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| Police Bruatalities on Adivasi of Orissa |
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Incidents happened on 29th August, 2009 at Sil Punji Village; Chandiposh G.P; Banki P.S; Gurundia Block; Bonei Sub-Division; Sundergarh District, Orissa
INTRODUCTION:
This is the true story of excesses committed by police authorities on innocent poor tribals. The fateful early morning of 29th August, 2009 wrecked havoc on poor tribals of Munda Basti of Sil Punji village that falls under Banki Police Station in the Gurunida block of Sundergarh district of Orissa. Police not only brutally assaulted those tribals but also abused them in filthy language by calling them by caste as if all tribals are Maoists, Naxalies, anti national and what not. There is strong anger amongst the tribals, the way police have behaved with innocent tribals who are also equal citizens of the country. The story is based on the inputs of our volunteers, discussions with few members of fact finding team headed by Mrs. Serophina Toppo who is Hon¡¦ble Chairperson, Zilla Parishad, Sundergarh that went in to study and investigate reported incidents of police excesses. The team consisted of few social workers and an advocate, who have visited the affected village areas at Sil Punji on 9th September, 2009. They also had detailed discussion with the members of the victimized families to know the realities of what happened on 29th August¡¦ 2009.
HARD FACTS
Their report also confirms police brutalities on innocent tribals exposing how the innocent tribals in our rural tribal areas are harassed and tortured by falsely pushing them in jails in criminal cases to which they have nothing to do. However, on the contrary, Police authorities takes proud by weaving stories to hide their mischievous acts by labeling tribals as dreaded hard core Maoists. This is a very serious matter that invites attention of the authorities at the highest level, as the very police who are duty bound to protect the constitutional rights of the people of our country have themselves exceeded all the limits to encroach upon the rights of very poor tribals. These incidents have further confirmed that the police at Sundergarh district have expertise in weaving false stories while dealing with tribals. What surprises us the most is that all this happens despite enough provisions are available in the Constitution of India that protects the rights of tribals. If Maoists or Naxals are operating in tribal areas, it is due to the failure of the administrative machinery who has neglected all those areas dung last 63 years. Maoists have not made their bases in a day in all those areas of the country that have been neglected but in the name of development hundreds of Millions have been spent. It is those corrupt faces who are responsible but now when the industrial corporations have laid their eyes on tribal areas to forcibly acquire land and virtually loot the natural mineral wealth, police swung in to wreck havoc on innocent tribals to secure the interests of those industrial and mining corporations. Police brutalities on innocent tribals at Sil Punji village is a very serious matter that invites attention of all, specifically of those constituted authorities of both the state and central government to take urgent steps to bring to justice all those persons however powerful they may be so as to ensure that the constitutional rights of tribals are protected.
Realities of Gurundia Block:
It is pertinent to state here that the incidents have taken place at a village that comes under Gurundia Block, most backward block of the district where hardly anything has changed in last 63 years our gaining independence from British. Most of the residents here are tribals with high rate of illiteracy, No roads, no health care facilities, no electricity, even safe drinking water is a luxury but yes, on papers millions have been spent in the name of development. It is also time to raise questions at the revenue officials that where has gone all that money that was spent in the name of development in this block since last 63 years. Who are those corrupt faces who are responsible for making lives of the tribals miserable by eating away the money that was meant for the development? Where are those brave police faces who have miserably failed in their duties during all these years to allow Maoists to make their bases and inroads in tribal areas and now when the interest of mining corporations has come up, they have suddenly realized that Maoists is a problem. The recent incidents are one more example in the long list of atrocities committed on tribals at the hands of industrial and mining corporations where police have failed to nab the culprits but instead by committing excesses on tribals they have booked hundreds of tribals in false criminal cases. There is no hesitation to say that police at Sundergarh district in particular appears to be a puppet in the hands of Industrial and mining corporations who have no respect for tribals or their culture.
The Fateful Morning of 29th August, 2009:
Normal routine lives starts from very early morning in almost all the rural tribal areas of our country. Mundari Basti at Sil Punji village is no exception. Tribal villagers usually get up at about 4 o¡¦clock in very early, go out of their houses to attend routine nature call and take bath etc before they could come back to their houses, take food and go out to work as daily wage earners. But 29th August, 2009 was unusual as on that fateful morning havoc wrecked on them by the police. Those tribals when they came out of their houses to go for toilets and take bath at the river were surprised to see many heavily armed police and CRPF people all around their village. Soon those police personnel went in to the houses searching for male members whom they pulled from their beds. Those who have already gone outside were also caught while they were taking bath or even attending the nature¡¦s call. Once caught, they were badly physically assaulted by slapping and kicking them and tied with the trees for over five six hours, without giving them any water or food. They were abused in filthy derogatory language by calling them by their caste labeling tribal community as dreaded criminals. Law breakers, anti nationals, Maoists and what not.
Confusion and Chaos at Munda Basti, Sil Punji village.
Complete chaos and confusion took the tribals at Munda Basti in to the grip. Women, children and old aged persons were in great shock and watching with fear live horror show happening in front of their eyes. They were scared and in great panic to see their brother, father or husbands being severally assaulted. They failed to understand why all these happens to them, what is their fault or what wrong they have done that are treated in such inhuman way. Why this entire curse has broken down on their heads? What is their crime? Why so many heavily armed policemen are behind their blood? Why they are treated even worst than animals? Why police has taken away their family members? They wondered why police was shouting at them and calling them as Naxalites or Maobadi. But worst was yet to come. After the naked dance of brutalities, police again dragged those tribals, kicking, pushing and thrashing them on the forest path to take them to the road where few police vans were parked. Here they were herded in to the police vans.
Innocent tribals labeled as dreaded hard core Naxalites
Police van took those tribals to the Homeopathic College Ground located at Sector- 5 in the Rourkela Steel Township. Thrashing and beating continued here also before three or four villagers were released and forwarding thirty tribals (including few minors) to jail by labeling them as hard core dreaded Naxalites, implicating all of them in a Case No. 31 of Date 17-07-2009 registered Banki Police Station inviting penal action u/s 147/148/341/ 353/364/395/307/506/121/121A/149 IPC; 25/ 27 Arms Act/ 9 B; Indian Explosive Act./7 Cr. L.A. Act turned to u/s 47/148/341/353/364/395/307/302 /506/121/ 121A/149 IPC 25/27 Arms Act /9B /Indian Explosive Act. 7Cr. L. A. Act.
Conditions and versions of the released persons and families back home.
Those who have been released have given their statement that confirms that even while they were taken to Rourkela were not spared and were regularly beaten badly. Brief statement is made here under to share with readers.
1. Anil Oraon (minor) 13 years of age; is in great shock and has fallen sick, undergoing treatment at the Orind Hospital at Latikata. He is the only male member in the family who has to look after his old mother and sister in law. On the fateful morning of 29th August, he was also pulled out of bed by the police, was repeatedly slapped while another policeman kicked him and thrashed him with the butt of the rifle.
2. Elam (minor) 16 years of age and Purno Chandra Patro (handicap person) are suffering from mental shock trying to come out of the memories of the ordeal that they have suffered at the hands of armed police.
3. Joseph Oraon, age about 50 years who was caught on the river bank while he was attending the nature¡¦s call. He has been brutally beaten. When he shouted for help, police torn off his Banian and pushed in his mouth to keep him quiet. He shares that he was very badly beaten all the way while he was being taken towards Latikata.
4. Johan Oraon, age about 35years also of Sil Punji village was caught by police on river bank, where he had gone to do latrine. He was also beaten very badly, and on his shouting for help, was also treated the way Joseph Oraon was treated by tearing off his Banian and pushing it in his mouth to keep him quiet. He has also been badly beaten all the way to Latikata.
5. Jai dev Munda, age about 35, was holding his one year old sick child while they were taken to the road. After about two kilometers, the sick child was taken away from him and handed over to a villager to send back to the village. Child is sick and with no money at home, gives an idea of lives after the male folks have been forcibly taken away from their families.
Mothers and Children need Urgent attention:
6. A tribal woman delivered a baby on the road side just a day back. There are 45 children in the age of one to seven years who are left behind in the house with their mothers. There is a badly of just few weeks. There are five old aged women who are all above seventy years of age. They need urgent care in shape of medicines and food.
Further arrests by the police:
Again Banki Police arrested few more persons.
ÏnOn 03-09-2009 Mr. Hanuk Munda aged about 35 years. Of village Jharbeda ÏnOn 05-09-2009 four tribals of Rukha village namely Mr. Edmond Guria of 27 years; Samuel Guria of 20 years; Man Mashi Bhengra of 35 years and Rajesh Guria of 45 years of age are arrested. ÏnOn 07-09-2009, Bolang police arrested 3 more tribals from village Topdih who are Mr. James Purty of 38 years, Mr. Bishikeshan Singh of 50 years (Ward Member) and Mr. Gidian Topno of 38 years..
Reaction of the people so far:
Action of the police committing brutalities and calling tribals as Naxalites or Maoists is a very serious offence committed by them. Under no circumstances, such statements can be justified. There is a strong wage of anger amongst tribal community all over the district. There is a strong demand from almost all quarters of the tribal community for the unconditional release of the innocent tribals and punishment to the guilty.
Road Blockade by the people:
There was a road block from 8th to 10th of September, 2009 by the villagers who had no other option to awake the sleeping administration. Public representatives Hon¡¦ble MLAs Mr. Bhimsen Choudhary, Bonei, Mr. George Tirkey Birmitrapur; Mr. Gregory Minz, Rajgangpur; Mr. Jogesh Singh Sundargarh were all present with the villagers who negotiated with the administration. Mr. Prafull Majhi Hon¡¦ble MLA Talsera has extended his moral support and consent to join the struggle with all the ward members, sarpanches, samittee members , Block Chairpersons, Zilla Parishad members. If the tribals are not released within 10 days, i.e. before 20th September, 09, indefinite bandh of the whole Sundergarh district will take place on and from 21st September, 2009.
Meeting with Administration:
On 9th of September, 09, at about 4 PM, a meeting was held with the Sub-collector, Bonei Sub-Division, at Chandiposh Panchayat office. In the open talk with Administration, it has been assured that they are looking into the matter of unconditional release of all the thirty tribals who are in now way Maoists and supply of medicines and ration on most urgent basis to the victimized families to take care of mothers and children who are left alone. The incidents have exposed further how innocent tribals are victimized by none other than the very authorities that are duty bound to protect their lives and properties. Let us wait for the actions of the government who have assured to do the needful before 20th of September, 2009, so as to save the tribals of the district from their proposed protests from 21st onwards.
Date: 11th September, 2009
Pravin Patel
Director,
Tribal Welfare Society
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| Naxal beheaded a Jharkhand police officer |
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Maoists have beheaded Jharkhand police inspector Francis Induwar, who had been kidnapped by the ultras a week back reportedly demanding release of three arrested Naxalites including Kobad Ghandy in exchange for the officer, an act termed as unacceptable by the Centre today. The body along with the severed head of 37-year-old Induwar, who worked in intelligence wing of the state police, was found near Raisha Ghati under Namkom police station area, about 12 km from here, Superintendent of Police (Ranchi Rural), Hemant Toppo, said. Induwar, who is survived by his wife and three sons, had been kidnapped on September 30 by the Maoists from Hembrom Bazaar in Khunti district, about 70 km from here. The Maoists later reportedly demanded release of three rebels -- Ghandy, Chhatardhar Mahato and Bhushan Yadav -- in exchange for the officer. PTI / 06 Oct. 09 A Jharkhand police officer, who had been abducted by Maoist guerrillas and was sought to be swapped for three of their leaders, including Kobad Ghandy, was found with his throat slit on the Ranchi-Jamshedpur highway Tuesday morning. Francis Induwar, who worked as an intelligence official in the Special Branch, had been kidnapped five days ago. The Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) left a pamphlet claiming the killing, a police official said. "Francis has been awarded death to protest the police repression," stated the pamphlet by the outlawed group. "The body of the official was found near Taimara valley situated on the Ranchi-Jamshedpur highway on Tuesday morning. The body has been identified and sent for postmortem. Maoists killed him by slitting his throat," said R K Mallik, the deputy inspector general of police, Ranchi range. "This is an act of cowardice of Maoist rebels who killed a police officer who was posted in the Specials Branch," Mallik said. Indwar was abducted September 30 evening from the Hembrum market in Khuti district, about 65 km from here, where he had gone to collect information from a contact. On Saturday, a person claiming to be 'Samarji', secretary of the Maoist South Chotanagpur Committee of Jharkhand, put forward the conditions for releasing Induwar. "The abducted police inspector of intelligence department is in our possession. He is safe. He will be released after the arrested leaders - Kobad Ghandy, Chatradhar Mahto and Bhushan Yadav - are released," local newspapers had quoted Samarji as saying. "Do not torture relatives of Kundan Pahan and other people, otherwise we will abduct family members of government officials," it went on to say. Police suspect the role of the Kundan Pahan group in the killing. It is active in the border areas of Ranchi, Khuti and Jamshedpur. Indo-Asian News Service / Ranchi, October 06, 2009
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| After a severe drought, what led to the worst floods in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh? |
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Blame it on the rain, you could say. Irrigation officials say these are possibly the worst floods in this area in 10,000 years. But what caused this disaster? Could it have been better managed? Kurnool, Mahbubnagar, Krishna and Guntur are the worst affected districts. Overall, at least 18 lakh people in nearly 400 villages of Andhra Pradesh have been affected by the floods. 180 villages in Kurnool, 89 in Mahbubnagar, 100 in Guntur and 22 in Nalgonda are in bad shape due to the flood waters. Five hundred fifty five army men, 6 choppers, 1000 swimmers and 254 boats are involved in the relief work. Unprecedented rains in North Karnataka on Thursday flooded several districts, cutting off areas like Bijapur, Bagalkot and Bellary. Karwar for instance got 50 cm of rain in a single day, locals called it the heaviest downpour in 50 years. The waters inundated the Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers and the Karnataka government released upto 8 lakh cusecs of water from the Almatti and Narayanpur dams, in a single day. From the last week of September, Andhra Pradesh was experiencing heavy rains, some areas got over 30 cm in a single day. This brought heavy inflows into major projects in Krishna Basin like Jurala, Srisailam, Nagarjunasagar, Prakasam Barrage and Sunkesula. Early on Friday, reports started coming in of water levels rising dangerously in the border town of Mantralayam in Andhra Pradesh. By evening, the water level had crossed the danger mark in Srisailam dam... in a single day on Friday, the reservoir had received over 25 lakh cusecs of water in 12 hours, whereas it is designed to get no more than 13.6 lakh cusecs. On Saturday, the maximum water limit was crossed in Srisailam, Jurala and Sunkesula projects causing inundation in many villages in the backwaters. Kurnool town and several villages in Kurnool, Mahbubnagar and Nalgonda districts were flooded. From the Srisailam dam, the waters were flowing into Nagarjunasagar dam... and on Sunday morning, 10.85 lakh cusecs were released to keep the masonry dam safe. The waters that reached Prakasam Barrage in the coastal Krishna district on Monday have submerged hundreds of villages. Prakasam Barrage has never received such huge amounts of water in the last 100 years. Critics point out that the Andhra Pradesh government could have better anticipated and prepared for systematic release of waters from the Sukeshu, Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar dams before matters got really out of hand. The Andhra Pradesh government however points out that it is the first time in history that the scale of floods has been so massive. "This is known as PMF or possible maximum flood, which happens once in 10,000 years," said Geetha Reddy, AP Information Minister. The Met department has said there is likely to be a letup in rains and Karnataka has said they will release minimum waters. So, the waters in the major dams may be safely regulated. ndtv / October 5, 2009
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| Land dispute carnage in Khagaria district of Bihar |
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Hours before dawn broke on the 140th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, suspected Maoist guerrillas gunned down 16 people, including five children, after dragging them out of their homes here in Bihar's Khagaria district, 190 km from Patna. The killings were apparently over a land dispute between Musahars, who are mostly landless Dalits, and Kurmis, who come under Other Backward Castes (OBCs). "Land dispute was the cause of carnage," Khagaria SP Indranand Mishra said. In a sign of assertion, possibly egged on by the Maoists, Musahars were demanding the Kurmis vacate their land for them. Another senior police officer, who did not wish to be named, said the killings could be the work of Naxalites. "The extremists took up the cause of Musahars who are Maoist sympathisers," he said. Some time after Thursday midnight, at least 24 gunmen descended on Amousi village, where 21 villagers were asleep, guarding their farmland and cattle. They were woken up, dragged out of their homes and their hands tied up. The children who were killed in this carnage were all between 10 and 15 years of age. However, before the bloodbath began, four of the 21 captives managed to escape under the cover of darkness. Of the 17, one Paro Singh survived as he lay pretending to be dead even after the killers' bullet -- they were shooting indiscriminately -- missed him. As the assailants left, Paro Singh ran to the village and informed the villagers. The police reached five hours later, and recorded the statement of Singh who said he could identify 10 of the killers as they were local Musahars. Paro told TOI that local Musahars four months back had threatened him and his family with dire consequences if he did not vacate his farmland. "We had petitioned district officials, but it was useless," he said, and added that he never expected Musahars to resort to such an extreme step for grabbing his land. Musahars, the poorest among poor Dalits in Bihar, are so named for their rat-catching skills. Many of them eat rodents. While 14 of the victims belonged to backward Kurmi caste, two were Kushwahas, also OBCs. Khagaria has not witnessed caste clashes before. In fact, Bihar, too, hasn't seen caste war for years -- the last one taking place in 2000 when at least 34 OBC Yadavs were killed in Aurangabad's Miapur village in retaliation of the killing of an equal number of upper caste Bhumihars in Jehanabad's Senari village in 1999. The attack amounts to a political setback for CM Nitish Kumar, who has been trying to build a grand alliance between non-Yadav OBCs and the Maha-Dalits -- that is all Dalits except Chamaars and Paswans. The assault on Kurmis hits at Kumar's core constituency. Not surprisingly, Lok Janshakti Party's Ramvilas Paswan has said, "Nitish has a lot to explain... He should take moral resonsibility and resign." Alauli block, under which Icharwa falls, has seen Maoist violence in the past also. Two policemen were killed, a farm house and a brick kiln blown and six tractors of a road construction company burnt by Maoists in different incidents during the last three years in the area. At the time of going to the press, cops claimed to have arrested eight of the 10 named accused besides four suspects. A massive combing operation was on to nab others, the SP said, and added that the police are probing if it was a Maoist operation. TNN 3 October 2009
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| Koraga Adivasi - The Primitive Tribal Group of Kerela |
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Dear All,
As we all know Koragas are one of the extincting PTGs community. Their population is declining. They are untouchables even for the dalits including all the caste Hindus. Their traditional Hero Kanthara agitated with the caste Hindus for the dignity of the community and killed by the upper caste people. Hubashika, once upon a time the koraga king has a dynasty and ruled the coastal region but beaten, enslaved by the Mayura Sharma the famous Kadamba king of Banavasi and since then koragas ran away to the forest and in medieval period the jain kings who ruled the coastal part brought the koragas from the forest and tamed them for ajal practices. In the ajal practice the bad things, evils, shani, grahacharas, diseases of the upper caste people and the naadu (village) is symbolically transferred to the koraga community members. The tip of the nail and hair of the upper caste person is mixed in to the rice and that will be provided to the koraga community members through this practice. Hundreds of such practices are in the ajal. By the intervention of the SGA, koraga started to organize themselves since 1990ââ¬â¢s and in the year 1993 August 18th first time in the history of the community they made a rally at Mangalore and urged the administration to have the study of the community. Dr. Mohammad Peer committee is formed.
The committee gave the recommendations to the government. Prominent recommendation was to provide the land to each family and agriculturise the koraga community members. Since then koragas are fighting with the administration to provide the land. Lot of agitations in a variety continued, they went to jail, they went forwarded even in front of the guns of the forest officials, they encroached the forest land, they made continues dharna from panchayath to district level and ultimately in 2002 the Karnataka Government decided to provide the land to the koragas and at present 450 women got the land entitlement deeds with the extent of minimum one acre each.
Rehabilitation work is going on and slowly koragas are becoming the agriculturist. In the organization process the identity of the koragas became the stronger motive and in the process they questioned the caste Hindus and they analysed the structural causes for the situation of the koraga community and ultimately rejected all the believes, rituals, traditions connected with the hindu caste society. This leads to a movement on abolition of Ajal practices. Ultimately the Government of Karnataka passed the Karnataka Ajal Abolition Act. While doing so they rejected all the cultural tools, music dances, entertainments because all are connected with ajal, untouchability and Hindu caste society.
Ashok Kumar Shetty
Project Coordinator
Samagra Grameena Ashram, Pernal, Udupi
Following part is added by Editor / Moderator
The origin of Koragas is associated with a few legends such as rise and fall of certain dynasties and empires in the pre-historic period of northern Kerala. Thus koragas are believed to be the ancestors of a defeated dynasty, which was driven to forests and subsequently became slaves to the mighty. Another legend is regarding the issues of a Brahmin woman by a sudra. It is said that the social unacceptability of their children in the caste-dominated society was so rigid that the children were looked down upon with contempt and their future generation was named as Koraga.
The area of habilitation of Koraga is Kasaragod District. According to the PTG survey 1996-97, the population of Koragas is 1349. Their population during 1981 Census was 1098. A study undertaken during 1988 by KIRTADS, the State's Tribal Research Institute, shows that the Koraga population during 1998 is only 1330. The diminishing trend is not much significant as in the case of Cholanaikans. Considerable number of Koragas is seen in Karnataka State also.
The Koragas are seen mostly in rural areas. Due to their unhygienic way of life all other communities used to observe untouchability with Koragas. In earlier days they used to remove carcasses and ate the decaying flesh of dead animals.Even now a section of the non-tribals treat them as unapproachable and untouchable and all of them were slaves till the State banned slavery through the Bonded Labour Abolition Act. The Koragas speak a language of their own with resemblance to Tulu and Kannada. They have very little interaction with other communities.
The Koragas who live in plain areas are called Kuntu Koraga and those found in forests are named as Sappu Koraga [ living in the forest]. In Kerala only Kundu Koragas are seen and the Sappu Koragas are found in Karnataka State. The Kuntu Koraga covers two sections of Koragas viz. Badiyadika group and Pulikoor Group. Out of the 111 Koraga families living in Pavoor colony, a major portion is following Christianity and is known as Christian Koraga. Koragas are also classified as sappu Koraga and Kuntu Koraga on the basis of their clothing habits . Those who use garments of leaves are called Sappu and other group who uses clothes are called Kuntu. In fact, all Koragas in plain areas use clothes. Now- a - days sappus are also using clothes.
In Kasaragod District, Koraga live in 52 settlements distributed in Kasaragod and Manjeshwar blocks. There are two settlements in kasaragod block, one each in Kasaragod Panchayat ( Vidhyanagar colony] and Mentalloor Panchayat [ Pulikur colony). In Manjeswar Block, there are 50 settlements distributed in the following panchayats, viz. Badiadka[6], Meencha [6], Vorkady [7], Paivalige [ 11], Puthige [3], Mangalpady[5], Bellur [1], Enmagage [ 6], Kumbala [4] and Manjeswara [1].
The Koragas of Kerala follow makkathayam [patrilineal] rule of succession. Still a portion of the Koragas have nothing much to entail, except a few implements and household utensils. A large faction of the Koragas is engaged with basket making. In olden days a few were engaged in scavenging. They used to beg rather than undertaking agriculture activities or minor forest produce collection. Koragas were experts in crocodile capturing and they used to eat its flesh. Now none of this occupation could give them the subsistence level income for their livelihood.
The conventional Koraga houses are thatched huts with grass or leaves, with open sides. Now more than 80% families have received departmental houses.
The traditional God of Koragas is sun. Mariarnma and Kata (swami] are their popular Gods. However, the new generation is interested in worshipping the Hindu Gods.They bury the dead.
www.scheduledtribekerala.gov.in/koragas.htm
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| Mahatma Gandhi tag to National Rural Employment Guarantee Act |
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The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), the UPA government�s flagship job scheme that provides 100 days of work in a financial year to every rural household, will now be called the Mahatma National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
The new name will be unveiled on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on Friday, a rural development ministry official told HT. Thursday�s cabinet approval paves the way for the government to bring an ordinance to adopt the new name, which will be ratified by Parliament during its winter session in November.
The name change is aimed at preventing state governments from taking credit for the scheme. The Centre has expressed concern over attempts by opposition-ruled states � particularly by UP chief minister Mayawati and her Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar � to publicise NREGA as their own programme by printing their pictures on the job cards.
The Congress is seeking a revival in both these states.
Senthil comments -
Actually, the very concept of this NREGA is flawed. This programme can be rightly called as Rural Destruction programme. IF we see all the works done under this scheme, all are like putting a pinch of salt in the sea. None of them are really productive work, nor it helps the community or the people.
The detrimental effect is that, NREGA collapses the work ethics of the people. WIth Rs.2 per kg rice scheme, and 100 days NREGA, most of the workers, lost the incentive to work. Two days of work is enough to buy the rice at 2/kg. So for any agricultural work, they dont come forward to work..
There is no accountability in these works. Just for the sake of work, some unproductive works are chosen. In normal course of society, when a land owner employs the workers, he expects a productive work, and a result at the end of the day.
In case of NREGA, there is no ownership of the scheme or the work undertaken. The workers usually work in a complete leisure, and lethargic. In my region, in many villages, simply a layer of clay for around .5 to 1 feet is scrapped and then this work is added to NREGA scheme.
The fate of farmers is now left to fend for themselves. Everyone knows that agriculture is a labour intensive work, even when machinery is used. By driving away from farmers, the very fundamental of our society gets broken.
Its akin to giving incentive to factory workers not to work there. What if the government comes up with a plan to provide employment to all IT employees, with 10% higher salary than the current one, along with reducing the dollar value. The present NREGA scheme is like that.
The government considers people as only votebanks, and NOT as a society. That's why, it doesnt care how much the farmers suffer or commit suicide.
I often suspect that this very scheme itself is a conspiracy.. by driving away workers away from farmers, it will make farming unsustainable. THis will force farmers also to move away from agriculture, which will create a food crisis. By artificially creating a food crisis, the government plans to take over land in the guise of Special Agricultural Zone, without any resistance. A sure plan to alter the very fundamentals of our society from diverse participatory one, to a corporate one like america.. a kind of medieval european fuedal society is being created.
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| Vedanta Chimney Disaster - Govt issues look-out notices against Chinese workers of Balco plant |
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Dear all,
As was feared, the nexus of the state with the Balco is established by the fact that they have allowed the chinese team to flee. The act of the government to bolt the stable after horses have run away. Shame on such governance. Moral of rulers going down to gutters. I have rasied the matter again and again that those who should be behind the bars are protected by none other than the state government. They were not only escorted out of Korba but were provided shelter at Community Centre at Bilaspur under police protection. They sliped out in groups to Raipur under the cover of the night, reports suggests that they stayed at posh Hotel Babylon at Raipur and from there to Raipur Airport where they have boarded the flight to New Delhi and Kolkatta to flee the country.
I share here below the news published online in Indianexpress.com
Pravin Patel
The government has issued country-wide look-out circulars (LOC) at all airports and ports of exit against 89 Chinese engineers and workmen employed at the Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) thermal power plant in Korba, Chhattisgarh, where a chimney collapse on September 23 left more than 45 dead.
The government has given the passport details of these Chinese personnel to immigration authorities and asked them to ensure that they do not leave the country and assist the police investigations into the incident if required.
New Delhi was forced to issue the LOC after all the 89 Chinese personnel, employed by Shandong Electric Power Construction Corporation (SEPCO), China, for the construction of the thermal plant for BALCO, fled Korba after the chimney collapsed.
On Friday night, the immigration authorities at the IGIA airport in Delhi intercepted four Chinese engineers trying to board a flight to Beijing. These engineers were directed to report to the Superintendent of Police, Korba, and asked not to leave the country till the statements of those involved are taken.
This step by New Delhi has raised an alarm in Beijing with Chinese Ambassador to India Zhang Yan seeking an urgent meeting with Joint Secretary (East Asia) Vijay Gokhale on Saturday and complaining about Chinese workers being held in India. However, New Delhi explained its position to Ambassador Zhang as 70 persons are feared dead in the tragedy and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has already ordered a judicial inquiry.
The Chhattisgarh police has already questioned eight Chinese employees of SEPCO in connection with the case registered against the company following the collapse of the chimney.
"We had detained eight Chinese staff, including three women, from the airport following a communication from the Korba superintendent of police to the airport officials that they could be required in connection with the investigations," Raipur district superintendent of police Amit Kumar said. "After questioning, the Korba police finally cleared them and said that they were no longer required (for the investigation)", he said, adding that all of them left for New Delhi by the evening flight.
A large number of Chinese employees, mostly engineers, had fled Korba fearing that workers and even locals could attack them after the chimney at the power plant site, which was being constructed by the Chinese company, collapsed. Initially, many of them checked into hotels at Bilaspur and Raipur from where they moved to Delhi and Kolkata, police sources said. Police have registered a case against BALCO, SEPCO and Gannon Dunkerly and Company Limited (GDCL). Police said GDCL staff, too, fled Korba, fearing a backlash.
As many as 45 bodies have been so far retrieved from the debris and operations for clearing the debris would take 24 more hours.
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