Monday, December 8, 2014

Navi Mumbai Sand Mining Vs Aawaaz Foundation



Times of India

 
 



Navi Mumbai


Illegal sand mining seen in places beyond Navi Mumbai

Vijay Singh,TNN | Jun 15, 2014, 12.49 AM IST



NAVI MUMBAI: After the raid by the Navi Mumbai police last week on illegal sand mining, in which five barges were seized and 18 persons arrested, environmentalists have noticed heightened sand mining and dredging operations in neighbouring areas of the city.



"While we appreciate the quick response shown by the Navi Mumbai police last week, we have now learnt that the action has shifted to other coastal areas in Raigad and Thane rural to avoid similar raids," said Sumaira Abdulali of the NGO Awaaz Foundation. 


Awaaz Foundation was the main petitioner in the case against illegal sand mining in the National Green Tribunal, which had recently issued its final order banning the use of heavy-duty machines to dredge or mine sand. 


"On June 10, we noticed the use of suction pumps in the Vasai creek in Thane (rural). We have gathered that illegal sand mining is still taking place in parts of Raigad, such as Roha and Mahad. What we need is that the concerned authorities must regularly patrol the coastal areas to stop this rampant degradation of wetlands," said Abdulali. 


She has now complained to the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority and also the Maharashtra Maritime Board, Navi Mumbai, about this issue and urged them to take immediate action. 


"I have also mentioned in my complaint that several trucks were seen ferrying the sand from CRZ areas after 6pm, which is again a violation of the court orders," Abdulali stated in her formal complaint. 


Awaaz Foundation has urged for a similar confiscation of boats and suction pumps, as was done in Navi Mumbai recently. 


Meanwhile, this Wednesday the state revenue minister, Balasaheb Thorat, said in the legislative assembly, that a bar-coding system will be implemented all over the state to check illegal sand mining. 


Now, only the Pune and Solapur use the bar-code system to keep a track of where the sand supplies are coming from. The bar-coded slips even have the details of the truck or tempo drivers ferrying the sand. 


However, environmentalists feel that beside such technical implementations, manual and regular checks in coastal areas are the most effective way to stop the brazen degradation of nature. 

Staying safe in conflict zones

http://www.awaaz.org/Awaaz_Foundation/Sand_mining_Press_coverage/Entries/2014/6/19_Staying_safe_in_conflict_zones__advice_from_women_social_entrepreneurs.html

Staying safe in conflict zones: advice from women social entrepreneurs

Ashoka fellows leading social change in troubled areas talk about how they protect themselves and stay strong for their team


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  3. 5Meera Vijayann 

  4. Meera Vijayann is communications manager Ashoka India and writes on social enterprise, gender and development.

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Human rights defender Sumaira Abdulali has been physically assaulted while fighting for the rights of young sand miners in Mumbai Photograph: Awaaz Foundation

Few will remember the death of Pakistani activist and social entrepreneur Fareeda "Kokikhel" Afridi. Shot dead by extremists on her way to work, Afridi was the founder of Sawera (Society for Appraisal and Women Empowerment in Rural Areas) in a tribal region in Pakistan's far-flung northwest hinterland.

Her work, like that of many other women social entrepreneursin such areas, is phenomenal, yet threats and violent attacks are often the daily reality of working life, says leading human rights defender Hasina Kharbhih.

As the founder of Impulse Social Enterprises and Impulse NGO Network, which provides livelihood opportunities for vulnerable communities affected by human trafficking in North-East India, she has faced several death threats and has been assaulted in front of a local court when fighting a case.

She has developed the "Meghalaya Model" (or Impulse Model), which has helped change the lives of more than 20,000 local women artisans. But keeping an organisation thriving in such conditions can be a monumental task.

Staying strong

"It's very psychologically draining when you have to go through a phase where you are being threatened," she says, "but the other issue is that, when you are running an institution, you have to build a psychological frame that tells your team that things are going to be OK. If I become weakened in the process, the team will collapse or the institution will collapse."

In North-east India, political instability has worsened the problem of human trafficking, which leaves marginalised communities feeling powerless as they struggle in the prevailing system. Building a strong support network with agencies, community bodies and the police in cases of emergency, is mandatory for any social entrepreneur working in these fragile areas, says Kharbhih.

The relentless pursuit of justice has often left many disillusioned in several developing countries, particularly in the South Asian region. Facing fundamentalist forces, religious conservatism or being arrested under false pretences when fighting those in power can feel both defeating and fruitless, but Kharbhih offers some advice for others in this situation.

Know your rights

"When these kinds of attacks happen and when its starts affecting your personal life, many tend to give up. But knowing the law in the area you are based can be very helpful," she says.

It is crucial for social entrepreneurs, especially women working in dangerous areas of oppression and conflict, to learn their rights, legal provisions and equip themselves with all the legal knowledge necessary to ensure their safety, says the social entrepreneur.

"This is very critical," she says, "When you know the law, you can actually stand up for yourself even if the whole system is going against you. You will still have massive support from across the world because they know what you are doing is legally right."

She has successfully sought help and support from organisations like the Asian Human Rights Commission in Hong Kong, Front Line Defenders and BHRPC (Barak Human Rights Protection Committee).

Sumaira Abdulali, founder of the Awaaz Foundation, agrees: having worked in the environmental sector in India for more than 10 years, particularly against illegal sand mining, bio-diversity threats and pollution, she has faced physical assault during mining inspections.

She also says that maintaining transparency is key to establishing one's integrity and self-protection. "I think one mistake activists or women social entrepreneurs make, in general, is that they tend to work in a secretive manner and no one knows what they are doing," she suggests. "The truth is, letting the outside world know – the public and the press, is a safety mechanism in itself."

Abdulali says that when she ventures into hostile zones she always informs her lawyer and makes sure she is accompanied by a trustworthy person within the community or support network.

At Ashoka, we are proud to work with women like Abdulali and Kharbhih who are bravely venturing into areas that are unfamiliar and using the necessary levers within a system to successfully bring about change. They are creating a safer path for those who wish to follow in their impressive footsteps.


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Sunday, December 7, 2014

Pune Sand Barcode System

Written by Nisha Nambiar | Pune | Posted: May 22, 2014 3:50 am

Pune division will soon emulate the Solapur model of barcoding system that aims to check illegal sand mining. The authorities will issue a barcoded slip to the driver ferrying sand and track the vehicle from the loading spot to the delivery point. The system will be followed in all districts in the division, which reports cases of illegal sand mining on a regular basis.

Pune Divisional Commissioner Prabhakar Deshmukh said such a system would help curtail all malpractices. "The Solapur model has been successful and the collector has been able to deliver results since the system was put in place. We should be able to replicate the same in all districts in the division," he said.

The Solapur model has a control room at the place where sand is loaded and the barcoded slips issued by it have all details of the drivers.

Solapur District Collector Dr Praveen Gedam, who has implemented the system, said he had been able to take action on illegal sand ferrying. "The system has worked well and things have streamlined. At least 598 cases have been registered against those deviating from the route — the highest in the state. Moreover, I have been able to achieve much more than my target for sand auction. In 2012-13, the revenue garnered was Rs 21.8 crore while this financial year I have been able to achieve Rs 78.08 crore, much more than my target of Rs 50 crore," said Gedam.

While Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat had proposed to have the tracking system at all toll plazas in the state to check illegal sand mining, the Solapur model has given route-wise mapping and can be entirely monitored by the control room. The barcode receipts will have an invoice number that will help track the driver better.

Even though stringent laws are in place to curb illegal sand mining, they are frequently violated. There have been allegations that workers from political parties intervene after a truck with illegally mined sand is caught by the police.

In Pune district, there were 435 cases of illegal sand mining and 573 cases of illegal transportation registered last year. Officials said the tracking system would be rolled out soon in the district.

- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/now-tracking-system-to-check-illegal-mining-in-pune-division/#sthash.N4JPsS0y.dpuf

Bar Code System - Revenue Minister Statement



Barcoding to be implemented all over Maharashtra to check illegal sand mining

PTI Jun 11, 2014, 05.09PM IST
(The system will be followed…)

MUMBAI: The barcoding system to check illegal sand mining which was implemented in Pune division and Solapur would be extended all over the state, Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat said in the Legislative Assembly today.

The state revenue increased multifold after illegal sand mining was kept in check in these two areas, Thorat said during the Question Hour.


The barcoded slips have all details of the drivers. Authorities issue a barcoded slip to the driver ferrying sand and track the vehicle from the loading spot to the delivery point.

The system will be followed all over the state, especially in areas which report cases of illegal sand mining on a regular basis, he said.

In Solapur, CCTVs are installed at places of sand mining and the barcode is attached to the server and minute-to-minute updates are received on mobile phone, he said.

Bar code receipts have invoice number that help track the driver better, he said. PTI MR GK PTP 06111639 NNNN