Appeal from Savitri Bai Phule Women Forum:
INDIA: Sitara three years and six month old daughter of Mangala Prasad belong to chamar community in village Kakalpur Harahua block, Varanasi may die due to malnutrition
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
INDIA: corruption, failure of local administration……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Dear friend,
Savitri Bai Phule women Forum got information from its local partner People’s vigilance on Human Rights. Sitara three years and six month old daughter of Mangala Prasad of chamar community in village Kakalpur, block- Harahua in jurisdiction Cholapur, Varanasi. Sitara may die due to malnutrition if immediate assistance is not provided to her.
Case detail:
Sitara three years old and the youngest daughter of Mangala Prasad in village Kakalpur of Harahua block in jurisdiction of Cholapur is suffering from Malnutrition grade IV and her weight is only 6 ½ kg. Mangala Prasad has six children-
1. Raju 18 years literate up to four standard
2. Shashi Kala 13 years old illiterate, she have to look after her younger brother and sister
3. Shyammu 16 years literate up to three standard
4. Golu 7years old studying in Primary school in class 1
5. Sapna 5 years old not going to school
6. Sitara 3 Malnourished
Sitara health is deteriorating. Now is lying on the bed and fighting for her life. It is at this time the SWF grass root activist Ms. Sushila Devi came to know about Sitara and her family. Currently Sitara is taken care of by the PVCHR and doctors of Pt Din Dayal Upadhaya state hospital diagnosed her as malnourished child.
Sitara was admitted in Pt Din Dayal Upadhaya state hospital from 12th September, 2007 to 16th September, 2007 that is for four day. Due to lack of vitamin she may suffer from blindness. Saline drip and vitamin injection was given and now she is discharge from hospital. Now Sitara is getting treatment at her home all the medicine prescribe by doctor from outside is beard by PVCHR through the support of a social worker Ms. Parul Sharma of Care Hose Foundation of Sweden.
Mangala Prasad father of Sitara belongs to chamar community. Earlier Mangala Prasad have 5-twelth part of bigha of land, he sold his land 18 years earlier for him treatment, as he was suffering from tuber closes. Now Mangala is landless and suffering from stomach disease (Gastric) and heart disease from last 25 years, due to his old age and illness he is unable to do work. Mangala Prasad have Antodaya Anya card (AAY) and he gets 35 kg of ration on it.
Sitara elder brother of Raju age 18 years work as labour anywhere he finds work and earn 60 Rupees per day. In between, he didn’t finds work then he sit for more days.
Background information
Kakalpur Village is 20 kilometer far from Varanasi and Chamar dominates this village and they are landless. The main occupation is weaving and labourer. Primary health center is 5 kilometer far from the village and the condition of the road is not good. Primary health center is 70 meter far from the village.
The Anganwadi (Ms. Asha Devi) and ANM (Ms.Savitri Devi) are appointed in this area. ANM and Anganwadi worker are doing negligence in immunization sit at the center and give immunization to those people who are coming to the center and nourishing food and they are not doing any initiative for prevention. ANM is taking money form pregnant mother for enrolment in Maternity benefit scheme. Village women four month earlier were talking that ANM is bribing then Vijay Bharti grass root activist of PVCHR, but today this women are not ready to tell their name because they are feared that their name will be disclose
The Anganwadi is a government run center where nutritious food and primary medical care is expected to be provided to the poor children. It is also a place where the staffs are expected to keep records of the general health conditions of rural children who visit the Anganwadi. These records are vital because they are also used by the state governments to take policy decisions regarding medical care for rural children.
Anganwadis have also been trained in adopting WHO protocols. The activities at the Angawadis are-
(i) On going mapping of severely malnourished children in village
(ii) Regular weighing of children with involvement of mothers
(iii) Tracking and listing, referral services, home visits by Anganwadi Helpers
(iv) Special visits to the homes of the children discharged from MTC, and
(v) Involvement of community volunteers. Children falling in Grade III and IV of malnutrition are monitored for signs and symptoms of infections and referred to Public Health Centers, FRU or Community Health Centers for treatment.
There are Auxiliary Nursing Mothers [ANM] who are supposed to be working through the Anganwadis to attend to the immediate medical needs of rural children. The ANM and Anganwadi employees didn’t provide any assistance to malnourished children.
Started by the Government of India in 1975, the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) has been instrumental in improving the health and well-being of new mothers and children under 6 by providing health and nutrition education, health services, supplementary food, and pre-school education. The ICDS programme is one of the largest national development programmes in the world. It reaches more than 34 million children aged 0-6 years and 7 million pregnant and nursing mothers. The government of India intends to universalize ICDS in the near future. Other programs impacting on under-nutrition include the National Mid-day Meal Scheme, the National Rural Health Mission, and the Public Distribution System (PDS).
http://www.unicef.org/india/nutrition_1556.htm
But the fact is 1 in 3 of the world's malnourished children lives in India
http://www.unicef.org/india/children_2356.htm
Law Made by the UP Government:
The chief secretary of Uttar Pradesh Mr. Vinod Kumar Mittal on 22nd December, send D.O letter to every district office. For hunger, malnutrition and starving committee should be formed in every village panchayat. The chairperson of the committee will be village head and secretary village panchayat officer and member will be Lekhpal. He will immediately inform district magistrate if any natural disaster happened, for the immediate assistance of 1000 Rupees.
In 2005 honorable Supreme Court gave decision to stop hunger and malnutrition village Panchayat should provide 1000 Rupees emergency assistance should be given to properly nourish child. In article 21 of Indian constitution have provision of “the fundamental right of living” should be safe. Then also children are suffering from malnutrition.
Sample Letter:
To,
…………………..
………………………
Subject: INDIA: Please take immediate action to save three and half years old girl Sitara
Name of the Victim: Sitara aged three and half years old, daughter of Mangala Prasad, Kakalpur village, block- Harahua district Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Location: Kakalpur village, block- Harahua district Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Respected Sir/ Madam
I am disturbed to see and to come to know about the case of Sitara who is suffering from Grade IV malnutrition in Kakalpur village, block- Harahua district Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Sitara three and half years old and is the youngest daughter of Mr. Mangala Prasad, who is not able to work due to his illness and old age. Mangala Prasad is landless and his elder son work as labour and earn 60 Rupees per day and in this small amount he finds it difficult to find food for his family.
Mangala Prasad has 5- twelth part of bigha and he sells this land 18 years earlier for his treatment of tuber closes and now he is suffering from Gastric and heart disease.
The Anganwadi (Ms. Asha Devi) and ANM (Ms.Savitri Devi) are appointed in this area. ANM and Anganwadi worker are doing negligence in immunization sit at the center and give immunization to those people who are coming to the center and nourishing food and they are not doing any initiative for prevention. ANM is taking money form pregnant mother for enrolment in Maternity benefit scheme. Village women four month earlier were talking that ANM is bribing then Sushila grass root activist of Savitri Bai Phule Women Forum, but today this women are not ready to tell their name because they are feared that their name will be disclose
Sitara and her sister were not enrolled in Anganwadi center that near by the village. and school is also near this center
Now Sitara and her family are taken care of by the local human rights organization, the People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights. I am informed that Sitara‘s case symbolizes the living condition of millions of chamar community in Uttar Pradesh.
I therefore urge you to immediately intervene in this case and ensure that Sitara receives immediate medical attention and 1000 Rupees immediate assistance under the guideline of Honorable Supreme Court so; the fundamental right should be saved. On 24th December, 2004 the chief secretary of UP send D.O letter to every district office. For hunger, malnutrition and starving committee should be formed in every village Panchayat. The chairperson of the committee will be village head and secretary, village Panchayat officer and member will be Lekhpal. He will immediately inform district magistrate if any natural disaster happened, for the immediate assistance of 1000 Rupees. But in this district not in a single village this committee is formed.
Yours sincerely,
…………………………
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment
Government of India
Shastri Bhawan, Dr Rajendra Prasad Road
New Delhi - 110 001
INDIA
Fax + 91 11 23384918
E-mail: min-sje@sb.nic.in
2. Chairperson
National Human Rights Commission
Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg
New Delhi 110001
INDIA
Fax + 91 11 2338 6521
E-mail: chairnhrc@nic.in
3.Mr. Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister's Office
Room number 152, South Block
New Delhi
INDIA
Fax: +91 11 23016857
4. The Special Commissioner
Samya – Centre for Equity Studies
Secretariat of the Commissioners
R – 38A, South Extension – II
New Delhi – 110049
INDIA
Tele Fax: 91-11-51642147
Email: commissioners@vsnl.net
3. District Magistrate, Varanasi (UP)
Phone: 0542-2502727(O), 2502626(R), 2508585(R)
Fax: 0542-2502754(O)
dmvar@up.nic.in
4. The Country Director
World Food Programme
2 Poorvi Marg, Vasant Vihar,
New Delhi 110057
INDIA
Fax: +91-11-26150019
Email:wfp.newdelhi@wfp.org
5. The Regional Director
World Food Programme
Unit No. 2, 7th Floor, Wave Place Building
55 Wireless Road, Lumpini, Patumwan
Bangkok 10330
THAILAND
Fax: +66-2-6554413
E-mail: bkk.unescap@un.org
6. Mr. Jean Zeigler
UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food
c/o Mr. Carlos Villan Duran
Room 4-066, OHCHR, Palais Wilson,
Rue des Paquis 52, Geneva
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9300
7.Mr. Doudou Diene
Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
C/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9271
Fax: +41 22 917 90502 9179010
8. Ms. Mayawati,
Chief Minister
Chief Minister's Secretariat
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Fax: + 91 522 - 2230002/2239234
Email: mayawati@sansad.nic.in, cmup@up.nic.in
Thank you.
Savitri Bai Phule Women Forum
Friday, April 25, 2008
An apeal to save the life of a Dalit girl
Folk voice a woman
Dulari Devi 80 years old Dalits and her mentally challenged son chirkut 40 years old lives in village kaluwa Kaura Akbarpur, Ambedkar nager are suffering from hunger and marginalized from the Government facilities.
Dulari Devi 80 years old widow of late Saddu died seven eight years ago. Dulari Devi lives with her abnormal son Chirkut 40 years old in village Kaluwa Kaura Akbarpur, Ambedkar nager. Dulari Devi is the head of the family and there is no other source of income time. They are landless and living in the thatched roof, which can fall at anytime.
She have Antodaya Anya card (AAY) card but from last seven month her name was deleted from AAY card by village panchayat officer. Dulari Devi is not getting old age pension in which 1800 Rupees given by the Government to old age person. She begs in the village and to fetch her son and from last four months she is sick and unable to beg she sit outside her house and live on the pitiness of the villager.
When PVCHR grass root activist of Tanda Mr. Manoj Kumar Singh came to know about her and intervene in this case and media ETV and UP news aired 45-minutes programme on it. Then DM of Ambedkar Nager ordered Block Development officer to enquire and provide assistance to this family then village panchayat officer gave 25 kg rice and 25 kg of wheat and 500 Rupees to Dulari Devi. Her name is also send for AAY card and for the allotment of room Indira Awas Yojana.
Chief Medical officer send doctors to Kaluwa Kaura for the free medical treatment of Dulari Devi and her abnormal son.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
The whole family of Bhure Lal Rajbhar in village Chintawara Ambedkar Nager district is suffering from malnutrition
INDIA: The whole family of Bhure Lal Rajbhar in village Chintawara Ambedkar Nager district is suffering from malnutrition. If immediate facilities are not provided then whole family of Bhure Lal Rajbhar may die.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
INDIA: corruption, failure of local administration
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Dear friend,
Savitri Bai Phule Women forum got information from its local partner People’s vigilance on Human Rights. The whole family of Bhure Lal Rajbhar of village Chintawara, Ambedkar Nager district is suffering from malnutrition. If immediate facilities are not provided then whole family of Bhure Lal Rajbhar may die.
Case detail:
Bhure Lal Rajbhar who belong to backward class in village chintawara, Tanda, Ambedkar Nager district. Bhure Lal is living with his wife, five daughters and one son.
Sangeeta six years old and Rangeeta five years daughter of Bhure Lal Rajbhar are suffering from Malnutrition. Due to malnutrition and deficiencies of vitamins A Sangeeta and Rangeeta loose her vision.
Sita Ram three years old only one son of Bhure Lal is suffering from polio since his childhood from last three years earlier he was taking drop of polio immunization but now he is not taking any drop of polio and he is also suffering from malnutrition. The children of Bhure Lal cannot move from one place to another without the help of any body.
Bhure Lal Rajbhar washes the new wooven handloom clothes and hardly earns 60 Rupees per day and he finds it difficult to fetch the family enough food everyday. Bhure Lal Rajbhar doesn’t have Antodaya Anya card (AAY) so, he could buy ration at cheap price and fetch the family. Bhure Lal Rajbhar land is washed out in soil erosion in Saryu and Ghaghara River and now he is landless.
PVCHR grass root activist Mr. Manoj Singh came to know about Bhure Lal Rajbhar family and he send letter to District Magistrate and Chief Medical officer of Ambedkar Nager. Now the family of Bhure Lal Rajbhar is cared by PVCHR.
Mother of Bhure lal is supposed to be paid a nominal sum of money as old-age pension. The pension is distributed to the aged persons in the state by the government so that they receive some financial help in the absence of any pension from former employment. This pension distribution is a venue of high degree of corruption. Several persons like Bhure Lal mother do not receive any pension even though they are entitled to it.
Background information:
Chintawara is one of the village of Ambedkar nager district. Mostly dominated by backward class and the main occupation of the villagers are they are engaged in work related to weaving like cleaning handloom clothes, ironing and packing of handloom clothes. As weaving industry is in it worst condition many people leave weaving and engage in pulling rickshaw and working as agriculture labour. Mostly people are getting landless because there land is washed out in soil erosion in river Saryu and Ghaghara.
Anganwadi and ANM are appointed in this area but they never visit the area.
There are Auxiliary Nursing Mothers [ANM] who are supposed to be working through the Anganwadis to attend to the immediate medical needs of rural children. The ANM and Anganwadi
Anganwadis have also been trained in adopting WHO protocols. The activities at the Angawadis are-
(i) On going mapping of severely malnourished children in village
(ii) Regular weighing of children with involvement of mothers
(iii) Tracking and listing, referral services, home visits by Anganwadi Helpers
(iv) Special visits to the homes of the children discharged from MTC, and
(v) Involvement of community volunteers. Children falling in Grade III and IV of malnutrition are monitored for signs and symptoms of infections and referred to Public Health Centers, FRU or Community Health Centers for treatment
The Anganwadi is a government run center where nutritious food and primary medical care is expected to be provided to the poor children. It is also a place where the staffs are expected to keep records of the general health conditions of rural children who visit the Anganwadi. These records are vital because they are also used by the state governments to take policy decisions regarding medical care for rural children
Law made by the Government:
Supreme Court Order: In a Public Interest Litigation (WP No. 196/2001) filed by PUCL the Supreme Court has given the following directions by order dated 28-11-2001 with regard to the ICDS Scheme: -
"I we direct the State Governments/Union Territories to implement the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) in full and to ensure that every ICDS disbursing center in the country shall provide as under:
Each child up to 6 years of age to get 300 calories and 8-10 grams of protein;
Each adolescent girl to get 500 calories and 20-25 grams of protein;
Each pregnant woman and each nursing mother to get 500 calories and 20-25 grams of protein;
Each malnourished child to get 600 calories and 16-20 grams of protein;
http://wcd.nic.in/icds.htm
On 24th December, 2004 the chief secretary of UP send D.O letter to every district office. For hunger, malnutrition and starving committee should be formed in every village panchayat. The chairperson of the committee will be village head and secretary village panchayat officer and member will be Lekhpal. He will immediately inform district magistrate if any natural disaster happened, for the immediate assistance of 1000 Rupees. But in this district not in a single village this committee is formed.
Suggestive Action:
Please write to the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh to express your concern in this case. So, she might intervene in this case.
Sample Letter
To,
…………………………
…………………………….
INDIA: The whole family of Bhure Lal Rajbhar in village Chintawara Ambedkar Nager district is suffering from malnutrition. If immediate facilities are not provided then whole family of Bhure Lal Rajbhar may die.
Respected Madam/Sir,
I am disturbed to see the picture of Bhure Lal children in village Chintawara, Ambedkar Nager district. The two daughter of Bhure Lal is suffering from blindness due to deficiency of vitamin A and Malnutrition. Bhure Lal younger son is suffering from Polio and with out any body help they cannot move from one place to another.
I am also informed that Bhure Lal washes new woven clothes and hardly earns 60 Rupees per day and he is unable to fetch his family in this small amount.
I am also informed that Bhure Lal did have Antodaya Anya Yojana (AAY) card so, he could buy ration at cheap price and fetch his family. The land of Bhure Lal was washed out in the soil erosion in river Saryu and Ghaghara
I am also informed that Bhure lal mother’s did not get the benefit of old age pension.
I am also informed that now Bhure Lal family is taken of by the local human rights organization, the People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights. I am informed that Bhure lal‘s family case symbolises the living condition of millions of weavers in Uttar Pradesh.
I therefore urge you to immediately intervene in this case and ensure that Bhure Lal family receives immediate economic as well as medical attention.
Yours sincerely,
…………………………
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment
Government of India
Shastri Bhawan, Dr Rajendra Prasad Road
New Delhi - 110 001
INDIA
Fax + 91 11 23384918
E-mail: min-sje@sb.nic.in
2. Chairperson
National Human Rights Commission
Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg
New Delhi 110001
INDIA
Fax + 91 11 2338 6521
E-mail: chairnhrc@nic.in
3.Mr. Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister's Office
Room number 152, South Block
New Delhi
INDIA
Fax: +91 11 23016857
4. The Special Commissioner
Samya – Centre for Equity Studies
Secretariat of the Commissioners
R – 38A, South Extension – II
New Delhi – 110049
INDIA
Tele Fax: 91-11-51642147
Email: commissioners@vsnl.net
3. The District Magistrate
Ambedkar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
E-mail: dmamb@up.nic.in
4. The Country Director
World Food Programme
2 Poorvi Marg, Vasant Vihar,
New Delhi 110057
INDIA
Fax: +91-11-26150019
Email:wfp.newdelhi@wfp.org
5. The Regional Director
World Food Programme
Unit No. 2, 7th Floor, Wave Place Building
55 Wireless Road, Lumpini, Patumwan
Bangkok 10330
THAILAND
Fax: +66-2-6554413
E-mail: bkk.unescap@un.org
6. Mr. Jean Zeigler
UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food
c/o Mr. Carlos Villan Duran
Room 4-066, OHCHR, Palais Wilson,
Rue des Paquis 52, Geneva
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9300
Fax: +41 22 9179010
Thank you.
Savitri Bai Phule Women Forum
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Folk voices of Dalit women in Varanasi
http://www.mynews.in/fullstory.aspx?storyid=2965#
Folk voices of Dalit women in Varanasi
Shruti Nagvanshi/Prashant 19/3/2008 12:51:53 PM(IST)
Varanasi: Savitri Ba Phule was the first Indian woman, who becomes a teacher and founder of the first Shelter home for the battered women victims. When her husband died Savitri went against the social traditions by accompanying the dead body and also lighted the pyre. For saluting the struggle and continuing the movement of Savitri Ba phoole, Ms. Shruti founded Savitri Ba Phoole Women''s Forum (SWF), every year they celebrates 10th March as Indian Women's Mukti Day (Mukti – Freedom), as this is the death anniversary of Savitri Ba Phule.
Savitri Ba Phule Women's Forum has initiated discussions on caste discrimination, gender discrimination, patriarchy, Brahminical oppression etc. and thus empowers the women members to withstand these evils. On this 10th of March 2008, Savitri Ba phoole Mahila Panchayat celebrates this death anniversary in different way on the place of celebration and raising slogans and taking oaths. They organize Folk Schools in the ghettos of Dalit with the Dalit Women.
In this Folk School first they discuss about the concern of Savitri Ba and then they gradually started de-censoring of themselves. SWF organized folk schools in 4 villages on 10th and 11th of March, the villages are- Belwa and Ahirani Village of Badaganw Block, Village Aura and Aayar of Harahua Block of District Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
In the villages of these two blocks the situation of dalits are worse there are lots of cases of malnutrition and hunger Deaths. In this acute poverty region SWF is struggling by joining hands of all dalit women together. In this series they are organizing folk school for awareness and taking together for struggle of establishing rule of law.
The concept of the Folk School is as- Essentially, the folk school approach is to improve equality in a society by improving the speech capacity of the poorer and the weaker section of the society. Improving their capacity to talk back and thereby creating a two-way discourse in the society is the way the concerns of the weak are brought to social discourse. The more silent the poor and the weak are, the less they will get from society.
Matters of justice depend very much on the capacity of concerned people to un-censor themselves and to speak out constantly. Normally there are many unwritten rules through which people censor themselves. For example, some topics may be considered taboo in some societies or sub sections of societies.
For example, as an effect of feudal culture it is often observed that families of hunger victims hesitate and have subjective reservation to express themselves in respect of their acute poverty and hunger situations to which they have been going through. For example it may be an unwritten rule that some "lower class people" do not talk back to "higher class people". It may also be that some unwritten rules of censorship are enforced by punishments.
For example some groups of people, if they talk about themselves and the wrongs that they bear they will be punished either physically or by other means. In all these instances the capacity to un- censor is an essential component of seeking justice. When a small group of people begins to un- censor themselves others watch and soon begin to un-censor themselves as well. In this manner taboos invariably dissolve.
