#India -Police action traumatised anti-dam tribals in MP #Stateoppression #humanrights

Chaukhand village, Khargone (MP), May 30, 2013

Pheroze L. Vincent

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  The Hindu Villagers staging indefinite dharna at Kharak Dam at Chaukhand village in Khargone district in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday demanding proper compensation. Photo: A.M. Faruqui
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  The Hindu Villagers including children staging indefinite dharna at Kharak Dam at Chaukhand village in Khargone disstrict in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday, demanding proper compensation. Photo: A.M. Faruqui.
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  The Hindu Villagers staging indefinite dharna at Kharak Dam at Chaukhand village in Khargone disstrict in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday, demanding proper compensation. Photo: A.M.Faruqui

Sisters Kalibai and Phulbai are in a state of shock after they were caned by the police on May 25. Aged 8 and 6, they rushed towards their father Tudpiabai Gangaram on seeing him being caned by the police during a protest against the Kharak Reservoir being built beside their village.

“I said don’t hit my father. My father asked us to run away. Before we could run the policeman hit us also,” said Kali, struggling to talk with her swollen mouth. Phul asked her to open her mouth. “Her tooth broke as the cane hit her mouth,” she said pointing at a missing tooth.

Chaukhand has been resisting the construction of the dam, a minor irrigation project in Khargone and Barwani districts, roughly 350 km south west of Bhopal. Inhabited by the Barela tribe, the village grows wheat, jowar, soya, groundnuts and other traditional millets, beside River Kharak. Most residents do not have documents for the land they cultivate. The reservoir will submerge parts of seven villages.

Work on the project, which had started less than a year ago, has stopped for the last two months due to protests by locals. There are daily dharnas under the village peepul tree demanding a comprehensive rehabilitation policy, before the dam comes up.

“We had started work only on the 55 hectares for which claims were settled at roughly Rs. 3 lakhs per acre according to the collector’s guidelines. The problem is with those who don’t have documents. The principal secretary has decided to give them a relief amount of Rs. 4 lakhs per hectare. On Saturday we went to talk with the villagers when the situation deteriorated,” said Executive Engineer SS Raghuvanshi of the Water Resources Department.

Villagers narrated a different story. “At 10.30 a.m. we were on dharna as usual when four police vans came with around 150 male and female officers. The Sub Divisional Magistrate Jitendra Singh Chouhan was in front. They formed a line. We went to the SDM and asked when we will get compensation. He said that everyone with documents will get compensation but first we must clear the area,” said Shivram Kanase an activist of the Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan (JADS) which works in the area.

The villagers asked them to pay the compensation before starting work. Police then forcibly evicted them from the site. “They chased me and snatched my child from my arms and threw him on the ground. That policeman’s breathe smelt of liquor. He beat me with his cane,” said Samranabai, a local resident.

Collector Navneet Kothari is on leave and Superintendent of Police R. P. Singh refused to answer queries. He said, “You do your job. If I say there was no lathi charge, will you believe me?”

Another lady named Banchibai Ningole, with an infant at her breast, was arrested from her house, said villagers. Totally seven men and twenty women are in judicial custody. They were denied bail on Wednesday. The police have told the court that they are on the look out for others and that if released, the 27 would rejoin the protests.

“I asked the SDM why his men were beating women and children. He said that we were stopping government work and we would be locked up. Inspector T. C. Usre caught my hand and hit me. The women constables didn’t do anything. Maybe they felt bad for us,” said Gyanibai Jadav.

SDM Chouhan denied the occurrence of a lathi charge. “Villagers attacked the workers at the site. I told them that we won’t tolerate violence. We can convey their objections to the government. Police only removed them from the machines. There was no lathi charge,” he told The Hindu.

Many men and women showed the cane scars on their backs and legs. Four children with bruises claimed they had either been hit or had fallen while running from the police. The counsel for the arrested, C. K. Pathak said that he wasn’t pressing charges on the police as he first wants his clients to be released.

Bail was denied on a day when CM Shivraj Chauhan visited the district to conduct a mass marriage. On May 28 the government announced a Rs. 212 crore package for oustees of the Omkareshwar Dam, which will be given on condition that they vacate their homes by July 15. The evictees in neighbouring Khandwa had gained international prominence when they went on jal satyagraha by indefinitely immersing sitting in the River Narmada last year.

Here in Chaukhand, an uneasy peace prevails with villagers unsure of whose lands will be occupied and how much money they will get. Many fields have already been filled with rocks by the construction contractors. They are also under pressure from panchayat leaders not to obstruct the construction. Both the dharna continues and construction work has stopped.

Villager Sakaram accompanied this reporter on the way out of the village, which is connected to Dhulkot Panchayat by a long un-metallled road filled with stones. Ambulances don’t come here, he said, and many women have complicated pregnancies due to the journey on bullock cart to the hospital.

On Thurday a Barwani court granted bail to JADS leader Madhuri Krishnaswamy, who was arrested a fortnight back for a 2008 case of rioting. Ms. Krishnaswamy took up the case of a tribal woman giving birth on the street after being evicted from a primary health centre. The suspended pharmacist had filed the case on her.

“Last time we all voted for BJP as they promised us land pattas. This time we are going to meet (Congress state president) Kantilal Bhuria ji when he visits Khargone of June 4,” Mr. Sakaram added. He goes to public meetings of both the Congress and the BJP. “One day they will listen to us,” he explained.

Related articles

• Tribals arrested, lathi-charged for demanding rehabilitation (kractivist.wordpress.com)
• PRESS RELEASE- Repression of people affected by Kharak Dam in Madhya Pradesh (kractivist.wordpress.com)
• Tribals protest over Madhuri being sent to Jail for speaking for the ‘right of pregnant women #Vaw (kractivist.wordpress.com)
• #India – Maternal Health Whistle Blower Arrested #Vaw #Womenrights (kractivist.wordpress.com)
• Rs 212 crore for Omkareshwar dam oustees (kractivist.wordpress.com)
• Woman Activist lands in jail for protesting lack of health facilities in tribal district five years ago (kractivist.wordpress.com)

 

#India Surfers- Soon govt will know what you surfed in 24 hrs #WTFnews

Be warned: Soon govt will know what you surfed yesterday

by FP Editors May 25, 2013

A report in BusinessLine today informs us that the government wants to keep track of where you go on your internet travels, and is planning to make it compulsory for telecom and internet service providers (ISPs) to maintain detailed records of your surfing habits and proclivities.

An insecure state machinery that regularly snoops on its people is bad enough; but a police state greased by corruption and zero accountability means the privacy of ordinary citizens will be sacrificed in the cause of the powerful. Reuters

Currently, mobile companies have to keep voice call data records, but in future they may have to do so even with data traffic.

An Internet Protocol Detail Record (IPDR) system, offered by may companies selling telecom gear, enables ISPs to track and store details of our net usage. If the telecom department succeeds in forcing them to keep records of everyone’s data usage patterns without putting in place a strong privacy law, anyone with access to these records can blackmail individuals.

The fact is security agencies already have the right to ask telcos and ISPs to intercept the data of people they suspect of wrongdoing. Forcing them to maintain detailed records of data usage patterns means privacy risks will soar since information will be available on anyone and everyone.

Consider the dangers:

When usage data is stored for long periods of time, every telco knows it is there and could use it to access privileged information.

When paying bribes comes so easily, the possibility that such data may be sold to criminals or blackmailers for cash is high. Once data leaks, there may be no way to trace it back to who passed the information on.

Governments can always use this information against political rivals.

It is worth recalling that the Niira Radia tapes, though legitimately tapped by the income-tax department, were leaked to the media. Even though this helped us discover the 2G scam, the fact is nobody has been held accountable for the illegal leaks in this case — even with the Supreme Court hearing the matter.

An insecure state machinery that regularly snoops on its people is bad enough; but a police state greased by corruption and zero accountability means the privacy of ordinary citizens will be sacrificed in the cause of the powerful.

 

International shooter Varsha Tomar’s husband held for dowry harassment #Vaw

Suraj Chaudhary, husband of international shooter Varsha Tomar, was arrested here for dowry harassment, police said Thursday

May 31, 2013

GURGAON

IANS

He was presented in the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Rajesh Sharma.

He was sent to police custody for one day.

“We are interrogating accused for recovery of jewellry and other valuables given at the time of marriage by victim’s parents,” investigation officer Balwan Singh Gulia told IANS.

A case of dowry harassment, criminal intimidation and criminal breach of trust was registered against Tomar’s husband, Suraj Chaudhary and her mother-in-law, Tushtata Chaudhary, was registered Wednesday at DLF City Phase I police station.

Tomar, won several gold and silver medals in national and international shooting events, said in her complaint that she was not allowed to go for practice sessions

Tomar married Chaudhary, a native of Uttar Pradesh and a Noida-based lawyer, in December 2011.

At the time of marriage, the first information report FIR said, Tomar’s in-laws promised her that she could pursue her shooting career but they stopped her from stepping out of the house.

Suraj lives with his brother in Noida and his accused mother is living at their ancestral village in Shyamli district of Uttar Pradesh.

According to police, complainant Varsha Tomar is living in Value Estate here on Gurgaon-Faridabad road.

 

NRHM -Removal of conditionalities for institutional deliveries underJanani Suraksha Yogana #Womenrights #Goodnews

Access the G.O. No. Z.14018/1/2012- JSY  relating to Removal of conditionalities associated with parity and minimum age of mother for institutional deliveries in High Performing States and for home deliveries in all the States/UTs under Janani Suraksha Yojana 

 

 

 

 

No. Z.14018/1/2012-JSY
Government of India
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
(JSY Section)
Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi
Dated: 13.05.2013
To,
The Mission Director-NRHM,
All States/UTs
Subject: Removal of conditionalities associated with parity and minimum age of mother
for institutional deliveries in High Performing States and for home deliveries in
all the States/UTs under Janani Suraksha Yojana-Approval of Mission Steering
Group (MSG) –in continuation of letter dated 8.5.2013 regarding
Madam/Sir,
As you are aware, Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is under implementation
throughout the country since 2005. The scheme encourages institutional delivery
among pregnant women by providing conditional cash assistance. In Low Performing
States, the financial assistance for institutional delivery is available to all pregnant
women regardless of age and parity who give birth in a government or private
accredited health facility. However, in High Performing States, financial assistance for
institutional delivery has only been available to women from BPL/SC/ST households,
aged 19 years or above and upto two live births for giving birth in a government or
private accredited health facility. Further, in all the States/UTs, the scheme provides Rs.
500/- to BPL women, aged 19 years or above and upto two live births, who prefer to
deliver at home.
Despite the fact that Janani Suraksha Yojana has contributed in increasing the
institutional deliveries in the public health facilities, recent evaluation conducted by
National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC) and study report on Maternity
Protection in India by Ministry of Labour and Employment/International Labour
Organization noted with concern that JSY excludes a significant proportion of women by
virtue of exclusion criteria/ conditionalities of minimum age of mother and parity. These
women who are excluded include adolescents below the age of 19 years and
multiparous women who are at higher risk of maternal and perinatal outcomes.
Considering the above, a proposal to remove conditionalities associated with
minimum age of mother and parity was placed before Empowered Programme
Committee (EPC) which recommended the proposal for consideration of Mission
Steering Group (MSG) of National Rural Health Mission. The proposal has now been

approved by Hon’ble Health & Family Welfare Minister and Chairman of the Mission
Steering Group of NRHM as under:
 Removal of conditionalities associated with parity and minimum age of the
mother for institutional deliveries in the High Performing States.
 Removal of conditionalities associated with parity and minimum age of the
mother for home deliveries in all States/UTs.
In view of the recent decision approved by competent authority (mentioned
above) and the decisions of the competent authority taken at different times earlier,
comprehensive entitlements of beneficiaries covered and ASHA incentives, under
Janani Suraksha Yojana beyond 7th May 2013 are given below:

 

 

* Rs. 600/ per delivery in rural area includes Rs. 300 for antenatal component and Rs. 300 for
facilitating institutional delivery

 

** Rs. 400/ per delivery in urban area includes Rs. 200 for antenatal component and Rs. 200 for
facilitating institutional delivery

You are, therefore, €quesied to issue necessary instructions lo sll concem€d
field level officers lo ensu€ implementaiion of Janani Su€ksha Yojana in acmdance
with the abovo decision we.i 8.5,2013, the daie on which the decision has been
communicated (copy enclosed).
Yours sinceely,
Kr’t'(
(D.. Rak€sh Kumar)
Joint Secretary (RCH)

 

 

NRHM website at  http://www.nrhm.gov.in/images/pdf/programmes/jsy/imp-govt-orders/JSY_removal_of_conditionalities_13.5.13.pdf

 

 

 

 

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A girl from northeast was found dead in Delhi, NO FIR even after 24 Hrs #Vaw #WTFnews

The Moral Trumpets of Delhi Police

Neha Dixit, May 30, 2013, Newsclick

Delhi police trips on misogyny and prejudice yet again in investigating the death of Reingamphy, a 21 year old girl from Northeast who was found dead in Delhi on May 29

Fresh mangoes were carefully laid on the kitchen slab next to the pressure cooker on the gas stove. The phone charger was still on. Shoes, all types, flip flops, ballerinas, slip-ons were neatly displayed on a small cane rack. This small cane rack, found in the households of all newcomers in Delhi, is symbolic of the aspirations and enthusiasm with which people flock to the national capital.

                                                                                                                           JOURNEY INTERRUPTED: Reingamphy’s clothes and toiletries stacked in a corner

Reingamphy, 21, was found dead in this two room ground floor flat in B Block, Chirag Dilli at 2 pm on May 29.

Yesterday, the police broke open the bolted door after Reingamphy did not respond to the repeated calls by her landlord. She was found lying on the bed with injuries on her face, nose and toes with the cell phone still in her hand.

Her cousins, who live in South extension, informed the Malviya Nagar Police station about the incident. It’s been over 24 hours and the police is yet to register an FIR. The investigating officer Dinesh Singh declared last evening, “Nature of wounds suggests that a portion of body may have been eaten up by rats. The mattress was on the floor and we have also found rat droppings in the adjoining flat. Prima facie it appears to be a case of suicide.”

The police’s assumption is based on the fact that empty wrappers of Spasmocip Plus (16 tablets) and Meftal-Spas (12 tablets) were found in the dustbin. These tablets are used for treating stomach cramps. Binalakshmi Nepram founder of the NGO, Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network informs, “We have been told by the SHO, Vijay Pal, that these girls from northeast work in spas and that’s why these incidents take place.” The SHO Vijay Pal also told Reingamphy’s cousins that the FIR will only be registered after the post mortem is conducted.

CUT SHORT: Bloodmarks on the floor of the room where Reingamphy was found dead

Reingamphy came to Dellhi from Ukhrul district in Manipur over a year back. Living on a monthly rent of Rs 7,000, she was indeed working at a spa in South Delhi till sometime back.

The police’s apathy and prejudice in Reingamphy’s death probe is a reminder of the murder of Ramchanpy Hongray’s murder around the same time in 2009. Incidentally, both of them belong to the same ethnic minority called the Tangkhul Naga tribe. Ramchanpy was found burnt to death in the kitchen of her Munirka house. Her stalker, Pushpam Sinha, was pursuing PHD in Wave Mechanics from IIT Delhi. When Ranchanpy opposed his sexual advances and threatened to complain to the police, Pushpam thrust her on the gas stove and burnt her to death. Says Bina Lakshmi, “Even before the post mortem was conducted in Ramchanpy’s case, the police declared it an accident claiming that the gas cylinder blasted while she was cooking which led to her death. They are trying to insinuate the same in Reingamphy’s case.”

Reingamphy’s parents, poor farmers in a remote village in Uhkrul district in Manipur Delhi have been informed about their daughter’s death but are too old to come down to Delhi. Her cousin, Thotriethan, who is currently following up with the police investigation proceedings says, “The main door was shut even when the back door of the house was open. The police have chosen to turn a blind eye to it.” Allegedly, the landlord’s brother-in-law was stalking her.

The SHO Vijay Pal and Investigating officer Dinesh Singh have refused to speak on the record. The post mortem is being conducted at AIIMS.

Reingamphy’s death is a bleeding cue. A cue for the misogynist, moralistic, prejudiced attitude of the police. Towards single women, those from the northeast and otherwise who are clubbed as ‘loose women’ who ‘deserve it.’ It is also an attempt to dissuade women from remote parts of the country to think of exploring another life in a big city. And most importantly, it is a telling tale of the brazenness with which the police violate laws by not even registering an FIR and say ‘they work in spas and that is why it happens.’

 

Shehla Masood murder: Zaheda was insecure of Singh, claims witness #Vaw

May 31, 2013Indore: A prosecution witness in the RTI activist Shehla Masood murder case told the court in Indore on Friday that the main accused, Zaheda Parvez, had become ‘possessive’ about BJP MLA Dhruvnarayan Singh and resented Masood’s friendship with him.

Zaheda Parvez. PTI

Deposing before the special CBI court in Indore, Sanjay Gupta, a Bhopal-based industrialist and the BJP MLA’s friend, said that Zaheda always suspected the women who came in contact with Dhruvnarayan.

He further told the court that after the murder, Zaheda had a phone conversation with him. When he bemoaned Shehla’s death, she said, “One always pays for the bad deeds. As you sow, so shall you reap.”

According to the CBI, Zaheda had Shehla killed because she was jealous of the latter’s increasing closeness to the BJP MLA.

Shehla was shot dead outside her Bhopal residence on 16 August, 2011. Police have arrested five persons in the case including Zaheda Parvez.

Gupta also said that Dhruvnarayan had told him that Zaheda once had a fight with him when he had gone to Shehla’s residence.

According to Gupta, Dhruvnarayan had called him on 16 August, 2011 and gave him the news of murder.

Dhruvnarayan told him to pass on the message to Shehla’s father Sultan Masood that the MLA was at a temple and would go there later, Gupta said, adding that he passed on the message to Masood.

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• Shehla Masood murder case: CBI court summons two witnesses (kractivist.wordpress.com)
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Soni Sori gets bail in one more case #Goodnews #Vaw

SUVOJIT BAGCHI, The Hindu , may 30, 2013

The HinduAn activist protest demanding release of Soni Sori. She got a bail in one of hte eight cases on Thursday by a Chhattisgarh court. File photo

There are close to 2,000 cases in which tribal people have been languishing in jail since two to seven years. Tribal schoolteacher Soni Sori has been granted bail by a court in one of the eight cases filed against her.

Tribal schoolteacher Soni Sori has been granted bail by a court in south Chhattisgarh in one of the eight cases filed against her.

She has already been acquitted in six cases, her lawyer K.K. Dubey told The Hindu.

A charge sheet was filed against Ms. Sori and others in December 2010 at the Bacheli court for allegedly torching vehicles in Nerli, near Dantewada.

Recently, she was awarded bail in the case.

“She could not be acquitted like in other cases as the witnesses did not appear,” said Mr. Dubey.

Earlier this month, Ms. Sori and her relative, activist-journalist Lingaram Kodopi, were acquitted in the Avdesh Gautam case.

They were accused of planning and executing an attack on a local Congress leader and contractor Avdesh Gautam in which two persons were killed. Thirteen other co-accused, including Congress leader Vijay Sodi, CPI leader Lala Ram Kunjam and a panchayat member of Dantewada, Sannuram Mandawi, were also acquitted and released for want of evidence by a Dantewada court.

The only case pending against Ms. Sori and Mr. Kodopi is the controversial Essar Steel case. They have been accused of arranging “protection money” on behalf of the company to Maoists. The main accused, D.V.C.S Verma, general manager at an Essar steel plant, and B.K. Lala, Essar contractor, were arrested for allegedly disbursing the money.

While Ms. Sori and Mr. Kodopi are in jail, like thousands of undertrial tribal people of south Chhattisgarh, Mr. Verma and Mr. Lala had been granted bail.

The charge sheet has been presented to Dantewada district and sessions judge Anita Dehariya. Charges will be framed by the court sometime in June.

“I hope after this bail and previous acquittal it will not be a problem to get a speedy trial and hopefully acquittal in all cases,” said Mr. Dubey.

While Ms. Sori and Mr. Kodopi’s cases were defended by a team of lawyers and monitored by the press, national and international rights groups, there are close to 2,000 cases in which tribal people have been languishing in jail since two to seven years.

“I once tried to put the number of cases together and it was over 600 only in the Dantewada court. It must have crossed 800 now,” said senior advocate Ashok Jain. Majority of these tribal people do not speak any other language than Gondi, have little or no money to pay a fee, have no national or international rights group to defend their cases and have been booked for allegedly participating in Naxal activities.

In private conversation, top bureaucrats, politicians and lawyers acknowledge that a majority of these cases do not merit a trial in higher courts. “This is a tragedy for a democracy,” said Mr. Jain.

In an interview to The Hindu earlier this week, Chief Minister Raman Singh acknowledged that a “huge number of cases” were pending in various district courts.

Keywords: Soni Sori, bail granted, tribal teacher, Chhattisgarh Court

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Woman Health Activist Madhuri’ s Release is legally a bigger victory #Vaw #Tribalrights #Womenrights

 

Madhuri’s Criminal Revision  Petition  came for admission before the District Special court in Barwani  today.Adv Atul Sreedharan , PUCL Lawyer appearead and argued that the   order of the CJM taking cognisance of the case in FIR, Cr. No. 93/2008   was illegal, the CJM seems to have ignored the bar imposed by section 468 of the Criminal Procedure Code that no court shall take cognisance of an offence beyond a period of three years if the offence is punishable with imprisonment for a term exceeding one year but not exceeding 3 years. It is to be noted that all the offences charged in the present case impose a maximum sentence of three years. Hence the order of the CJM, Barwani dated 20.4.2013 taking cognisance itself is illegal as it hit by the limitation for taking cognisance imposed by section 468(c) of the Cr.PC.

It also needs to be pointed out that sec. 473 Cr.PC provides for extension of limitation in certain situations; however for invoking this provision the CJM ought to have clearly explained and spelt out in the order dated 20.4.2013, the reasons why the CJM was satisfied that the cause of delay has been properly and satisfactorily explained or that it is necessary to condone the delay in the interests of justice. To our knowledge, the order of the CJM neither explains the reason for the delay in filing the closure report (in effect the police final report u/s 173 CrPC) nor explains the reasons for condoning the delay thereby directing taking of cognisance in the `interests of justice’.

The provisions of sections 468 and 473 are mandatory and non-compliance with them vitiates the order of the CJM dated 20.4.2013 taking cognisance. In effect the order of the CJM taking cognisance of the case in FIR, Cr. No. 93/2008  becomes illegal. It follows that the consequent legal proceedings initiated in the case, including remanding Madhuri thereby imprisoning her, are also illegal.

The court posted matter to 14 June , 2013  and requested him to file bail petition which was allowed.

Madhuri will be Released.

Source- telephonic conversation with Kavita Srivastava and the PUCL statement

#India – Why were 103 women sterilised and left to die in a family planning camp #Vaw

 

On February 5, 2013 a mega female Minilap Ligation operation camp was held at Manikchak Rural Hospital (RH) of district of Malda, in West Bengal. On this particular day 103 women were sterilised. It was reported in the local media that the women who were sterilised in this camp were kept on the open ground (hospital campus premises) in semi conscious state, and their relatives were asked to take them back home immediately after the operation. This was highlighted in the media (NDTV and other news channels) as gross human rights violation and later enquires were conducted by the state health department and the national human rights commission. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to West Bengal’s Principal Secretary Health West Bengal and the Malda district magistrate, taking cognizance of an NDTV report that showed how nearly a hundred women were dumped unconscious.

Civil Society Fact-Finding: There was strong opposition to this from civil society groups as it is felt that despite government guidelines on quality assurance and standard procedures to be followed in camp settings are not being followed and implemented properly. This is a summary of this fact-finding exercise.

On April 6, 2013, an independent fact finding was conducted by a team comprising of public health experts, health and women’s rights activists and members of networks including Heath Watch Forum, Bihar; Coalition Against Two-Child Norm and Coercive Population Policies and Human Rights Law Network (HRLN). National Alliance for Maternal Health and Human Rights (NAMHHR) supported the team by sharing the ethical guidelines and checklists for case documentation. The team members are working actively on issues related to reproductive health and rights and are engaged in post ICPD processes in India. Dr. Prabir Chatterjee, RCH Raiganj, West Bengal; Praveer Peterfrom HRLN, New Delhi; Kanti from Smokus local NGO Raiganj, Leena Uppal from Coalition Against Two-Child Norm and Coercive Population Policies, New Delhi; Devika Biswas from Health Watch Forum, Bihar (also filed the PIL in Supreme Court earlier in 2012 about 53 women who were sterilised in a government school in Araria district of Bihar) formed the team.

The main aim of the fact-finding was to systematically document whether the standards specified in different guidelines (a) ‘Quality Assurance Manual for Sterilisation Services, 2006’, (b) ‘Standard Operating Procedures for sterilisation services in camps, 2008′ (c) ‘Standards for Female and Male Sterilisation Services, 2008’ were adhered to during this camp and assess whether the providers are maintaining standards of care as specified in the service guidelines.

Villages Visited: The team visited six villages in Malda district from where women had come for the operation.  Villages included Niranjanpur, Nawada Maheshpur, Fakirtola, Gopaltola, Bagditola and Najiruddinpur. Women who had undergone operations on February 5, 2013 and their families were interviewed. Meetings and interviews with the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH), Block Medical Officer of Health (BMOH) of Malda district, five ANMs and four ASHAs were also conducted.

Key Findings: The fact-finding report describes the concerns and challenges faced by the women and their relatives, who underwent operations in the camp. It also throws light on the lack of basic minimum standards adhered by officials in the camp.   

One of the key finding was the fact that the standard camp protocols of the GOI were not followed. Infection control practices were inadequate. Though the GOI guidelines emphasise maintenance of prevention of infection, however the health care providers are unable to monitor or maintain records of infection control mechanisms followed at such family planning camps, given the large number of operations that that they conduct in a single day.

A total of nine women were interviewed. All women interviewed reported that they were not provided options for informed choice at the camp. All the women and their families voiced an environment of utter confusion and chaos at the camp. Women reported pain and minor complications after the operations, lack of complete knowledge about the operation procedure, consent being only in terms of thumb impressions and out of pocket expenditures during and after the operations.

A quick analysis of number and sex of children of all the women interviewed clearly showed a high preference for male child. Most of these women reported that they have been waiting for at-least one son before they go in for permanent sterilisation.  

Discussion: Women, who have undergone inhuman treatment where their dignity and rights have been denied, must be provided some form of redressal. The Family Planning Insurance Scheme which includes provisions for compensation to women who face failures and complications (and death) should be expanded to include humiliation of this nature. The Department of Family Welfare must also audit and ensure strict compliance of the quality assurance mechanisms it has already issued. The state government urgently needs to put the grievance redressal system/complaint box in place and ensure that such negligence is not repeated and the underlying deficits are addressed effectively.

It is hoped that the analysis from fact-finding will be of use to the larger community concerned with the experiences of women who have used family planning services and who are going to use them in future. It is also hoped that these findings will be deemed as relevant by the district officials at Malda, West Bengal who have been a part of this fact-finding process. 

We request you to share this summary widely and to urge your governments to stand up for women’s rights including their right to control their own bodies, fertility and sexuality!

Download Fact Finding Report

 

#India – Even LPG cash transfer faces #Aadhaar problem #UID

Pranav Nambiar P Thursday, May 30, 2013 , FE

New Delhi : In the 20 districts selected for the first phase of the direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme roll-out starting June 1, not even one out of five households is in a position to benefit from the scheme right now, an FE investigation shows. In these 20 districts — deemed to be the most Aadhaar-ready — with an estimated 76 lakh households, only 56% have their LPG connections linked to an Aadhaar number. And hardly a third of these households with Aadhaar-linked LPG accounts have bank accounts seeded with Aadhaar cards. Considering that such a dismal situation persists even in these districts selected for the initial phase of DBT roll-out primarily on the basis of their high Aadhaar penetration (80%), it is clear that the scheme’s expansion to the more unprepared and less accessible parts of the country is easier said than done.

The country has a total of 14 crore households with LPG connections, going by the records of oil marketing companies. The government’s hope is that pan-India roll-out of DBT for LPG subsidy disbursal would help trim its subsidy burden on this fuel by an annual R10,000 crore. The DBT scheme, meant to to cover the government’s annual bills on subsidy and entitlements like pension and scholarships by cutting leakages, is expected to come handy for the fiscal consolidation drive.

Government officials in the know told FE for every 100 households on an average in these 20 districts, some 80 have an Aadhaar card, of which around 56 have LPG connections seeded to their Aadhaar card and just 19 bank accounts seeded with Aadhaar cards. Owing to these low levels of linkage, a grace period of three months has been given to people in these districts to link Aadhaar cards with both LPG and bank accounts. During this period, they would continue to get the entitled number of LPG cylinders at subsidised prices.

This effectively means a deferment of the DBT roll-out. After this grace period, all customers who have not completed the necessary formalities will have to buy LPG cylinders at market price (that is, sans any subsidy), till they complete the same and be able to access DBT benefit.

Among the 20 districts covered under the first phase of DBT, two – Mysore in Karnataka and Mandi in Himachal – will start the scheme out from July 1, due to bye-elections. Of the remaining 18, those with the lowest bank linkages include SBS Nagar in Punjab, Diu in Daman and Diu as well as Una in Himachal Pradesh, which has less than 10% Aadhaar linkages to bank accounts. LPG linkages in these regions are higher at around 40-50%.

On the other hand, some districts like Mysore in Karnataka, Pathanamthitta in Kerala, and East Goa in Goa have about 30-40% of bank accounts linked to Aadhaar. LPG linkages to Aadhaar cards are also relatively higher in these districts ranging between 50-75%.

Under the DBT scheme, LPG consumers will get about Rs 4,500 per annum in cash from the government in their bank accounts as subsidy. They will have to buy LPG cylinders at the market price of Rs 901.50 (per 14.2-kg). The supply of subsidised LPG cylinder has been capped at nine cylinders per year for a consumer.

Banks have also been somewhat tardy in reaching out to the intended beneficiaries as they expect individuals to take up the onus in getting bank accounts and LPG connections seeded with Aadhaar, an official added. “Nevertheless,we have now launched extensive awareness campaigns across different formats like print, television and radio. We are also distributing pamphlets about the benefits of the programme and have kept drop boxes at LPG distributors for submitting bank account details,” the official said. He added that some people, particularly sections of the upper middle class and high net worth individuals might even be showing lack of interest in availing themselves of the DBT benefit.

A government official from Tumkur district in Karnataka said the reason for the low bank account linkages is that some people are worried about sharing bank account details in case it might be misused. In Tumkur, out of a targeted 3.20 lakh households, only about 18% bank accounts and 55% LPG connections are linked to Aadhaar.

An official in Maharashtra’s Wardha district said in many cases, people do not have bank accounts. This has slowed down the process of linking bank accounts with Aadhaar cards. Out of 2.01 lakh households, 66% have LPG and 38% bank accounts seeded to Aadhaar.

An official in Kerala’s Wayanad district said there has been a slight improvement in the seeding levels as the June 1 kick-off date approaches. They are hoping the three-month moratorium along with enhanced SMS and call centre campaigns will push a much larger number of people to join the scheme. Out of the 1.4 lakh households in Wayanad, around 95,000 have LPG linkages to Aadhaar and 35,000 bank linkages with Aadhaar.

The government has not finalised the dates for the subsequent phases of rolling out the LPG DBT scheme to other districts. “We will watch and learn from these 20 districts before finalisng our next phase,” said a government official close to the development. At present, there are about 145 million LPG connections in the country.

To avail of the subsidy, customers without a bank account must open an account by submitting Aadhaar details to the bank branch or LPG distributors. Similarly, customers can link their LPG connections to Aadhaar cards by submitting details to the LPG distributors. As per the DBT scheme, Aadhaar-linked domestic LPG consumers will get an advance in their bank accounts as soon as they book the first subsidised cylinder even before delivery.

 

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