Poor Deprived of benefits of "Project for Poor"

About 210 families living on the banks of Gomti river near Daliganj bridge on the Mankameshwar temple side are facing eviction again. On 11th December, 2008 three buldozers of Nagar Nigam demolished whatever skeletal structure they have in the name of covering their head. The district level officials like DM and SSP told us they were Bangladeshis. We conducted a survey and showed that out of about 210 families 200 were from different districts of UP. (The detailed survey and copies of their ration cards are available with us).

We requested the DM to provide them houses under the Kanshiram Urban Poor Housing Scheme. The ADM Om Pathak agrees that these families belong to the BPL (Below Poverty Line) category but since they have APL (Above Poverty Line) cards they are likely to be disqualified for this scheme. The authorities agreed to provide them houses under the Central government scheme Basic Services for the Urban Poor under which the poor have to bear 10% of the cost. These families have also started collecting Rs. 20 per day to save the Rs. 16,000 that they'll be required to pay for this purpose.

But today the bulldozers of Nagar Nigam have arrived at the Basti once again. These families are likely to be evicted. The only question that we want to ask is where are the Kanshiram Houses to be constructed under 'Manyavar Kanshi Ram Shehari Awas Yojana' for the poor and who are they meant for if not the real poor?

It may be recalled that 'Manyavar Kanshi Ram Shehri Awas Yojana' the scheme was launched by Ms. Mayawati, Chief Minister of Ttar Pradesh, which envisages building one lakh (1,00,000) houses every year for economically weaker sections of the society over the next five years

S.R. Darapuri, +91 9415164845
Sandeep Pandey, +91 0522 2347365
Asha Parivar and National Alliance of People's Movements

Do voice your concern and send email to ashaashram@yahoo.com

Cyberly Yours…

by Sharon Dell

Social networking is the meeting of people of different cultures and views, whether the persons are there to interact on an intellectual or personal level or to make people aware of their talents, for business or the pleasure of another persons company does not really matter. In the end we find all levels of interaction whether we set out to in the beginning or not.

It is Social Networking on the internet which draws so many different people from all countries across the world so that we are able to experience things we would not have normally dreamed of in the course of everyday activities. Some are there to further their business contacts and further their careers on the other hand there are those people who for one reason or another have been isolated at one time or another and the internet social network is the one way of communication without having to leave your home or workplace. Some people are unable to leave home due to illness or disabilities. This is why social networking is such a brilliant idea.

We can learn so much about each other from networking and many friendships are made through the joining of groups and other activities online. It's surprising how many people you can find with similar interests. Even groups that have the most silly of titles and reasons for being formed can be the catalyst for life long friendships if you are willing to take a chance. People of all ages are on the internet social network, some fall in love and find life time partners. I guess it has become the new way of introducing yourself to people.

Of course there is a down side, as with everything Social Networking is not without fault. Anyone online will tell you that there is a risk involved that you will be talking to people who are not presenting themselves as the identity you are thinking you are involving yourself with. Those who offer you a false identity are in most cases hiding because they have plans to prey on others. These are people who are unable to show themselves because they hide from what is considered unacceptable behaviour by others in society.. some may only hide to protect themselves or family from public persecution, on the other hand those who offer false identity are as a general rule considering doing things which are hurtful to others, in a lot of cases they are scheming and scamming people into believing untruths so that they can obtain personal gain that is monetary in a lot of cases. There are those who are preying on people who lack confidence and are considered weak or easy prey to these unscrupulous people. They are there to take advantage of those who are lonely and looking for love, those so desperate for affection that they listen to people who are unkind and foul of character. These undesirables take advantage of those weaker then themselves and those willing to do anything to maintain any form of relationship.

Some in the Social Networking are there neither for self gratification nor for the good of others nor for the good of society. These people find out what they can about others so as to gain entry into the other person’s personal data, to take money or take peoples identities, or to simply gain the pleasure of mentally abusing another person - they play mind games for their own sick pleasures.

As a whole though I feel there is a greater positive side to the Social Networking scene. The thing that I have found most memorable has been meeting people and maintaining a close friendship with them. I have met some wonderful ladies online who had we been in the same country or state would have done some really fun and memorable things together. I have met one young woman in particular who is in the throws of a final stage of pregnancy and is going to lose this baby more then likely through an extremely rare disease that will more then likely take her baby not long after it is born. This young woman has shown strength and courage in the face of adversity and has remained a loving and caring person even though there are people who wish to cause her harm for her thoughts. She is an inspiring person. I am pleased to have found that though I have met people of different religious and cultural backgrounds and that I have learnt from these experiences and found that which I already knew, which is, that we are all different on the outside but that on the Social Networking scene we all share a common factor in that we are all looking to live, love and laugh not matter who we are.

All this said there has been one experience which also cost me some dear friends that I had made and hurt me deeply. Some unscrupulous person hacked into a site I had and caused me great grief interfering with things that i was doing and saying causing me to leave the site. I was lucky in that my family and friends were not hurt in a physical way but it left me with a sour taste in my mouth and took me a long time to feel secure again on the internet. We all have to be aware that there are people who wish to make malicious mischief on the internet but it is hoped that you will not have to experience the torment of this.

All this aside I still believe that Social Networking is a key to our future , a cornerstone we should use to build upon in the future whether you use it for social benefits , business or furthering your public standing, or to help put a message across to help change the way people approach the way they think.