Five days into yatra, 7 districts covered in West Bengal

6 October 2012

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Five days into yatra, 7 districts covered in West Bengal

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The Right to Food and Work Campaign in West Bengal is making progress by covering 7 districts already out of a total of 13 districts planned as part of the 15 day yatra.

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Purulia༯span>organized a meeting with the District Food Controller yesterday where apart from activists of Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity (PBKMS), Shramajivee Mahila Samity (SMS), New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI); Meher Engineer from Teachers and Scientists Against Maldevelopment and and Jiten Nandi from Manthan, were present in solidarity with the campaign. Local issues of irregular Vigilance and Monitoring Committee were raised, including a starvation death where a 60 year old died due to long term hunger in Hura Block in the district in September last year. The District Controller asked the campaigners to furnish all details, along with lists of persons who are living in similar conditions of hunger and starvation. The problem of shortage of Food Inspectors was also raised. At present, one Food Inspector is in charge of two blocks instead of 5 for every block as per allocation. This shortage was listed as an excuse for not able to address leakages in PDS. Apart from this meeting, the yatra travelled through the Purulia town.

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Mathurapur 1 and 2 blocks༯span>in༯b>South 24 Parganas district༯span>are being covered today as part of the yatra organized by Gosaba Anwesha for Science, PBKMS, SMS, NTUI, Sundarban Bonadihikar Sangram Committee and Udayani Social Action Forum. Meetings were held in weekly haats with traders and shopkeepers taking a lot of interest in the campaign. Infact, a lot of them came up, enquired and stressed the importance of organizing on these issues.

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An interesting story was reported yesterday from 4no. Shalikotha Gram Panchayat in Daton 1 block of Paschim Medinipur༯span>district, where a ration dealer tore one of the campaign posters which listed the demands in anger and resentment. Local villagers not just protested against his behavior and action but ensured that he pasted the poster back on the wall. This incident is an instance of interest on issues showed by people, the issues which the yatra has raised and its connection with the masses.ࠠ

Today, the yatra travelled through Badalpur and Dulapur Gram Panchayat in༯span>Contai 1 block of Purba Medinipore.

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Four Gram Panchayats in༯span>Chhatna Block of Bankura district, Arrah, Jirrah, Junjhka and Jamtora were covered and public meetings were held in several places.

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For more details, please contact:༯i>

Saradindu Biswasࠠࠠ࠼/i>

Ph: 9433342488  ࠦnbsp; ࠠ༯p>

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