Lumbini (Nepal) Lord Buddha's birthplace is being polluted by noise and heavy industry, environmentalists have warned.
According to the New York Daily News, at least eight cement factories are in operation on a main road linking Lumbini in Nepal with the nearest city of Bhairahawam.Air and noise pollution from stone crushers operating on both sides of a 14-mile stretch of road known as the "peace corridor" also has the locals worried.member of Soka Gakkai International, a Buddhist organisation promoting peace in Nepal, was quoted as saying that the "government should take care to preserve this place. They should take initiatives and get involved in projects to make Lumbini free of pollution and noise."Lumbini was nominated as a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1997 and is one of the four pivotal places in the life of Buddha, the others being Kushinagar, Bodh Gaya and Sarnath in India.The Lumbini Development Trust is planning to ban the use of plastics and other polluting materials in the area and also wants to plant local species of trees and preserve the existing egetation to protect the environment.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Round-table on SC, ST Act organised
HYDERABAD: A round-table on ‘SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act—20 years experience’ organised by Dalit Sthree Sakthi here on Sunday called upon the dalit leadership to unitedly strive for the implementation of the law.
According to Jhansi Geddam, convener, the round-table made several suggestions, including reference of all cases registered under the Act to the sessions courts constituted for the purpose for their expeditious disposal.
The round-table named senior advocate Bojja Tarakam as president of the Dalit Leaders’ Forum for publicising the recommendations. Justice K. Ramaswamy, former Supreme Court judge, School Education Minister D.M.Varaprasada Rao were among the speakers.
V. Elisha, director, National SC Commission, and representatives of Dalit Bahujana Front, Saakshi, National Dalit Forum, among others attended
According to Jhansi Geddam, convener, the round-table made several suggestions, including reference of all cases registered under the Act to the sessions courts constituted for the purpose for their expeditious disposal.
The round-table named senior advocate Bojja Tarakam as president of the Dalit Leaders’ Forum for publicising the recommendations. Justice K. Ramaswamy, former Supreme Court judge, School Education Minister D.M.Varaprasada Rao were among the speakers.
V. Elisha, director, National SC Commission, and representatives of Dalit Bahujana Front, Saakshi, National Dalit Forum, among others attended
Dalits discriminated against in schools: study
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A study conducted under the banner of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) in November 2006 had reported that children hailing from Dalit colonies in the city were discriminated against in schools.
The research, carried out by the Technical Support Group of the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development in Erode and Akkulam colonies in the district, also reported continuing segregation of Dalit students in certain schools in the State.
The research conducted through extensive grassroots-level interviews and group discussions with students revealed that many hailing from Dalit communities were teased by their classmates about their low social standing. The two colonies had a high percentage of the Scheduled Caste population.
Sindhu (not her real name), a former student from the Akkulam colony, narrated how her classmates taunted her saying she was the daughter of a ‘servant.’ She studied up to class X in a government school in the locality. “Some of them used to tease me saying that I came from a colony. I felt ashamed to say that I lived in a colony,” she said.
According to her, even teachers discriminated against Dalit students in school. “Some teachers ignored us deliberately during lectures. Only students who studied well were asked to read out lessons in the class,” said Sindhu adding that she had never been asked by her English teacher to read out any lesson in class. The students identified English and Mathematics as among the most difficult subjects to learn.No private tuitions
Financial difficulties faced by their families prevented the children from taking private tuitions unlike their affluent classmates.
As a result, most children who hailed from the colony either failed to clear the class X examination or discontinued their studies earlier, the study said.
Bindu (name changed), a class X dropout who is currently working as a garden cleaner at the Akkulam tourist village, described her school days as “very painful.” She had to do all the household chores along with that of her neighbours before and after school hours. “At the school, I did not receive any support from the teachers. Only well-off students got attention at government schools,” she said.
Bindu said the environment at home matters a lot in a child’s education. “Owing to frequent fights between my parents at nights, I could hardly study at home,” she said. Her two brothers too dropped out of school before class X.
Most of the men in the locality work as casual labourers, while women work as domestic help in affluent neighbourhoods. The study observed that the community as a whole was not interested in educating their children. As per the 1991 census, the literacy rate of Dalits in the State stood at 79.66 per cent.
The research is part of a series of case studies on education conducted by the group among children living in urban slums in various parts of the country.
The research, carried out by the Technical Support Group of the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development in Erode and Akkulam colonies in the district, also reported continuing segregation of Dalit students in certain schools in the State.
The research conducted through extensive grassroots-level interviews and group discussions with students revealed that many hailing from Dalit communities were teased by their classmates about their low social standing. The two colonies had a high percentage of the Scheduled Caste population.
Sindhu (not her real name), a former student from the Akkulam colony, narrated how her classmates taunted her saying she was the daughter of a ‘servant.’ She studied up to class X in a government school in the locality. “Some of them used to tease me saying that I came from a colony. I felt ashamed to say that I lived in a colony,” she said.
According to her, even teachers discriminated against Dalit students in school. “Some teachers ignored us deliberately during lectures. Only students who studied well were asked to read out lessons in the class,” said Sindhu adding that she had never been asked by her English teacher to read out any lesson in class. The students identified English and Mathematics as among the most difficult subjects to learn.No private tuitions
Financial difficulties faced by their families prevented the children from taking private tuitions unlike their affluent classmates.
As a result, most children who hailed from the colony either failed to clear the class X examination or discontinued their studies earlier, the study said.
Bindu (name changed), a class X dropout who is currently working as a garden cleaner at the Akkulam tourist village, described her school days as “very painful.” She had to do all the household chores along with that of her neighbours before and after school hours. “At the school, I did not receive any support from the teachers. Only well-off students got attention at government schools,” she said.
Bindu said the environment at home matters a lot in a child’s education. “Owing to frequent fights between my parents at nights, I could hardly study at home,” she said. Her two brothers too dropped out of school before class X.
Most of the men in the locality work as casual labourers, while women work as domestic help in affluent neighbourhoods. The study observed that the community as a whole was not interested in educating their children. As per the 1991 census, the literacy rate of Dalits in the State stood at 79.66 per cent.
The research is part of a series of case studies on education conducted by the group among children living in urban slums in various parts of the country.
Foreign Buddhist delegation met SL president.
Most Ven. Sudham Sudhammo Thero, the executive assistant abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, Thailand and the President of the Buddhist Federation of Australia, and his delegation visited Temple Trees on 22nd of July.
Buddhist delegation thanked President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the meeting for giving opportunity to researches Utilize Ola-leave manuscripts around the country in searching original teachings of the Buddha, as well as protect Dhamma in preserving teaching of Buddha in digital form which will last longer than in Ola-leave manuscripts. Ven. Rambukwelle Dhammarakkitha, Ven. Vatinapaha Somarathana and the Minister Laxman Yapa Abegunawardana also were present on the occasion.
Buddhist delegation thanked President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the meeting for giving opportunity to researches Utilize Ola-leave manuscripts around the country in searching original teachings of the Buddha, as well as protect Dhamma in preserving teaching of Buddha in digital form which will last longer than in Ola-leave manuscripts. Ven. Rambukwelle Dhammarakkitha, Ven. Vatinapaha Somarathana and the Minister Laxman Yapa Abegunawardana also were present on the occasion.
Do Sikhs have ‘dalits’
By Mehru Jaffer Vienna
Sikhs are still struggling to cope with the bloody violence inside a place of worship in Austria
Dr Avtar Singh Seth, 73, first heard about the Ravidasis only a few weeks ago. On May 25, the retired medical doctor was woken up by a telephone call from an old friend in Australia. "My friend wanted to know if I was safe? He had heard that a Sikh was shot dead in Vienna... that many Sikhs were wounded. I got out of bed and found out what had happened. I was worried if this was an incident of hate crime by Austrians against Indians," he said about the May 24 murder and mayhem at a Vienna place of worship of the Dera Sach Khand sect who are devotees of Ravidas, a 14th century 'progressive' Indian saint and reformer.
According to Som Dev, 45, head of Vienna's Ravidasi Gurughar, there are 250 Ravidasis in the city. He works as a taxi driver. He came to Vienna 17 years ago from a village in Punjab's Jalandhar district. "At first I attended sermons at the Sikh Gurdwara. In 2005, the Ravidas Gurughar was opened and we pray here now. I still attend special ceremonies at the Sikh Gurdwaras. I have nothing against my Sikh brothers but I am a Ravidasi and not a Sikh," said Som Dev.
The Sunday sermon at the Ravidasi Gurughar on May 24 was special because Guru Niranjan Das , 67, head of the Dera Sach Khand sect, was visiting from India together with Ramanand Das, 56, the second in command. The sermon by Ramanand was interrupted when someone from the audience fired a gun and knives began to fly around the room.
In the mayhem, both Niranjan and Ramanand were wounded including other members of the congregation. An eyewitness confessed that the prayer meeting attended by women and children was converted within minutes into a battlefield and blood was sprayed everywhere. The police arrested six suspected attackers immediately.
While Ramanand succumbed to his wounds the same evening, Niranjan Das recuperated at a Vienna hospital after a serious operation for a week before he returned on June 3 to India together with the remains of Ramanand in a private plane sent here by the Punjab government.
"This is the first time that I heard of the Ravidasi sect," said Dr Seth at his picturesque home in the hills about 65 km from Vienna on the Austrian Hungarian border. Dr Seth is perhaps the first Sikh who came to Vienna in 1955 to study medicine here.
There were about seven students in all of Vienna at that time and Diwali was celebrated at a local hotel. Ceremonies were performed, when necessary, at home. Vienna was the cheapest place to study. It cost Rs 450 per month in England, Rs 350 in Germany and only Rs 250 in Vienna, a city that was ruined by the last world war. There was no bathroom where Dr. Seth stayed as a student and for years he used the public baths.
Almost two decades later, the population of people of Indian origin swelled when some 3,500 Indians expelled from Uganda found asylum in Austria. Some Sikhs were part of this large group of newly arrived Indians.
In 1975, there was talk of building the first Gurdwara here. Dr Seth had graduated to an official general practitioner in an Austrian province. He was chosen the first president of the Sri Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha. "I resigned after a year. I no longer felt inspired," said Dr Seth who hangs a huge photograph of the Harmandar Sahib (Golden Temple) in his home which he shares with Sylvia, his Austrian wife. Their two sons live and work in Switzerland.
Dr Seth does not visit the Gurdwara in Vienna. He is not religious but very traditional. He points out that idol worship is forbidden to Sikhs. He finds it strange that some Sikhs hang pictures of Bhindranwale beside those of revered Sikh Gurus today.
Dalits are the followers of Ravidas here as well as in India. The conflict originates from the fact that mostly landless Dalit Sikhs in India are still intensely exploited and humiliated by the 'landed and Jat Sikhs' with daily discrimination, low wages, bonded labour and even a ban on their entry inside Gurdwaras. Dalits are now collectively resisting this and asserting their rights, and following new cults is integral to this assertion.
Dr Seth wonders if the rising affluence of the Dalits in Austria is responsible for the rivalry between Sikhs and the Ravidasis here. "It is all about money. Donations collected during a sermon by well known gurus often add up to many euros. This may cause envy and bad blood," speculates Dr Seth who nurses precious memories of his childhood in Amritsar.
After the bloodbath during the partition of Punjab in 1947 had subsided, he remembers visiting the Golden Temple - and not only to pray. "Around the temple there was a attractive community life. I went there almost every day to listen to stories told by wise men. We met our friends and played there. There was mouth watering food offered to us for free and I was happy to break bricks to help to broaden the pavement on the northern flank of the temple," reminisces Dr Seth who feels that today he is unable to practice being a better Sikh among Austrians. "Many Sikhs are hot headed and lack religious education," he regrets.
Source: Hard News
Sikhs are still struggling to cope with the bloody violence inside a place of worship in Austria
Dr Avtar Singh Seth, 73, first heard about the Ravidasis only a few weeks ago. On May 25, the retired medical doctor was woken up by a telephone call from an old friend in Australia. "My friend wanted to know if I was safe? He had heard that a Sikh was shot dead in Vienna... that many Sikhs were wounded. I got out of bed and found out what had happened. I was worried if this was an incident of hate crime by Austrians against Indians," he said about the May 24 murder and mayhem at a Vienna place of worship of the Dera Sach Khand sect who are devotees of Ravidas, a 14th century 'progressive' Indian saint and reformer.
According to Som Dev, 45, head of Vienna's Ravidasi Gurughar, there are 250 Ravidasis in the city. He works as a taxi driver. He came to Vienna 17 years ago from a village in Punjab's Jalandhar district. "At first I attended sermons at the Sikh Gurdwara. In 2005, the Ravidas Gurughar was opened and we pray here now. I still attend special ceremonies at the Sikh Gurdwaras. I have nothing against my Sikh brothers but I am a Ravidasi and not a Sikh," said Som Dev.
The Sunday sermon at the Ravidasi Gurughar on May 24 was special because Guru Niranjan Das , 67, head of the Dera Sach Khand sect, was visiting from India together with Ramanand Das, 56, the second in command. The sermon by Ramanand was interrupted when someone from the audience fired a gun and knives began to fly around the room.
In the mayhem, both Niranjan and Ramanand were wounded including other members of the congregation. An eyewitness confessed that the prayer meeting attended by women and children was converted within minutes into a battlefield and blood was sprayed everywhere. The police arrested six suspected attackers immediately.
While Ramanand succumbed to his wounds the same evening, Niranjan Das recuperated at a Vienna hospital after a serious operation for a week before he returned on June 3 to India together with the remains of Ramanand in a private plane sent here by the Punjab government.
"This is the first time that I heard of the Ravidasi sect," said Dr Seth at his picturesque home in the hills about 65 km from Vienna on the Austrian Hungarian border. Dr Seth is perhaps the first Sikh who came to Vienna in 1955 to study medicine here.
There were about seven students in all of Vienna at that time and Diwali was celebrated at a local hotel. Ceremonies were performed, when necessary, at home. Vienna was the cheapest place to study. It cost Rs 450 per month in England, Rs 350 in Germany and only Rs 250 in Vienna, a city that was ruined by the last world war. There was no bathroom where Dr. Seth stayed as a student and for years he used the public baths.
Almost two decades later, the population of people of Indian origin swelled when some 3,500 Indians expelled from Uganda found asylum in Austria. Some Sikhs were part of this large group of newly arrived Indians.
In 1975, there was talk of building the first Gurdwara here. Dr Seth had graduated to an official general practitioner in an Austrian province. He was chosen the first president of the Sri Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha. "I resigned after a year. I no longer felt inspired," said Dr Seth who hangs a huge photograph of the Harmandar Sahib (Golden Temple) in his home which he shares with Sylvia, his Austrian wife. Their two sons live and work in Switzerland.
Dr Seth does not visit the Gurdwara in Vienna. He is not religious but very traditional. He points out that idol worship is forbidden to Sikhs. He finds it strange that some Sikhs hang pictures of Bhindranwale beside those of revered Sikh Gurus today.
Dalits are the followers of Ravidas here as well as in India. The conflict originates from the fact that mostly landless Dalit Sikhs in India are still intensely exploited and humiliated by the 'landed and Jat Sikhs' with daily discrimination, low wages, bonded labour and even a ban on their entry inside Gurdwaras. Dalits are now collectively resisting this and asserting their rights, and following new cults is integral to this assertion.
Dr Seth wonders if the rising affluence of the Dalits in Austria is responsible for the rivalry between Sikhs and the Ravidasis here. "It is all about money. Donations collected during a sermon by well known gurus often add up to many euros. This may cause envy and bad blood," speculates Dr Seth who nurses precious memories of his childhood in Amritsar.
After the bloodbath during the partition of Punjab in 1947 had subsided, he remembers visiting the Golden Temple - and not only to pray. "Around the temple there was a attractive community life. I went there almost every day to listen to stories told by wise men. We met our friends and played there. There was mouth watering food offered to us for free and I was happy to break bricks to help to broaden the pavement on the northern flank of the temple," reminisces Dr Seth who feels that today he is unable to practice being a better Sikh among Austrians. "Many Sikhs are hot headed and lack religious education," he regrets.
Source: Hard News
Assistance to NGOs for welfare of dalit community
LOK SABHA
The Grant-in-aid released to NGOs for various projects under the scheme of "Grant-in-aid to Voluntary Organizations working for Scheduled Castes" during the last 3 years is as under:-
Year
No. of NGOs
Amount released
2006-07
336
Rs. 29.01 Crore
2007-08
349
Rs. 30.95 Crore
2008-09
266
Rs. 21.50 Crore
Release of grant-in-aid is based on the inspection reports of the NGOs and on the recommendations of the Multi-Disciplinary Grant-in-aid Committees of the respective State Governments. Inspections, wherever necessary, are also conducted by the officials of this Ministry. Evaluation studies are conducted from time to time to assess the impact of the working of the NGOs under the scheme.
Funds are allocated under various schemes of the Ministry and through Apex Corporations for Educational and Economic Development of Scheduled Castes. These are as under:-
Educational Development
I. Pre-Matric Scholarship for the Children of those engaged in unclean ocupations.
II. Post-Matric Scholarship for SC Students.
III. Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana.
IV. Scholarship Scheme of Top Class Education for SCs
V. Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship.
VI. National Overseas Scholarships for SCs
Economic Development
i. Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers
ii. Free Coaching for SC and OBC Students.
iii. Special Central Assistance for Scheduled Castes Sub Plan.
iv. Assistance for skill development and self-employment through the National Scheduled Castes Finance & Development Corporation & the National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation.
This information was given by Shri D. Napolean, the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha yesterday.
*****
The Grant-in-aid released to NGOs for various projects under the scheme of "Grant-in-aid to Voluntary Organizations working for Scheduled Castes" during the last 3 years is as under:-
Year
No. of NGOs
Amount released
2006-07
336
Rs. 29.01 Crore
2007-08
349
Rs. 30.95 Crore
2008-09
266
Rs. 21.50 Crore
Release of grant-in-aid is based on the inspection reports of the NGOs and on the recommendations of the Multi-Disciplinary Grant-in-aid Committees of the respective State Governments. Inspections, wherever necessary, are also conducted by the officials of this Ministry. Evaluation studies are conducted from time to time to assess the impact of the working of the NGOs under the scheme.
Funds are allocated under various schemes of the Ministry and through Apex Corporations for Educational and Economic Development of Scheduled Castes. These are as under:-
Educational Development
I. Pre-Matric Scholarship for the Children of those engaged in unclean ocupations.
II. Post-Matric Scholarship for SC Students.
III. Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana.
IV. Scholarship Scheme of Top Class Education for SCs
V. Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship.
VI. National Overseas Scholarships for SCs
Economic Development
i. Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers
ii. Free Coaching for SC and OBC Students.
iii. Special Central Assistance for Scheduled Castes Sub Plan.
iv. Assistance for skill development and self-employment through the National Scheduled Castes Finance & Development Corporation & the National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation.
This information was given by Shri D. Napolean, the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha yesterday.
*****
Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik wins Berlin contest
Bhubaneswar (IANS): Orissa based sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik was on Monday announced as the winner of the people's choice award at the world championship held in Berlin last month for his 15-feet-high image of Lord Buddha.
Mr. Pattnaik, who hails from Orissa's beach city of Puri is the first Indian to win the contest.
Last year he had won the jury prize in the same contest in Berlin for his sculpture that showed the famous polar bear Knut, which lives in the Berlin Zoo.
"The people's choice award that I have won this time is the most prestigious award which is decided on the basis of votes given by the audience," Mr. Pattnaik said over phone from his home.
Mr. Pattnaik has participated in more than 39 international sand sculpture festivals and competitions and won several prizes.
MR. Pattnaik, who figured in the Limca Book of Records in the 2006, 2007 and 2008 editions for his work, will also find place in the 2009 edition for winning the United Sand Festivals (USF) World Double Championship held June 5.
Mr. Pattnaik, who hails from Orissa's beach city of Puri is the first Indian to win the contest.
Last year he had won the jury prize in the same contest in Berlin for his sculpture that showed the famous polar bear Knut, which lives in the Berlin Zoo.
"The people's choice award that I have won this time is the most prestigious award which is decided on the basis of votes given by the audience," Mr. Pattnaik said over phone from his home.
Mr. Pattnaik has participated in more than 39 international sand sculpture festivals and competitions and won several prizes.
MR. Pattnaik, who figured in the Limca Book of Records in the 2006, 2007 and 2008 editions for his work, will also find place in the 2009 edition for winning the United Sand Festivals (USF) World Double Championship held June 5.
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