Saturday, December 25, 2010

[ZESTCaste] Mayawati orders departmental action against engineers

 

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Mayawati-orders-departmental-action-against-engineers/Article1-642627.aspx

Mayawati orders departmental action against engineers
Press Trust Of India
Lucknow, December 25, 2010
First Published: 13:49 IST(25/12/2010)

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has ordered departmental action
against some engineers of Kanpur Development Authority for poor
quality of construction work, an official spokesman in Lucknow. "The
CM has directed stern departmental action against engineers concerned
after being apprised with
the progress of various development work being carried out in Kanpur
and Bithoor by Chairman of Advisory Council Satish Chandra Mishra," he
said.

Mayawati had directed that the payment of the contractors executing
schemes should also be deducted for sub-standard work.

She also directed the officers to complete the work of power
sub-station, housing, railway over-bridges, drinking water projects
and others being carried out in Kanpur-Bithoor on priority.

The state government had sanctioned 105 projects worth Rs 1,340 crore
for the development of Kanpur.

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[ZESTCaste] Young lovers of Rajput and dalit community commit suicide

http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/young-lovers-rajput-and-dalit-community-commit-suicide/27225

Young lovers of Rajput and dalit community commit suicide

Sameer Kaura
Saturday, 25 December 2010

PHAGWARA: In a tragic incident a Young Rajput Boy(18) and his young
minor dalit beloved reportedly committed suicide by consuming
celephas tablets in a deserted haweli of the " Nana" of his father
Late Manjit singh.

This was confirmed by Phagwara DSP Sandip Sharma while talking to
newsmen here on Friday afternoon. He said,that the deceased Rajput Boy
Kamaljit Singh of Village Bhadhiana PS Adampur,presently working in a
factory in Village Mehtiana, fell in love with a dalit girl Neelam(17)
daughter of Gurcharan Dass of Village Khanaurra in PS Adampur, but
perhaps Inter-Caste Marriage was not acceptable to their families.

DSP told that both were found missing since Tuesday ie December 21 and
a Village Woman smelt bad smell from the deserted Haweli of Nirmal
Singh who was away to Canada. The woman informed some villagers who
told Rawalpindi Police this afternoon.DSP Sharma told that police
found the dead bodies lying in a bed embracing each other.

DSP Sharma told that police has sent the dead bodies to local civil
hospital for post-mortem examination and the parents of both deceased
have been informed. It was suspected that both boy and girl consumed
poison two days back and the dead bodies remained lying on the bed
untouched.However exact findings could be brought to light after post-
mortem examination.


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[ZESTCaste] Maya to dedicate crucial projects on B-Day

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Maya-to-dedicate-crucial-projects-on-B-Day/articleshow/7159611.cms

Maya to dedicate crucial projects on B-Day
TNN, Dec 25, 2010, 05.45am IST
Article

LUCKNOW: A series of some crucial projects, including the sewage
treatment plant (STP) and an auditorium on Kanpur Road await chief
minister Mayawati who would dedicate them to the public on her
birthday on January 15. Though officials remain tight-lipped, there
are reports of a `renovated Hazratganj' too being dedicated to the
public by the CM on that day.

Official sources in the administration said that Mayawati would
inaugurate a new auditorium constructed by Rajkiya Nirman Nigam in Ram
Manohar Lohia National University (RMLNLU). Proposed to be named after
Bhim Rao Ambedkar, the 3,100-seat auditorium is being given final
touches. The auditorium, sprawling over an area of around 1,200 sq mt,
essentially has two halls: one with a 2,800 capacity and a
comparatively smaller one with 300 seats.

On the other hand, the UP Jal Nigam too is all geared up to complete
construction of the STP and get all three channels in an operational
stage by the chief minister's birthday. While one channel of 340
million litres per day (mld) capacity STP got into an operational mode
early this year, the corporation continues to struggle with the second
and third stages, UPJN sources said. In fact, the corporation is
reported to be making a desperate attempt to get the second stream
operational. "But there were some leakages in the channels bringing in
the sewage from the main Gwari pumping stations. That are needed to be
fixed, Jal Nigam sources told TOI. A senior official said that the
leakage needs to be fixed to allow smooth flow of sewage into the
treatment plant.

Managing director, UPJN, AK Srivastava admitted of some problems in
the second stage. "But we are sure of getting in a functional stage in
the next couple of days, he said. Srivastava said that directions have
already been given to the project engineers to get the third phase
completed by the second week of January. Interestingly, chief minister
had set a deadline of November 30 for getting the project completed.

The third and the most important project which is likely to be
dedicated to the public by the chief minister would be a `renovated
Hazratganj'. It is certainly more than a coincidence that the CM had
set a deadline of November 30 for completing renovation of Hazratganj
which completes 200 years of existence this month only. The project,
however, lingered on even as officials insisted it was not possible to
complete the project within the stipulated time frame given the
magnitude of work.

The fresh deadline is now that of first week of January. It will be
only after the due date that the project would be reviewed by a high
power committee afresh before getting it dedicated by the chief
minister. "Our prime concern is to get the place clean as soon as
possible and meet the deadline set by the chief minister, said
divisional commissioner, Prashant Trivedi, who is supervising the
project. None of the officials from the district administration made
it clear as to when the celebrations would be organised. "It may be
organised only in the second week of January,'' a senior official in
the district administration said. Earlier the celebrations, including
the carnival hosted by the Hazratganj Traders Association and Lucknow
Connect, were scheduled for December 26.

A senior official in the state culture department said that there is
still no official date as to when the celebrations would finally be
organised.

Read more: Maya to dedicate crucial projects on B-Day - The Times of
India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Maya-to-dedicate-crucial-projects-on-B-Day/articleshow/7159611.cms#ixzz197Qry1nc

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[ZESTCaste] Gujjars protests choke 3 crucial rail lines, passengers stranded

 

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/gujjars-protests-choke-3-crucial-rail-lines-passengers-stranded-74813

Gujjars protests choke 3 crucial rail lines, passengers stranded

NDTV Correspondent, Updated: December 25, 2010 14:30 IST

Jaipur: Thousands of rail passengers are stranded in North India due
to the Gujjar agitation which has thrown rail traffic in Rajasthan out
of gear. Gujjars have occupied three different rail tracks, severely
affecting traffic on the Delhi-Jaipur, Delhi-Mumbai and
Ajmer-Chittorgarh routes. Nearly 60 trains have been diverted or
cancelled and over 8000 train tickets have been cancelled. The
Railways have had to refund nearly 25 lakh rupees in the past three
days. Due to the disruption in road and rail traffic, airfares have
also shot up.

The Gujjars are demanding 5 per cent reservation in jobs and
educational institutions in Rajasthan.

The Gehlot government has invited Gujjars for talks but they have
refused to back down on their quota demand. The three-member
ministerial panel formed by the Chief Minister to hold talks with the
protesters includes state Home Minister Shanti Dhariwal, Transport
Minister BK Sharma and Energy Minister Jitendra Singh.

State Home Minister Shanti Dhariwal has appealed to Gujjar leaders to
call off their agitation and assist the government in "quantifiable"
data collection exercise to speed up their case.

"The state government is committed to give these communities five per
cent reservation and we appeal Gujjar leaders to withdraw the
agitation and come forward to assist us in arranging the quantifiable
data in order to submit it to OBC commission as directed by the high
court," Dhariwal told reporters. (With PTI Inputs).

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[ZESTCaste] Wall adjoining Dalit colony creates controversy

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article977206.ece

COIMBATORE, December 25, 2010
Wall adjoining Dalit colony creates controversy
V. S. Palaniappan

A seven-foot high and one-km long wall built between a colony of
Dalits and a new layout is turning into an issue of untouchability
here.

Residents of Nagarajapuram, a Dalit colony at the
Veerakeralam-Vedapatti border near the city, alleged on Friday that
the wall had denied them direct access to a main road. Alleging that
the wall was a symbol of discrimination, the Tamil Nadu Untouchability
Eradication Front has taken up the issue with the government and
district authorities.

On directions from the State government, District Collector P. Umanath
deputed two Tahsildars — Lakshmikanthan (South) and S. Sundararajan
(Coimbatore North) — to carry out an inspection on the site. They
inquired with the residents in the colony and also inspected the
layout being developed by a realtor on the other side of the wall.
District Convenor of the Front U.K. Sivagnanam said hundreds of Dalit
families had been living in Nagarajapuram since 1976.

The local residents said that the real estate promoter probably feared
that the sites may not fetch good price if Dalits had access to the
main road through a link road in the upcoming layout. The link road
should connect the colony with the main road that stretched from
Thadagam Road to Thondamuthur.

The residents claimed they had been told that there was no link road
passing through the layout. The area adjacent to the wall was
earmarked for a reserved site. A park was to be created on it.

Jyothimani, a resident of the Dalit colony, said that for reaching the
main road now, the residents were forced to take a detour for more
than a km. The other long route to the main road could not be used by
women because of a liquor shop on the way, she said.

After inspection, Mr. Sundararajan said a surveyor had been sent to
measure the boundaries and ascertain the exact position of the
compound wall. The local body concerned would be asked to check
whether the layout was an approved one and whether the roads and
reserved sites had been handed over to it. Justice would be rendered,
Mr. Sundarrajan added.


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[ZESTCaste] Congress looks to corner Mayawati on dalit front

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Congress-looks-to-corner-Mayawati-on-dalit-front/articleshow/7158499.cms

Congress looks to corner Mayawati on dalit front
Subodh Ghildiyal, TNN, Dec 25, 2010, 02.13am IST

NEW DELHI: THE `Mayawati vs Congress' war for dalit patronage in UP is
set to escalate. The National Commission for SCs is planning to
project the state's refusal to send its minister to its review meeting
as evidence of the CM putting politics before welfare, and may use
cases of atrocities against SCs in the state to back its charge of
indifference.

Days after UP said the NCSC review in Lucknow would only be attended
by officials and not the minister, the national panel has decided to
go ahead with the meeting.

The state had argued that Article 338 of the Constitution does not say
that NCSC's monitoring meetings have to be attended by state
ministers.

NCSC chairman P L Punia on Friday retaliated by saying that presence
of cabinet ministers lends seriousness to the review and sensitises
the state apparatus to its importance.

"The Constitution lays down the mandate of NCSC and does not specify
nitty gritties of who should attend our meetings. But we are
interested in SC welfare and not politics. We will hold the review
with officials," he said.

With UP's decision to bar its minister from the review being linked to
Mayawati's aversion for Punia, NCSC may use the cases of atrocities in
the state to show that SCs were not safe even under a dalit CM. The
macabre burning of two dalit sisters in Moradabad could turn the
trigger.

NCSC has found the UP administration culpable for not acting on
threats to save the sisters who were burnt alive last week. The
commission may summon district officials.

The fact-finding team's report could again start a war of words
between the dalit czarina and the NCSC headed by Congress MP and her
aide-turned-rival Punia.

Panel member Raju Parmar, after a fact-finding tour, has blamed the
state administration for the gruesome killings, rebuffing claims of
Moradabad officials that it was a case of suicide. He added that the
police did not act despite warnings for nine days.

Parmar said there was a gap of nine days between the murder of a
trader's wife and daughter, and the alleged retaliation of burning.
"There was tension and the family could easily have been evacuated,"
he said.

While calling the murder of the trader's family as "gruesome", he said
the police prematurely blamed the dalit girls' brothers on the basis
of a stray claim, ignoring the fact that they did not have a criminal
history nor was there evidence to back it. "The case should have been
probed properly. But this blaming led to tension and then they ignored
the threat to this dalit family," he said.

Read more: Congress looks to corner Mayawati on dalit front - The
Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Congress-looks-to-corner-Mayawati-on-dalit-front/articleshow/7158499.cms#ixzz197PZdbPk

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[ZESTCaste] NEPAL: Discrimination continues against Dalits

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportID=91437

NEPAL: Discrimination continues against Dalits
Photo: Naresh Newar/IRIN
Dalits are still regarded as "untouchables"

KATHMANDU, 24 December 2010 (IRIN) - Dalit communities, the lowest of
the 100 caste groups in Nepal, continue to be marginalized, despite
the fact that caste-based discrimination was abolished in 1963,
activists say.

"Untouchability and discrimination were legitimized by the state over
a century ago," said Bhakta Biswakarma, national head of the advocacy
group, Nepal National Dalit Social Welfare Organization (NNDSWO).

"Today we see the state doing little to change the situation.
Discrimination against the Dalit as the untouchable caste is still
practised so rigidly - especially in the remote areas."

The 1854 Civil Code, introduced by the Rana regime, explicitly
declared the Dalits untouchable, the lowest status within the Hindu
social hierarchical structure.

This imposed strict regulations on where the Dalit were allowed to
live (they could not enter temples or use the same tap water as higher
castes), forbad them from education and from participating in
community festivals.

Those who defied the law of untouchability were punished; the state
imposed the practice of discrimination on society, said Suman Poudel,
an official with the Dalit NGO Federation (DNF).

Little has changed for the estimated 23 Dalit communities in the
country's hill and Terai regions, despite the propagation of legal
rights.

Impoverished and neglected

Dalit communities have the lowest human development rankings in the
country: 49.2 percent live below the poverty line compared with a
national average of 31 percent, according to the World Bank.

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) says discriminatory labour
practices persist in the Terai, where the majority of Dalit live.
During annual harvest seasons (March-May and September-November),
high-caste landlords reportedly continue to use debt bondage to secure
unpaid labour from Dalit labourers.

In the Terai, many Dalits are landless and live on less than US$1 a
day, Poudel said, while UNDP assessments reveal that their annual per
capita income is less than half that of higher castes ($764 to $1,848)
across the rest of the country.

With a literacy rate of less than 33.5 percent above grade six
(against 67.5 percent among higher-caste Brahmins), and high rates of
school dropout, improving the social condition of Dalit communities is
a challenge.

Weak implementation

And while caste discrimination was officially abolished in 1963,
experts say the government has been weak in enforcing the ban.

"There are a plethora of policies and laws that have been drafted to
protect the Dalit," said Oxfam's Robert Sila, a social inclusion and
civil society expert. "But there is no seriousness on the government
side when it comes to implementing these policies."

One of the pillars of the government's poverty reduction strategy for
a long time has been social inclusion, but there is little evidence of
that, Sila says.

However, Sudha Neupane, under-secretary for the gender equality and
social section of Nepal's Ministry of Local Development, says the
government is focusing heavily on combating discrimination.

"The government is very sensitive to the issue of discrimination
against the Dalit," Neupane said.

A starting point would be addressing the controversy over population
size. Government statistics show that the Dalit make up nearly 13
percent of the 29 million population, although the Dalit put that
figure at more than 20 percent.

"A government cannot effectively address the needs of a population if
it doesn't have their exact numbers. It should do a fresh census to
determine the real numbers," said Sila.

Nepal's last national census was done in 2001 and a new one is expected in 2011.


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