CharkhaEnglish

Sunshine to have expanded reach without environment clearance

2009-05-15T05:43:00.000-07:00

Gujarat Tribal Development Department (TDD) is all set to increase the command area of project Sunshine. It is an ambitious Venture to increase agriculture productivity in the tribal belt with the help of genetically modified (GM) crop manufacturers- Monsanto and Gujarat Narmada valley Fertilisers Corporation (GNFC). But this year, the old project does not even have an Environment Assessment Report (EAR),which the TDD officials consider as sacrosanct for implementation of any projects involving large-scale use of GM crops.

Under Project Sunshine in 2008, Panchmahal and Dahod districts, consisting of 720 villages, were selected by the TDD to implement the project in a 72,000- acre area. In each villages in these two districts, a minimum of 100 acres were planted with Dekalb corn hybrid seeds. As per the project proposal, for 612 metric tonnes of seeds, the fertiliser requirement was shown as 12,000 metric tonnes.
Meanwhile,officials of the Gujarat Rural Institute for Socio-Economic Reconstruction, Vadodara said that in Dahod, in which the organisation was made a part of the project, the results have been successful. "Previously, only 600 kg of corn could be produced from an acre, but 1,800 kg of corn was realised in the last cropping season in the district," said an official.
The Indian Express,5 May 2009

Importance of eco industrial parks highlighted in Gujarat conference

2009-05-15T02:16:00.000-07:00

Recognising the obligation for sustainable Development in the state and to attract government's attention towards the same, various stakeholders of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Gujarat State Council (GSC) and German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) have advocated the concept of "Eco Industrial Parks' in Gujarat.

The stakeholders, who deliberated on 'Eco Industrial Parks- Planning and Management,' also included the Indo-German Institute of Advanced TEchnology, Vishakhapatnam and the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC). S K.Nanda, principal Secratary, Environment and Forests, Government of Gujarat, who delivered the keynote address, stressed upon the reuse and recycling of industrial waste and mentioned the forthcoming biofuel policy of the state.
The Indian Express, May 4,2009

From BPL to BPO tribal youths break all stereotypes to enter urban jobs

2009-05-15T01:33:00.000-07:00

seventy two tribal youths,all from below poverty line(BPL)families, are all set to take up commercial back office and customer care jobs after being trained for a year at a business process outsourcing (BPO) unit. A total of 88 tribal youths from Chhota Udepur mastered various data entry software such as content Management System (CMS) and Microsoft Outlook.What's more they also learnt globally accepted Spoken English in a short time.

Now, this first tribal BPO is handing business operations for Panchmahals Dairy, Sabarkantha DAiry and Baroda Dairy. The brainchild of Tribal Development Department
(TDD) and the Vadodara based Shroff foundation, the BPO has trainees who come from far-flung areas covering distances of up to 40 km. some even walk for 2-3 km to reach the training center at 9 am everyday and swipe their identity cards on an attendance device, just like their affluent counterparts in the metros.
Akhileshwar Singh, Manager (operations) said: " WE started with100 trainees from various areas. But some of them opted out because of family issues or
transportation hassles.But with a sense of discipline while keeping tribal sensibilities in mind, we have been able to handle our first pilot project with Panchmahal Dairy, which we finished successfully in April this year.
The Indian Express,May 13,2009

'Greener' industry will help economy prosper

2009-05-11T01:22:00.000-07:00

For a sustained economic and industrial growth,ecological development is imperative. This was the consensus reached upon by the experts at a one-day awareness workshop titled ' Eco Industrial Park - Planning and Management', organised by the Federation if Indian Chambers of commerce and Industry (Fcci) in collaboration with Getz on May 4th 2009.

SK Nanda, principal secretary of the forest and environment department of the government of Gujarat, said that human beings are trustees of land, water and air and that their purity and sustainability must be maintained through the use of new technologies like the post pollution management technology.

The shift must be from ecology in industry to industry of ecology,said Nanda. " we should adopt clean development mechanism and cleaner processes," he added. HE urged industrialists to cover the open spaces around the factories with more plants and trees to counter the effects of carbon emission.Trees not only absorb the carbon dioxide, reducing the pollution level, but also help bring down temperature.
DNA,May 5,2009

Rajkot academician plans mini revolution in villages

2009-05-11T00:03:00.000-07:00

Soon, a thousant remote villages in Gujarat will have a small library each with a set of 365 books, thanks to Rajkot-based academician Gijubhai Bharad. He plans to weigh Muktanand Bapu, his inspiration, against a pile of books in what is called as 'Gyantula', and donate them to these mini libraries.

Muktanand Bapu runs a residential school for children orphaned by the 2001 earthquake
at Chaprda in Junagadh.He weighs 90 kg. So, Bharad has written and complied 365 books,each having around 100 pages, on various subjects covering science, mathematics, technology, languages, literature, religion and general knowledge, which together weigh 90 kg. " The villagers will have a book for every single day of the year in the mini library and we hope they will read them. I don't expect any revolution to happen, but this project aims to provide a direction," said Bharad.

A group of youngsters will be entrusted with the responsibility to run the library from some public building in their respective villages. A team from Limca Book of Records will remain present at the event, as Bharad has published the highest number of books as an individual.
The Indian Express, May 5,2009

Land distribution efforts bring hope for marginalised, landless farmers

2009-05-05T23:19:00.001-07:00

Finally there comes hope for the state's marginalised and landless farmers.It took some time, but land distribution efforts in Gujarat have shown the positive results.

The case in question is the 500 acres of land in Undavi village of Bhavnagar district. This land, which was distributed among 250 beneficiaries under the Zameen Santhani Scheme was cleared last week and made fit for cultivation.The beneficiaries, including 127 ex-serviceman, can now hope to have a sustainable livelihood from their pieces of land.

It all started way back in the 1960s when efforts were initiated throughout the country to redistribute land as a poverty alleviation method. But nothing of much significance happened in Gujarat. TO add to it, the state government on May 17,2005, came out with a Government Resolution(GR), stating that about 19.80lakh hectors of land in the state, fit for agriculture, is suffering due to lack of advanced technology.The GR further stated that in order to the maximum of 2,000 acres will be distributed to big industrial houses and 'efficient' farmers.

This sheer neglect of landless farmers in favor of industrial houses proved to be a final nail in the coffin and evoked sharp criticism throughout the state, forcing the Department of Revenue, Gujarat Government,to issue a circular directing collectors in the state to expedite the land distribution under the Zameen Santhani Scheme. The end result is that, as of now, about 20,000 acres of land has been distributed to nearly 7,ooo beneficiaries in 19 districts.

Chuni Vaidya, president, Gujarat Lok Samiti(GLS), the organisation that helped the farmers in clearing up the land in Undavi, while appreciating the scheme, said," The land distribution to marginalised farmers is not sufficient as there is no clear-cut survey of land, which in any case is full of bushes. Moreover,just distributing the land without water, electricity, fertilisers and seeds doesn't serve the purpose".
The Indian Express,23 April,09

Awareness on city's heritage by GenNext

2009-05-03T23:53:00.000-07:00

The larger number of people in India are Young.And the GenNext is ready to take up their responsibility.In Ahmedabad a bunch of youngsters will take onus to create awareness about city's heritage among locals to adopting traffic junctions in city among their other city centric development projects.
All these projects are part of the 'Youth Leadership Course'(YLC) conducted by Ahmedabad based youth organization 'Volunteer Ahmedabad' (VA). Coordinator,YLC,VA Vijay Ramchandani,says our idea is to encourage civic responsibility and to do something constructive.
Times of India,26 April 2009

Samras scheme's essence have not been internalized

2009-05-03T23:28:00.000-07:00

Priyanka Rajput
The samras scheme provides for the unanimous selection of a sarpanch of a village panchayat instead of electing one.The idea behind the scheme is to do away with conflict and disagreement of any nature in the village.But an NGO study shows that the essence of it has not been internalized.

Under the scheme, a samras village with a population above 5,000 receives an incentive of Rs.1 lakh,while villages with a population between 5,000 and 15,000 receives Rs.1.5 lakh as incentive money.A village that appoints a woman draws an incentive of Rs.7 lakh. Moreover,a village that goes the samras way for the second time receives an additional 25 percent over the incentive money.

An analytical study of the scheme by a network of NGOs like 'Marag' and 'Mahila Swaraj Abhiyan'(MSA), which have been working in the field since the inception of the scheme in 2006, has revealed some of the major pitfalls of the scheme.The study was conducted in about 200 samras villages across 12 districts

Dahod,Panchmahal,Aanand, Surendranagar,Kutch,Surat,Patan and Bhavnagar).The study included 40 all woman panchayats(22 in Ahmedabad,15 in Baroda and 3 in Kutch),while 95 percent of the woman chosen in samras never went to the first meeting after taking charge and were not aware of the incentive.Nearly 84 percent of the marginalised group(Dalits and adivasis) do not believe that election cause confrontations or competition.This is against the logic of the scheme.

No less than 32.2 percent members of the marginalised group said that they wanted to vote for the elections,but could not due to samras.The place where the decision of samras was taken was pointed out to be the temple by 15.8 percent and the sarpanch's home by 97 percent of members of the panchyat body. While 75.8 percent of the marginalised group was aware of the decision being taken at the temple, only 8.5 percent knew about meeting held at the sarpanch's house.

Thirty three percent of the panchayat body members and 32.2 percent of the marginalized group members said samras scheme was adopted for financial benefit. Nearly 12.4 percent of the panchyat body and 4.2 percent of the marginalized group believe that the reason was due to no elections in many years. Interestingly, none of the panchayat members said that the reason was to contain power within a certain community, 14 percent of marginalised group believe so.Only 13.4 percent panchyat body and 20 percent of the marginalized group believe that samras is held to avoid disputes,while 20 percent of panchayat body members are clueless about the reason.

NGO turn transparent to public scrutiny

2009-05-03T22:15:00.001-07:00

Priyanka Rajput
There are numerous non-governmental organizations(NGOs) in the country working for social causes.The questions are being raised about the lack of transparency and accountability in usage of funding in NGOs. In this kind of scenario believing that accountability and transparency should be two way street,environmental organization 'Paryavaran Mitra' has set an example by organizing a public hearing on the issue.

The NGO made a detailed presentation in this regard at the Gujarat Vidyapith on 14 April 2009. the volunteers showed detailed about funds received, salaries given, credentials and experiences of volunteers, trustees, spending assets and tax compliancy. It is probably the first NGO in the state to reveal details of its management and financial policies before the public.

A committee of reviewers consisting of R.N Das, chief information commissioner, Gujarat state, S.K Nanda, principal secretary, forest and environment department, Prof. Sudarshan Iyengar, vice chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapith, Shailesh Patwari, chairman of Naroda Enri project and Neeta Hardikar,trustee of 'Anandi' sanstha attended the public hearing. More than 250 people from industry, NGOs, academics and government took part in the event.

Mahesh Pandya, senior member of the organization said, "we,as a Paryavaran Mitra have attended nearly 303 industries public hearings while we have asked lots of questions to industries, to the state Government through RTI Act, we believe it is our responsibility to show our accountability to the society as well.And while, we are working on behalf of people, we should talk to them also.

Book lauds Women leaders in microfinance sector

2009-04-24T04:05:00.000-07:00

'Indian school of micro finance for women' Ahmedabad organised a book launch ceremony at 'center for Environmental Education' (CEE).The book titled 'Learning from Women Leaders in micro finance' features 10 women leaders from different women leaders from different parts of country.It was launched by Institute chairperson and 'SEWA' founder Elaben Bhatt.
Times of India,17 april 09

Type rest of the post here

Gusty Duo from Gujarat wins bravery award

2009-04-24T03:34:00.000-07:00

Two brave hearts from Gujarat have been honoured by 'Godfrey Phillips Bravery Awards' committee for outstanding achievement in 2008.The duo Atul kumar singh and Parmaben Sava were given Rs.50,000 cash reward along with a certificate of honour.

The Bravery Award is given to deserving candidates every year in four categories of physical courage, social act,mind of steel and life devoted to cause.

Atul kumar singh,a native of Lalpura 30km from Anand saved two persons from drowning in Mahisagar River.Parmaben Sava,a native of Gamadia village,around 22km from Khavda in kutch worked extensively in the interiors of Kutch as a midwife where no medical facility is available till date.Sava has also traveled to Canada pursuing another passion handicraft. Affiliated with 'Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan',she is among the pioneers in expanding traditional Kutchi artwork on clothes.
Times of India, 17apr09

Irrigation societies explaining equal distribution and appropriate uses of water

2009-01-08T18:14:00.000-08:00

- Sanjay Dave

The farmer of Gujarat is happy because rainy season has started. Every year there is uncertainty of rain, so it looks like drops of ‘Amrit’. For last 10 years, efforts to collect and direct rainy water into land are taking place. The collected underground water recharges wells and also available for irrigation.

Check dams filled with water in villages are useful in irrigation of farms. By watching this, an important scheme has started in India. This scheme, named Watershed Development scheme is counted among most successful schemes of government till now. Noteworthy efforts of taking care of water, land and forest are being done under this scheme in Gujarat and other states. Many organizations supported by government and many non-government organizations have done amazing work of water harvesting through watershed programmes.

Water shed means a large area where water can be accumulated. These are the upstream and downstream areas of a village or two villages. This is the main point of this scheme. Various structures like wall, check dam, drain or canal plugging, wire meshes are erected from upstream area to downstream area, so rainwater can absorb by land due to the logging in its way.

Many institutions have done work under the watershed scheme. The organizations that have done extensive work for this scheme are Sadguru Water and Development Foundation, Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (India), Development Support Centre, Utthan, Kundla Taluka Gram Vikas Mandal (Rural Development Group working in Kundla Block) and Manav Kalyan Trust (Trust working for Human Welfare. Two elderly persons of Saurashtra have done new experiments and aware farmers of Gujarat for rainwater harvesting. They are Premjibapa and Shamjibhai Antala.

Premjibhai of ‘Vruksh Seva Trust’ brought water revolution in villages of Jamkandorna block of Rajkot district. The rivers of that area become perennial because of watershed and other water collection works. Everybody give respect to Premjibapa due to his work in the area of water harvesting, who has left his business in Mumbai and come back and settled down in his native village Upleta. Shamajibhai Antala became well known personality at national and international level. He has recharged more than one lakhs of wells in Saurashtra. He has done campaigning village to village to aware farmers about the importance of water recharging. He has also presented his views about water and water harvesting in national and international water councils.

Presently canals and rivers started to fill with rainwater, so let us talk about successful efforts of water harvesting co-operative societies. Small organization and groups of villages are also doing great works by the inspiration and guidance of voluntary organizations. Water harvesting co-operative societies of Bamanbore, Rangpur, Thalota and Kiyaadar villages has proved this. State government of Gujarat has accepted the partnership policy in 1995 to run water-harvesting schemes effectively. For the practical testing of this Dharoi Irrigation scheme of Thalota village is chosen for Part Irrigation Management (PIM). The responsibility of this work is given to voluntary organization ‘Development Support Centre” (DSC) of Ahmedabad.

DSC is working in the 40 villages of Dharoi irrigation scheme for the same reason. DSC has successfully worked In Thalota village of Visnagar block of Mehsana district for partnership irrigation management with the irrigation department of government.

Good results came by making farmers partner in irrigation scheme. Inspired with this, DSC has decided to give speed to partnership irrigation management in the villages under Dharoi Scheme. Total 127 villages of Mehsana and Patan district come under Jamnakantha of Dharoi scheme. DSC has spread this program in 10,000 hectare land of 40 villages. Presently co-operative irrigation groups of 16 villages are taking care of water distribution management in 400-hectare land. Among these, a noteworthy group is from Rangpur village.

Rangpur is in Visnagar block of Mehsana district. It is 11 km away from Visnagar and having total 1426 population of Patel, Thakore, Rabari, Harijan and Vaghri caste. Co-operative irrigation society was constituted in year 1983-84 in village but it was not active. DSC activated it again in year 1996.

Villages of Dharoi dam area do irrigation with the water of this dam through canals but Rangpur village needed a repairing of this canal. So the officers of irrigation department, DSC and representatives of cooperative irrigation society did a survey of this canal. A map was prepared during survey and estimated that the repairing of canal will cost Rs. 10,14,000. Generally, in any other scheme, government bears all expenditure. When Beneficiaries are associated with the partnership irrigation scheme by their own desire, then it shows good results. It has happened in Rangpur. The farmers gave Ten percent i.e. Rs 91,600 of actual expenditure i.e. Rs 9,16,000 to the society.

Repairing work of the canal is being done under the supervision of this society. Not only this, for smooth and effective running of this work, they constituted various committees like supervision committee, material management committee, accounts committee etc. After this working charge of repaired canal is also taken by the society.

Total 125-hectare land’s irrigation was planned in year 1997-98 for crop of Rabi under the working of society but farmers have taken the interest and 166-hectare land was irrigated. Supervision of farmers increased the irrigation. After this, in 1998-1999, 140-hectare land’s irrigation was planned where as 158 hectares land’s irrigation has happened. After this for two years farmers did not get benefits because dam was empty. But this year, total 178-hectare land was irrigated where as 125 hectare was planned.

This all means that noteworthy increase in irrigation area is possible by effective working of society of farmers. More over, economical use of water can increase the irrigation. Water distribution in villages become more controlled, co-ordination & cooperation between farmers and irrigation department has increased.

Every year in Rabi and Kharif crop, cleaning of canal and removing of sand taken place before releasing the water from Dharoi dam. Two rupees per square meter expenditure comes for this. But society of Rangpur village has decided to save this expenditure and to show these feelings they clean it themselves. The farmers of society collectively in Kharif and Rabi Season did the cleaning of 10 km long canal. Under this they have done 627 days labour of Rs 37620. After cleaning and releasing water, 5-hectare new land got irrigation water.

This year 45 farmers got facility of irrigation first time in the command area of Dharoi dam. Total 125 hectares land was irrigated in whole area. Rabi crops of Rai, Wheat, Saunf, Arandi, Fanugreek, Cotton, Sava, Cumin, Fodder were obtained from 142-hectare land of different farmer after irrigation. The society of Rangpur is getting success for water and earning Rs 1,40,000 in last seven years. This is also a noteworthy case.

A noteworthy benefit of this scheme is collection of cost of water. These farmers of north Gujarat obtained 100 percent cost of water, as they understood the value of water.

Moreover, the civilized farmers got following benefits from irrigation societies:

1. Every farmer can plan the sowing of crop because they have reliability of getting water from canal.
2. Every farmer is getting same quantity of water without any difference.
3. Per hectare production of crop is increased.
4. Regular repairing work of canal is going on.
5. Local people have feeling that the work of this irrigation scheme is their own.
6. Farmers do irrigation only one time in a single stream of water. If anybody breaks the rule then society charges money as a punishment. If any official, chief, minister or any businessman does this, then the amount of punishment will become double.
7. This saves the time of farmers. So they can do their other jobs timely.

The efforts happened in Rangpur and other villages for the participation of farmers in irrigation of Rabi crop under the Dharoi irrigation scheme have very much importance for government and farmers. What are the problems that come in increasing people’s participation in other irrigation schemes of state and what are the solutions for the improvement of these problems; are all understood by these villages of Mehsana and Patan district. Total 125 lakh hectare land of state is suitable for farming. If partnership irrigation scheme is executed and farmers become its working in charge, then whole region become lush green.

Bamanmore village also become popular in doing co-operative irrigation as Rangpur. This village of Chotila block of Surendranagar district has appropriately use every drop of water and established an example. Partnership irrigation society is working in this village with the help of ‘Aga Khan Rural Support Program (India). This society is working since 1986 and taking water from Doslidhuna dam and distributing it through pipelines to the local areas with the help of farmers. There is strong and permanent crisis of water in Surendranagar district. So members of this society have understood the value of every single drop of water and made their own rules.

According to these rules, if water goes outside from any farmer’s farm, then he will get punishment. If any farmer non-essentially repeatedly irrigates his farm, then also it is punishable. Now who will decide the punishment? The elite people of village made a justice committee for taking these decisions. Villagers give respect to the decision of this justice committee.

The need of water is fulfilled from the logged water of Doslidhuna dam near Bamanmore village through pipeline. This society has total 48 members of different caste like Koli, Rebari, Bharvad, Darbar etc. they all are collectively doing efforts for the water. Total expenditure on this scheme of distribution of water is Rs 8,13,040. Total 7 lakhs rupees were granted by government under programmes of drought area and another 80,000 rupees are given by district rural development agency.

Generally, government aid is used for different works, but Bamanbore society saved 74 thousand rupees and made an unnamed trust of these rupees. This amount will remain as it is because the money for expenditure of working and maintenance come from the tax of water. This is noteworthy that this society is getting profit every year.

By watching the caliber of these irrigation society we can say that uneducated rural people, whom we counted as non-sensible, can also accomplish their responsibility in better way. If government is thinking of giving charge of these canals to cooperative society, then only in true sense authority and power will be in hands of public and income will increase.

A village deprived of canal water

2009-01-05T21:43:00.000-08:00

A canal from Meshvow dam is passing through the Gajan Village of Modasa block of Sabarkantha district. But, Gajan village is not getting benefits of this.

If gajan village get water from this canal then irrigation of 5 to 6 thousand-acre land can be possible, as a result deprived villagers can get livelihood.

For this, representative of a local NGO Kshatriya Ekta Manch, Jawansingh Shivsingh Parmar has given application to various government departments.

For more information, please contact:

Jawansingh Shivsingh Parmar,
Kshatriya Ekta Manch.
Mobile– 99797488901, 9427480969

Indians' first dream: a toilet

2009-01-05T18:37:00.000-08:00

In India 77 crore population do not have toilets; NSAEI foundation is doing noteworthy work of sanitation in Gujarat.

What is dream of 70 percent Indians? Is it a mobile, a car or a bungalow?

No ………first and foremost requirement is only one toilet. According to information by ‘Water Aid’ organization 77.24 crore populations do not have toilet facility in India.

In this category, India beats China. For the peace of mind and worship of god, we established temples and in last 50 years number of temples increased too much. Crore of rupees are spent on it, but nobody spends money for construction of toilets that are necessary for the peace of body. Ahmedabad situated National Sanitation And Environment Improvement Foundation (NSAEI Foundation), is working on this issue for last twenty years. This is working in Gujarat near about 93 places. Among them ten are in slum area. This organization is running “pay and use” system toilets in Gujarat. Most of them are at sacred places, hospitals and on the highways. But nobody has written much about this issue.

For more information, please contact:

Suryakantbhai Parikh
Working President,
NSAEI Foundation, Ahmedabad.
Phone: 079-25503996, 25510645

Publications

2009-01-01T17:03:00.000-08:00

List of Charkha Publications

Water
Gujarati, September 2000

Ray of Hope
Gujarati, August 2002

Ray of Hope
English, November 2002

The Path of Humanity
Gujarati, December 2002

The Path of Humanity
English, June 2003

Giving Voice to Development Initiatives
Gujarati, January 2003

Giving Voice to Development Initiatives
English, January 2003

People’s Effort
Gujarati, June 2004

Unto the Sky
Gujarati, June 2004

Radio Programme on Panchayati Ra
Audio CD of 10 Episodes
Gujarati, January 2004 to March 2004

The Way to Development
Gujarati, July 2005

Kalam Kartavya
Gujarati, November 2007

Life in most backward hamlet of Sherula village named Tapi is running on the boats

2008-12-28T01:14:00.000-08:00

- Sanjay Dave
Sherula village is situated near the Ukai dam of Songarh taluka of Tapi district. This village was separated from Surat during flood. A small hamlet, also named Tapi of this village is situated at the bank of Tapi River near ukai dam. The area of this hamlet comes within the boundaries of Ukai dam project.

During the time of flood in the Surat, this whole hamlet drowned into the water. The tribals of this area saved themselves by climbing up on a small mountain. Total 1500 population is residing in 40 households of this hamlet including different caste vasava, kathodi, padvi and kotwalia. Here basic facilities like electricity, water, road, education, and hospital are totally absent. The main occupation of tribal is fishing. Though it is the part of Sherula village panchayat yet it did not get any facility from panchayat till now.

The local non-governmental organization Shakti Trust has provided the facility of hand- pump and bamboo-shaded school. This organization has also helped in restructuring the homes, which were completely destroyed by the flood. The only teacher of the school has to come by boat to the hamlet. If anybody wants to go to this hamlet, then he has to call Ramabhai on his mobile for sending a boat for him to pick-up.

For more information, please contact:

Amritbhai Patel
Manager, Shakti Trust,
Taluka Songarh, District Tapi
Mobile: 9978918870
Office: 02624-221874

Contact us

2008-12-12T21:46:00.000-08:00

Charkha - Development Communication Network

702, Sakar-4, Opp. M. J. Library,
Ashram Road, Ahmedabad - 360 006

Phone: 079-2658 3305,
Fax: 079-26588958
Email: charkhaguj@gmail.com
Website: www.charkhagujarat.org

Easy directions to Charkha office...

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Do plantation, reduce carbon and earn crores of rupees

2008-12-08T18:08:00.000-08:00

- Ajay Rami, Gandhinagar

Companies or big industries have many ways to earn money. Among these carbon credit is also a mean to get crores of rupees.

Not only companies, even if government encourages groups at local level for solar energy and biogas plants and if can prove that it reduces pollution and carbon from environment, then big companies of America and Europe can give lakhs and crores of rupees for purchasing carbon credit. In exchange of this credit a company of Gujarat get 10 crore rupees every year.

This scheme is not only for companies, but also for any group who can give successful results in reducing carbon. According to guidelines, if any joint forest management group or any other group do plantation in huge area and prove that their efforts resulted in reduction of carbon then amount of carbon credit is verified and estimated by UNFCCC – third party assessment. Later on plenty of money can be earned by selling this carbon credit.

Carbon credit can also be earned by solar energy and biogas plant. If government encourages groups working in the area of solar energy and biogas plant, then employment generation and earning money both are possible with reduced pollution. According to Environmental engineer Mahesh Pandya, if government makes a documentation of these groups and help them for third party assessment, then plantation in large area can be possible and for this one can also get carbon credit.

Presently in Gujarat 18 Companies are earning crores of rupees and saving the environment. Other then this, 75 companies are also working in this area and evaluation of their work is going on.

What is Carbon Credit?

Because of global warming and increase in temperature, a demand of prohibition on green house gas is raised internationally. According to Kyoto protocol, companies will get carbon credit if it is proved that they have reduced carbon gas by modifying its fuel consumption pattern or machinery. It is verified by third party assessment. Burning and using coal increases pollution, so gas can be used in reduction of carbon.

(Divya Bhaskar daily, Ahmedabad)

Undertake studies of various subjects

2008-12-01T21:41:00.000-08:00

See all Activities of Charkha

Studies upon different issues are given to media group. Students of journalism and media group are being associated with these studies.

Reading-Circle

2008-12-01T21:39:00.000-08:00

See all Activities of Charkha

Once in every month reading Circle is organized to develop reading habits among youth.

Documentation

2008-12-01T21:35:00.000-08:00

See all Activities of Charkha

Documentation of various developmental works is going on in a form of a book with the collaboration of various voluntary organizations.

Media support to voluntary organizations

2008-12-01T21:33:00.000-08:00

See all Activities of Charkha

Charkha provides media support individually to voluntary organizations to highlight various developmental issues and efforts in mainstream media.

Charkha is providing media support to the organizations that are working for local issues. Information about their issue-based programmes should reach to the people through newspapers, is the main objective of Charkha.

For last 13 years, more than hundred voluntary organizations got media support for their different 200 programmes. These programmes covered various subjects that are mainly – 0rganic farming, water, education, rehabilitation after earthquake, child rights, occupational health, dalits, Panchayati Raj, issues related to women, disability, land ownership, right to information, National Rural Employment Guarantee Act(NREGA) etc.

Charkha representatives attend the programmes organized by voluntary organizations and ask to concern media persons for coverage of the programmes. Press note of programme and write-ups about subject are to be prepared and published in different newspapers of the Gujarat. Many programmes affect large mass positively.

List of the some subjects/issues that are included under the programme:

Dalit issues, Dalit rights
Relief work and rehabilitation after natural disaster.
Organic farming
Health and occupational health.
Education (elementary education, compulsary education etc.)
Child rights
Child labour
Panchayati Raj (urban self-governance, rural self-governance, praise-worthy working of female sarpanchs)
Water (drinking water problems, efforts of taking care of natural resources)
Women (leadership, problems, female and atrocity, women and land ownership, misery of single womanhood etc.)
Environment and pollution
Problems and rights of unorganized labour groups
Problems and rights of tribal
Disability and development
Efforts for communal harmony
Efforts to stop increasing cases of suicide
Right to information law 2005
National Rural Employment Guarantee Act(NREGA)
Land rights of marginalized community
Impact of globalization on the poor
Food Security
Book release and prize distribution programme.

Story idea

2008-12-01T21:31:00.000-08:00

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Every day at least four representative of group of media contact Charkha to get story idea about various developmental issues.

Internship

2008-12-01T21:28:00.000-08:00

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Internship programme is organized every year to develop understanding about development issues among students of journalism and mass communication. Total 25 students are associated with Charkha as an intern till now and trained for developmental journalism. Charkha is providing information and guidance, individually or in-group, to the students of journalism of different Universities of Gujarat about various developmental issues.

Fellowship for development to the students of journalism

2008-12-01T21:24:00.000-08:00

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Charkha has started Charkha-Fellowship For Development since year 2004. The objective of this fellowship is that students of journalism should be well acquainted and sensitized towards key developmental issues of Gujarat and explored them in mainstream media.

Fellowships are given to the subjects like ‘migration and migrant community’, ‘issues in development of Dang district and development journey’ and ‘girl child rights’. Charkha invites applications for the fellowship from different departments of Gujarat that are providing training on journalism and development communication. Nominated students have to submit their identity cards and fellowship topic to charkha. After personal interviews, students will be selected for fellowship.

Total 8 students (5 females and 3 male) of journalism department are selected for all three fellowship of Charkha. Students visited interior region of Gujarat and prepared research report. They got rich information on selected study that is destitution and various aspects of problems in development. They also explored this publicly. They contacted professional workers for in depth understanding and noted their views. After completing this fellowship, students expressed that they got the identity. Their co-students are contacting them for guidance if they have any difficulty regarding developmental issues.

Likewise, ‘Fellowship For Development’ is also granted for journalists of mainstream newspapers about their opinion on important subjects. This Fellowship is sponsored by Charkha and Voluntary Organization of Gujarat, which are working upon key issues. Considering the declining birth rates of girl child, a fellowship subject ‘girl child and Gujarat’ is selected to aware general mass.

Total 4 journalists are selected for this Fellowship sponsored in joint collaboration with Charkha and CHETNA, a non-governmental organization. Selected journalists are regularly writing about different developmental issues and efforts of Gujarat. These journalists visited the areas that have less girl child birth rates for study and then prepared write-ups about the issue. They explored related issues effectively that are published in newspapers like girl child and rights, female feticide, gender bias and role of society and government.

Interaction programme at regional level

2008-12-01T21:21:00.000-08:00

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Charkha organizes interaction programme between representative of voluntary organizations and group of media once in every year. This programme is for those organizations, which have objective that representatives of media should be acquainted with the regional developmental issues and they should be sensitized towards it. The objective of this communication programme are – Information related to developmental work should regularly reach to the journalists, they should understand the importance of development works and prepare write-ups about these works and social workers should know the group of media.

This communication programmes are planned in Ahmedabad, Patan, Rajkot and Vadodara till now. In this programme mainly regional developmental issues of tribal areas of north Gujarat, Saurashtra and eastern belt of Dahod-Panchmahal are explored. Experienced workers of 24 voluntary organizations of regional level had participated and started communication with district level journalists.

Social workers have established relations with local level journalists after this interaction programme. Journalists are taking information about different development issues from social workers by contacting them directly. As a result, issues of interior regions are coming in front of people through media group.

Writing competitions

2008-12-01T21:19:00.000-08:00

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Writing competitions are organized for social workers for different developmental issues. First five winners are awarded cash prizes and memento. The objective of this competition is to give motivation to social workers for writing about developmental issues and efforts of interior regions of villages of Gujarat.

Workshops on writing-skills

2008-12-01T21:15:00.000-08:00

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Many efforts are taking place in the area of development in Gujarat. Social workers are working carefully on different developmental issues in the interior region. They are having many experiences by doing different developmental efforts. Documentation of these experiences is beneficial to other social workers.

More over, information about special regional issues of different area of Gujarat can also be reached through the documentation. Workers associated with development work do not have expertise in writing about developmental issues. Scarcity of time, less priority to writing works, less understanding and skills of writing and less motivation are some of the reasons for which documentation about developmental issues is not taking place. Considering above issues, Charkha is organizing workshops to develop writing skills of social workers. More than hundred workshops have been organized during the years 1996-2008. Total 2000 participants got expertise in the writing skills. On the demand of different voluntary organization, Charkha is also organizing these workshops all the year. Now Charkha is also organizing these workshops in other states with the association of different voluntary organizations.

Charkha has also organized workshops on documentation and writing skills for State Institute of Rural Ddevelopment (SIRD), ‘Hariyali Yojana’ of rural development department of Gujarat state and State AIDS Control Society. It has also given information and guidance about different developmental issues to students of journalism and social work of different universities. This information is provided individually as well as in groups. Other then this Charkha also organizes workshops of writing skills once in a year and invites representatives of different institutes.

Workers of Voluntary Organizations developed the skill of writing about different developmental issues through these workshops. Some social workers are regularly getting guidance from Charkha as a follow-up camps and developed them for writing too much about developmental issues. Some workers got identity for their write-ups at regional level in good organizations. These workers are publishing their articles independently in local newspapers. Documentation methods of organizations have also improved through these trainings. Some organizations have started publishing their own newsletter.

Topics included in training

Documentation - Meaning, Importance, Usages
Selection of Subjects for developmental writing / Case study
Daily note / importance of daily diary
Important things for improving language
Important aspects of effective communications
Points to be considered during information collections
Primary knowledge building about newspaper world
Press note writing
Points to consider for letter writing
Practice for speed writing
Monthly, Tri-monthly, Six-monthly and yearly reports, Reports of the workshops, Meeting and Educational tour

Development dialogue

2008-12-01T21:11:00.000-08:00

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Charkha plans a development- dialogue about regional developmental issues once in every month with the journalist. The main objective of the dialogue is to establish the communication among journalists, social workers and general mass to highlight developmental issues and efforts.

More than thousand newspapers and journal are published in Gujarat including daily, weekly, fortnightly, monthly and quarterly journals. In these newspapers, news related to politics, crime, games, films etc. are covered mainly. Especially these types of news and advertisements are published in large numbers in mainstream papers. To find out articles about developmental efforts in the newspapers are very difficult. If sometime these news get some place in the newspapers, then either it is in very less space or sometimes only because to fill the empty space of the paper.

Charkha has decided to change this situation. With the efforts of charkha for last ten years, developmental efforts are getting quite good place in mainstream newspapers. Charkha has been providing regular information to the representatives of group of media, so they can write about developmental issues and provide place in the main stream. Charkha organizes a developmental dialogue for journalist to provide regular information on works of different developmental issues.

This discourse has started since 1999. By organizing it for years, it has come out that development practitioners of voluntary organizations of Gujarat are in regular contacts with each other through different programmes. But the contact between workers and journalists is very less. As a result, present developmental issues do not come in limelight. In general, there is facility of ‘press club’ in different states of our country for gathering of journalists at one place. But Gujarat does not have any body like press club.

Especially there is lack of a place to provide information about development issues. Considering all these points and for keeping regularity a developmental dialogue is planned every month with fixed date and place since July 2004. For last five years, Charkha is organizing developmental dialogue every month. More than 50 developmental dialogue organized with different issues till now. Subject experts, experienced workers and villagers participated in the dialogue and explored issues related to state and region.

During the dialogue journalists are provided with full information related to developmental issues. It was suggested to journalists that it is not a press briefing, it is a platform for informal dialogue regarding developmental issues. All the mainstream newspapers have given place to developmental issues as a follow-up of dialogue. Charkha has more than 136 newspaper cuttings including 20 daily and 7 weekly journals.

Journalists of electronic media also narrated a story and telecasted it on regional as well as state level. Dialogue has changed the traditional mentality of journalists and play important role to make them understand and sensitized towards development works. The contacts between social workers and journalists has increased and also established strong relationship. More than 200 journalists participated in dialogue till now.

Developmental writing

2008-12-01T21:05:00.000-08:00

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Charkha prepares at least 7 to 8 write-ups every month about different developmental works of Gujarat and these are published in 40 mainstream newspapers / journals (daily, weekly, fortnightly, monthly, bimonthly etc.). The objective of this activity is to give voice to positive developmental efforts of remote area in mainstream newspapers.

Write-Ups of Developmental efforts in Mainstream Newspapers

The main strategy of Charkha is to publish write-ups of developmental efforts in mainstream newspapers of Gujarat and these success stories of development should reach to people. For this purpose, charkha prepares and makes others to prepare the write-ups for key issues of Gujarat and the efforts to solve it. Every month Charkha prepares 7 to 8 write-ups about different issues and these are published in more than 40 mainstream newspapers of Gujarat.

Till now, it has prepared near about 1000 write-ups covering different developmental issues published in 40 newspapers of Gujarat.

Charkha is continuously doing efforts through write-ups to provide justice and rights to marginalized communities of civil society. It has prepared many write-ups on ciramic workers, farmers, agriculture laborers, incense-stick workers, manual scavenging system, dalit atrocity and problems of affected people of different projects.

Charakha is doing efforts in providing justice to them by publishing these articles in newspapers. By publishing these articles in mainstream newspapers, we can affect the general mass. Some articles have ripple effect on government system and as a result action was taken in favour of deprived groups.

The main issues of the articles of Charkha are – Successful working of female sarpanchs, rights of women and leadership, land ownership of women, Panchayati Raj, water scarcity and efforts to solve the problem, education, health, organic farming, disability, environment, child rights, child labor, rehabilitation after natural disaster, tribal and efforts to maintain communal harmony. Charkha has also organized a team of writers for writing upon regular developmental issues who are also working as a grassroot social workers. These writers have done very important role by preparing write-ups on developmental issues of different regions of Gujarat. These writers have established their own identity.

Write-Ups about charkha in newspapers

Charkha - Development Communication Network is working in Gujarat since 1995 in the area of developmental journalism. Many journalists and student of journalism wrote about Charkha with special interest for its activity that explores developmental efforts. Among their articles main are on activities of Charkha, programmes organized by Charkha, books published by Charkha and write-ups on outcome of fellowships study reports.

Activities of Charkha

2008-12-01T21:02:00.000-08:00

Developmental Writing

2008-12-01T20:53:00.000-08:00

Charkha prepares at least 7 to 8 write-ups every month about different developmental works of Gujarat and these are published in 40 mainstream newspapers / journals (daily, weekly, fortnightly, monthly, bimonthly etc.). The objective of this activity is to give voice to positive developmental efforts of remote area in mainstream newspapers.

Write-Ups of Developmental efforts in Mainstream Newspapers
The main strategy of Charkha is to publish write-ups of developmental efforts in mainstream newspapers of Gujarat and these success stories of development should reach to people. For this purpose, charkha prepares and makes others to prepare the write-ups for key issues of Gujarat and the efforts to solve it. Every month Charkha prepares 7 to 8 write-ups about different issues and these are published in more than 40 mainstream newspapers of Gujarat.

Till now, it has prepared near about 1000 write-ups covering different developmental issues published in 40 newspapers of Gujarat.

Charkha is continuously doing efforts through write-ups to provide justice and rights to marginalized communities of civil society. It has prepared many write-ups on ciramic workers, farmers, agriculture laborers, incense-stick workers, manual scavenging system, dalit atrocity and problems of affected people of different projects.

Charakha is doing efforts in providing justice to them by publishing these articles in newspapers. By publishing these articles in mainstream newspapers, we can affect the general mass. Some articles have ripple effect on government system and as a result action was taken in favour of deprived groups.

The main issues of the articles of Charkha are – Successful working of female sarpanchs, rights of women and leadership, land ownership of women, Panchayati Raj, water scarcity and efforts to solve the problem, education, health, organic farming, disability, environment, child rights, child labor, rehabilitation after natural disaster, tribal and efforts to maintain communal harmony. Charkha has also organized a team of writers for writing upon regular developmental issues who are also working as a grassroot social workers. These writers have done very important role by preparing write-ups on developmental issues of different regions of Gujarat. These writers have established their own identity.

Write-Ups about Charkha in newspapers

Charkha - Development Communication Network is working in Gujarat since 1995 in the area of developmental journalism. Many journalists and student of journalism wrote about Charkha with special interest for its activity that explores developmental efforts. Among their articles main are on activities of Charkha, programmes organized by Charkha, books published by Charkha and write-ups on outcome of fellowships study reports.

About Charkha

2008-12-01T20:13:00.000-08:00

Charkha Development Communication Network was established in year 1994 by Mr. Sanjoy Ghose in New Delhi. Mr. Ghose was born on 7^th December 1959 in Nagpur city of Maharashtra. In 1995, a non-governmental organization ‘Unnati’, with the help of other organization and prominent activists and has started Charkha in Gujarat. Now it is working in five states- Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Jharkhand. In Delhi and Gujarat, it is registered as a charitable trust and voluntary organization.

Aim

To develop faith and positive attitude among people towards developmental efforts and social change.

Strategy

Encouraging document developmental efforts in mainstream media by capacity building of development practitioners and motivation to journalists and publicity of the same.

Objectives

· To motivate positive writings by grass root workers for developmental issues in mainstream newspapers of Gujarat.

· To develop writing skills of social workers and capacity building of them for regular write-ups of their experiences during continuous people centered development process.

· To established contacts and communication between NGOs and media.

· To sensitized people for active participation in local developmental efforts.

Why it is named Charkha?

‘Charkha’ means ‘Spinning Wheel’ of Ghandhi Bapu symbolizes continuity. It gives message of simplicity and self-dependency. Mr. Sanjoy Ghose, founder of Charkha got impulse from these values to select the name Charkha.

Charkha- the effort to strengthen positive developmental communication

We are happy to start the website of Charkha in front of you which is working for last 13 years in developmental communication area.

Charkha is a decent effort to bring faith of people in developmental works. Charkha is a development communication network and is working in Gujarat since 1995 as a non-governmental organization. It is doing efforts in Gujarat by highlighting developmental efforts in more than 40 mainstream newspapers, periodicals and television channels. Instead of exploring any organization or a person, Charkha is doing the efforts to highlight the developmental issues.

Through the website, we acquainted you with the activities of Charkha and developmental issues and efforts. This will also speed up the aim of the Charkha that is positive write-ups with self-opinion about key issues and noteworthy developmental efforts.

The website invites voluntary organization and workers of Gujarat to share their positive developmental experiences. Charkha will do efforts to help and give direction to representatives of mainstream newspapers and television channels for encouraging developmental journalism.

The need to explore positive attitude

Why we are hesitating to accept our nation’s capacity and achievements? We are the residents of a great country. Our nation has many-many success stories that surprise everybody but still we are not accepting the same. We are on the top of the world in milk production. We are also first in Remote Sensing Satellite- satellite, which can examine things from distance. We are on second position for grain crops. We have lakhs of achievements like these but our communication network shows only bad news and fruitless stories.

Once I was in Telaviv (Israel). An Israelian was reading newspaper. Bomb-blast, attack and deaths were happened somewhere in Israel yesterday, but there was a photo of a Yehudi on the front page of the newspaper who has developed his barren land into the fruit garden and grain deposits. By reading this kind of positive article everybody gets motivated. The news of murder, bomb-blast and deaths were inside the newspaper among other news. But in India we use to read this type of news on the front page.

- Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

Former President

(Photo curtsey: www.abdulkalam.com)

Strange working couple living different

2008-12-01T00:54:00.000-08:00

More than 15 couples in Gujarat living different life style. Mainly these couples are highly qualified but they are living permanently in different rural- urban areas and working upon the subjects of their interest.

These couples are actively working upon issues like alive farming, water, child rights, primary education, rights of tribal, care of natural resources, environment, communal harmony and peace etc. An important document can be produce by interviewing these couples.

For more information, please contact:

Sanjay Dave- Charkha
Office: 079-26583305,26588958
Mobile: 9825724608