Details

Denis Giles

01 August 2013

Hits: 466

Port Blair, July 31: The Deputy Commissioner (SA) along with Sub-Divisional Magistrate, South Andaman today visited grief stricken families who lost their daughters in accidental drowning incident on July 28 in Garacharma village under South Andaman District on July 28.  

The Deputy Commissioner, South Andaman expressed profound condolences on behalf of the Lt. Governor, A&N Islands. 

The Dy. Commissioner further stated that, no amount of financial assistance could compensate for the irreparable loss suffered by the families. However, he assured that financial assistance will be provided to the affected families very soon and doors of District Administration are also open for them for any other assistance in this period of grief & sorrow.

Details

Denis Giles

31 July 2013

Hits: 574

Port Blair, July 31: The National Council meeting of ‘All India Mahila Congress Committee’ was held from 9^th -11^th July 2013 at Navotel Hotel, Juhu Beach Mumbai. The meeting was attended by the Presidents of Mahila Congress Committees of all the States and UTs, in which Smti Shanta Laxman Singh, President, State Mahila Congress Committee represented the islands.

During the meeting, Smti Singh submitted the necessity to establish women commission in the Union Territory, a long pending demand of the womenfolk of these islands. Shri also submitted that widows of all over India must be exempted from paying property tax.

Pointing out the notification of the Govt. of India to declare Indira Point as the southernmost part of India, Singh regretted that till date Kanyakumari is stated to be as the last point of India by many National channels and others. She suggested for a suitable action to rectify the error.

In the meeting, it was also resolved that the Presidents of Mahila Congress Committees along with their members should go from door to door and act for the welfare and upliftment of the womenfolk, especially the rural womenfolk, irrespective of caste, language and religion etc and solve their grievances.

The meeting was chaired by the Chief Minister of Maharastra Shri Prithviraj Chavan.

Details

Denis Giles

31 July 2013

Hits: 655

British mining giant Vedanta Resources has been humiliated in the run-up to its London AGM on Thursday, after a series of tribal villages in India voted against the company’s plans to build a bauxite mine on their sacred mountain.

The village meetings (gram sabhas) are taking place in Dongria Kondh communities following a landmark Supreme Court order in April 2013 which ruled that all communities affected by the Vedanta Resources project must be consulted – a major victory in the recognition of the rights of tribal peoples to have a say in projects on their land.

However, the Odisha state government has singled out only twelve villages out of more than a hundred villages to conduct the consultations, a policy condemned by activists, India’s Minister of Tribal Affairs, and leaders of the Dongria and Majhi Kondh tribes. The Dongria have demanded all affected villages are consulted and are organising their own consultations in the remaining villages.

Eight villages have voted so far – and all have voted unanimously against the mine.

The Dongria’s united stand against the mine has been heralded as courageous, amidst mounting intimidation and harassment by police and paramilitaries since the April ruling. Dongria women say they fear going into the forest because of the heavy police presence.

Putri, a Dongria woman, sent this message to Vedanta ahead of its AGM: ‘This Niyamgiri Hill is our God, our Lord, our Goddess, our father, our mother, our life, our death, our flesh, our blood, our bones. We get our food, drink and air from Niyamgiri and it sustains our life. It is therefore our right to stand together to protect and safeguard Niyamgiri.’

Criticism has also been directed at the local government’s selection of the twelve villages – Dongria spokesmen report that one village consists of just one non-resident family and that new houses are being hastily built by the government to bring outsiders into some of the villages.

Consultations will run until August 19, 2013, after which the final decision about the mine will lie with the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

Stephen Corry, Survival International’s Director, said, ‘Despite facing intimidation and harassment at every turn, the Dongria have shown truly inspiring determination and courage in their stand against the Vedanta mine. We hope that this process, flawed though it may be, marks a new shift in India towards companies requiring the consent from tribal people before embarking on projects on their land.’

Details

Denis Giles

31 July 2013

Hits: 438

Port Blair, July 31: The Chairperson, Port Blair Municipal CouncilShri P.B. Murugan, Shri S. Arumugam, Sr. Vice Chairperson together with Shri Rakesh Bali, Secretary, PBMC and officers of the council today visited the New Pahargaon Junction and inspected the construction of Earthen Pond with steps, Walkway with tiles, RCC benches which is proposed for an estimated cost of abut Rs. 30.00 lakhs.

The Chairperson after inspection has directed the EE (Works), PBMC to take up the work immediately as it is a long pending demand of the Ward Councillor and would be beneficial to the residents of New Pahargoan village.