Study on Closed and Re-opened Tea Gardens in North Bengal
By Anuradha Talwar, Debashish Chakraborty, Sarmishtha Biswas
This study, dated September 2005, was conducted in the wake of the crisis in the tea industry in the Doars between 2002-2004.
Contents: (1) Conditions in re-opened gardens - wages, ration, hours of work, occupational health and safety, drinking water, electricity, housing, transport for school-children, medical facilities, creches, maternity benefits, fringe benefits, latrines and urinals (2) Conditions in closed and abandoned gardens (3) Workers’ dues - tabled by tea estates, categorized under provident fund, gratuity, salary, and total dues (4) Opening agreements (5) Likely non-viability of plantations (6) Role of unions - CITU, UTUC, INTUC, WBTGEA (7) Role of government (8) Plantations Labour Act, 1951
Click here to read study on closed and re-opened ta gardens in North Bengal [PDF, English, 400 KB] »
ShramikShakti Newsletter - January-February 2008
Contents: (1) SEZs stopped in Goa (2) CPI(M) exults in the Nano (3) BJP in power in Gujrat and Himachal - effects on state and national politics (4) Dankuni - huge land acquisition plans (5) Civil society, Karl Marx, and the CPI(M) (6) Economic development and employment generation - a debate (part 2) (7) Vote-based front or unity of struggle? (8) Pollution of drinking water - in search of the source (9) Singur and the High Court verdict (10) Ganashakti’s hypocrisy (11) GM crops - agricultural science meet in Bolagarh (12) Bolagarh - lessons from the polls (13) Movement in Kandi - protests against corruption in public distribution system and cal for permanent flood resistance measures (14) Benazir’s death and contemporary Pakistan (15) HindMotors and the recent elections
Click here to read ShramikShakti January-February 2008 [PDF, Bengali, 612 KB] »
ShramikShakti Newsletter, December 2007
Contents: (1) Brutal assault on Adivasi tea-garden workers in Assam (2) The 29th November attack on Anti-Posco Movement (3) Buddha at it again - says he’s wrong (4) An interview with Avash Munshi of SSKU on the upcoming elections at Hindmotors (5) On Taslima Nasreen (6) Economic development and employment generation - a debate (7) Nandigram and the Nuclear Deal - an understanding between Congress and CPI(M) (8) Nandigram’s effect clear in Rail Union Elections (9) Cancel SEZ, Posco go back! - ShramikShakti’s interview of Abhay Sahu (10) Nandigram will hold its head high - an eye-wtiness report from the relief camps (11) CPI(M) attacks peaceful anti-acquisition rally in Birshibpur (12) Under U.S. supervision - whither Pakistan? (13) France - workers go on unprecedented strikes
Click here to read ShramikShakti, December 2007 [PDF, Bengali, 720 KB] »
Frontier archives at Sanhati
To access the archives, please go to http://sanhati.com/frontier_archives/
ShramikShakti Newsletter - November, 2007
Contents: (1) Nandigram is bloody once again (2) The Supreme Court on land acquisition in Punjab (3) Ration riots in West Bengal (4) Historic rally in Kolkata (5) Food Shortage in India and Genetically Modified Crops (6) Anti-SEZ convention in Kolkata arranged by the MKP - a report (7) Is Sensex growth an indicator of the country’s progress? (8) Maoists leave government in Nepal - which way now?
Click here to read ShramikShakti - November, 2007 [PDF, Bengali, 629 KB]»
ShramikShakti Newsletter - September, 2007 issue
ShramikShakti September 2007 issue covers pieces on : (1) NREGA struggles led by MKP in Aushgram, (2) Beating back Reliance Fresh, (3) the Chemical Hub at Nayachar and the Dow Chemicals nexus, (4) The Kalyani Industrial Area - revisting a disastrous industrial foray, (5) Bauria, Mathkal, Hindwar Industries Workers Movement, (6) The Indo-US Nuclear deal (7) MarichJhapi - the history that cannot be forgotten.
Click here to read ShramikShakti [PDF, Bengali, 2.5 MB] »
Singur - An update, post land-acquisition, from APDR and Manthan
August, 2007
This extensive fact-finding report on Dobadi village in Singur covers the following: (1) Dobadi before Tata’s fences came up (2) Dobadi after Tata’s fences came up, with details of Ruidaspara, Madhyapara, Beraberi Purbapara (3) Present economic condition of Khetmajoor by name, amount in debt, and amount of work available. APDR reports that one of its stated aims is to prevent another Amlashol in Singur.
Click here to read Manthan report [PDF, Bengali, 223KB] »
Click here to read APDR report [PDF, Bengali, 51KB] »
Click here to read report on Khetmajoor [PDF, Bengali, 105KB] »
Map of Dobadi [PDF, 84KB] »
Shilpayon - Rupkatha aar Bastob (Industrialisation - Fairytales and Reality)
By Dipanjan Rai Chaudhuri
This extensive analytical booklet covers the following - (1) A study of China and its economic liberalization post 1980, evaluated not by dollars invested but by the detailed statistics of jobs created (2) Popular resistance to growing inequality in China, and its effects (3) Tracing the history of SEZs in West Bengal, and its present state (4) An evaluation of the popular equation big capital investment = job creation in the light of Falta, Haldia Petrochemicals, and other examples (5) A summary of foreign capital in Latin America (6) Exploring job-creating industrialization and “alternatives” (a) The need for small industries (b) Who will take care of heavy industry? (c) The farmer forms the market (d) Not Fascist force, but working with the consent of the people.
Click here to read Shilpayon - Rupkatha aar Bastob [Bengali, PDF, 265 KB] »
Caterpillar and the Mahua Flower: Tremors in India’s Mining Fields
As multinational conglomerates walk away from Orissa and Chhattisgarh with state blessings to prospect for resources under the earth, the original custodians of the land, the Adivasis, find that their homes and livelihoods are being bulldozed to make way for industries. While the lavish lifestyles and expensive tastes of mining moguls is chronicled in minute detail, the struggle of the Adivasis seldom gets the attention it deserves. This book endeavors to illumine the dark corners of India’s mining corridor.
Contents : (1) Iron in the Soul - Roger Moody (2) “Agya, What do you mean by development?” - Felix Padel and Samarendra Bose (3) No Man’s Land - Alok Prakash Putul (4) Road to Perdition - Aman Sethi (5) The Base Alchemist - Roger Moddy (6) How Green was my Mountain - Neeraj Agarwal (7) Under a Black Sky - Ranjan K Panda (8) Forgeries in Steel : We also make Poverty - Ashly Hinmon (9) Never say DAE - Xavier Dias (10) Nero’s Children - Amit Raja, translated by Rahul Rajesh (11) Full Monty, Please! - Umesh Nazir, translated by Rahul Rajesh (12) Defying the Juggernaut - Bhigneswar Sahu (13) Fifth Columnists? - Kedar Mishra
Click here to read Caterpillar and the Mahua Flower [PDF, 849 KB] »
Shramikshakti Newsletter - Workers struggle in Sakrail, Gaurishankar Jute, Chadmoni - SEZ in Ranihati
This August, 2007 issue contains (1) an analysis of the Haldia elections (2) the proposed SEZ in Ranihati (3) struggle in National Jute Mill, Sakrail (4) struggle in Gaurishankar Jute Mill (5) Chadmoni Tea Gardens - an update (6) A stocktaking of the Hindmotors movement (7) the CPIM and Bidhan Chandra Ray (8) from Nandigram to Khammam (9) Taposi Malik and the CBI
Click here to read Shramikshakti [Bengali, PDF, 2.8 MB] »
Chronicles of a Struggle - Booklet on Kashipur, Kalinganagar - The tribal struggle for survival
By Achyut and Vidya Das. Courtesy : Agragamee
(1) The Kashipur anti-mining movement (2) Globalization and Genocide (3) Kalinganagar : a first impression report.
“This small booklet is an effort to highlight the courage and endurance of tribal people as they make desperate bids to survive against an inhuman paradigm of “globalisation”. We hope that a time wil come, in the near future, when ancient wisdom will once again be valued and we will learn to live together, and not on the destroyed and forgotten histories and identities of our brethren, the tribal people of this country.”
Click here to read Chronicles of a Struggle [English, PDF, 1.6 MB] »
BAOS issue 1 - Be Aware of Surroundings - A magazine by students
Shesh Abhibadan - by Raktim
Bhabte pari, kintu keno bhabbo - Rikrudro
Kabita Niye - Rikrudro
Duti Kabita - Samraggi
14th March, 2007 - Raj
Nandigram Fact-finding Report - Siddhartha
Anti SEZ movement in Raigarh - the Nandigram Effect - Sushovan
Amnesty International Statement on Jagatsinghpur - Siddhartha
Juddhokhetro theke - Sanmit
Bishwayon, Unnoyon, o Bamfront - Writwik
Orkut theke bolchhi - Sarosij
Click here to read BAOS, issue 1 [PDF, 3 MB]
Aneek March 2007 Issue
Kendriyo Budget 2006-2007 - Ratan Khasnabis
Uttar Pradeshe Agami Nirbachon - Hiranmoy Dhar
Haripurey Paramanu Bidyut Kendra - Mita Dutta
Iraq-er Por Iran? - Sucharita Sen
Protirodh - Kalinga Nagar - Basab Ghosh
Rajniti-te Younus - Badruddin Umar
Bhumi Sanskar Ain - Bargadar - Pranab De
Samsur Rahman - Jibon o Kabya - Iraban Basuray
Singur-Nandigram - Patrika, Boi, CD - Nilkantha Ray
Nandigram-er Abhigyata - Sumit Sinha
Sobsadhana/Bahiragata - Sankha Ghosh
Email: aneek64@gmail.com
Editors - Dipankar Chakraborty and Ratan Khasnabis. Address to send funds : Peoples Book Society, 12C Bankim Chatterjee Street, Calcutta 700073.
Address to send articles and letters : Dipankar Chakraborty, Shyam Bihar - Block 5, Flat 1D. Raghunathpur. Calcutta 700059. Phone : 2579-9666.
Office: 11, Raja Rammohan Sarani, Calcutta 700009. (Tuesday evenings 7 pm - 8:30 pm).
Click here to read Anik, March 2007 Issue [PDF, 7 MB]
Ekak Matra - Issue on Land Acquisition - November 2006
Kalponic Pujibadi Bikash Dharona - by Debdas Bandyopadhyay
Shashok Bamponthider Gramin Bhitti Dhoni Chashi - by Debabrata Bandyopadhyay
Sapto Purush Jethay Manush - by Goutam Ray
Roilo Patit Abad Korle… - Achin Chakraborty
Ak Sorkari Krishok Netar Shonge Singur Niye Sanlap - by Subhendu Dasgupta
Silpayon O Bamponthar Sankat - by Ratan Khashnabis
Parinati Ki JatiyotaPanthi Samajbaad - by Sarbajit Sengupta
Uchhed Michhil - by Soumen Nag
Click here to read Ekak Matra [PDF, 29 pages]
Email: ekakmatra@yahoo.com
Editor : Anindya Bhattacharya. Letters and Contact : A E-520, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700064. Phone : 2359-8162, 98302-36076, 2402-8091. Direct Contact : Asis Das, 150 Muktarambabu Street, Kolkata 07. Phone : 98304-93239.
Manthan - April 2007 Issue on land acquisition issues throughout Bengal
Nandigram articles : Osmanchok theke Meyera Bolchhi - voices of female resistance fighters. Arai Masher Juddho - A microscopic look at events and dates as they unfolded. Jokhon Somaj Uthey Dariyechhe Protirodhe - an intimate look at the resistance. Nandigramer Nijosyo Silpayoner Itihas - a detailed look at local industry. Tebhagar Nandigram - A Political History of Nandigram in the 1940s. Singur o Nandigram - Citizens Committee Report
Haldia and Haripur Articles : Silponagori Haldia, Aktukro Abhigyata. Haripur Abong Paramanu Bidyut Kendra , A detailed timeline of Haripur Resistance.
Analytical Articles and International Affairs: - Silper Jonyo Krishijomi Adhigrohon Bishoye interactive session by Ashoke Sen, Indian Radical Humanist Association. Dakhal Andolon - A look at Iraq and Argentina in the background of imperialism. Seattle Byarthota - on the WTO protests in Seattle, 1999.
Click Here to Download Issue [PDF, 57 pages]
Petition from Little Magazine Somonnoy (group of more than 150 little magazines from Bengal)
This is to share our concern with you over the developments happening in this state in the name of industrialization, resulting in massive land-grabbing and eviction of farmers from the fertile lands. Especially, the murders at Singur and the genocide at Nandigram have broken our hearts and made us panic-stricken. We vehemently condemn these incidents and demand for severe punishment of the culprits. We would request you to intervene at your capacity, at the most, to book these murderers so that such incidents never occur in future.
But, Is It “Development”? This ‘Development’ & “SHILPAYAN” Drive of The CPI(M) Led Govt In Singur, Bangur etc
By S. Das , For A Proletarian Party Journal
Here we want to discuss the very question of Development as being proposed by them for WB from revolutionary proletarian perspective. Though ‘development’ in general as propounded by the Indian bourgeoisie, the govt at the centre and those in the states, and parties like the CPI (M), is an important subject to confront, and an urgent one, to save time and space we’ll only probe the issue partially. Next we shall see what is development in proper that the people needs.
Report on Nandigram from Manthan Samayiki - Bengali little magazine
We, associated with a Bengali bi-monthly little magazine, ‘Manthan Samayiki’, went Nandigram three times during January to March. Being the residents of Metiabruj in Kolkata, we are neighbored by the people involved in garment industry, a community-based industry of muslim bengalees. Thousands of male villagers (about seventy-five thousand, according to Morsalin Molla, MLA, Mahestala, South 24 Parganas) from Nandigram block stay in Metiabruz and around temporarily for working in the community garment industry. We went Nandigram each time along with these people. We visited there on 18th January, 17-18 March and 27-29 March 2007. We travelled within Nandigram by bicycles and van-rickshaw.