An Indian paramilitary soldier enquaries from a villager near Ghatshila, about 145 km (91 miles) southeast of Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand State, on the border of West Bengal during the combing Operation of "Green Hunt" launched from Thursday, March 11, 2010. A major drive has been launched against Maoist guerrillas in West Bengal and Jharkhand. An unspecified number of police and paramilitary personnel are pursuing the guerrillas in the coordinated operation called Green Hunt. The paramilitary forces and state police are sanitising the jungle areas. Some landmines have been recovered and four Maoist camps have been destroyed. The operation has air surveillance. "The move is to zero in on Maoists in bordering areas and Orissa would join the campaign soon, Vijay Raman, the special director general of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), said.

Picture : Somnath Sen (Ghatshila, Jharkhand).

|| Jyoti Sonia Dhan ||
The recent Free Compulsory Education and Right to Education Bill passed by Parliament are on the implementation. This Bill allows the children from 6-14 years of age to go school which is the fundamental right of a child. There are many programme run by Government of India to ensure the girl child to school like (SSA) Sarva Shikhsa Abhiyan, Early childhood education and care, NPEGEL National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Level, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya. These programme attracted girl children to school, and were accompanied by incentives.

There are some of the current Human Development Index during the mid term evaluation of the Tenth five year plan in relation to girl child as captured by Ministry of Women and the Child Development shows that the literacy rate is 53.67% of girls as compare to boys which is 72.26%. The gross drop out rates among the girls says that 34% are drop by the time when they reach class V. The major reason behind is the workload within and outside the house hold. The daughters are kept at home as because the social and economic value of the girl is not recognized.

In spite of all these programme there is less retention of girls after 11 years. As the girls reaches class V, they are drop out. There are innumerable reason behind it the common among is the distant of the school from the villages. The parents do not want to send their daughter to distant school. Besides, the adolescent girls are the helper at the household chores which prevent them from school going. The parent’s sensitivity towards the girl child education is less. It is more so a gender biasness were son is preferred more in going school as compared to girls leaving behind in home to do the house chores and looking after the siblings.

The voluntary organization and the non governmental organization has tried their level best to institutionalized the free education for girls in school, which had focused on the development programme by the government to increase the retention in school.

The alarming concern which had emerged in spite of all these programmes and initiatives is drop out. This drop out is due to early marriage. The parents prefer to marry of their daughter early so that they do not have to pay huge dowry even she is at 18 years of age. This had surely promoted child marriages but the reason behind is dowry. One of the voluntary organizations Jago Foundation at Giridih, Jharkhand is working on to stop the child marriages shows the different trends in drop out of girls. Mrs Kiran a women activist says that there is demand of more dowry when the girl is older so the parents prefer to marry off their daughter at low dowry in tender age of 12 years. She even narrated that qualified bride is low demand in the rural areas.

The second alarming reason of drop out is the girls eloping with their male friends. The society in which girls are kept in a close custody and small wrong doing by girl is considered as a big crime, elopements create tension among the parents. They think of the repute and honour in the village. This created the parents to stop sending their daughters to school after 11years. The parents raises question to Mrs Kiran that “on one hand you are asking girls to go school and then these girls run away why we will send them to school.” These are some of the queries which arise in the intervention area.
These are the new issues which were emerging in the area and of course Jago Foundation is deriving some strategy towards it. There is need to work in all level, the sensitization does not only include a particular group the parents for sending their daughter it also includes the adolescent groups who should put prior importance to education than falling into trap by elopement.
Above all the social issues still lies like poverty and dowry which are key instrumental in drop out from school. They threw girls into girl trafficking and maternal mortality death. How a society can create conducive environment to these girls. It should be the collective efforts from the entire stakeholder in the society who can provide secure environment for girl.

- Writer is a social worker.

|| State Congress leaders in a state of fear while sympathizers add fuel to Maoist fire! ||
Ranchi: The spokesperson of the banned CPI (Maoist) Gopal ji has sent a open letter of threat to the Congress leaders of Jharkhand to either stop the proceedings on the ‘Operation Green Hunt’ or resign from the basic membership of the Party else be prepared to face the consequences!

The Congress and the entire opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly raised this issue in the House and were personally assured by CM Shibu Soren that adequate security would be provided to all. The Congress leaders are a scared lot!

Shibu’s stand on the naxalite matter is an open secret and his confusing statements on the ‘Operation Green Hunt’ have not induced much of a confidence. Shibu says that the operation will progress as scheduled and in the same breath states that efforts would be made to bring the misguided youth to the main stream. He is also wary of the innocent tribals being victimized during such operations.

The fact is that the naxals are prepared for a dialogue on the matter with the government only on their terms, which has been out rightly rejected. The Maoists announced a 72 day truce also but the loot and plundering continue paying no heed to their Supremo’s words.

State Congress President Pradeep Balmuchu blames Shibu Soren’s confusing statements on the Green Hunt operation for the current situation. Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji of the banned Maoist Group had threatened to bring their offensives to the cities too and a couple of days later even send out threatening letters to the Congressmen. The CM instead of announcing the full fledged offensive is still continuing with his assurances only, lamented Balmuchu.

Meanwhile to add to the worries of the Congressmen, a group sympathizing with the Maoist Group has only added more fuel to the already ablaze issue. The Group calling itself ‘Anti Operation Green Hunt Citizens’ Forum’ has started raising its voice against the operation green hunt. Their stand is that is condemnable and dangerous and is bound to violate the Human Rights. This will be like waging a war on your own people and has to be stopped by all means. The Operation Lalgarh is an ideal example to support our view stated a Forum representative. The Forum demanded transparency in developmental works and ensure employment to the youth rather than resorting to violent methods. The Forum demanded scrapping of all MOUs for the various mega projects as it would only lead to land grabbing and displacement of the locals.

The convenor of the Forum Tridibh Ghosh said that the government’s unclear stand on the Operation Green Hunt has forced the Forum to stand by the side of Maoists against the Operation. We will continue with our demands for the suspension of the
Operation Green Hunt immediately. The Forum has a large number of intellectuals and social activists in its fold. Intellectuals of the like of Sten Swamy and Faisal Anurag were part of the Forum and expressed their reservations on the said operation.

To further add to the confusing statements of Shibu Suren, his Cabinet Minister Hemlal Murmu said that a new organization has arisen to protest the Operation Green Hunt and they are sitting on dharna outside the Vidan Sabha. The Forum has threatened to intensify its protests if the said operation was not withdrawn. We (Government) have to seriously give it a thought! He refused to elaborate on his comments.

|| Jharkhand Assembly adjourned without conducting any business ||

Ranchi: The entire opposition rose in unison demanding CBI inquiry into all the scams. They were also demanding investigations on the Tata Lease renewal and assets of all the previous CMs and the ministers since the formation of the State.

Uproarious scenes were witnessed immediately after Speaker C. P. Singh turned downed the demands of Pradeep Yadav, Samresh Singh, Binod Singh, Annapoorna Devi, Phool Chand Mandal, K. N. Tripathi and Nirbhay Shahbadi for adjournment motion. The members rushed to the well of the House and had heated exchange with the treasury bench. All efforts by the Speaker to pacify them proved to be futile.

Binod Singh quipped that even the Hon’ble High Court had remarked that it was ‘Ghotalakhand’ and not Jharkhand. Pradeep Yadav urged the Speaker to issue the directive for the CBI inquiry else the House would not be allowed to function. Opposition leader Rajendra Singh said that the demands were justified and there was no reason for the present government to shy away from it.

Amidst the disruptions, the House was adjourned four times before finally calling it a day.

Raghubar Das condemns opposition’s tactics

Deputy CMs Raghubar Das & Sudesh Mahto along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Hemlal Murmu addressed the media after the House was adjourned for the day. Raghubar Das said that the opposition was showing its true colors as they had no issues to raise in the House. He reiterated that he had no objection for CBI’s intervention in the ongoing cases and if the need is felt let the Centre or the High Court pass the directives for the same. He added that since the Koda scam had international connections even the Interpol should be roped in. He however stated that the Vigilance Department was doing its job efficiently and the scamsters were being exposed.

Hemlal Murmu said that the entire State was disappointed at the disruption of the question hour. Samresh Singh’s violent behavior was condemnable. The government was serious about curtailing corruption and the previous ministers including the former CM Madhu Koda were still languishing behind bars without getting bail. Our government wants to work in a positive direction but the opposition is preventing us from doing our job.

Daltonganj/Ranchi: The Main Branch of State Bank of India (SBI) at Kutchery in Daltonganj was practically reduced to ashes. Three fire tenders fought to bring the blazing inferno for hours but the end result was not too encouraging for the branch as it had been nearly powdered to Ashes by that time.

 

The State Bank of India (SBI) branch of Daltangunj in Palamu district of Jharkhand, about 195 km northwest of Ranchi, on Wednesday evening, March 10, 2010, has totally burned down due to suspect short circuit. The fire tenders were trying their best to extinguished the fire almost burned to ashes. Picture : Saiket Chatterjee (Palamu, Jharkhand).

According to eyewitnesses the fire broke out at the two ATMs of the Bank situated on the ground floor of the two storied building and spread to the main branch within minutes even before the alarm could be raised.

The entire cash amounting to lakhs of Rupees in the ATMs was burnt to ashes and the wooden furniture and interiors of the bank along with entire documents went up in the inferno. The only salvaging point was the strong vault containing the currency which seemingly was intact.

Though the exact amount of the loss could not be ascertained immediately, it is presumed that property and currency worth crores of Rupees had gone up in flames.

The surprising aspect however is that no Bank official was present at the site even hours after the news of fire broke out. Even the cell phones of the Bank District official were on switched off mode.

The police and the Fire department were busy ascertaining the cause behind the fire. Local politicians were busy making statements politicizing the incident. Some were seen mumbling that the entire operation was the handiwork of naxalites opposing the Operation Green Hunt. None of the allegations however were confirmed or ruled out.

Ranchi : Pradeep Jain ‘Aditya’, the union minister of state for rural development informed rajya sabha today that out of 1.04 lakh schemes sanctioned for rural drinking water supply in Jharkhand 486 werefor piped water supply. This is as per the on line reports received from the State government, he said. The minister was replying to Jharkhand’s rajya sabha member  Parimal Nathwani’s questions about rural development scenario in Jharkhand.

The minister further said that as per on line monitoring reports, the Government of Jharkhand had achieved 35.76 per cent sanitation coverage and 60 per cent of rural habitations had rural connectivity out of total number of habitations under rural road development plan.

Mr. Nathwani also asked as to what was the plan of government for improving the facilities in rural Jharkhand. Mr. Pradeep Jain ‘Aditya’ stated that improving facilities in rural areas of Jharkhand was a continuous process depending upon the resources available to the State. He also said that an amount of Rs. 623.12 Crore was released upto January 2010 to Jharkhand state to implement Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

Ranchi: The Vidan Sabha today resolved that a delegation of treasury & opposition MLAs would meet PM Manmohan Singh for raising the royalty money in mining projects. The issue was raised by Binod Singh who said that the royalty given to the State was far below the market rate and much lower than the one given to other States. Deputy CM Raghubar Das agreed with him and stated that the CM had personally briefed Dr. Manmohan Singh on the step motherly treatment to the State in the matter.

A proposal will be passed in this session of the Assembly itself and the members of the delegation finalized, added Raghubar Das.

During the question hour Dhullu Mahto raised the issue of regularization of BRP & CRP persons on merit. The entire opposition supported the demand to which Hemlal Murmu replied that since there was no such provision of providing reservation, the State will ensure that entrance exams are held simultaneously for BRPF & CRPF on the same merits.

The opposition raised the question of not including regional languages exam in the Matric level and as the minister had no plausible answer, the Speaker adjourned the question for reply tomorrow after the entire opposition created an uproar on the issue.

In another question by Geeta Koda on the issue of its own building for the Kolhan University in Chaibasa though 18 months have passed, Minister Hemlal Murmu answered that the land acquisition process was nearly complete and the work was expected to commence from April.

Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Sudesh Mahto announced that training centres would be set up at the division level itself to train aspiring sports persons. This will include Volley Ball Football, Swimming, Atheletics and Archery. The Minister was replying to a related question from Madhav Lal Singh

|| Extremists abduct manager of Construction Company while 40 dacoits on looting spree ||
Ranchi: Crime continues in the State unabated. Late Monday night nearly a dozen extremists claiming to be from Peoples War Group (PWG) abducted the Deputy Project Manager O. P. Singh of Gokul Krishna (G. K) Construction, from the construction site at Rampur- Kathitand, off NH-33 Ranchi Tata Highway, about 35 Kms from the Capital Ranchi.

G. K. Construction has been entrusted with the construction of 37 Km long Ring Road. The project is estimated to cost around Rs.470cr. The construction work is in full swing. O. P. Singh was supervising the work on Monday night when the extremists surrounded him at gun point and abducted him in his Bolero. After reaching the outskirts of the jungle area the extremists freed the driver and sent him back with a ransom demand of Rs.50cr for O. P. Singh’s release. Later, it was learnt that the extremists had reduced the ransom amount to Rs.25crAccording to latest reports available lat in the evening the abducted project manager Singh was freed from the clutches of the abductors by the Ranchi police team under SSP Praveen Kumar from the Taimara Ghati in Bundu area latye in the evening of Tuesday.

The unofficial reports say that the ransom negotiations had been fulfilled and the extremists released their victim thereafter.
The extremists had earlier, in December last, sent a letter to the Construction Company to give 10% of the project cost as levy to the PWG, the company however ignored the demand. Yesterday’s abduction is considered as PWG’s retaliation to press for their demand.

DIG R. K. Mallick and Hatia DSP Rajiv Ranjan reached the construction site and were inquiring into the matter. Combing operations put into force and according to the police the victim rescued safely.

In another incident 40 armed dacoits barged into the house of a businessman at around 11 in the night, near Muri in Tulin Namopara, 40Kms from Ranchi and looted the house of valuables worth lakhs of rupees. They bashed up the businessman and his 70 year old wife, resulting in severe injuries including broken bones. The dacoits ransacked the house for more than two hours without any hurry or interference. The businesman’s five sons were watching television in their rooms when the dacoits raided the house. All of them were in a state of shock and fear seeing the number and their arms. They did not dare to resist as they were being held at gun point.

The local MLANepal Mahto was informed about the incident in the night itself and till Tuesday afternoon was still awaiting his arrival.

The dacoits claimed that they were naxalites