AID News for Mar 1 2004

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AID News for Mon Mar 1 2004

AID News for Mon Mar 1, 2004
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AID News for Mon Mar 1, 2004
Good Afternoon
Today's Headlines
1) Appeal for immediate action
2) Computers in education
3) Internship opportunity at Adharshila

Today's News
1) Appeal for immediate action
ACTION ALERT:
How many villages will face this in 2004? This is the time to act.
July 27, 2003: (from an NBA alert)
``Just now our volunteer called (21:30 hours) narrating the Chimalkhedi
action. Along with the rising waters behind Sardar Sarovar Dam, Chimalkhedi
action. Along with the rising waters behind Sardar Sarovar Dam, Chimalkhedi
got marooned becoming an island. Today morning arond 9: 00 hours (IST) the
Police along with labourers from Kevadiya Colony attacked the marroned
island village, Chimalkhedi. By 12:00 hours (IST) Police dismantled
Dharamsingh's home, while this action was going on, people resisted this
brutal attack, staying resolutely non-violent. Police also let their cattle
loose on their fields. This was followed by arrest of all the people from
the village, who resisted and thwarted attempts of police to take them away
in barge.
Meanwhile, the level at Dam site is
at 19: 00 hours: 100.09 mts
at 20:00 hours: 100.12 mts
at 21:00 hours: 100.16 mts
at 22:00 hours: 100.20 mts``
In 2003, Sardar Sarovar dam was raised to 100 m. Several villages in
Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh including Chimalkhedi got submerged,
destroying homes and crops. On March 4, 2004, the Narmada Control Authority
is meeting again in New Delhi in the presence of high level Ministers of the
3 state governments, to consider raising the height of the dam to 110
metres. This will cause much more widespread destruction this monsoon, yet
only one state government (Maharashtra) is currently resisting the move.
We urge you to take action at the earliest. This could help prevent a
bigger disaster from happening this monsoon.
1. Please write letters to the Government of Maharashtra, and the Chairman
of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement group of Narmada Control Authority.
Email addresses and fax numbers are provided below. Use attached letter or
modified version. Please send as many individual letters as possible.
2. Write letters to major Indian newspapers highlighting the situation, and
demanding that the height not be increased in the absence of rehabilitation
3. Issue press alerts from your organizations/groups to get more coverage
and public scrutiny to this meeting.
More information in the links below.
Thank you,
Kiran
``Final decision on Narmada dam height on March 4'' - The Hindu, Feb 13, 2004
http://www.hindu.com/2004/02/13/stories/2004021305501100.htm
Fast by oustees in Mumbai in January 2004 to force Maharashtra govt stance
http://www.narmada.org/nba-press-releases/january-2004/fast.html
http://www.hindu.com/2004/01/29/stories/2004012903311200.htm
Protest action and arrests in Gujarat, February 2004
http://www.narmada.org/nba-press-releases/february-2004/kevadia.html
Photographs from submergence in 2003
http://www.narmada.org/images/satyagraha2003/index.html
Contributed by Kirankumar Vissa
2) Computers in education
Dear all,
Jagriti is an NGO based in Kanpur. They run a school in Lodhar village
for children upto class VIII and also run non-formal education centeres
for children of migrant laborers who work in Kanpur. Their school
functions as a nodal center for many schools in neighboring villages.
Details about their work can be found on their website:
http://home.iitk.ac.in/~mkv
Jagriti was started by an AIDer Dr Mahendra Verma who returned to india in
the 90's as a professor at IIT-Kanpur. AID has worked with Jagriti ever
since.
They now want to introduce computers to the villages and are looking for
laptop donations (see email below). If anyone has a laptop that they would
like to donate please let me know (nam...@cfar.umd.edu)
Also, if you are going to India anytime and are able to carry a laptop
with you, please again let me know.
Thanks
Namrata, AID-MD/CP
From: Mahendra K. Verma <m...@iitk.ac.in>
Dear friends,
We want to take up computers as a tool for education.
That will help the children, and also bring new life to the education
scenario. In UP villages, electricity and security are major problems.
So we want to try laptops, not desktops. We request all of
you to please try to procure some old laptops. Also send us some ideas,
or better be part of this exciting
experiment.
Thanks..
with regards
Mahendra Verma

Contributed by Namrata
3) Internship opportunity at Adharshila
Friends,
I recently visited Adharshila Learning Centre, a rather unique ``school''
for adivasi children near Sendhwa in Madhya Pradesh. Founders Amit and
Jayashree Bhatnagar titled it ``learning centre'' to get away from the
rigid, didactic stereotype of mainstream schools in India. Their school
is far more flexible, with a curriculum that combines academics, world
issues, practical skills, and cultural heritage with a lot of fun.
Students are visibly more aware of the world around them compared to the
typical school student, and it was quite an experience to meet them and
see how the school was run.
One of the biggest needs of Adharshila is resource people- anyone who can
share whatever skills they have with the children. For example, random
visitors to Adharshila have taught the children different things- from
Italian songs to origami to bead-making, some of which specific students
have then taken initiative to develop into regular activities. One student
who wants to become a farmer spearheaded Adharshila's new vermicomposting
setup. Or it could simply be teaching the children some conventional or
non-conventional subject. In any case, the only requirement is a knowledge
of Hindi and a willingness to stay at Adharshila for at least a week.
So this is an invitation/appeal on behalf of Amit & Jayashree to consider
spending some time at Adharshila if you are wondering how to spend some
time having fun and doing something constructive in India. Please forward
to others who may be interested.
warm regards,
Mokshay Madiman
That's it for the day
-Hema

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