Unorganised Sector Workers Will Release Report on Mamata Government

Asanghatit Kshetra Shramik Sangrami Manch

4/1A Bhabanath Sen Street , Kolkata 700004

Invitation

Dear friends,

The Mamata Banerjee Government is completing 200 days in office. How has this Government (which came to power on the slogan of Maa Mati Manush) fared as far as the demands and needs of the workers in this state are concerned?

Unorganised sector workers who are 93% of this State's working force and who are also the most exploited are presenting a report on the first 200 days of the present State Government. The report has been made by Ashanghatit Kshetra Sangrami Shramik Sangrami  Mancha, a platform of independent trade unions working in the unorganised sector formed in January 2010. It will touch on issues that concern the survival of such workers as: 

·  subsidised food 

·  availability of work under NREGA,

·  minimum wages

·  conditions of contract workers

·  rights on forest land etc.

·  democracy for workers' rights

The report entitled "Majoorer Chokhe Maa Maati Manush Sarkarer Doi Sho Din" will be released on December 8 at 3 p.m. at the Press Club, Kolkata. 

With regards, 

Swapan Ganguly and  Somnath Ghosh 

Joint Convenors 

Petition To Mamata Banerjee On Nandigram

[On November 10, 2011, in the time of Operation Nutan Surjauday (New Sunrise armed goons of the then ruling party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) “invaded” Nandigram and tried to re-establish their stranglehold over the villages there. A film showing the struggles of the people of Nandigram was released and a press conference at the Press Club, Kolkata. During the discussion after the film, it was decided to send a petition to the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mrs Mamata Banerjee to draw her attention to the current state in Nandigram and take some decisive action.]

To

Smt. Mamata Banerjee,

Honourable Chief Minister,

Government of West Bengal,

Kolkata

Dear Madam,

It is now four years since Operation Nutan Surjauday, that terrible time in November 2007, when the armed goons of the then ruling party “invaded” Nandigram and tried once again to establish their stranglehold over the villages there. From January 2007 till the Panchayat elections in 2008, the brave people of Nandigram fought against oppression and terrorism to put a stop to the forcible acquisition of their land for an SEZ. They suffered tremendous human and material loss, undergoing much mental trauma. Women were especially the victims of sexual and all other kinds of torture. They looked forward to the 2011 elections and had expected many things from the new Government. However though it is now more than six months since your Government was installed, many of their expectations remain unfulfilled.

From past experience, we know that the cause of the Nandigram people is close to your heart.  As people and organisations that supported the Nandigram struggle whole-heartedly, we therefore believe it is our responsibility to draw your attention to their problems, and to seek your intervention to solve these problems. These are as follows:

1.       Some of the victims of the Nandigram 14^th March firing and the other atrocities there are still in need of medical care. As this is not always freely available from Government hospitals, the victims have either to spend money from their own pockets or have to depend on others’ charity for their treatment. Abhijit Giri, Tapasi Jana and Haimavati Haldar of Gokulnagar are three examples of such victims. We would request you to arrange for free treatment for all such victims from the best Government facilities available (including free testing facilities, free medicines and support for travel and stay of the patient and a companion).

2.       Innumerable false criminal cases were filed against the people of Nandigram and Khejuri during their two years of struggle. Our estimates show that hundreds of such cases were filed between 2007 and 2008.Hundreds of innocent people from these areas are still having to run to courts to defend themselves at great expense. Sedition charges have been filed against three persons and they continue to languish in jail. We ask for immediate withdrawal of all these cases.

3.       The State of West Bengal has so far compensated only famileis of 14 persons killed, 159 injured persons and 3 rape victims of the 14^th March 2007 incident at Nandigram. However, these numbers are very few compared to the actual number of people who were injured on March 14^th and all the other heinous incidents that took place from January 2007 till the May 2008 Panchayat elections. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in its report dated February 8^th 2008 has stated that during the period 6^th November to 12^th November 2007, 7 persons were killed and 32 persons were injured. It further stated that “the next of kin of the dead in these incidents and also the injured persons should be compensated in the same manner as directed by the High Court of Calcutta for the victims of the incidents of 14th March, 2007”. On 14^th March 2011, PBKMS and APDR had demanded compensation from the Chief Secretary for a list of 455 injured persons (including rape victims) of 14^th March 2007 who had not received anything so far. No action has been taken on this list or on the NHRC report (which the former CPI(M)-led Government had refused to accept), despite the change in Government.  According to a PBKMS report, from January 3^rd to January 7^th 2007, 4 people died and at least 25 persons   were injured in Nandigram.  In addition, the People’s Tribunal on Nandigram has also collated reports of people who were injured and /or sexually assaulted in all the other incidents that took place in Nandigram. We would request your Government to enquire into all such reports and to provide compensation to all such injured and/or sexually assaulted persons in Nandigram.

4.       In November 2007, a number of people had their houses destroyed in Operation Nutan Surjauday. According to a report submitted to the NHRC by the Chief Secretary of the previous Government, 560 houses were completely destroyed and 399 houses were partially damaged. Later compensation was distributed by the previous Government before the 2008 Panchayat elections in a totally partisan manner. Reports from the area suggest that very few people who lost their houses actually got this money. The NHRC in its report declared that “since the State Government does not appear to have discharged its primary obligation in preventing the attack by CPI (M) cadres on 6th November, 2007, it should bear the responsibility for the loss of life and property following the attack.... The compensation that the State Government proposes to make for damaged houses appears to be quite inadequate. The Commission considers recommending enhanced compensation for fully and partially damaged houses. The Enquiry Team of the Commission has reported that after the incidents of 6th November, 2007 several houses of BUPC supporters have been occupied by CPI (M) cadres and they are now claiming to be owners of those houses and demanding compensation. The Commission considers it necessary to appoint a Committee to suggest compensation regarding damage that occurred and to ensure that the monetary relief does not fall in wrong hands and it reaches the genuine persons.”  It is therefore suggested that the present Government should enquire into this matter and compensate   those who actually lost their houses, but were not compensated.

We expect your Government to enquire into all these cases of loss and suffering in order to compensate them and take corrective steps immediately. 

Link to the petition page: https://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/justicefornandigram

Rescue Of Migrant Bonded Workers From Mangalore, Karnataka

15 workers, including one woman, were rescued early morning today from Purkodi in Mangalore SEZ Area, Karnataka as they faced abuse and were kept as bonded labourers on site. The workers went as construction workers from Purulia and Bankura districts of West Bengal, employed by Gannon Dunkerley & Co. Ltd (GDCL), who is constructing for ONGC Mangalore Petrochemicals Ltd (OMPL).

The workers were made to work for 14-16 hours with very little payment of wages, were also subjected to physical violence and abusive language when they raised their problems before the employers. They were not being allowed to go back home and were tortured with hot water and hot rods when they had protested to work for long hours.

They had been working for almost two months in the Mangalore SEZ area, a proposed 3985 acres for Petrochemicals and Petroleum sector; out of which 1800 acres have already been acquired for two projects. The area has hundreds of colonies, with a large number of migrant worker population from West Bengal. Being a SEZ area, no outsider is allowed to talk and access to their residence is very restricted.

The families of the workers informed the Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity, about their family members not being in contact after they had left around 23 September through Dibesh Das Layekdi village, Lakhanpur, Hura, District Purulia who had recruited these workers. They were handed over to a labour contractor, Bholanath Singh, resident of Dishergarh, Kulti in Burdwan district, who in turn sent them for work to Mangalore through his employee Sanjay Singh.

The workers are forced to work in places like Mangalore because of hunger and starvation situation in their own villages. Sriram Bauri, 60 years, died of neglect and long term hunger on 9 September, in Layekdi village of Purulia district. On 10 September 2011, our union sent a medical team to this village to examine the health status of in the village and identified around 15 persons who were highly malnourished and in immediate need of medical help and nutrition.

There has been no NREGS work in the villages despite dharnas by workers asking for work. Wages from earlier work are yet to be paid. With a total absence of a system of regulation of contractors by the Labour Department in both States, recruitment of labour from Bankura and Purulia districts are common, and in violation of the Inter State Migrant Workmen’s Act.

In addition, there seems to be no system of labour inspection in Mangalore, and labour laws are blatantly flouted with workers working in the SEZ area. It is apparent that West Bengal is not exporting workers, but instead exporting slaves to these areas.

We immediately ask for the following:

·     the State Government of Karnataka to recover full wages due to the workers from the contractors and principal employer;

·     the State Government of Karnataka declares the workers as bonded labour and that the State Governments of West Bengal and Karnataka make available to them aid under schemes for bonded labour

·     the State Governments arrest the principal employer and the labour contractors in West Bengal and Karnataka and take legal action against them

·     all the concerned State Governments improve their systems of inspection and properly implement the Inter State Migrant Workmen’s Act, Minimum Wages Act, Contract Labour Act, Child Labour Act etc.

·     That the Government of West Bengal ensures that workers get employment with timely payment of wages under the MGNREGA and are therefore not forced to migrate to such precarious work.

17 October 2011

Update:
With the intervention of the Karnataka police and Labour Department, the workers recovered Rs.2.89 lakhs as wages , but no punitive action was taken against the employer. Nor were the workers declared as "bonded". The workers are now back in the village.

Anti-Nuclear Struggle At Koodankulam Faces State Harassment

[This is a report on a popular struggle against a proposed nuclear plant in the state of Tamil Nadu]

Many of us, the organizers, gathered at Idinthakarai village and started preparing for our hunger strike from September 11, 2011. Around 3:00 p.m. we received the news that the police were arresting some of our activists at Koodankulam village. Some 500 women had blocked the road and demanded their immediate release. The police relented and the women also dispersed. The authorities invited 10 people for talks but later foisted cases on 510 people. So many cases have been filed against many people. The media covered the event extensively.

DAY 1: September 11, 2011
Considering the Fukushima nightmare, the police harassment and the DAE Chief's announcement that the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) would go critical in September, we decided to embark on an indefinite hunger strike. We made it very clear that our strike would be completely non-violent and we would follow the Gandhian ethos and practices. Some five to seven thousand people from Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts gathered in front of the St. Lurdes's church at Idinthakarai. Anti-nuclear activists performed cultural programs, sang social awareness songs, and gave speeches. The local MLA Mr Michael Rayappan of DMDK, showed up and expressed his solidarity with the people. The whole group was observing a day-long fast and at the end of the day we started gathering the names of indefinite hunger strikers. 127 people including 20 women, four physically challenged people, four Catholic priests and three nuns decided to fast. Proper records were prepared about their background, health history and so forth. At 5 p.m., the people dispersed and the indefinite hunger strikers slept in the front porch of the church. Several hundred local people slept around the church to express their solidarity and to provide security to the indefinite hunger strikers.

DAY 2: September 12, 2011
People started pouring in from all parts of southern Tamil Nadu from 9 a.m. There were some 12 to 15 thousand people around 11 am. The Most Rev Bishop of Thoothukudi visited us at 9 a.m. and stayed with us the whole day. He was also fasting with the group. The General Secretary of MDMK Vaiko, and Balaprajathipathi Adigalar also came. The Bishop, Vaiko and Adigalar addressed the crowd and opposed the Koodankulam nuclear plant. Several activists also spoke. We concluded the day at 5 p.m. And the indefinite hunger strikers continued their fast and several hundred local villagers slept around the church. Several media groups were there to cover the event. A medical team checked all the indefinite hunger strikers for any health issues.

DAY 3: September 13, 2011
People started coming in from 9 a.m. and the crowd was more than 10,000 people at its peak. The Tamil Nadu Merchants' Association chief, Mr. Vellayan, came along with his office bearers. They announced their decision to organize protests against the KKNPP in all district headquarters all over Tamil Nadu on September 20, 2011 and a complete shut down in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari Districts on that day. The Manithaneya Makkal Katchi leaders also came and they announced that their party would demonstrate against the nuclear plant on September 23^rd. No government official came to see the indefinite hunger strikers even after three days of fasting. Angry and agitated about this gross callousness of the authorities, some 500 women resorted to block the road and halted the vehicles on the road. With much difficulty, we managed to bring them back to the strike venue. National media reached the venue today and telecast live programs.

Several people fainted today. Two revenue department officers asked a small group of us to go and meet them in the outskirts of the village. They wanted 15 of us to go and meet the District Collector and the Police Chief at the Koodankulam police station. We refused to go with them and asked the crowd for their opinion. They all said that the authorities should come to see us at the strike venue and we should not go to see them. We concluded the day around 6:15 PM.

We received a word from our MLA that his application to speak in the Tamil Nadu Assembly about our struggle and demands was quashed and he was not allowed to speak. This makes us doubt the very functioning of our democracy. Neither the Chief Minister nor any of her ministers has ever spoken a word about us, our struggle or our demands. No need to say anything about our distant Delhi government; they never speak a word about the people or our issues.Indefinite hunger strikers are getting weak; people are getting upset. But the strike continues in a very orderly and non-violent manner. People keep invoking the ways and means of Jesus Christ and Mahatma Gandhi.
Here is a report about the Russian nuclear technology. A report 

(http://www.bellona.org/articles/articles_2011/rosatom_report) prepared for Russian President Dmitry Medvedev by state agencies concerned with the safety of Russia’s nuclear power plants in the wake of the Fukushima disaster reveals that Russia’s reactors are completely under-prepared for both natural and man-made disasters. The report has come from an amalgam of sources such as the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear oversight, or Rostekhnadzor, as well as Rosatom. According to chief engineer Ole Reistad of the Norwegian Institute for Energy Technology (IFI): “The report reveals deficiencies which have never before been mentioned publicly, nor reported internationally.”

The report claims that Russia’s nuclear plants do not have relevant regulations in place for personnel to know how to deal with large-scale natural disasters or other serious contingencies. It also establishes that electrical and safety-significant systems do not receive the attention they need, resulting in a lack of required protection. The report questions the capability of Russian reactors to remain safe for extended periods of time if cooling systems fail. There is no guarantee that power backup systems will be effective should this happen. Russian reactors are vulnerable to the kinds of hydrogen explosions that tore through three reactor buildings at Fukushima Daiichi.

We demand that the KKNPP be shut down permanently! And our right to life and livelihood be honoured and respected! We want to make our country a world leader with New Energy, Appropriate Technology and Sustainable Development and not a slave of America, Russia and France. We want to leave a safe and healthy Earth, Seas and Sky for our children and their children not nuclear bombs and waste dumps.

Please support us in our struggle.

Idinthakarai Village, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu
September 13, 2011

koodankulam@yahoo.com