AWARE INDIA - जागरुक भारत

10 Facts about Plastic

2010-08-28T18:22:00.013+05:30

We rarely hear "paper or plastic?" today. Stores use 80 percent plastic bags, and worldwide that amounts to between 500 billion and a trillion bags cluttering landfills, flapping in trees, drifting in the breeze, clogging drains and tangling and killing sea life.

Image at right: Plastic bags find their way across oceans and end up along once pristine shorelines.

One of the greatest concentrations of plastic trash is a floating island of plastic debris the size of Texas. It's in the north Pacific, a collection of trash that has been swept together by ocean currents.

Image at right: Midway Island is feeling the affects of trash created from thousands of miles away.

There is virtually no way to dispose of plastic waste. It must be recycled or reused.

Image at right: This plastic bag, which statistics show was probably used for

approximately twelve minutes before being thrown away, will take thousands

of years to decompose.

Drains clogged by plastic provide excellent breeding grounds for disease-carrying insects like mosquitoes.

Image at right: Plastic floats in the reflecting pool in Washington, D.C.

Although the finished plastic may be non-toxic, the monomers

used in its manufacture may be toxic; and small amounts of those

chemical can remain trapped in the product.

Image at right: Not only is plastic toxic, but birds and other wildlife

frequently get entangled or eat the bits of plastic found in their habitat.

Once opened 306 pieces of plastic were found inside this albatrose.

Since the 1950s, one billion tons of plastic have been discarded and much

of it could remain intact for hundreds or thousands of years.

Image at right: Photo by Chris Jordon, a photographer whose images

capture the culture of consumerism.

One barrier to recycling is the widespread use of dyes, fillers, and other additives in plastics.

It's nearly impossible to remove these in a cost-effective way.

Image at right: An albatross sits in back of an array of plastic items

found on the beach.

Plastic can be toxic both in its production (plasticizers like adipates and phthalates are often added) and in its painfully slow process of breaking down once disposed.

Recycling plastics has proven difficult. The biggest problem with plastic recycling is that it is difficult to automate the sorting of plastic waste, so it's labor intensive.

After a two year investigation, Greenpeace has concluded that Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) plastic, commonly known as "vinyl", is the worst plastic for the environment.

45,000 children die of malnutrition every year in Maharashtra

2010-03-31T13:30:00.001+05:30

As a report by the NGO SATHI shows, a healthy GDP is no indication of the health of a state or a country’s children

Despite being among the wealthiest states in the country, almost half Maharashtra’s children are undernourished and one-third of adults are underweight, says a recent report by the NGO SATHI.

Forty-five-thousand children die of malnutrition every year in the state, according to ‘A report on nutritional crisis in Maharashtra’ by the Pune-based SATHI (Support for Advocacy and Training to Health Initiatives). One-third of adults are underweight, and 15% severely underweight.

The two major schemes for children meant to prevent such deaths are the midday meal scheme and the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). But the state government spends just 0.8% of its gross domestic product on these schemes, the report states.

More children die of mild or moderate malnutrition (33,000) than of severe malnutrition (12,000). Malnutrition is also the underlying cause of death of 480 of the 2,850 malnutrition deaths in the state every year.

“A large number of people in Maharashtra do not get enough to eat and are suffering from serious nutritional deficiencies,” said the coordinator of SATHI, Abhay Shukla, at a press conference to release the report on February 3, 2010. The report takes into account the findings of the National Family Health Survey-3 and the National Sample Survey.

The report points out that chronic hunger is not confined to rural areas, as is popularly believed; urban populations in coastal regions, including the city of Mumbai, have the highest prevalence of calorie deficiency (43%) in the state. Calculations made using the per-consumer-unit-calories norm of 2,400 in rural areas and 2,100 in urban areas reveals that the incidence of calories-based poverty is 54% in rural areas and 39.5% in urban areas.

The report is critical of government schemes like the ICDS. Grade 3 and 4 malnutrition is grossly underreported under the scheme as workers lack the skills and equipment to accurately weigh and classify children. Severe malnutrition is often underreported as it points to a failure of the programme.

The midday meal scheme too has been underperforming, according to the report. Only 12% of schools surveyed provided midday meals, and many gave only one component of the meal. Moreover, not a single school provided the stipulated 300 calories and 8-12 grams of protein.

India’s performance on the nutrition front is poor overall. According to the National Family Health Survey-3 (up to 2005-06), almost half of children under 5 years of age (48%) are stunted, that is, too short for their age, an indicator of chronic malnutrition; 43% are underweight. The proportion of severely undernourished children is also notable -- 24% are severely stunted and 16% are severely underweight.

The 2009 annual budget earmarked just 4.15% for children when the population under 18 years of age is 447 million.

Maharashtra’s poor performance on the health front comes despite it being one of the high GDP states. Though the country as a whole has seen GDP grow by 3.95% per year, between 1980 and 2005, the percentage of underweight children under 3 went down by just 6%, from 52% to 46% between 1992 and 2005. For every 3-4% increase in per capita income, the underweight rate should decline by 1%. This has not happened in India, pointing to the need for more inclusive growth and better delivery and distribution of schemes targeted at malnutrition.

Survey finds disabled women doubly disadvantaged

2010-01-10T12:36:00.000+05:30

A pioneering study on women with disabilities, conducted in five eastern Indian states, finds that disabled women, besides lacking education and employment opportunities, are completely ignorant about their legal rights
The first-ever baseline survey on disabled women, conducted by the Association of Women with Disabilities (AWWD) in the five eastern states of Assam, West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand and Bihar, has found them to be sorely disadvantaged by lack of education and employment opportunities, and ignorance about their legal rights.
The survey was undertaken through 2007 in India and other SAARC countries; compilation of the report was completed in 2008.
The survey was part of a South Asian regional initiative aimed at ‘Creating Spaces for Women with Disabilities (WWDs) to Communicate and Advocate for their Rights’, undertaken by AWWD and its partners Akasa (Sri Lanka) and Social Assistance for the Rehabilitation of the Physically Vulnerable (SARPV, Bangladesh).
The survey was carried out in technical collaboration with Healthlink Worldwide, and funding from DFID (UK). It restricted itself to physically disabled women.
According to the survey, illiteracy among WWDs was found to be as high as 70.9% in Jharkhand, 63.8% in Bihar, 46.1% in West Bengal, 41.7% in Orissa, and 32.5% in Assam. The corresponding illiteracy figures for able-bodied women in these states was 60.62% in Jharkhand, 66.43% in Bihar, 39.78% in West Bengal, 49.5% in Orissa, and 43.97% in Assam.
A very small percentage of physically disabled women were found to have completed secondary education. Assam, with 18.6% of its women having acquired secondary education, fared better than all the other states. In West Bengal, only 3.3% of WWDs were reported to have finished secondary education. This, despite an overwhelming majority of respondents -- 90% in West Bengal and 75.7% in Orissa -- feeling the need for WWDs to be educated.
Similarly, although a high percentage of respondents felt the need for disabled women to get gainful employment, less than a quarter of respondents were found to be employed. So, whereas 91.8% in Bihar, 86.8% in Assam, 86.4% in West Bengal, 78.7% in Jharkhand, and 67.4% in Orissa believed in the physically disabled being employed, the employment figures were found to be dismal -- 23.6% in West Bengal and a low 8.9% in Jharkhand -- although the figures for general female participation in the workforce were as high as 26.4% in Jharkhand, which was better than Orissa’s 24.7%, Assam’s 20.7%, and considerably better than Bihar’s 18.8% and West Bengal’s 18.3%.
The major reason for this, the survey found, was that there was no scope for employment; the disability factor came in at second place.
As regards their role in household decisions, 72% of women with disabilities confessed to having no role at all in Bihar, as against 68.3% in Orissa, 49.6% in Jharkhand, and 44.5% in West Bengal. Assam fared much better here, with 72.2% of women reporting that their role mattered in household decisions.
Neither did any of these women have much say in decisions concerning their own life and health. Assam fared best here too, with 73.9% having a say in decisions concerning their own lives, compared to just 27% in Bihar and 24.3% in Orissa.
In terms of accessibility and mobility, most women found all rooms in their houses easily accessible, with figures clocking in as high as 90.6% in West Bengal, compared to 52.4% in Assam.
Awareness of the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Act, 1995 was a mere 5% in Assam and a low 0.3% in Bihar. With the single exception of Orissa, where 57.3% were reportedly aware of government schemes and policies related to women and the disabled, the awareness ranged from 14.9% in Assam, 10% in Jharkhand and West Bengal, to as low as 2.6% in Bihar.
Given the poor rate of education and high illiteracy among disabled women, the issue of social discrimination elicited confusing responses. At one end of the spectrum, 65.8% denied ever being socially discriminated against, while at the other end 61.8% accepted that they could not attend social gatherings.
Otherwise too, women were found to be severely restricted in enjoying their basic rights owing to societal and family pressures, as informed by panchayat representatives, schoolteachers and government officials. As regards levels of awareness, government officials and panchayat representatives fell short on many counts. Although aware of the PWD Act, officials and panchayat representatives were poorly informed about the various schemes and funding details. Nor was there much awareness about the Convention on Elimination of all types of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). As far as non-government organisations (NGOs) were concerned, at least half of them were confused about provisions under the PWD Act. Most believed that laws relating to women’s rights included provisions to deal with women with disabilities.
The print media fared comparatively better, with 43% of media persons being aware of state and national policies related to persons with disabilities. However, the electronic media showed very little awareness or inclination on reporting on issues relating to the disabled.
People with disabilities (PWDs) comprise 4-8% of the total Indian population, which amounts to 40-90 million individuals. Nearly half of the disabled are women. Yet, women with disabilities (WWDs) have always remained an invisible minority owing to illiteracy and social attitudes.
Interestingly, even as India’s GDP grew at a robust 7% and above in the last decade, the employment rate among disabled adults fell from 43% in 1991 to 38% in 2002, according to the World Bank.

‘Very alarming’ levels of pollution in 10 industrial clusters: report

2010-01-01T21:58:00.000+05:30

A study of 88 major industrial hubs in the country finds that almost all of them are heavily polluted, with 10 needing urgent attention

A first-of-its-kind study of pollution levels in major industrial hubs in India has identified 10 hubs as having ‘very alarming’ levels of pollution.

The report, ‘Comprehensive Environmental Assessment of Industrial Clusters’, prepared by IIT-Delhi and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), lists the 10 critically polluted industrial areas as Ankleshwar and Vapi in Gujarat, Ghaziabad and Singrauli in Uttar Pradesh, Korba in Chhattisgarh, Chandrapur in Maharashtra, Ludhiana in Punjab, Vellore in Tamil Nadu, Bhiwadi in Rajasthan, and Angul Telcher in Orissa.

The study ranks 88 industrial clusters across the country on a Comprehensive Environment Pollution Index (CEPI), which takes into account water, land and air pollution. CEPI will henceforth be the benchmark for grading industrial pollution and will be measured every two years.

The clusters have been ranked on a scale of 0-100; the 10 most polluted clusters score above 80. Thirty-three industrial hubs have scored about 70-80 and are categorised as ‘critically’ polluted; at least 32 others scored around 60-70 and were tagged as ‘seriously’ polluted clusters. Ten of them with a score of 50-60 are in the ‘warning’ zone.

Vapi in Gujarat along with the Sukhinder valley in Orissa were listed as being among the 10 most polluted spots on earth in a 2007 report by the US-based Blacksmith Institute, an independent environment agency. Vapi has more than 50 industrial estates and over 1,000 independent industries, mainly those related to tanning and chemicals.

Releasing the report, environment minister Jairam Ramesh hinted that new approvals for industrial activity may not be given in the 10 worst polluted areas until such time as they show some improvement.

“The idea is to identify them in order to take concerted action and to centrally monitor them at the national level, to improve the current status of their environmental components such as air and water quality,” Ramesh said.

The CPCB along with state PCBs have been asked to prepare an action plan for the 43 industrial clusters, including the 10 ‘very alarmingly’ and 33 ‘most severely’ polluted areas, within the next three months, he added.

India ranks a poor 114th in gender equality

2009-11-06T14:32:00.000+05:30

The country ranks in the bottom half, among 134 countries, in terms of gender equality in the latest ranking that assesses the distribution of resources and opportunities among males and females around the world

Slipping one place from last year, India has cornered the 114th position in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) ‘The Global Gender Gap Index 2009’ ranking. India ranked 114th in 2007 too; it cornered 98th place in 2006.

The WEF’s annual ranking, released on October 28, 2009, attempts to assess “how well countries are dividing their resources and opportunities among their male and female populations, regardless of the overall levels of these resources and opportunities”.

Along with India, other Asian countries like Korea (115), Iran (128) and Pakistan (132) continue to hold some of the lowest positions in the rankings that are led by Iceland and three more Nordic nations -- Finland (2), Norway (3) and Sweden (4) -- at the top, and New Zealand in fifth spot. Other countries in the top ten include South Africa (6), Denmark (7), Ireland (8), the Philippines (9), and Lesotho (10).

The United Kingdom ranks 15th while the United States is in 31st spot -- three spots lower than it was last year. Though placed way ahead of India, neighbouring China has dropped to 60th position from 57 last year. Among other BRIC nations, Russia ranks 51st while Brazil is in 82nd spot.

“While India, Iran and Pakistan perform very poorly on the economic, education and health sub-indexes, their overall scores are partially bolstered by relatively good performances on political empowerment,” the WEF said.

Stressing that certain religions and cultural norms around the world prevent women from attaining equal status in society, a top UN official cited India as an example saying that the government was making tremendous efforts to uplift the better half of its population.

“You find countries like India where there are traditional practices and yet the state in its approach towards women has always held equality as a basis,” Asma Jahangir, UN special rapporteur on religious freedom, said.

The WEF says the index scores are meant to indicate the percentage of gender gap that has been closed. Women entering senior official, managerial and legislator roles, gains for women in parliament, and women ministers in the new government helped close the gender gap in the country. That means a higher score on the index represents a more gender-equal society, at least according to this methodology.

“Girls and women make up one half of the world’s population, and without their engagement, empowerment and contribution we cannot hope to achieve a rapid economic recovery nor effectively tackle global challenges such as climate change, food security and conflict,” Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman, WEF, said. “The Forum works year-round with leaders on ways to close gender gaps through its Women Leaders and Gender Parity Programme, and this report underpins their work.”

The Global Gender Parity Group, a community of highly influential leaders from business, politics, academia, media and civil society -- 50% women and 50% men -- seeks to share best practices and identify strategies to optimise the use of talent.

“Out of the 115 countries covered in the report since 2006, more than two-thirds have posted gains in overall index scores, indicating that the world in general has made progress towards equality between men and women, although there are countries that continue to lose ground. We have included a section on the dynamics of the gender gap and found that progress is achieved when countries find ways to make marriage and motherhood compatible with the economic participation of women,” said co-author Ricardo Hausmann, director of the Centre for International Development at Harvard University, USA.

The Forum continues to expand geographic coverage in the report. Featuring a total of 134 countries, this year’s report provides insights into the gaps between women and men in over 93% of the world’s population. Thirteen out of the 14 variables used to create the index are from publicly available hard data indicators from international organisations such as the International Labour Organisation, the United Nations Development Programme and the World Health Organisation.

Some notable facts:

Among the 134 countries covered in this report, Ireland has the lowest maternal mortality rate (1 death among 100,000 live births) while Chad has the highest maternal mortality rate (1,500 deaths among 100,000 live births). Twenty-four countries have a maternal mortality rate of greater than 500 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Annually, more than half-a-million women and girls die during pregnancy and childbirth; 3.7 million newborns die within their first 28 days.
99% of maternal deaths occur in developing countries. Half of these occur in sub-Saharan Africa and another third in South Asia.
A woman in a least developed country is 300 times more likely to die from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth than a woman in an industrialised country, in her lifetime.
Maternal and newborn health are intimately linked. Children who have lost their mothers are four times more likely to die prematurely than those who have not.
It is estimated that for every woman who dies, another 20 suffer from illness or disability as a result of pregnancy or childbirth -- around 10 million women a year.
Many of these women not only face discomfort and emotional distress but are shunned by their families.
Every year, about 1 million children are left motherless and vulnerable. They are less likely to attend school, which, in turn, means that they risk a life living in poverty as adults.
Approximately 80% of maternal deaths could be averted if women had access to essential maternity and basic healthcare services.
The five major direct causes of maternal death in developing countries are severe bleeding, infection, hypertension, complications from unsafe abortions, and prolonged/obstructed labour.
About 20% of maternal deaths have indirect causes that complicate pregnancy or childbirth, such as malaria, anaemia, hepatitis and HIV/AIDS.
Another serious factor is insufficient access for women and girls to nutritious food.
Weak healthcare systems often do not prioritise women’s health.
Lack of skilled health workers to support a woman through pregnancy, childbirth and post-natal care. There is evidence that worker numbers and quality are positively associated with maternal survival.

(source:The New York Times, October 29, 2009
Press Trust of India, October 28, 2009)

Corrupt officials listed on CVC website

2009-09-18T15:54:00.000+05:30

For the first time, India’s Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has made public the names of corrupt officials. Until now, only the number of corrupt officials was being revealed

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has, for the first time, made public the names of 123 government officials against whom it has suggested prosecution or imposition of penalty for alleged corruption.

The CVC states on its website: “In furtherance of the transparency initiatives and the spirit of the Right to Information Act 2005, the Central Vigilance Commission has decided to regularly post info/details of cases pending for sanctions for prosecution over four months with organisations/departments.”

Earlier, the commission gave out only the number of allegedly corrupt officials, along with their departments.

The list of 123 allegedly corrupt officials was reportedly compiled in July and includes the names of 101 officials against whom the commission has suggested imposition of a major penalty. Of them, 17 work in nationalised banks, 13 in the Delhi Development Authority, 11 in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, nine in the ministry of railways and New India Assurance Company. The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation has 11 officials on the list.

Of the 22 remaining officers against whom prosecution proceedings have been advised, seven are from the home ministry -- four of them IPS officers, seven from the Central Board of Direct Taxes, and two from the Indian Forest Service.

Meanwhile, well placed sources said the Cabinet secretary has asked secretaries in various ministries not to delay sanction for prosecution of corrupt officials, warning that the CVC would make public the names of officials shielded by their departments.

Sources said the CVC is now working on updating the list with the names of officials whose departments have not yet granted sanction for prosecution or from whom the recommended penalties have not been recovered.

The updated lists will be put up on the website as part of the commission’s fight against corruption.

Satara District, Maharashtra asks couples to put parenthood on hold

2009-08-23T13:58:00.000+05:30

Offering couples cash incentives if they put off having their first child by two years has delayed 2,500 births, claim officials in Satara district,Maharashtra.

On August 15, India’s Independence Day, several couples in Satara district in the western state of Maharashtra redeemed their pledge of not having a child for two years after marriage. Officials say this family planning initiative of the Satara district administration has delayed 2,500 births in the two years since it has been in existence.

In 2007, officials in Satara introduced the voluntary scheme with a corpus of Rs 6 crore from the National Rural Health Mission to curb the rising birth rate in the area. Couples who agreed to defer their first child by two years would be given a cash incentive of Rs 5,000. Around 485 couples will get a cheque of Rs 5,000, while another 2,366 couples will be awarded during the year as soon as they complete their two-year vow.

Satara district has a population of around 28 lakh, with a girl:boy ratio of 995:1,000. District medical officer Dr V Phalake says that roughly 25,000 marriages take place every year; over 80% result in a baby in the first year. This is largely because of the widespread belief that a child born during the first year of marriage will be healthy.

According to Dr Phalake, roughly 10% (2,366 couples) of couples have participated in the programme and, as a result, 2,500 births have been delayed. “The birth rate of the district is steadily dropping. From the previous 17 births per 1,000, it will become 15 by 2010,” he says.

Vivek Baid, president of the Mission for Population Control, approves of the scheme even though his NGO advocates permanent family planning measures like vasectomy. “It will work like a temporary family planning device like IUD, birth control pills and condoms. The financial benefit added to this package will motivate couples to delay childbirth,” he says. Indeed, the idea is to delay births, not deprive parents of the joys of parenthood.

The scheme has attracted couples from different sections of society and with different motives. Some couples find the scheme attractive because it allows both partners to continue working. Others find the money useful. Says daily wage earner Vinod Waghmare: “If it wasn’t for the scheme we would have had children in the first year of marriage. But now I want to open a fixed deposit from this money for the future of my child.”

For those who delay having a child by another one year, the financial package goes up to Rs 7,500.

Many couples say, however, that they have to keep their participation in the scheme a secret from their families who would certainly disapprove. When Jawade Rao told his mother, she stopped talking to him and his wife. He says he cannot afford to let such a state of affairs continue.

The Satara model has attracted interest from Assam and Jharkhand. The fight to contain population cannot be won by coercive methods, say experts. But the effectiveness of incentives and disincentives in family planning is also a matter of debate.

Indian Parliament passes landmark Right to Education Bill

2009-08-10T10:26:00.000+05:30

It has taken six-and-half years, two governments, and half-a-dozen drafts to put in place enabling legislation making the right to education a fundamental right in India

The Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament, has adopted the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill 2009, approving it by voice vote on Tuesday, August 4, 2009. The upper house, the Rajya Sabha, passed the Bill on July 20. Once the President gives the Bill her assent, education will become a fundamental right for every Indian child.

Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal called the move “a national enterprise that will help shape India’s future,” explaining that “this Bill is about the child’s right to have free education and the State’s obligation to provide compulsory education. This is a historic opportunity as there was never such a law in the last 62 years since Independence. We, as a nation, cannot afford our children not going to school”.

Answering a range of questions on the form and content of the Bill, Sibal said that its essential features included free education, compulsory education, quality education (with schools requiring to have facilities like a playground, library, etc), quality teachers (minimum qualification for teachers is compulsory; under-qualified teachers will be given five years to upgrade themselves), social responsibility (private schools will have to reserve one-fourth of their seats for disadvantaged children), de-bureaucratisation of the school system, and participation of civil society in school management committees (where half the members will be women).

As the purpose of the legislation is to set a certain benchmark for school education, the Bill details punitive action for running unrecognised schools, and also provides for de-recognition of institutions that do not meet certain standards. These standards, in terms of teacher qualifications and duties, and pupil-teacher ratio, have been specified. It comes with a diktat that prohibits teachers from taking private tuitions and schools from deploying them for non-educational purposes other than the decennial population census, disaster relief, and election duty.

Stressing the need for a boost to children’s education, Sibal said that out of every 100 children attending elementary school only 12 reached the graduation level; in Europe it was 50-70 (students reaching college from the elementary level); the global average is 27. The Centre wanted to increase India’s average to 15 by 2012 and to 30-35 by 2020, he said.

The curriculum will be less rigorous and will ensure all-round development of children. “A child must not be subjected to board examinations in Class V or Class VIII. The element of fear must be removed from the child’s mind. At present the child has no choice but to take exams and the government was determined to end it,” the minister added.

Responding to questions raised in Parliament, Sibal clarified that no punitive measures were planned for parents who failed to send their children to school. He also clarified that it was for the states and local authorities to decide on the broader contours of neighbourhood schools (with no interference from the Centre), within three years.

The Bill seeks to do away with the practice of schools taking capitation fees before admissions, and subjecting the child or parents to a screening procedure. If a school disregards this it could be fined up to 10 times the capitation amount. If tests or interviews are conducted, a school can be fined Rs 25,000 for the first violation, and Rs 50,000 for every subsequent contravention.

Schools cannot deny admission to a child because of lack of age proof, and no child can be detained or expelled until the completion of elementary education. Physical punishment and mental harassment will attract disciplinary action under the service rules.

It will be up to the states to implement the policy of reservation in admissions. While 25% of seats in every private school will be allocated for children from disadvantaged groups, including differently-abled children at the entry level, as far as minority institutions are concerned, up to 50% of these seats can be offered to students from their own community.

On infrastructure, the minister said there was provision for establishing a recognition authority in every state under which all schools would have to fulfil the minimum requirement for infrastructure within three years. Otherwise they will lose recognition. Similarly, appointment of teachers had to be approved by the academic committee, Sibal pointed out.

On the medium of instruction, Sibal said there was provision to provide elementary education, as far as possible, in the child’s mothertongue. The law would ensure that the child got free, compulsory and quality education by qualified teachers. It had not been brought in to interfere with the state government’s attempts to provide elementary education.

The minister emphasised the disability clause, saying that the differently-abled would be considered part of the broad “disadvantaged category (that includes scheduled castes [SCs], scheduled tribes [STs], socially and educationally backward)… integrating schooling for the disabled in normal schools”. He added that children suffering from autism too would soon be able to join normal schools.

A spate of protests over the past week by disabled rights groups across the country were followed by a meeting with Sibal on Monday. The prime minister also met them the day the Bill was passed. “The prime minister assured us that our concerns would be addressed,” says Javed Abidi, head of the disability rights group that has been spearheading the protest along with the Spastics Society of India.

Disabled rights activists argue that the Bill effectively extends benefits only to those with physical disabilities -- not children with cerebral palsy or autism. The definition of disadvantaged children -- for whom each private school is required to reserve 25% of their seats -- does not include the differently-abled. Also, they say, the Bill does not mention special schools with a barrier-free environment for differently-abled children.

The government still has to finalise funding norms for implementation of the proposed law; this remains a major concern for educationists in the country. “The right to education will effectively become implementable only when the funding is clear and is released. Till then, it will remain a law only on paper,” said one senior HRD ministry official.

The ministry has asked the finance commission to finalise funding norms for the proposed law. Critics of the Bill say it is unclear how the government plans to pay for it. They also say it does not cover children below the age of six and therefore fails to recognise the importance of a child’s early years of development.

Achieving universal education is one of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals to be met by the year 2015. Currently, around 70 million children in India receive no schooling; more than a third of the country’s population is illiterate. At present, India spends a little over 3% of its GDP on education.

IT industry joins global initiative to cut greenhouse gas emissions

2009-07-30T10:32:00.000+05:30

hi friends....

here is some good news...

Leading companies and industry bodies pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 4 million tonnes over the next three years

Nine leading IT companies and industry bodies in India have joined the Climate Savers Computing Initiative (CSCI) that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 4 million tonnes over the next three years.

They include CII, Dell, HP, Intel, MAIT, Nasscom, TERI and WWF. Over the next three years, these companies/organisations will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 4 million tonnes (an amount equal to planting around 4,800 sq km of trees, and savings of Rs 2,250 crore in energy costs) by promoting smart technologies and best practices and sensitising organisations and individuals to adopt power management techniques.

The Climate Savers Computing Initiative is a non-profit group of eco-conscious consumers, businesses and conservation organisations dedicated to reducing the energy consumption of computers.

Over 475 companies and organisations have joined the initiative since its launch in June 2007, and thousands of individuals have pledged their support. The initiative is led by CSC, Dell, Google, HP, Intel, Lenovo, Microsoft, and World Wide Fund for Nature.

Computers waste 30-40% of the power they use. Most of today’s desktop PCs are capable of automatically transitioning to sleep or hibernate mode when inactive for a sustained duration. But in about 90% of systems this functionality has been disabled, resulting in higher energy consumption and increased electricity use. IT users generally lack awareness about the power-saving features built into present-day machines.

“With the right user behaviour and latest energy-efficient technologies now easily available to us, we can continue to drive power reduction with the use of energy-efficient computers,” said Rahul Bedi, director of corporate affairs, Intel South Asia, one of the prime movers behind the initiative’s expansion.

At the launch of the India chapter of CSCI, Minister of State for Environment, Jairam Ramesh, announced some measures to encourage energy-efficient products and reduce the country’s carbon footprint.

Starting January 2010 it will become mandatory for certain products to carry eco labelling. The first phase will cover four products -- refrigerators, airconditioners, distribution transformers and fluorescent lamps. By mid-2010, three more product lines (colour TVs, LPG stoves, and electric motors) will need to carry the mandatory eco labelling.

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency will work with industry to develop a labelling system that will enable end users of computers to make informed choices in favour of energy-efficient systems.

11 Indian states, three UTs achieve ‘two children per couple’ target

2009-07-22T12:32:00.000+05:30

11 Indian states, three UTs achieve ‘two children per couple’ target

Although India has a long way to go in arresting population growth, 11 states and three union territories have shown the way by attaining the ideal of two children per couple. However, states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh will need at least 15-20 years to achieve this goal

Eleven states and three union territories in India have beaten the 2010 deadline set by the central government of achieving a total fertility rate (TFR) of ‘two children per couple’, under the National Population Policy framed in 2000.

According to a recently-released health ministry report, the 11 states are Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. The union territories are Chandigarh, Pondicherry and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

“Spacing between children, age of marriage, behavioural changes, education, better healthcare and socio-economic conditions are some of the factors behind this progress,” says Amarjeet Sinha, joint secretary in the union health ministry. Other officials add that there appears to have been widespread acceptance of family planning measures like vasectomy and tubectomy.

The health ministry report however regrets the fact that populous states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh will probably take another 15-20 years to achieve the TFR target. It says that, by 2050, India’s anticipated population will reach more than 1.5 billion, and over 1.853 billion at the close of the 21st century.

National Commission on Population estimates project that by 2026, 22% of India’s population will be contributed by Uttar Pradesh alone, while Bihar, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh together will account for 22%. The four southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu will account for only 13%.

National Family Health Survey 3, that provides information on population, health and nutrition in India and each of its 29 states, based on field work conducted between December 2005 and August 2006, showed that 70% of women were married by the age of 18 in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Rajasthan. In comparison, less than 20% of women in Kerala had early marriages.

Districts in Bihar like Sapaul, Katihar and Darbhanga had 98% teenage mothers, followed by Kamrup in Assam, with 56%, and Hingoli in Maharashtra with 35%. In comparison, Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu and Hamirpur and Kangra in Himachal Pradesh had only 1% teenage mothers.

In districts across the country, the incidence of early marriage among women was as high as 83% and 73% respectively in Sharaswati, in Uttar Pradesh, and Jamui in Bihar. In comparison, Chamoli in Uttarakhand and Alapuzza and Pathanamihitta in Kerala reported no underage marriages.

Nationally, the survey showed that 51% of the population falls within the reproductive age-group, which means 18.8 crore couples require contraceptive coverage. However, only 53% practise birth control. It further revealed that 42% of the population increase constitutes births beyond two children per couple, and though fertility in the 15-19 age-group is declining, about 35 lakh teenagers have children each year in the country.

According to National Commission on Population estimates, India is expected to overtake China in human numbers by 2030. India is expected to become the first and the only country on the planet to have a population of over 2 billion; China’s population is likely to drop after reaching a peak of around 1.46 billion in 2050.

India still on top of the world polio map

2009-06-27T15:32:00.002+05:30

FRNDZ....

Despite launching the largest ever mass immunisation campaign against polio in February 2003, targeting 165 million children, the battle against polio has not been won. To understand the causes of the repeated occurrence, we need to understand the profile of the wild polio virus.

The recent news that the Global Polio Eradication Initiative has placed India on top of the world polio map, with 82 cases diagnosed till February this year, makes depressing reading. The success of the past years in bringing down the number of polio infections appears to have been reversed. More so since the other endemic countries, Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan, together reported only 23 cases in the same period.

Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has gone on record to say that his ministry is going to review “the entire polio programme”, pointing out that although it spent Rs 1,300 crore last year on the polio eradication programme, and this year’s budget allotment for the same is Rs 1,042 crore, the scenario was grim. Bihar, particularly, is showing up as a major worry area and Uttar Pradesh (UP) remains a problem state.

As for the statistics, the number of polio cases jumped from 268 in 2001 to 1,600 in 2002. In February 2003, India launched the largest ever mass immunisation campaign against polio, targeting 165 million children. But even in that year there were 225 cases, though in 2004 there was a significant drop to 136 cases. India recorded 864 polio cases in 2007, compared to 676 cases the previous year.

Well friends, this is really unfotunate..an alarming situation....

....plz make people aware about the disease and tell them importance of Polio vaccine.

Let's FIGHT POLIO!!

26 June:International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

2009-06-26T16:40:00.000+05:30

The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is a United Nations International Day against drug abuse and the illegal drug trade. It has been held annually since 1988 on 26 June, a date chosen to commemorate Lin Zexu's dismantling of the opium trade in Humen, Guangdong, just before the Opium War (zh:虎门销烟) The observance was instituted by General Assembly resolution 42/112 of 7 December 1987.

The UN's 2007 World Drug Report puts the value of the illegal drug trade at US$322 billion a year.

26 june:International Day in Support of Torture Victims

2009-06-26T16:39:00.000+05:30

The International Day in Support of Torture Victims, or June 26, is a day created by the United Nations General Assembly to demonstrate solidarity to all whose mind, body or spirit have been impacted by torture.

2009-06-20T10:39:00.001+05:30

World Refugee Day, observed June 20 each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world.

20 JUNE:International Surfing Day

2009-06-20T10:38:00.000+05:30

International Surfing Day, held annually on or near the date of the summer solstice^[1] — usually June 20^[2] (the 21st of June on leap years)^[1] — is an unofficial, environmentally-conscious^[3] sports-centered holiday that celebrates the sport of surfing and the surfing lifestyle and the sustainability of ocean resources.^[4]^[5] The holiday has been criticized for being overly corporate.^[6] Contests and prizes^[7] are also part of the celebration with surfing related industries donating prizes such as surfboards and wetsuits.^[3] Another purpose of the celebration is to promote the popularity of surfing and attracting new participants.

8 June:World Oceans Day

2009-06-08T10:22:00.002+05:30

World Oceans Day was officially declared by the United Nations as June 8th each year beginning in 2009.^[1] The concept was proposed on 8 June 1992 by Canada at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and it had been unofficially celebrated every year since then as World Ocean Day.^[2]

World Ocean Day is an opportunity every year to honor the world's ocean, celebrate the products the ocean provides, such as seafood, as well as marine life itself for aquariums, pets, and also a time to appreciate its own intrinsic value. The ocean also provides sea-lanes for international trade. Global pollution and over-consumption of fish have resulted in drastically dwindling population of the majority of species.

The Ocean Project, working in partnership with the World Ocean Network, is working to build greater awareness of the crucial role of the ocean in our lives and the important ways people can help. World Ocean Day provides an opportunity to get directly involved in protecting our future, through a new mindset and personal and community action and involvement – beach cleanups, educational programs, art contests, film festivals, sustainable seafood events, and other planned activities help to raise consciousness of how our lives depend on the ocean.

The official United Nations 2009 World Oceans Day theme is: "Our Oceans, Our Responsibility".
The unofficial 2009 World Ocean Day theme is: “one ocean, one climate, one future”.

5 june:World Environment Day

2009-06-05T08:23:00.001+05:30

World Environment Day (WED) was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972.^[1] WED is hosted every year by a different city and commemorated with an international exposition through the week of June 5. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), also created in 1972, uses WED to stimulate awareness of the environment and enhance political attention and public action.

"Stockholm was without doubt the landmark event in the growth of international environmentalism," writes John McCormick in the book Reclaiming Paradise. "It was the first occasion on which the political, social and economic problems of the global environment were discussed at an intergovernmental forum with a view to actually taking corrective action."

31 May:World No Tobacco Day

2009-05-31T11:03:00.000+05:30

World No Tobacco Day is observed around the world every year on May 31. The member states of the World Health Organization created World No Tobacco Day in 1987. It draws global attention to the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and to its negative health effects. The day aims to reduce the 5.4 million yearly deaths from tobacco related health problems.^[1] From 1988 the WHO has presented one or more World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) Awards to organizations or individuals who have made exceptional contributions to reducing tobacco consumption. On May 31st, 2008 the WHO called for a complete ban on tobacco advertising; the organization said studies establish a relationship between exposure to cigarette advertisement and starting smoking.

19 may:World Hepatitis Day

2009-05-19T10:28:00.000+05:30

World Hepatitis Day, observed May 19, aims to raise global awareness of hepatitis B and hepatitis C and encourage prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Approximately 500 million people worldwide have either hepatitis B or hepatitis C. This represents 1 in 12 people, and was the basis for the 2008 World Hepatitis Day Am I Number 12? campaign. If left untreated and unmanaged, hepatitis B or C can lead to advanced liver scarring (cirrhosis) and other complications including liver cancer or liver failure. Every year 1.5 million people die from either hepatitis B or C.^[1]

World Hepatitis Day is led by the World Hepatitis Alliance, which represents 200 patients groups and organizations including The Hepatitis C Trust, the European Liver Patient Association and the Chinese Foundation for Hepatitis Prevention & Control.

18 may:World AIDS Vaccine Day

2009-05-18T11:27:00.000+05:30

World AIDS Vaccine Day, also known as HIV Vaccine Awareness Day,

-is observed annually on May 18. HIV vaccine advocates mark the day by promoting the continued urgent need for a vaccine to prevent HIV infection and AIDS. They acknowledge and thank the thousands of volunteers, community members, health professionals, supporters and scientists who are working together to find a safe and effective AIDS vaccine and urge the international community to recognize the importance of investing in new technologies as a critical element of a comprehensive response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The concept of World AIDS Vaccine Day is rooted in a May 18, 1997 commencement speech at Morgan State University made by then-President Bill Clinton. Clinton challenged the world to set new goals in the emerging age of science and technology and develop an AIDS vaccine within the next decade stating, “Only a truly effective, preventive HIV vaccine can limit and eventually eliminate the threat of AIDS.”

The first World AIDS Vaccine Day was observed on May 18, 1998 to commemorate the anniversary of Clinton’s speech, and the tradition continues today. Each year communities around the globe hold a variety of activities on World AIDS Vaccine Day to raise awareness for AIDS vaccines, educate communities about HIV prevention and research for an AIDS vaccine and bring attention to the ways in which ordinary people can be a part of the international effort to stem the pandemic.

18 may:International Museum Day

2009-05-18T11:25:00.000+05:30

The International Museum Day is a celebration that is held each year on or about 18 May. Each year, the Advisory Committee of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) defines a specific theme for International Museum Day.

“

The event provides the opportunity for museum professionals to meet the public and alert them to the challenges that museums face if they are to be — as in the ICOM definition of museums — 'an institution in the service of society and of its development'."[1]

”

The theme for 2009 is "Museums and tourism".

17 May:World Information Society Day

2009-05-17T14:09:00.001+05:30

hey frndz,
today is...

World Information Society Day

-was proclaimed to be on 17 May by a United Nations General Assembly resolution, following the 2005 World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis.^[1]

The day had previously been known as World Telecommunication Day to commemorate the founding of the International Telecommunication Union in 17 May 1865.^[2] It was instituted by the Plenipotentiary Conference in Malaga-Torremolinos in 1973.

The main objective of the day is to raise global awareness of societal changes brought about by the Internet and new technologies. It also aims to help reduce the Digital divide.

pictorial health warnings on tobacco products from May 31

2009-05-11T22:49:00.001+05:30

pictorial health warnings on tobacco products from May 31...
hey frndz....
The smoke seems to have finally cleared over the issue of warnings that will display a picture of a scorpion, indicating cancer, and a diseased lung on tobacco products with the Supreme Court taking an undertaking from the Union government that the law will be implemented from May 31
A Supreme Court bench comprising Justice B N Agrawal and Justice G S Singhvi, on May 5, 2009, cleared the display of pictorial warnings on all tobacco product packages in the midst of allegations by health activists that the law was being diluted to favour the tobacco industry.
The warning will be positioned parallel to the top edge of the package and in the same direction as information in the principal display area. This is mandated under Section 7 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003. Rules under the Act were framed in 2006 but amended in 2007 to be implemented from December 1, 2007. However, implementation was postponed to March 31, 2008, and again to November 2008.
The specified warning will be inscribed in the same language as that used on the pack. In case of more than one language, the warning shall appear in two languages, one in which the brand name appears and the other in any one of the languages that appear on the product pack. For smoking forms of tobacco, the specified warning is depiction of diseased lungs, while for chewing and smokeless forms the warning will be a scorpion.

12 May:International Nurses Day

2009-05-11T22:48:00.001+05:30

hey frndz,
12 may is INTERNATIONAL NURSES DAY....
..International Nurses Day (IND) is celebrated around the world every 12 May. This day is celebrated to remember all of the valuable contributions nurses make to society.
r u aware?

5 may:International Midwives' Day

2009-05-05T19:22:00.001+05:30

hey frndz,
today is International Midwives' Day......

International Midwives' Day was first celebrated May 5, 1991, and has since been observed in over 50 nations around the world.

The idea of having a day to recognize and honor midwives came out of the 1987 International Confederation of Midwives conference in the Netherlands.

r u Aware??

International Firefighters' Day

2009-05-04T00:29:00.002+05:30

International Firefighters' Day (IFFD) is observed on May 4. It was instituted after proposal emailed out across the world on January 4, 1999 due to the deaths of five firefighters in tragic circumstances in a wildfire in Australia.

International Firefighters' Day (IFFD) is a time where the world's community can recognise and honour the sacrifices that firefighters make to ensure that their communities and environment are as safe as possible. It is also a day in which current and past firefighters can be thanked for their contributions.

By proudly wearing and displaying blue and red ribbons pinned together or by participating in a memorial or recognition event, we can show our gratitude to firefighters everywhere.

r u Aware?

1may:Maharashtra & Gujarat Day

2009-05-01T09:01:00.001+05:30

Maharashtra & Gujarat attained statehood on 1st of May, 1960 when the then state Saurashtra was divided into two states, Maharashtra and Gujarat on the basis of different languages, Marathi and Gujarati, under the Saurashtra re-organization act.

1may: INTERNATIONAL WORKER'S DAY!

2009-05-01T08:54:00.000+05:30

International Workers' Day -
is a celebration of the social and economic achievements of the international labor movement. May Day commonly sees organized street demonstrations and street marches by millions of working people and their labour unions throughout most of the countries of the world.

R u Aware?

29 april: International Dance Day (World Dance Day)

2009-04-29T15:09:00.000+05:30

International Dance Day (World Dance Day) has been celebrated on April 29 through promotion by the International Dance Council (CID), an umbrella organization within UNESCO for all kinds of dance.

Among the goals of the Dance Day are to increase the awareness of the importance of dance among the general public, as well as to persuade governments all over the world to provide a proper place for dance in all systems of education, from primary to higher.

27 April: World Graphic Design Day

2009-04-27T20:23:00.000+05:30

World Graphic Design Day is celebrated on April 27, the anniversary of the founding of Icograda, the world body for graphic design, in 1963. It is a day to celebrate the profession of graphic and communication design. The day has been celebrated since 1995.

On this occasion, designers reflect and hope that an international network can contribute to a greater understanding between people and can help to build bridges where divides and inequities exist.

Politics is not a SERVICE anymore but a PROFESSION!!!

2009-04-24T21:29:00.000+05:30

Salary & Govt. Concessions for a Member of Parliament (MP)
Monthly Salary : Rs. 12,000/-
Expense for Constitution per month : Rs. 10,000/-
Office expenditure per month : Rs. 14,000/-
Traveling concession (Rs. 8 per km) : Rs. 48,000/-
(eg. For a visit from South India to Delhi & return : 6000 km)
Daily DA TA during parliament meets : Rs. 500/day
Charge for 1 class (A/C) in train : Free (For any number of times)(All over India )
Charge for Business Class in flights : Free for 40 trips / year (Withwife or P.A.)
Rent for MP hostel at Delhi : Free.
Electricity costs at home : Free up to 50,000 units.
Local phone call charge : Free up to 1, 70,000 calls..
TOTAL expense for a MP [having no qualification] per year : Rs.32, 00,000/-
[i.e. 2.66 lakh/month]TOTAL expense for 5 years : Rs. 1, 60, 00,000/-

For 534 MPs, the expense for 5 years :Rs. 8,54,40,00,000/-
(Nearly 855 crores)AND THE PRIME MINISTER IS ASKING THE HIGHLY QUALIFIED, OUT PERFORMINGCEOs TO CUT DOWN THEIR SALARIES.....This is how all our tax money is been swallowed and price hike on ourregular commodities.........And this is the present condition of our country !!!
r u AWARE???

23 april:World Book and Copyright Day

2009-04-23T07:26:00.000+05:30

23 April:
a symbolic date for world literature for on this date and in the same year of 1616, Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors such as Maurice Druon, K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo. It was a natural choice for UNESCO's General Conference to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect for the irreplaceable contributions of those who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity.

The idea for this celebration originated in Catalonia where on 23 April, Saint George's Day, a rose is traditionally given as a gift for each book sold. The success of the World Book and Copyright Day will depend primarily on the support received from all parties concerned (authors, publishers, teachers, librarians, public and private institutions, humanitarian NGOs and the mass media), who have been mobilized in each country by UNESCO National Commissions, UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations, Associated Schools and Libraries, and by all those who feel motivated to work together in this world celebration of books and authors.

By celebrating this Day throughout the world, UNESCO seeks to promote reading, publishing and the protection of intellectual property through copyright.

Central anti-ragging agency soon

2009-04-23T07:21:00.000+05:30

A central helpline to help victims of ragging at educational institutions will be set up in a week the government tells the Supreme Court after placing a probe report that cites alcoholism on campus as one of the main reasons behind the menace

The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development has begun work on developing a model for a proposed ‘crisis helpline’ to enable victims of ragging across the country to seek immediate help. The government hopes to put the mechanism in place in around a week.

The concept of a central agency with a helpline, which will be web-based, is the brainchild of Rajender Kachroo, whose 19-year-old son Aman died after being assaulted by seniors last month at a government medical college in the state of Himachal Pradesh.

Aman’s father has also suggested the creation of an anti-ragging database that will feature the names of students, and list ragging complaints, to ensure effective monitoring and prevention of the practice.

Once the database/helpline comes into operation, state governments are also expected to amend their anti-ragging statutes to include provisions that place penal consequences on institutional heads who do not take timely steps to prevent ragging and punish those who resort to it.

Amicus curiae and Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam said: “The HRD ministry has already commenced work on developing a model for the crisis-centre helpline and the anti-ragging database. The ministry has sought the assistance of Educational Consultants India Ltd as a consultant in this project.”

Subramaniam revealed this to a bench of Justices Arijit Pasayat and A K Ganguly hearing petitions relating to recent cases of ragging at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Himachal Pradesh, and College of Agricultural Engineering, Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh.

The two cases were referred to the R K Raghavan Committee along with other recent incidents of ragging -- one in Coimbatore and the other in Goa.

In his status report, Subramaniam referred to the Raghavan Committee’s findings submitted to the court, blaming alcoholism on campus, failure of colleges to set up anti-ragging squads and implement recommendations to prevent ragging.

He said the inquiry committee had found that “wardens and assistant wardens in the college took up their assignments reluctantly and did not discharge their duties as was required of them”. The report also points out that the wardens were found to be living outside the hostel premises, defeating the purpose of creating such a position.

It further blames the Medical Council of India (MCI) for not taking immediate action to put down the menace.

The court has asked the Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh governments to file their response to the report later this week.

Poor in perpetuity?

2009-04-14T13:04:00.000+05:30

New studies claim that the stress that the poor inevitably suffer adversely impacts children’s working memory, causing them to be under-achievers in later life and thus remain poor.
The researchers found that those who had spent their whole lives in poverty could hold an average of 8.5 items in their memory at any time. Those brought up in a middle class family could manage 9.4, and those whose economic and social experiences had been mixed were in the middle.

DISABLED ON EQUAL FOOTING THIS ELECTION

2009-04-12T13:35:00.003+05:30

If Supreme Court guidelines are obeyed, the forthcoming Lok Sabha election will be a historic one. For the first time the poll process will be disabled-friendly, with ramps, separate queues and Braille-enabled voting machines that will allow disabled voters to enjoy the same rights as everyone else!
R u aware?

7 APRIL - WORLD HEALTH DAY 2009

2009-04-06T23:51:00.000+05:30

World Health Day 2009 focuses on the safety of health facilities and the readiness of health workers who treat those affected by emergencies. Health centres and staff are critical lifelines for vulnerable people in disasters - treating injuries, preventing illnesses and caring for people's health needs.

They are cornerstones for primary health care in communities – meeting everyday needs, such as safe childbirth services, immunizations and chronic disease care that must continue in emergencies. Often, already fragile health systems are unable to keep functioning through a disaster, with immediate and future public health consequences.

This year, WHO and international partners are underscoring the importance of investing in health infrastructure that can withstand hazards and serve people in immediate need. They are also urging health facilities to implement systems to respond to internal emergencies, such as fires, and ensure the continuity of care.

PENSION SCHEME FOR WIDOWS & SEVERELY DISABLED LAUNCHED

2009-04-05T07:52:00.004+05:30

hi frndz,
recently India's Rural Development Ministry launched two new schemes-

INDIRA GANDHI NATIONAL WIDOW PENSION SCHEME(IGNWPS) and INDIRA GANDHI NATIONAL DISABILITY PENSION SCHEME(IGNDPS) have been launched on FEB 19, 2009.
IGNWPS - applicable for Widows in the age group of 40 to 64
IGNDPS - for those who have attained the age of 18 but are below 65 and below the poverty line.

the Center will provide Rs. 200/month, while States have been requested to contribute atleast a similar amount to beneficiaries, for a monthly assistance of Rs. 400.

so frndz, its a good step by our Gov. to help Widows and Disabled people. but Do you think Rs.200.Rs. 400 will be sufficient?

kindly reply/comment .....

Rural health services in Gujarat to get accreditation

2009-04-03T15:17:00.001+05:30

In an attempt to improve health services in rural areas, community and primary healthcare centres in Gujarat will seek accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Hospital.

Poor rural health services have created huge problems for rural citizens. To improve their functioning, community health centres (CHCs) and primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in Gujarat have been lined up for accreditation by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals (NABH). This is a first for the country.

CHCs and PHCs often lack basic infrastructure and adequate staff. Accreditation, it is hoped, will do away with the disparities.

Of the 273 CHCs and 1,073 PHCs in Gujarat, the health department has chosen 48 CHCs and 158 PHCs for the first phase of accreditation. “The selection of centres has been on the basis of workload. One CHC and three PHCs in every district will undergo the process,” says Dr J L Meena, state quality assurance officer.

The budget for the first phase is Rs 25 lakh for CHCs and Rs 10 lakh for PHCs. The Quality Council of India together with district health officials will provide technical support in the accreditation process. The first phase of accreditation will be completed within a year.

The standard of accreditation for these centres, however, will be lower than for government and private hospitals. “It is an attempt to better the condition of public health in rural areas,” says Meena.

The training of staff has already begun. The health department is in the process of carrying out a baseline study of all PHCs and CHCs, which, Meena admits, are not up to the mark. The study will offer a clear picture of the extent of problems at health centres in rural areas, Meena concludes.

well frndz, this is a very good step taken by GUJARAT GOV. to improve the quality of Primary Healthcare Services. Other states should take a lesson from this, and should implement the same.

2 APRIL -WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY.

2009-04-02T09:36:00.002+05:30

hi frndz,
today on 2nd april, its world's 2nd WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY.

WHAT IS AUTISM?
AUTISM is brain development disorder that impairs communication and social interaction in small children.

World Autism Awareness Day shines a bright light on autism as a growing global health crisis. WAAD activities help to increase and develop world knowledge of the autism epidemic and impart information regarding the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention. Additionally, WAAD celebrates the unique talents and skills of persons with autism and is a day when individuals with autism are warmly welcomed and embraced in community events around the globe.

By bringing together autism organizations all around the world, we will give a voice to the millions of individuals worldwide who are undiagnosed, misunderstood and looking for help. Please join us in our effort to inspire compassion, inclusion and hope.

so frndz, henceforth if u came across such child, don't neglect the problem. support and encourage child! increase AWARENESS about AUTISM.
HELP AUTISM AFFECTED CHILDREN!
HELP INDIA!
AWARE INDIA!!!

International Children's Book Day

2009-04-02T09:30:00.000+05:30

Since 1967 on or around Hans Christian Andersen's birthday, April 2, authors from around the world have gathered to call attention to children's books. The event is sponsored by IBBY, The International Board on Books for Young People, a non-profit organization which represents an international network of people from all over the world who are committed to bringing books and children together.

Each year, the International Children's Book Day celebration allows one of their 60 National Sections the opportunity to be the international sponsor of International Children's Book Day. The host National Section decides upon a theme and invites a prominent author from the host country to create a message for the celebration and a well-known illustrator to design a poster.

International Children's Book Day celebrations across the world involve the holding of special events that may include encounters with authors and illustrators, writing competitions, or announcements of book awards.

1 APRIL - April Fools' Day

2009-04-01T07:39:00.000+05:30

April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day, although not a holiday in its own right, is a notable day celebrated in many countries on April 1. The day is marked by the commission of hoaxes and other practical jokes of varying sophistication on friends, family members, enemies, and neighbors, or sending them on fool's errand, the aim of which is to embarrass the gullible. Traditionally, in some countries, the jokes only last until noon: like UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, someone who plays a trick after noon is called an "April Fool".^[1] Elsewhere, such as in Ireland, France, and the USA, the jokes last all day.

INDIAN Languages in UNESCO's endangered list

2009-03-30T18:14:00.002+05:30

INDIA, a nation with great linguistic diversity, tops the UNESCO's list of countries having the maximum number of dialects on the verge of extinction. As per UNESCO's list, as many as 196 Indian Languages have been listed as endangered. India is closely followed by the US which stands to lose 192 languages and Indonesia, where 147 languages are in peril.

CYBER SECURITY TIPS

2009-03-28T21:15:00.003+05:30

hi friends,
on 27th March I have participated in "SWAGAT YATRA" which took place at my city Dombivli. Various Cultural and Social Groups have participated. My group "मी डोंबिवली" (MI DOMBIVLI) has participated in this and our theme is "CYBER SECURITY".

Well friends we had made various banners on which safe cyber security tips has been written. Following are the tips which are written and are very imprtant for all of us while surfing the Net.

Important Cyber Security Tips:

Change Credit Card Pin Frequently (atleast every 45 days)
Ctrl+Alt+Del when you leave your seat
Sec_rity is not complete without "U"
Password must be longer + complex
Loose clicks invite Hacker Tricks
Think before you Click
Use a good Antivirus + Spywae to protect your PC from malicious software.
Do not share any personal/confidential details on any social networking sites/messenger
Cell Phones/Credit Cards if lost immediately reported to Customer Care and FIR to be lodged to nearest Police Station
Enjoy Safe Shopping ONLINE. Verify that site is safely encrypted and authenticated before giving your Credit Details.

so friends I hope u all will remember above tips while surfing.
ENJOY SAFE SURFING!!

24 MARCH- World Tuberculosis Day

2009-03-24T07:32:00.000+05:30

World Tuberculosis Day, falling on March 24 each year, is designed to build public awareness that tuberculosis today remains an epidemic in much of the world, causing the deaths of about 1.6 million people each year, mostly in the third world. March 24 commemorates the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch astounded the scientific community by announcing that he had discovered the cause of tuberculosis, the TB bacillus. At the time of Koch's announcement in Berlin, TB was raging through Europe and the Americas, causing the death of one out of every seven people. Koch's discovery opened the way toward diagnosing and curing tuberculosis.

In 1982, on the one-hundredth anniversary of Dr Koch's presentation, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD) proposed that March 24 be proclaimed an official World TB Day. In 1996, the World Health Organization (WHO) joined with the IUATLD and a wide range of other concerned organizations to increase the impact of World TB Day.

FIGHT TB!!

23 march-World Meteorological Day

2009-03-23T19:38:00.000+05:30

World Meteorological Day is an annual celebration of the far-reaching work of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), occurring every year on March 23rd to commemorate the establishment of the WMO on March 23, 1950.

World Day for Water

2009-03-22T13:24:00.001+05:30

In 1993 the United Nations General Assembly declared March 22 as World Day for Water (also known as World Water Day)^[1].

This day was first formally proposed in Agenda 21 of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Observance began in 1993 and has grown significantly ever since.

The UN PARTY its member nations to devote this day to implementing UN recommendations and promoting concrete activities within their countries. Each year, one of various UN agencies involved in water issues takes the lead in promoting and coordinating international activities for World Day for Water.

With the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs coordinating, World Day for Water 2005 also marked the start of the second 'UN International Decade for Action for Water', also referred to as the Water for Life Decade 2005-2015.^[2]

In 2006, World Day for Water was coordinated by UNESCO with the theme: 'Water and Culture'.

In 2007, the theme was 'Coping with Water Scarcity', coordinated by FAO.

In addition to the UN member states, a nO of NGOs promoting clean water and sustainable aquatic habitats have used World Day for Water as a time to focus public attention on the critical water issues of our era. Every three years since 1997, for instance, the World Water Council has drawn thousands to participate in its World Water Forum during the week of World Day for Water. Participating agencies and NGOs have highlighted issues such as a billion people being without access to safe water for drinking and the role of gender in family access to safe water.

On March 21, 2008, Guardian Weekly will publish a special feature on World Day for Water.

so frndz,
SAVE WATER!!
SAVE INDIA !!!
AWARE INDIA !!!!!

2009-03-21T07:19:00.001+05:30

World Forestry Day has been celebrated around the world for 30 years to remind communities of the importance of forests and the many benefits which we gain from them. The concept of having a World Forestry Day originated at the 23rd General Assembly of the European Confederation of Agriculture in 1971. Later that year, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation gave support to the idea believing the event would contribute a great deal to public awareness of the importance of forests and agreed that it should be observed every year around the world. March 21, the autumnal equinox in the Southern Hemisphere and the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere was chosen as the day to be celebrated offering information about the three key facets of forestry, protection, production and recreation.

21 March:World Down Syndrome Day

2009-03-21T07:13:00.002+05:30

World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD), is on 21 March. On this day, Down syndrome organizations throughout the world organize and participate in events to raise public awareness of Down syndrome.

The date was selected by Down Syndrome International (DSI) to signify the uniqueness of Down syndrome in the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome and is used synonymously with Down syndrome. The original idea was proposed by Stylianos E. Antonarakis, a medical geneticist of the University of Geneva Medical School, and enthusiastically adopted by ART21, a patient group for the Lemanic region of Switzerland. The first events were organized on 21 March 2006 in Geneva.

r u aware?

The inaugural WDSD was launched on 21 March 2006 in Singapore, with events organized by the Down Syndrome Association.

21 MARCH-International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

2009-03-21T07:10:00.001+05:30

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on 21 March. On that day, in 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid "pass laws". Proclaiming the Day in 1966, the United Nations General Assembly called on the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination.

R u aware?

21 March - WORLD POETRY DAY

2009-03-21T07:09:00.002+05:30

World Poetry Day is on March 21, and was declared by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 1999. The purpose of the day is to promote the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry throughout the world and, as the UNESCO session declaring the day says, to "give fresh recognition and impetus to national, regional and international poetry movements."

World Poetry Day has existed in some form since at least 1505,^{[citation needed]} according to the National Poetry Day Committee, which was based in Florida, USA, in the early 1990s. It was generally celebrated in October, sometimes on the 5th, but in the latter part of the 20th Century the world community celebrated it on October 15, the birthday of Virgil, the Roman epic poet and poet laureate under Augustus. The tradition to keep an October date for national or international poetry day celebrations still holds in many countries^[1]^[2]. Alternately, a different October or even November date is celebrated.

World Storytelling Day

2009-03-20T09:39:00.000+05:30

World Storytelling Day is a global celebration of the art of oral storytelling. It is celebrated every year on the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere, the first day of autumn equinox in the southern. On World Storytelling Day, as many people as possible tell and listen to stories in as many languages and at as many places as possible, during the same day and night. Participants tell each other about their events in order to share stories and inspiration, to learn from each other and create international contacts.

The significance in the event lies in the fact that it is the first global celebration of storytelling of its kind, and has been important in forging links between storytellers often working far apart from each other. It has also been significant in drawing public and media attention to storytelling as an art form.

INDIA-The world's 'last great newspaper market'

2009-03-19T09:16:00.000+05:30

With 62,483 newspapers and periodicals in 101 languages, and combined daily circulation of 99 million, India is the second biggest newspaper market in the world despite its poor literacy rates. Though the press has successfully warded off State attempts to curb its freedom of expression, new pressures from extra-constitutional authorities and from commercial interests may be undermining its independence and its commitment to serving the public interest.

The Indian print media currently include over 62,483 newspapers and periodicals, according to the latest figures available from the website of the Registrar of Newspapers for India, updated up to March 31, 2006 (RNI 2005-06). The total circulation of newspapers in 2005-06 was 18,07,38,611 copies.

Indian publications appear in as many as 101 languages and dialects. The largest numbers of newspapers were published in Hindi (4131), followed by English (864), Gujarati (775), Urdu (463) Bengali (445), and Marathi (328). In circulation, too, Hindi newspapers continued to lead with 7,66,98,490 copies, followed by English with 3,41,06,816 copies. While the Gujarati press with 98,44,710 copies came in third, the Urdu and Malayalam language press followed closely with 92,17,892 and 82,06,227 copies respectively.

Among daily newspapers, Hindi led with 942 dailies, followed by 201 in English. The languages with more than 100 daily newspapers were Urdu (191), Telugu (147) Marathi (130) and Gujarati (100). Circulation-wise, Hindi dailies maintained dominance with 3,76,42,520 copies. English dailies followed with a circulation of 1,29,14,581 copies.

The current readership of the print media across India is approximately 222 million, going by figures emerging from the National Readership Survey 2006, based on a sample of 2,84,373 individuals and covering 535 publications across the country. According to NRS 06, the number of readers in rural areas (110 million) is almost the same as in urban areas (112 million). Readership of the press as a whole had registered a three % increase from the year before. At the same time, the reader base for dailies and other newspapers increased from 24% % a year earlier to 25%, reaching 203.6 million. There is obviously significant scope for further growth since 359 million literate adults still do not read any publication.

A May 2008 article headlined, ‘Where Print Still Makes Sense…’ in IndiaKnowledge@Wharton, (1) quoted a PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) report on the print media industry in India. According to the report, ‘In 2007, the Indian print media industry recorded a growth of 16% over the previous year. Newspaper publishing, which constitutes 87% of the segment, grew at 17%, whereas magazine publishing, which contributes the remaining 13%, grew at a marginally lower rate of 15%. On an overall basis, the print media industry stood at Rs 149 billion [14,900 crore] in 2007, up from Rs 128 billion [12,800 crore] in 2006." PwC estimated the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for 2008 through 2012 at 13% for newspapers and 15% for magazines. The comparative estimated CAGR internationally (for 2007 through 2011) is 2.1% for newspapers and 3.1% for magazines.

Hope frndz, u must have liked these interesting facts.

18 MARCH:ORDNANCE FACTORIES DAY

2009-03-18T12:28:00.000+05:30

18 MARCH:ORDNANCE FACTORIES DAY

This day is celebrated on March 18 every year. Ordnance factories were established on this day about 203 years ago. The first Ordnance Factory is now called the Gun and Shell Factory Cossipore, Kolkata.

In all, there are 40 Ordnance Factories spread all over India. Ordnance Factory Board, Kolkata, under the Ministry of Defence Production governs them. All the defence requirements from small arms to weapon systems, armoured vehicles, transport vehicles, battle tanks to troop comfort items, and communication cables and ammunition are manufactured indigenously, using multi-discipline technologies, comparable to the latest in the world.

R u AWARE?

Global war on drugs puts lives at risk, in India

2009-03-17T21:49:00.000+05:30

A decade after governments pledged to achieve a “drug-free world,” there is little evidence that the supply or demand of illicit drugs has been reduced. Instead, aggressive drug control policies have led to increased incarceration for minor offences, human rights violations, and disease

Repressive approaches to drug control are having a devastating effect on the health and human rights of injecting drug users in India, says a new report by the Open Society Institute (OSI). The report includes studies and testimonies reflecting conditions in over 30 countries.

‘At What Cost?: HIV and Human Rights Consequences of the Global War on Drugs’ highlights the ineffectiveness of drug control and its unintended consequences. The report was released on March 5, 2009, the week before a UN meeting coordinated by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs started in Vienna.

A decade after governments worldwide pledged to achieve a “drug-free world,” there is little evidence that the supply or demand of illicit drugs has been reduced. Instead, aggressive drug control policies have led to increased incarceration for minor offences, human rights violations, and disease.

“The global war on drugs has devolved into a war on individual drug users and their communities,” says Daniel Wolfe, director of OSI’s International Harm Reduction Development Programme. “While the drug trade continues to thrive, families across the globe are being torn apart by HIV, draconian prison sentences, and wholesale police abuses.”

The Indian Network for People Living with HIV (INP+) wrote a chapter in the report on drug control policies and HIV prevention and care among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Imphal, Manipur. INP+ found overwhelming evidence of human rights violations against drug users in India including police violence and harassment. Fear of police abuse or incarceration discourages drug users from carrying sterile injection equipment. As a result, they engage in unsafe injection practices. One of the people interviewed for this report asked: “If they cannot even carry clean syringes, how can you expect them to carry used syringes for exchange?”

“HIV prevention and care among IDUs in India, like elsewhere, is complicated by the presence of criminal laws that are supposed to control illicit drug use but actually impinge on the rights of people who use drugs,” says Kh Jayanta Kumar “Bobby”, a board member of INP+. “This makes IDUs more vulnerable to HIV infection because of the barriers they face in accessing HIV prevention services. For those drug users who are HIV-infected, the laws also pose barriers -- directly or indirectly -- so they cannot even access the basic treatment services they need.”

Identifying the public health consequences of such human rights violations by law enforcement, the report’s authors make a series of recommendations to help align drug control efforts with health and human rights. They point out that there is a need to:

Train and sensitise the police on harm reduction and the human rights of drug users.
Sensitise the general public to decrease stigma and discrimination against people who use drugs.
Create partnerships between law enforcement agencies and the public health sector.
Ensure that the police exercise discretion in implementing drug-related laws/policies.
Introduce harm reduction services, and ensure treatment for people living with HIV in prisons.

CONSUMER RIGHTS

2009-03-15T23:18:00.000+05:30

Frndz, following are the eight CONSUMER RIGHTS:

Right to Safety
Right to Information
Right to Choice
Right to be Heard
The Right to Redress
The right to consumer education
The Right to Basic Needs
The right to a healthy and sustained environment

R u Aware??

15 March-International Day Against Police Brutality

2009-03-15T21:20:00.000+05:30

The International Day Against Police Brutality occurs on March 15. It first began in 1997 Montreal Collective Opposed to Police Brutality and the Black Flag group in Switzerland. The date was initially chosen for convenience (March 15 1997 fell on a Saturday), although since the year 2000, it has often been linked to an alleged incident in which two children, aged 11 and 12, were beaten to death by the Swiss police.^{[citation needed]} as an initiative of the

Acceptance of March 15 as a focal day of solidarity against police brutality varies from one place to another. In the United States, the October 22 Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation

, a group mounted by the RCP, has succeeded in building support for October 22 (also known as O22) as National Anti Police Brutality Day since 1995.

r u AWARE???

Inequalities plague India's health battle

2009-03-14T21:51:00.000+05:30

hi frndz,
well below i'm giving some facts and stats about the Inequalities in health care services in India-

Avoidable complications during childbirth kill 78,000 women in India every year. One million children die in the country every year before they become 28 days old. These are some of the disturbing findings of Unicef’s ‘State of the World’s Children 2009’ report

An Indian woman is 300 times more likely to die in childbirth or from pregnancy-related complications than a woman in the developed world. And for every 100 children who die globally, 22 die in India as the country’s fight to lower maternal and child mortality rates continues to be hampered by social inequalities and shortages in primary healthcare facilities.

India’s maternal mortality rate (MMR) stands at 450 per 100,000 live births as against 540 in the 1998-99 period. That’s way behind the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which call for a reduction to 109 by 2015, says the latest report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).

The MDGs are eight social and economic development benchmarks set for nations to accomplish by 2015. They include reducing poverty levels, increasing universal education, improving healthcare and fighting the spread of AIDS. India has to achieve a two-thirds reduction in MMR to meet its target, which, Unicef says, looks difficult given growing social and income inequalities.

“Widening disparities are prevalent in health outcomes between income groups and between social and caste groups,” the organisation points out in its ,

‘State of the World’s Children 2009’ report.-

“More than two-thirds of Indians live in rural areas, many without access to basic medical facilities, despite three years of nearly 9% economic growth. About 65% of Indian women still deliver at home and those who are from the lower castes suffer the most as they are often denied access to basic healthcare.”

so frrndz,
after reading above facts we realize that still we lag behind and needs to do a lot to improve our basic primary health care services. but we Indians/a common man/ community itself is not aware of all above facts. there is need to generate awareness among the people for appropriate action!

Global economy set to shrink, India loses half-a-million jobs

2009-03-13T23:38:00.000+05:30

The automobile, gems and jewellery and textiles sectors have shed half-a-million jobs in India, with more pain on the way as the world economy shrinks further, says a new World Bank repor.

With over half-a-million jobs lost in India alone, in recent months, the World Bank predicts that the global economy and global trade will both shrink this year for the first time since World War II.

r u Aware?

WOMEN WHO DRINKS IN INDIA

2009-03-11T22:03:00.000+05:30

Women who drinks in India

-60% drinks in bars

-67% drink to relax

-62% have families who know they drink!!

STOP ALCOHOL!!
AWARE INDIA!!

HUNGER INDEX OF INDIA

2009-03-11T21:54:00.000+05:30

In every one of India’s major states, less food is available for growing populations. The first India States Hunger Index shows alarming falls in per capita availability of cereals. Industrialised Gujarat ranks lower than Haiti on the Global Hunger Index, and Madhya Pradesh beats Ethiopia by only 0.07 points!!
In October 2008, the India States Hunger Index was released by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and its partner organisations in the Global Hunger Index 2008 project. For the first time, India’s states had been disaggregated from the national index. The States Hunger Index shows us how hunger persists as a widespread and serious issue in India, and shows us also that economic strength, urbanisation and industrial development have not helped remove or even alleviate hunger in states that are financially powerful.

R U AWARE???

HELP HUNGRY PEOPLE!!HELP INDIA!!!

Sikkim becomes first state to achieve 100% sanitation

2009-03-10T23:43:00.000+05:30

Sikkim becomes first state to achieve 100% sanitation
frndz,
Sikkimthe second smallest state of India, was recently declared a ‘Nirmal State’ for being completely free of open defecation. It was honoured with a gold medal by Indian President Pratibha Patil for setting an example for others states to follow.

so frndz, I think all states of India should learn from Sikkim.

SANITATION PROBLEM IN INDIA

2009-03-10T23:37:00.000+05:30

Hi frndz,
Achieving 100% Sanitation is a real challenge in front of INDIA coz-

Over half-a-billion Indians do not have a toilet; one in two Indians, or around 650 million people, defecates out in the open. Untreated waste poses a serious health risk. Last year, India added around 11 million toilets but the government wants the rate of construction to increase considerably.
India still needs to build 78 new toilets every minute over the next four years to meet the government’s ambitious sanitation target under the Nirmal Gram Yojana, or Total Sanitation Campaign.

r u aware?

Medical Reimbursement to Wife by her Husband

2009-03-10T10:13:00.000+05:30

Medical expenses and maintenance

In a judgment regarding medical reimbursement to a wife by her husband, the Supreme Court observed that the terms ‘maintenance’ and ‘support’ include means of living, food, clothes, shelter, recreation, health, proper care, nursing and medical assistance during sickness. Therefore, a wife is entitled to get medical reimbursement from her husband as part of maintenance

The issue of maintenance has dogged the efforts of women caught in situations of matrimonial conflict. Some of the problem areas have been the time taken by the courts to decide matters and pass final orders in civil suits asking for maintenance, the extremely low amounts granted as maintenance, the upper limit of Rs 500 under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) that prevailed till an amendment in 2001 gave discretion to the magistrate to fix the amount depending on the facts and circumstances.

The issue of powers to the magistrate to grant interim maintenance from the date of application was addressed by the apex court in an earlier judgment (see ‘Maintenance for wife and children: Final and interim’, InfoChange News and Features, November 2008). In the present era of escalating medical expenses, a recent judgment, Rajesh Burman versus Mitul Chatterjee, 2008 (14) SCALE 372, pronounces on the important issue of whether medical expenses can be claimed by the wife from the husband as part of maintenance.

Rajesh Burman and Mitul Chatterjee’s marriage was solemnised on January 26, 2000, in Kolkata. Thereafter, the wife, Mitul, moved to Mumbai where her husband was working and started staying in the matrimonial house.

According to Rajesh, on June 16, 2001, he was stuck in office doing work and could not get home on time. At around 9.30, Mitul came to the office and abused her husband for being late and not returning home on time. Rajesh said that when he got home at 1.30 am, his wife became furious and violently abusive in the presence of her father and grandparents. Rajesh wanted to walk out to allow his wife’s anger to cool, and hurriedly made his way down the staircase. He said his wife tried to prevent him from leaving, lost her footing, and, being drowsy and clad in a long nightgown, fell down the stairs, injuring her left arm and fracturing it. According to Rajesh, his wife’s injuries were the result of an accident.

After 10 days, on June 26, 2001, alleging that her husband had pushed her and caused her injuries, Mitul lodged a complaint at the police station against her husband and in-laws for the offence of cruelty under Section 498 A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), causing grievous hurt (Section 325 of the IPC), criminal breach of trust (Section 406 of the IPC), and criminal intimidation (Section 506 of the IPC). Rajesh and his mother were arrested.

Rajesh approached the high court for the criminal case to be quashed, and obtained a stay of proceedings. Mitul was operated twice on June 19/20, 2001, and May 2, 2002. She filed a suit for dissolution of marriage on July 1, 2001, in the court of the district judge, Alipore, 24 Parganas, in West Bengal, asking for a divorce, return of goods in the custody of her husband, and alimony. She also filed an application in the suit asking for payment of Rs 382,262.75 as medical reimbursement.

Rajesh contested the claim, saying that the application for medical reimbursement was not maintainable, that his wife was gainfully employed, had already received money from the insurance company, and that he was not liable to pay her anything. The trial judge rejected his contentions and held that Mitul was entitled to medical reimbursement. The amount of Rs 76,181, received from the insurance company, was deducted and the court directed the husband to pay Rs 306,181 to his wife.

Rajesh approached the high court, which deducted Rs 21,668 spent on airfare, plus a further amount of Rs 62,155, and ordered that the remaining amount be paid to Mitul. The husband challenged the high court’s decision and the matter reached the apex court.

It was argued that Rajesh was not responsible for his wife’s injuries. That the injuries were the result of an accident, and that Mitul herself was responsible for them. Therefore, the lower courts’ orders to pay the money were invalid. A preliminary objection was raised that the Special Marriage Act, 1954 (the Act), which was applicable to the couple, did not provide for payment of such expenses and that an application for medical reimbursement was not maintainable. It was contended that the wife had suppressed the fact that she was gainfully employed, and had initially not disclosed receipt of money from the insurance company. That her intentions were to harass her husband and that she had claimed airfare which had been deducted by the high court. And, that under the circumstances she was not entitled to any relief from the courts.

According to Mitul, her husband had pushed her down the stairs to cause injuries that could have resulted in her death; fortunately, she survived. It was argued that the airfare charges that the high court had deducted were in connection with medical treatment; it did not mean that the wife was not entitled to medical expenses as granted by the lower courts. It was submitted that the terms ‘maintenance’ and ‘support’ were very wide and included medical expenses, and that the courts had been right in ordering that she receive medical reimbursement.

The Supreme Court observed that the wife had instituted proceedings for the dissolution of marriage in a competent court, as per the provisions of the Special Marriage Act, 1954. The court dismissed the preliminary objection on behalf of the husband and held that the wife’s application for medical reimbursement was maintainable. Adverting to the provisions of the Act, the court noted that Section 36 provides for the district court to order interim maintenance during the continuance of legal proceedings. Further, Section 37 provides for the grant of permanent alimony, either as a gross sum or monthly or periodical payment, for maintenance and support of the wife. It held that under the scheme of the Act, “the two terms ‘maintenance’ and ‘support’ are comprehensive in nature and of wide amplitude”.

Referring to the definition of ‘maintenance’ and ‘support’ in Black’s Law Dictionary, the judgment observes that the terms include means of living, food, clothes, shelter, recreation, health, proper care, nursing and medical assistance in times of sickness. The court rejected the argument that assistance of earlier judgments interpreting ‘maintenance’ and ‘support’ under the Hindu Marriage Act and the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act could not be taken while interpreting the terms under the Special Marriage Act. It observed that the earlier judgments clearly held that ‘maintenance’ and ‘support’ were synonymous and constitute the “act of maintaining”, including residence, food, recreation, education and medical treatment.

Applying the interpretation enunciated to the present case, dismissing the husband’s appeal, the Supreme Court held that Mitul Chatterjee was entitled to medical expenses and had the right to get medical reimbursement from her husband Rajesh Burman.

so r u AWARE?

ID MUBARAK & HAPPY HOLI

2009-03-10T09:47:00.000+05:30

I wish all my group members ID MUBARAK & HAPPY HOLI! I wish it will bring our country lots of AWARENESS!!

Come together!Let's AWARE INDIA!!!

LOKSABHA SESSIONS FACTSHEET

2009-03-08T21:14:00.000+05:30

Hi Frndz, well here is some interesting facts about Loksabha Session in our country-
Days of Work:
2004: 58 days
2005:85ndays
2006:77days
2007:66 days
2008: 31 days
2009: 10days(feb)
Total No. of days in last 5 yrs: 327 days
Total No. of working Hrs: 1738 hrs 45 minutes
Average No. of working Hrs: 5 hrs 31 min/day only!
Out of 1738 hrs , 423 hrs are wasted in arguments,fighting, protesting. It means on an average 1 Hr 30min/day is wasted in this.
Loksabha Expenses:
1 min expenditure = Rs.26000/-
Total Expenditure: 271 Crore 24Lakh 50thousand
Money wasted in arguments: 65Crore,98 Lakh, 88thousand
In 14 th Loksabha 258bills has been passed, out of that 103bills has been passed without any discussion!!
No. of MLAs who are below 40 yrs of age: 60(only11%). They have participated in only 7% of discussions!!
Total No. of MLAs against whom Criminal Cases are pending: 128(23%)
So frndz R u Aware of these facts?
If not plz make others aware about these facts and plz think for sometime before voting!!!

INTERNATIONAL WOMAN'S DAY

2009-03-08T16:38:00.000+05:30

Hi frndz,today is 8 March,today is....

International Woman's Day (IWD) -is marked on March 8 every year. It is a major day of global celebration for the economic, political and social achievements of women.

Started as a political event, the holiday blended in the culture of many countries (primarily Russia and the countries of former Soviet bloc). In some celebrations, the day lost its political flavour, and became simply an occasion for men to express their love to the women around them in a way somewhat similar to Mother's Day and St Valentine's Day mixed together. In others, however, the political and human rights theme as designated by the United Nations runs strong, and political and social awareness of the struggles of women worldwide are brought out and examined in a hopeful manner.

The IWD is also celebrated as the first spring holiday, as in the listed countries the first day of March is considered the first day of the spring season.

IWD 2009 EVENTS BY COUNTRY

United Kingdom (257 events)
United States of America (195 events)
Australia (161 events)
Canada (130 events)
India (47 events)