Prakash, Mandakini Amte among Magsaysay winners

MANILA, July 31: Prakash and Mandakini Amte, a couple who run a hospital and school for the Madia Gond tribals in eastern Maharashtra, are among the winners of the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Awards for 2008, it was announced today.

They were chosen for the award in the Community Leadership category for "enhancing the capacity of the Madia Gonds to adapt positively in today’s India, through healing and teaching and other compassionate interventions."

Prakash Amte grew up in Anandwan, an ashram and rehabilitation center for leprosy patients in Maharashtra founded by his father, the renowned Gandhian humanitarian Murlidhar Devidas Amte, or Baba Amte. He was busy with post-graduate surgical studies in Nagpur when Baba Amte called him, in 1974, to take over a new project among the Madia Gonds. "In a leap of faith, he and his wife Mandakini abandoned their urban practices and moved to remote Hemalkasa," the citation said.

The other winners include Ahmad Syafii Maarif, the head of Indonesia’s powerful Muhammadiyah group, Thai prosthetic limb manufacturer Therdchai Jivacate and Sri Lankan social worker Ananda Galappatti.

Grace Padaca, governor of the Philippine province of Isabela, received the award for government service. Crippled by childhood polio, she defeated a powerful political dynasty in the 2004 elections and was re-elected last year.

Akio Ishii of Japan received the award for journalism, literature and creative communication arts, the foundation said. Ishii is the head of publishing house Akashi Shoten, which has about 2,800 books in print that place discrimination, human rights and other difficult subjects in Japan’s public domain, the foundation said.

The award for public service was given to the Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development Mutually Reinforcing Institutions, of the Philippines.

The citation honouring the Amtes said hidden amid the dazzling human mosaic of India are millions of tribal people. For centuries they have lived apart in remote highlands and forests. The Madia Gonds, for example, occupy a 150 square-kilometer swath of eastern Maharashtra, bordering Andhra Pradesh and Chattisgarh States. In a thousand isolated villages, they survive by hunting and gathering and shifting cultivation. When Prakash and Mandakini Amte arrived in their midst 34 years ago, the region had no modern services. Government officials considered it wild and served there only reluctantly. By contrast, the Amtes, medical doctors, came by choice.

The young couple settled in a doorless hut without a telephone or electricity or privacy. They practiced medicine beside the road and warmed themselves by a wood fire at night. The Madia Gonds, shy people and suspicious of outsiders, spurned their help at first. Prakash and Mandakini learned their language and patiently gained their trust. The miraculous cures of an epileptic boy with terrible burns and a man near death from acute malaria turned the tide. "Once a patient is cured," says Prakash, "he comes back and brings four new patients."

Beginning in 1975, SWISSAID provided funds to build and equip a small hospital in Hemalkasa. There Prakash and Mandakini performed surgery and treated malaria, tuberculosis, and dysentery, burns and animal bites. To conform to tribal sensibilities, they placed most of the hospital’s facilities out-of-doors, beneath the trees. They charged nothing.

Illiteracy had made the Madia Gonds easy prey for corrupt forest officers and other greedy outsiders. The Amtes helped them assert their rights and intervened to mediate disputes and rid the area of abusive officials. In 1976, they opened a school. The Madia Gonds were reluctant to send their children but, in time, the school prospered and became a center for both academic and vocational education. Prakash and Mandakini’s own children were educated there.

The Amtes have used the school at Hemalkasa to introduce the Madia Gonds to settled agriculture-growing vegetables, fruits, and irrigated grains organically-and to encourage them to conserve forest resources. This includes wild animals, a tribal dietary staple. The Amtes’ popular animal sanctuary at Hemalkasa promotes the survival of animals as part of nature’s balance.

Simplicity and respect guide the Amtes’ work with the Madia Gonds. Prakash wears only a singlet and white shorts as he goes about his work, so as not to identify himself with "well-dressed" outsiders. Where applicable, the couple incorporates tribal cures in their medical practice. In school, children perform tribal songs and dances.

Today, the Amtes’ hospital has 50 beds, a staff of five doctors, and treats 40,000 patients a year free-of-charge. It is a regional centre for mother-child welfare and health education. Its "barefoot doctors" bring first aid to outlying villages. The Amtes’ school, meanwhile, has grown to 500 students and is comprehensive. Among its graduates are the Madia Gonds’ first doctors and lawyers and teachers as well as officials, office workers, and policemen.

"More than 90 percent of the students have come back to serve in the community, including my sons," says Prakash, reflecting on his and Mandakini’s legacy. "Maybe it’s the way we have led our lives."

Established in 1957, the Ramon Magsaysay Award is Asia’s highest honour and is widely regarded as the region’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize. It celebrates the memory and leadership example of the third Philippine President, and is given every year to individuals or organizations in Asia who manifest the same sense of selfless service that ruled the life of the late and beloved Filipino leader.

The eight 2008 Magsaysay awardees join 263 other laureates who have received Asia’s highest honour to date. This year’s Magsaysay Award winners will each receive a certificate, a medallion bearing the likeness of the late President, and a cash prize. They will be formally conferred the Magsaysay Award during the Presentation Ceremonies to be held on August 31 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.(UNI)

Decision to destroy documents related to gas victim draws flak

BHOPAL, July 31: The decision of the Welfare Commissioner, Bhopal to destroy documents related to Bhopal Gas victims has come under severe criticism from an NGO helping the latter.

The Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan has said this will only benefit Union Carbide.

"Cases related to inadequate compensation are pending in various courts and it appears that the Welfare Commissioner has no idea about it," Sangthan Coordinator Abdul Jabbar told reporters here.

"The Union Carbide, now a wholly owned subsidiary of Dow Chemicals, may demand certified documents in its defence in future," Jabbar said adding which if destroyed would not be available.

The Sangathan said it will approach the Welfare Commissioner, Bhopal custodian of documents pertaining to health problems faced by the gas tragedy victims, on the issue with a petition carrying signatures of over one lakh affected persons, he added.

The Sangathan has also voluntered to take care of the documents if the Welfare Office is not in a position to do so.

The decision to destroy the documents was taken recently by the Welfare Commissioner.

In a criminal case filed against union Carbide, the CBI has named the Welfare Commissioner’s office as one of the witnesses.

"Destruction of these documents would be a gross injustice to the victims," Jabbar added.

According to the Welfare Commissioner’s Office, the records are to be destroyed as cases related to them are already settled.

However as per the NGO, in many cases due compensation is yet to be provided. The victims had only received general compensation, the NGO said. (PTI)

Country to witness partial solar eclipse today

NEW DELHI, July 31: A partial solar eclipse will be seen in India tomorrow while the north-eastern parts of the country will see quite a large fraction of the disc of the Sun, eclipsed by the Moon.

"The partial eclipse will be seen in the north-eastern region, starting from about 4 PM," Director Nehru Planetarium, Rathnasree, said.

The biggest and the last phase of the eclipse will be visible from most parts of the country, except Nagaland and Mizoram, where the eclipse ends after sunset, she said.

The maximum obscuration of the sun will occur at Sibsagar in Assam.

A total eclipse will be visible in Canada extending across northern Greenland, the Arctic, central Russia, Mongolia and China.

The next solar eclipse—a partial one—will occur on January 26, 2009, but the phenomenon will be marginally visible from eastern and southern India.

The eclipse can be viewed from all over the country. In Delhi, the eclipse will start at 4:03 PM and end at 5:56 PM. It will be maximum at 5:02 PM.

In Mumbai it will from 4:27 PM to 6:03 PM, while in Chennai it will be visible from 4:40 PM to 6:07 PM and in Kolkata it will be seen between 4:18 PM and 6:02 PM where it will be relatively free from cloud cover.

The southern parts of India will see between 20-40 per cent of the diameter of the sun, while the northern parts of the country will see between 40-70 per cent of the diameter of the sun, at maximum of the eclipse.

The eastern parts of the country will have the advantage that being closest to sunset, some of the eclipse would still remain so that, a possibility of safely imaging the eclipse against their local geography is feasible, the director said

Experts have repeatedly warned that viewing the eclipse with naked eyes would be very dangerous. What is still more dangerous is viewing the Sun through a telescope or a pair of binoculars without a proper filter as it could destroy the eyesight, she said.

The safest way of viewing a partial solar eclipse is through the method of projection. If you do not have access to a telescope or a pair of binoculars with which you can make this set-up for projection, an easy method will be to use a kitchen "channi" that has very small perforations.

However, if one wants to capture the moment, one should not use the viewfinder of the camera to look at the Sun, but only see the LCD display to check that the camera is aimed at the Sun, use the maximum of zoom possible and then obtain interesting views of a setting eclipsed Sun against the wonderful monumental and geographical heritage of India.

The planetarium, run by the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, in collaboration with SPACE, had organised a preparatory workshop on Solar eclipse for schools.

The workshop helped zone in on the methods to watch the eclipse safely, as well as to plan for possible observations, measurements and activities related to the eclipse. (PTI)

‘Dharti Ki Katha’, a film on naxalism

NEW DELHI, July 31: Known for his strong performances in films like ‘Bandit Queen’, ‘Godmother’ and ‘Daayra’, actor Nirmal Pandey plans to direct a film based on very much a real issue - naxalism.

"I have been directing plays for a long time and since the subject is quite close to my hear, it prompted me to jump into directing movies," says Pandey, who also holds a unique distinction of winning a ‘Best Actress Award’ for his role in ‘Daayra’.

Speaking about his directorial debut ‘Dharti Ki Katha’, Pandey says, "The root cause of the problem stems from the fact that development is yet to reach the villages and with basic needs of ‘roti’, ‘kapda’ and ‘makaan’ not being fulfilled the anger is vented in this manner."

He adds, "Not many films in the past have highlighted this issue in the best manner. I think bollywood should make films on social problems apart from making routine masala movies."

The film, which is being shot mostly in Maharashtra and Karnataka, has students from the National School of Drama (NSD), playing various roles.

"The main challenge was to bring alive the characters in the film and ensure that there were no superficial elements," says Pandey.

Explaining the reasons to opt for the NSD passouts, Pandey says, "The youngsters add depth to the role and most importantly a director can cast them into a mould of his choice and according to the need of the script."

Commenting on the current state of Hindi theatre in the country, the actor says, "The need of the hour is proper marketing and support from the government, as there is a good audience for the same."

The actor, however, is quite happy with the quality of Hindi drama, which he says still have the potential to produce some of the great artists.

Pandey, Who is also ventured into small screen and doing some television soaps, is quite critical of reality shows. "The shows do give a platform to the youngsters to exhibit their talent but care should be taken so that dishonesty does not creep in," he says. (PTI)

After ban, choppy weather to keep trawlers away
from sea

PANAJI, July 31: Despite no fishing ban from tomorrow in the state, the choppy weather is expected to keep the trawlers and mechanized boats away from sea, at least for a week.

Goa alike other coastal states had imposed ban on fishing from June 15, which will culminate on July 31. The fishing is prohibited during monsoons as it is the breeding period.

Around 1,200 trawlers operating from seven jetties spread across the state’s coastline are permitted to venture into the sea from tomorrow after one and half month long ban.

However, the rough weather will keep the trawlers anchored at the jetties although all the crew members have arrived from their natives states to begin this year’s fishing season.

"The legal ban may be lifted but still we have to sit back waiting for the weather to clear. The trawlers can’t take chance to venture in the sea in these circumstances," Sitakant Parab, president, Mandovi Fishermen Marketing, said.

Parab’s society has 200 trawler operators as its members who function from Malim jetty, across the capital city of Panaji.

The trawler owners feel that they will be able to venture in the sea without worry only on August 4r or 5 when sea is expected to calm down.

"Even during initial fishing period, trawlers cannot venture for more than 12 to 15 nautical miles and they have to return within a day or two with their catch from the sea," Pa rab explained.

As the fishing ban will be lifted from tomorrow, all the seven jetties are abuzz with the activity. The crew members, who basically hail from states of Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and other states have arrived after their one and half month long vacation.

"They are waiting for the weather to clear so that the trawlers can sail in," Parab stated.

The State Government today declared the lifting of fishing ban and opening of all the jetties. "Since yesterday, we have opened the jetties so that the trawler operators can prepare for their maiden venture," fisheries minister Joaquim Alem ao said.

He said that the entire fishing ban period had none of the trawlers fishing in the sea and the department had kept strict watch on all the jetties. (PTI)

Employee’s job cannot be downgraded on being
transferred: HC

NEW DELHI, July 31: An employee’s job status cannot be downgraded on being transferred, the Delhi High Court has said while quashing Air India’s decision of demoting a cabin crew member after she was transferred from Mumbai to Delhi.

"An order of transfer cannot deprive anyone of the existing right. If order of transfer substantially affect the status of an employee, the same would be violative of conditions of service and thus will not be sustainable and transfer must be made to an equivalent post," Justice Sunil Kumar said.

The Court’s order came on a petition filed by Chitra Sharma challenging the decision of Airline Allied Services Ltd (AASL), a subsidiary unit of Air India, which had demoted her from the post of check cabin crew to cabin crew on being transferred from Mumbai to Delhi on compassionate ground.

Justice Kumar, while quashing the decision of the airline, directed that Sharma be appointed to the same post she was holding before being transferred.

"The respondent (AASL) is directed to appoint Sharma to the post of check cabin crew from the date of the transfer," the Court said in its ruling.

Sharma, who has been working for the airline for the last 12 years, was holding the post of check cabin crew in Mumbai.

She was transferred to Delhi in 2005 but after working for six months she was demoted to the post of cabin crew on the ground that there was no vacancy for the post she was holding in Mumbai.

The Court after perusing the record found that these post are different in status and an employee can’t be given lower status job on being transferred from one city to another. (PTI)

CPI(M) not to support Congress

NEW DELHI, July 31: After the break over the nuclear deal, the CPI (M) has ruled out supporting the Congress in forming the Government at the centre.

It also parried questions over projecting BSP supremo Mayawati as the Prime Ministerial candidate by non-Congress and non-BJP parties in the next Lok Sabha elections.

"If you think we are going to support a Congress Government, I don’t know, I think people will accuse us of opportunism," CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat told Malayalam television channel "Kairali TV".

He also raised a question as to why only the possibility of Congress and BJP forming a Government is raised.

"So, why do you think that there can only be a BJP-led Government or a Congress-led Government," he said adding there could be a third force, which could also be in that position.

Asked about projecting BSP supremo Mayawati as prime minister, he said they do not not look at it in terms of individuals being projected.

"Hopefully, we will be able to present some third force in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. We don’t look at it in terms of individuals being projected as Prime Minister," he said.

Karat said that what the Left was looking for was that "there is a possibility today to have some combination which will not just reduce the country’s politics to a Congress-led alliance and a BJP-led alliance".

Replying to another question whether coming together of the Left with parties like BSP, which have aligned with BJP in the past, would create a durable Third Alternative, he said the Left was not going to project such an alternative.

"Be very clear, I didn’t use the word Third Alternative. I have not talked about the Third Alternative...Our party’s understanding of the Third Alternative is not some combination to fight elections. The Third Alternative has to be in terms of policies and programs," Karat said. (PTI)

CBI charge sheets sacked Assam minister on bribery
charge

NEW DELHI, July 31: CBI today filed a charge sheet against sacked Assam Education Minister Ripun Bora, arrested along with two others for allegedly offering a bribe of Rs 17 lakh to an agency official to "negotiate" the outcome of a murder case in which he is a suspect.

A CBI spokesman said the charge sheet was filed against Bora, journalist Mukul Pathak and businessman Ramesh Maheswari before the special judge under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and section 12 of Prevention of Corruption Act.

Bora was arrested when he was allegedly trying to bribe a CBI official, probing the murder of student leader and his political rival Daniel Toppo.

He was arrested on June three from Sundar Nagar on Mathura Road in south Delhi when he was allegedly offering the bribe to the official. Pathak, a journalist with a Guwahati- based Assamese daily, and Maheswari, both of whom were accompanying Bora, were also arrested by the CBI.

Toppo, district president of All Assam Tea Tribe Students’ Union, was Borah’s rival candidate during the 1996 assembly polls.

The CBI was handed over the investigation into the case in 2001 after the Assam Police could not make any breakthrough into the murder that took place on September 27, 2000.

Bora, who had a long innings as Assam Pradesh Congress Committee spokesman, is a suspect in the murder case and had been questioned several times by the CBI.

He is claimed to have approached the CBI officer through the middleman for negotiating the outcome of the investigation into the murder case.

The CBI registered a case under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The state CID had given Bora a clean chit in the case but the Gauhati High Court had ordered a CBI probe into it.

Bora has been elected thrice to the state assembly from Gohpur constituency in Sonitpur district.

Ironically, soon after he took over his ministry two years ago, Bora launched an anti-corruption drive in his department, suspending several people for allegedly taking bribe and failing to maintain office duty hours. (PTI)

Delhi accounts for second highest number of missing
children

NEW DELHI, July 31: The national capital has earned the dubious distinction of having the second highest number of missing children in the country, according to a new report.

Delhi comes after Kolkata, as far as the maximum number of missing children in the country are concerned.

An alarming point is that a majority of children are girls between 12-19 years of age and they come from the marginalised communities (80 per cent) living in slum areas, according to the report by Institute of Social Sciences (ISS).

The grim fact is corroborated by the 2005 National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) report which states that every year 7,058 children are reported to be missing in Delhi, which accounts for 6.7 per cent of the country’s missing children.

Police records show a rise of 456 more missing cases in 2006 from the earlier 2004 record of 6,227 cases.

What is of more concern is that people doubt the police system. "More missing cases are recorded with the Child Helpline as compared to the police," according to retired cop Kiran Bedi.

Civil Society Organisation (CSO) records also mention that mere 10 per cent of the missing cases are registered with the police.

Children rescued in such cases talk of the organised kidnapping behind these missing incidents. Well organised gangs having nationwide connections and sometimes, global, "sold" girls to prospective buyers.

Most of these children belong to the marginalised communities living in the slum and resettlement colonies like Sangam Vihar, Nangloi, Sultanpuri, Prem Nagar, Holambi Colony, Seemapuri, Kapesheda, Rangpuri Pahadi. (PTI)

India needs Rs 3.7 lakh cr by 2025 for healthcare
facilities

NEW DELHI, July 31: India will need investments of Rs 3,70,000 crore to provide just two hospital beds for every 1,000 people, from the present level of 0.86, a joint study by industry body Ficci and global consultancy firm Ernst & Young said.

According to the study ‘Fostering Quality Healthcare for All’, in order to achieve the target the country would require 17.5 lakh additional bed by 2025.

The study added that there is also a huge shortage of qualified doctors in the country. Against the requirement of 7,00,000 doctors by 2025, it said, there is a net addition of just 17,000 doctors per year.

The study added that boosting human resource and public private partnership as key to achieving India’s aim of quality healthcare for all.

It further pointed out that if neglected, poor healthcare facilities will not only have an impact on the quality of the life of common man but would also lead to huge economic losses in terms of GDP.

"This will lead to huge economic losses estimated at 1.3 per cent of GDP presently. If the health care issues are not addressed holistically, these losses to mount to 5 per cent of GDP, a whopping Rs 6.1 lakh crore by 2015," Ficci Secretary General Amit Mitra said.

It added that though the Government has undertaken positive initiatives and recognized the sector as priority in 11^th Five year Plan but there is still a lot to be done, the study indicated.

"While the Government has granted a five-year tax holiday to the sector to encourage private entrepreneurs to set up hospitals in Tier I and Tier II towns, to huge supply-demand gap, there is urgent need for rapid expansion of quality healthcare," Ficci Health Services Committee Chairman Shivinder Mohan Singh said.

With a view to create awareness about the issue, Ficci is also organising a two day conference with the name of ‘FICCI HEAL 2008’ Conference and Exhibition to discuss health related issues in the country. (PTI)

Telegrams to become history as post offices go e-savvy

SHILLONG, July 31: With the Department of Posts rolling out plans to provide various Internet-enabled services in all the post offices across the country, the telegram is bracing for consignment to history.

As per the department’s pilot project "Arrow", about 200 post offices across the country would be upgraded in terms of various kinds of e-services in the first phase so that they could act as a window to the world for the common people in rural areas, S K Chakrabarti, Chief Postmaster General of North East Circle, said.

E-services like e-post, Western Union Money Order service and Instant Money Order Service, which were hitherto confined to post offices in urban areas, would now be extended to posts offices in the rural areas.

Out of 1.55 lakh post offices in the country, 1.38 lakh are located in the rural areas which serve 80 per cent of the rural population.

Broadband facilities would be provided by BSNL to all the post offices gradually.

"In many places the telegram has already become redundant. Of course some organisations and agencies still prefer telegram due to unavailability of Internet," Chakrabarti said.

Chakrabarti claimed that e-posts were more reliable and much cheaper than telegrams. "An A4 size e-post costs just about Rs 6," he said.

As per the project, ten post offices in the Northeast would be upgraded in terms of various e-enabled services.

Opening of more branch offices are also in the offing in the region during the 11^th Plan Period. A scheme has been launched to train the employees to handle the e-services efficiently so that the public can avail the services in a very user-friendly environment, he said. (PTI)

Delhi Police deploys 2,500 fresh recruits for surveillance

NEW DELHI, July 31: "Catch them young"—this is the mantra being followed by Delhi Police as it deployed nearly 2,500 fresh recruits for surveillance in the national capital following back-to-back blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad.

Maintaining that the move was not taken due to staff shortage, senior officials of the Delhi Police said the decision came so that the recruits could be given an "on-job training".

The policemen, in the age group of 20-25 years, have been deployed at market places, busy intersections and other crowded places making it their first major assignment, which will give them a feel of the situation as the national capital was on high alert.

"These boys have been straight away picked up from the training and reserve battalions of the force. They have finished six months of their training with another three months remaining," Delhi Police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said.

These fresh Khaki-clad men adorned with their freshly minted nameplates, lanyard, Delhi Police logo on the left arm and barette police cap can be spotted at public places carrying out frisking and helping locals.

"I feel proud in serving my force with this assignment. It gives a feeling that I am also contributing," said constable Sudesh Kumar, who has been posted at the Janpath market.

"It’s nice to see so many young and smart policemen across the city. The sense of security comes with joy," said Samhita Singh, a regular shopper at Connaught Place.

"The boys have been very eager and enthusiastic in taking up this assignment. They also represent the young profile of the force," Bhagat said.

These boys have been deployed in supervision of their experienced seniors. This combination has been kept so that the on-job training of the new boys brings out the best of their policing skills, he said.

These young policemen would later be transferred to the regular branches of the Delhi Police establishment.

The deployment of the extra forces will continue for coming days, Bhagat added.

The present strength of the Delhi Police is 59,000. Besides, it got approval for 4,000 new posts, under which these young men were recruited. (PTI)