradha Tal-war, Aruna Roy, Arundhati Dhuru, Dhiren-

dra Jha, Jayati Ghosh, Jean Dreze, kama-yani Swami, Madhuri Krishnaswamy, Nikhil Dey, Richa Singh, Sanjay Sahni

GBGB CONFERENCE - MUMBAI

Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh Hall CST, Mumbai

24th June,

Report release: 10:30 am Conference: 1pm - 5pm Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan will be releasing the Jan Aayog Report on

24th June at Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh Hall, CST. This will be followed

by a conference to realize an alterna-

tive slum policy framework for housing in Mumbai.

Events

NEWSLETTER T ITLE

POLICY WATCH: Food Security Bill

Ordinance not the right route

C onsensus on details of the National

Food Security Bill has been eluding but UPA government is pushing for an or-

dinance. An issue like food security which affects millions in our country requires deep and informed debate in Parliament.

When the Monsoon session is just a few weeks away, such a discussion is possi-ble, Why then the hurry to pass an ordi-

nance? Several important parties, includ-ing the CPI, CPI (M), BJD, TMC, AIDMK

had moved amendments and they need to be heard. Through the media it is clear that the senior leaders of the BJP have

also consented to the passage of the bill if brought in for discussion. Most of these

parties have placed amendments asking for universal coverage and opposing the reduction of entitlements from 7 kgs to 5

kgs per month. The BJP would like to pre-sent provisions of the Chhattisgarh Food Security Bill which is more progressive

than the National Food Security Bill. Par-ties with large farmer constituencies like

the Shiromani Akali Dal are perturbed at the lack of attention to farmers’ issues. All these voices need to be heard and all the

issues raised need to be debated. The cur-rent version of the NFSB is extremely in-adequate and makes a mockery of food

security. It provides extremely limited food entitlements, is piece meal and nowhere

close to providing food security. It makes no provisions for production of food or for support of small and marginal farmers

who are food producers. It even under-mines some of the entitlements ensured

by the Supreme Court of India in the Right to Food case. It has no provisions for community kitchens and feeding of the

most hunger-prone or to deal with starva-tion deaths. The need of the hour is a comprehensive food security law that in-

centivises agriculture production, pro-vides for local procurement and local stor-

age along with a decentralised and depri-vatised universal PDS; special entitle-

ments for children, mothers, aged, dis-

abled, widows, migrants and destitute in-cluding universalised ICDS; monthly pen-

sions, community kitchens and destitute feeding programmes; effective measures for grievance redress, transparency and

accountability and safeguards against commercial interference including GMs in any of the food/nutrition related schemes

and against the introduction of cash transfers in place of PDS. The National

Food Security Bill is a crucial opportunity to end hunger and malnutrition in India and we hope that this will not be missed.

EDITORIAL

Political Resolution on Telangana Now!

Andhra Pradesh is in turmoil once again

over the demand of a separate Telan-gana. The formation of smaller states in

the Indian Union is, in general, a sig-nificant step towards bringing the locus of political power closer to the people.

Small states in India, given the popula-tion size of the country, will still be big by international standards. With a popu-

lation of about 3 crores, Telangana, if and when created, will be viable as a

state of the Indian Union. Demands for making governments responsive and ac-countable, need for redressing adminis-

trative inefficiency, and popular aspira-tion for a better life have set the stage for

a new phase of states’ reorganization.

People’s struggles and sacrifices have

made it clear that the demand for a separate state of Telangana now represents the aspirations of an

overwhelming majority of the people in

this region.

The Andhra Pradesh Assembly convened on 10th of June has remained paralysed

on the issue of Telangana.

VOLUME

It’s unfortunate to see the extraordinary

measures that have been taken up by the government to suppress the ‘Chalo Assem-

bly' call, given by the Telangana Joint Ac-tion Committee, an umbrella organisation

of several pro-Telangana groups.

National Alliance of People's Movements believes that while it is necessary to

maintain the law and order situation, suppression of democratic people’s protest

by mass illegal arrests of activists, threatening the people of Telangana, and cancellation of monthly pensions and es-

sential commodities through fair price shops to people participating in Telangana

agitation, is totally unacceptable.

While NAPM stands for smaller states, we

believe that without change in the para-digm of development and system of govern-ance, there can be no fundamental change

in the politics or relations of power in fa-

vour of the toiling masses. A separate Te-

langana will benefit not only the agitating people from the Region but also those in

the present State of Andhra Pradesh whose lives and livelihood are continuously af-fected due to keeping the issue burning

with struggle as well as oppression becom-ing an unending politics to be faced by

common people.

Hence, NAPM calls for an immediate politi-

cal resolution on the issue of Telangana. In spite of widespread support in Andhra Pradesh for the Telangana cause, there

seems to be an impasse over statehood for the region. The Telangana movement of-

fers credible hope of changing the iniqui-tous structures of power and control in the state and its failure might see the forces of

lawlessness acquiring new strength, with disastrous consequences for the common

people.

National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) started as a process in

1992 amidst the Ayodhya backlash and globalization spree and took a defi-

nite shape in 1996 after a long national tour of 15 states by senior activists.

It is an alliance of progressive people’s organisations and movements,

who while retaining their autonomous identities, are working together to

bring the struggle for primacy of rights of communities over natural re-

sources, conservation and governance, decentralised democratic develop-

ment and towards a just, sustainable and egalitarian society in the true spirit

of globalism. We stand against corporate globalisation, communalism and

religious fundamentalism, patriarchy, casteism, untouchability and dis-

crimination of all kinds. We believe an alliance emerging out of such a proc-

ess with shared ideology and diverse strategies can give rise to a strong so-

cial, political force and a National People's movement. In its quest for a larger

alliance, beyond the people’s movements, NAPM also reaches out to inte-

grate various civil society organisations and individuals working to-

wards similar goals.

C/O 6/6, Jangpura B, Mathura Road, New Delhi 110 014 India

National A l l i ance of People’s

Movements

Telefax : 91 11 2437 4535

Mobile: 9818411417

Email: [email protected]

Web : www.napm-india.org

FB: www.facebook.com/ napmindia

Twitter: www.twitter.com/napmindia

Footprints is an NAPM initiative towards providing our friends and supporters updated news of NAPM’s

and its associates activities, analytical articles, views and interviews. The newsletter will run on a fort-

nightly basis and will be issued on the 1st and 16th each month. We encourage you to send in press re-

leases, photographs, articles, situation updates to be featured in Footprints.

Movement of India, NAPM’s English magazine, will continue as before.

Page 13 FOOTPRINTS

Footprints 16th June - Vol1 Issue4

Documents

Transcript of Footprints 16th June - Vol1 Issue4