Starving Conditions of weavers of Village Baraharganj in District Kushinagar of UP

Starving Conditions of weavers of Village Baraharganj in District Kushinagar of UP.
I wanted to bring to your kind notice the report sent by Mr. Sanjay Srivastava,media fellow of Right to Food Campaign from Kushinagar that in village Baraharganj under the Block Ramkola in district Kushinagar of UP, India, nearly 700 weavers’ families have been living under acute poverty. These weavers, until some years ago, working on their spinning wheals and handlooms, not only in this state but also in the whole country had earned recognition for themselves. But at present, due to continuous negligence of the government and local administration, they all have lost their livelihoods. In this respect, report in details as follows-
1. Village Barharganj is known as ‘Weavers Village’ in the district. It is said that in this village of eastern UP, almost all of the villagers are weavers. There are total 700 weavers families in the village, out of which most of them have been facing the crisis of livelihood.
2. In this village, every household, Hindu or Muslim had 8 to 10 handlooms and 2 to 4 spinning wheals. It means that approximately 7000 handlooms were on work for 24 hours and approximately 6000 workers were involved in the work of weaving. Apart of these weavers, 1500 other people, who were directly not involved in weaving, used to earn their livelihood from this. Every woman of these weavers family also got employment in this work. It is not












wrong to say that the work of weaving was a part of life of the people of this village.
3. Some villagers, who were good weavers of their own time, like Maslauddin, Samiullah, Gayasuddin, Aminuddin etc say that before independence, people often used to come to the village to take clothes and cotton yarn and hand made carpet, Darri made up of Jakat with flowery embroidery, bed sheet, towels, Kashmiri Shawl, Khadi clothes, Dhoti etc. were sold in the markets of Padrauna, Gorakhpur Khalilabad, Kanpur, Lucknow, Kolkata, Banglore,Moradabad and in other various cities. At that time people of this village were happy and prosperous. Cotton yarn prepared by the weavers of this village was sold in Gorakhpur, Rai Berellei, Amethi, Ludhiyana etc.























4. Crafts persons of this village, by making visits in different cities like Moradabad, Ludhiyana, Delhi even in foreign countries used to do the work of designing, sampling, coloring and printing.
5. Weavers of this village say that those committees, which were set up by government under the scheme of special donation, ruined their traditional work of weaving.
6. Actually, innocent weavers of this village were unknown about the formation of these committees. By setting up more than 100 committees, millions of rupees were taken away. But in the name of weavers’ money given to these committees, never reached to the actual weavers. Such a massive scam never came to the floor because government exempted all donated money to give relief to the weavers.
7. It is said that in 1980 when government declared to give subsidies to the weavers committees, then some wrong doers became active in the village and they hijacked the whole scheme. During this time nearly hundred weavers committees were formed in this village. These committees were operated only on papers and in each committee giving the names of bogus 100 members, several lakhs of rupees donated by Government, were taken away by the wrong doers. But actual weavers associated with the handloom profession did not even get any information about this scam.
8. Weavers, who were associated with weaving by tradition of village Barharganj like Mushtaque, Nisar, Meraj Ahamad, Mazid, Jahangir, Alamgir, Mujaffer Alam etc say that in beginning everybody used to do his own work and used to sell the same separately. But later they joined Handloom Corporation, which had no relation with so called weavers committees.
9. In 1987-88 there began the worst time of this profession and until 1990 one by one all handlooms and spinning wheels became closed. In 1988 within one month two times there occurred accidents caused by fire in which every thing burnt to ashes.
10. After that accident, district administration having paid a sum of Rs. 1600/-to each family got rid of their responsibilities. Again neither any official came to know about the conditions of neither weavers nor any body came forward even to express consolation for these poor weavers.
11. At present, situation has been worsened to such level that a good craftsman of his time has been forced to do work as a daily laborer. Some others have been forced to sell clothes by making ferry or working in a shop earning livelihood for their families.
12. Landless, without roof over their head, deprived of government schemes, weavers of this village have come on the verge of starvation and they are facing haunting task of marriage of their adult daughters.
13. Nishar Ahamad S/o Ilahi, Salauddin, Abdul wahid, Samiullah, Rafique, Nizamuddin, Mushtaque, Vikau Samsul hoda etc are going through very pitiable conditions. Villagers say that, it is becoming difficult for them to have diet even for one time in a day.
14. Mushtaque, Asaraf Ali, Hasan etc say, “Government should help us just to start our weaving work, nothing else we demand.” “People related with administration even do not like to hear the name of this village” they say that they did not understand that to whom they should approach to tell about their miseries.
Plea:
• Red cards under AAY scheme should be given to all families of the weavers of this village immediately.
• Each weaver should be granted fifty thousand rupees so that they could start again their handloom and could earn their livelihood.
• Government should ensure the purchase of their products on fair prices.
• Enquiry should be setup against financial misappropriation in the name of co-operative committees and perpetrators should be brought to the justice.
With kind regards,

INDIA: Girls allegedly released from forced prostitution should receive rehabilitation

INDIA: Girls allegedly released from forced prostitution should receive rehabilitation

PRESS RELEASE
AHRC-PL-72-2005

INDIA: Girls allegedly released from forced prostitution should receive rehabilitation

(Hong Kong, November 9, 2005) The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) called yesterday for the protection of underage girls and rehabilitation of those over 18 allegedly taken from forced prostitution in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

"A medical board comprising expert doctors should be constituted to determine the correct age of the girls and those that are found to be adults should not be sent to jails but to government protection homes," the Hong Kong-based rights group said in an appeal.

"Civil-society organisations should be allowed to meet the rescued girls and, with their help, a long term rehabilitation plan should be drawn up comprising the basic requirements of diet, health, counseling, and educational and vocational facilities."

"The government should allocate adequate resources for their rehabilitation and repatriation into society."

After a large-scale civilian rescue operation co-ordinated by Guria, a local organisation, in the Varanasi red-light district on October 24, an estimated 31 girls were taken to the Government Hospital, and then to the Women's Police Station.

The Chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee, Ms Rollee Singh and another member, Mr. Rajiv Singh, went to the Maduhadih Police Station to speak to the 19 minor girls, but the Superintendent of Police in Varanasi did not allow it.

A fact-finding team of representatives from various organisations in Varanasi visited the girls in the state protection home, and later reported that police had taken two of the rescued girls.

AHRC sources say that police intend to charge the girls who are over 18. Section 8 of the Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act criminalizes solicitation for prostitution, and has been used in the past against girls and women who are victims of trafficking.

Another fact-finding team from the State Women's Commission, Uttar Pradesh also visited Varanasi on 26 October.

However, this team allegedly observed that there was no forced prostitution in Varanasi.

This reported denial has elicited a huge outcry and criticism from human rights groups and the media.

In its appeal, the AHRC urged the Superintendent of Police and the District Magistrate of Varanasi to ensure the safety of all the young girls that have been detained.

"The report allegedly made by the State Women's Commission also needs to be investigated by a separate body, since its remarks have cast doubts on the intention of the Commission," the AHRC said.

# # #

About AHRC The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying for human rights in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.



Posted on 2005-11-09
Back to [2005 AHRC Press Releases]

Hunger Alert] INDIA: Woman starves to death while her family continues to suffer from hunger in Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

[Hunger Alert] INDIA: Woman starves to death while her family continues to suffer from hunger in Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

HUNGER ALERT HUNGER ALERT HUNGER ALERT HUNGER ALERT HUNGER ALERT

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAM

3 November 2005

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HA-27-2005: INDIA: Woman starves to death while her family continues to suffer from hunger in Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

INDIA: Starvation death; government neglect and inaction; abject poverty
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received disturbing information from the People's Vigilance Committee for Human Rights (PVCHR) and other sources regarding the hunger situation of one family who has already lost a member to starvation in Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh (UP), India. Chirauji Devi died on July 10, 2005 due to the acute lack of food. Her husband and several other family members are also on the verge of death owing to hunger.

Poorly administered government schemes as well as blatant government neglect are mostly responsible for the hunger situation that persists in the Sonbhadra district. The AHRC asks you to write to the local administration and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh pressing them to take immediate action in this case in order to protect, respect and fulfill the right to food for this family, and the many others suffering in the state.

Urgent Appeals Desk - Hunger Alert
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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DETAILED INFORMATION:

Location: Bichpai village, Robertsganj post, Sonbhadra District, Uttar Pradesh
Persons affected: Chirauji Devi, died of starvation on July 10, 2005. Husband Kedar, sons Rambilas and Vijay Kumar, daughter-in-law Sunita and grandchildren Sonal, Shivani, and Sonu.

Chirauji Devi had not cooked any food in her home for 14 days before she collapsed to death on July 10, 2005. Afflicted with stomach pains for days, she finally died after surviving for days on an empty stomach. Chirauji leaves behind seven family members that include her husband, children and grandchildren, who are now suffering immensely from hunger and malnutrition. In particular, her husband Kedar is sick and on the verge of death.

Chirauji was the sole income earner in her family and had been struggling to provide for their livelihoods. For over one month prior to her death, she had been working as a pond digger under the national Food-for-Work programme, which guarantees 100 days of paid work. However, Chirauji received no payment for her work, even after several requests to local officials and the village council head in her area. Despite the terrible living conditions, Chirauji and her family members were also only white card ration holders, and the price of rations under this Above Poverty Line Scheme (APL) was still too expensive. The family had not been able to afford any rations for three months and should have been given red ration cards under the Below Poverty Line Scheme (BPL).

Chirauji's family had previously been rather self sufficient, owning one acre of agricultural land which was their main source of livelihood. However, severe drought in the Sonbhadra district, coupled with Kedar's illness and a son's handicap meant that suddenly, the family had to rely on Chirauji as the sole provider. For over eight months, Chirauji's family has suffered from extreme hunger, malnourishment and poverty, eating at most one time daily. The surviving family members continue to endure these extreme hardships and will soon suffer the same fate as Chirauji if the government does not intervene immediately and appropriately.

After Chirauji's death, hundreds of workers and labourers from the Bichpai village and surrounding areas came together to also demands for their wages. However, no action has been taken in this matter either.

Hunger, malnutrition and starvation continue to plague hundreds of Indians in Sonbhadra district as well as throughout Uttar Pradesh. It is a problem that the local, district and state level administrations are clearly aware of and acknowledge, however little action is taken. Many victims receive no aid or rehabilitation. Furthermore, the Food for Work and SGRY (employment generation) programmes are rarely implemented and often people under Below Poverty Line ration schemes are not provided with regular nor sufficient food assistance.

SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please write to the district magistrate of Sonbhadra and the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, reminding them of their commitments to respect, fulfill and protect the right to food of the people under their jurisdiction. Immediate food assistance and wages must be provided to the hunger-stricken family, as well as the hundreds of other labourers awaiting their dues. Furthermore, the inadequacies of the Public Distribution System and other employment generation schemes in the state should be addressed.

----------------

Sample letter:

Dear ____________

RE: INDIA: Woman starves to death while her family continues to suffer from hunger in Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

Location: Bichpai village, Robertsganj post, Sonbhadra District, Uttar Pradesh
Persons affected: Chirauji Devi, died of starvation on July 10, 2005. Husband Kedar, sons Rambilas and Vijay Kumar, daughter-in-law Sunita and grandchildren Sonal, Shivani, and Sonu.

I was recently informed of the starvation death of one woman and the disturbing hunger situation of her family residing in Sonbhadra District, Uttar Pradesh, India. Chirauji Devi died on July 10, 2005 after reportedly not having cooked food in her home for 14 days. She was the sole provider for her family, which includes her ailing husband, handicapped son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren. The surviving family members continue to live in desperate conditions, with at most one meal to eat per day.

One month prior to her death, Chirauji began the work of digging ponds under the national Food for Work Programme. Almost daily, she worked as a labourer at the pond, however received no compensation for her work. Even after appealing to local officials and the gram pradhan (village head), Chirauji still received no wages for the days she worked. Furthermore, although the family were white ration card holders, they were suffering such economic hardship that they could not even afford to buy rations for three months at the reduced price. Additionally, no other assistance or wages have been granted to the family at this time.

It is appalling to hear that even after being provided with government assistance and employment schemes, Chirauji died directly from the lack of food. Her husband Kedar is on the verge of death and will suffer the same fate shortly if assistance is not provided. Her grandchildren are malnourished and will also fall sick soon. In a state like Uttar Pradesh, where the local government acknowledges that hunger deaths are occurring, it is disturbing to know that food and work assistance is rarely given. It is even more shocking to realize that when assistance is provided, it is insufficient to protect and fulfill the right to food and life of the people.

This is not the first instance of hunger and starvation in Sonbhadra that has come to my attention in recent months. It is my understanding that hunger and malnutrition is a very real and prevalent problem, one which needs immediate attention. Thus, I urge you investigate the circumstances surrounding Chirauji's death and the hunger situation her family is currently suffering. Furthermore, immediate food assistance and wages must be provided to the hunger-stricken family, as well as the hundreds of other labourers awaiting their dues. Finally, the inadequacies of the Public Distribution System and other employment generation schemes in the state need be addressed.


Yours sincerely,

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PLEASE SEND LETTERS TO:

1. Mr. Alok Kumar
District Magistrate Sonbhadra
Collectorate, Robertganj
Sonbhadra District
Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Tel: +91 54 4422 2190
Fax: +91 54 4422 2090

2. Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
Chief Minister's Secretariat
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Fax: + 91-522-2230002/2239234
Email: csup@up.nic.in

PLEASE SEND COPIES TO:

1. Ms. C.R. Ramani
Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh
Chief Secretary Office
Government of UP
Shri Lal Bhadur Shastri
Lucknow 226001
Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Tel: +91 52 2223 8212
Fax: +91 52 2223 9283
Email: csup@up.nic.in

2. Justice A. S. Anand
National Human Rights Commission
Sardar Patel Bhaven, Sansad Marg,
New Delhi - 110 001
INDIA
Tel: + 91 11 23346244
Fax: + 91 11 23366537
E-mail: ionhrc@hub.nic.in or chairnhrc@nic.in

3. Justice A P Mishra
Chairperson
Uttar Pradesh Human Rights Commission
6-A Kalidass Marg
Lucknow Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Tel: + 91 52 2272 6742
Fax: + 91 52 2272 6743

4. Dr. N.C. Saxena and Mr. S.R. Sankaran
Commissioners
Supreme Court of India
SAMYA, R-38A, 2nd floor
South Extention - part 2
New Delhi - 49
INDIA
Fax: +91-11-5164 2147
Email: commissioners@vsnl.net

5. Mr. Jean Ziegler
UNCHR, Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food
c/o Mr. Carlos Villan Duran
Room 4-066
OHCHR,
Palais Wilson,
Rue des Paquis 52,
Geneva
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +41 22 917 9010
Email: sect.hchr@unog.ch

6. Mr. Anthony Banbury
Regional Director
World Food Programme
Unit No. 2, 7th Floor
Wave Place Building
55 Wireless Road
Lumpini, Patumwan
Bangkok 10330
THAILAND
Tel: +66-2-6554115
Fax: +66-2-6554413
Email: Anthony.banbury@wfp.org or Bkk.unescap@un.org

7. Mr. Gian Pietro Bordignon
Country Director
World Food Programme
2 Poorvi Marg, Vasant Vihar,
New Delhi 110057
INDIA
Tel: +91-11-26150000
Fax: +91-11-26150019
Email: wfp.newdelhi@wfp.org


Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Programme - Hunger Alert
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)



Posted on 2005-11-03
Back to [2005 Urgent Appeals]



Dr. Lenin
Campaign Coordinator
Right to Food Campaign,UP
SA 4/2 A, Daualtpur, Varanasi-221002