Mangalore: CITU opposes Beedi Industry bundh

Mangalorean.com

May 8 2007

Mangalore: CITU opposes Beedi Industry bundh

Mangalore, May 7: The South Kanara Beedi Workers’ Federation, a unit of CITU, has stated that the Industry Bundh declared by the Beedi Manufactures to be observed from May 5 to 11, is unilateral and illegal, and demanded that the same be withdrawn forthwith. It has demanded of the managements to pay full wages to Beedi workers for the days of closure informed All India Beedi Workers’ Federation Working President B Madhava.

Addressing newspersons on Monday he said that Tapan Sen, one of the All India Secretaries of CITU, has already introduced a Private Member’s bill in the Rajya Sabha to amend Clauses 6 to 11 of the Cigarettes and other Tobacco products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act 2003 so as to exclude Beedi from the purview of the said Act.

CITU is making every effort to gain support of MPs for the adoption of this bill in Parliament. Pressures are also being mounted on the Central Government in this regard. There is danger to the Beedi Industry if the pictorial depiction of skull, cross bones and dead body are to be printed on the label of beedies. This will endanger the jobs and lives of about 80 lakh beedi workers all over the country. But the Beedi Managements’ unilateral decision to stop production of beedies for 7 days and throw the workers to unemployment and starvation is not the solution to this problem, he added.

He also said that CITU is equally interested as the managements in saving the beedi industry. CITU is fighting on all fronts to protect the source of living of 80 lakhs of Beedi workers. But we assert that it is the inalienable right of the trade unions to conduct agitations of the workers. CITU is opposed to the efforts beedi managements to snatch away the rights and discretion of trade unions by closing down the industry at their will and then seeking the support of the workers. S.K. Beedi Workers’ Federation(CITU) has decided to organize protests before Beedi Managements’ Depots from 8th May throughout the district on demanding immediate resumption of production and payment of wages to the workers for the days on which they have not been given work.

South Kanara Beedi Workers’ Federation(CITU) Secretary Sukumar Thokkottu, President J Balakrishna Shetty and Vasath Achary were present at the press meet

online availble at - http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=43231

Domestic Violence on Women

Indepth op-ed in Jansatta National News Paper

April, 2007

Domestic Violence on Women

Tobacco Smoke is Harmful

Tobacco Smoke is Harmful

Article Published in Swatantra Varta, Andhra Pradesh's largest serculated Hindi news paper

Happy Times at last for Karnataka tobacco farmers

Newindpress.com

Sunday May 6 2007

News- Happy Times at last for Karnataka tobacco farmers

MYSORE: Karnataka's tobacco growers were a happy lot this year and were laughing their way to the bank after realising an all time high average price for their produce, better known as 'Mysore Virginia', in spite of the World Health Organisation's (WHO) pressure on India to discourage tobacco cultivation.

The tobacco farmers of the state had repeatedly suffered due to poor price and excess National production year after year, but this year their fortunes had taken a different turn. More than 90 per cent of tobacco grown in Karnataka was produced in Mysore district due to its conducive climate.

The decline in the global tobacco production, mainly in Zimbabwe and Brazil, had forced international cigarette manufacturers to make a beeline for the eight tobacco auction platforms in the state during 2006-07 and vie with each other for the Virginia flue cured (VFC) variety of tobacco.

Tobacco board officials told UNI that as much as 96.98 million kg of tobacco was sold during the year, with farmers realising an average price of Rs 55.94 a kg.The state tobacco growers have sold tobacco at a record price of Rs 542.56 crore this year.Not only had the quantum of tobacco transacted created a record, but also the average price per kg realised.

Farmers' fears that the price would plummet on account of record production remained unfounded as they commanded a good price.During 2005-2006, 82.91 million kg of tobacco was sold at an average price of Rs 48.06 a kg, realising Rs 398.48 crore in all the three varieties of tobacco - bright, medium and low grade which commanded a good price this year.

The bright variety, which accounted for 33.24 million kg at 34.28 per cent of the produce, was transacted at an average price of Rs 65.33 a kg.The medium variety, which accounted for 40.06 million kg at 41.31 per cent, realised an average price of Rs 57.23 a kg and the low grade variety accounted for 23.67 million at Rs 40.58 a kg.The officials said healthy price realisation for tobacco in Karnataka was mainly due to the decline in production in Zimbabwe and Brazil.

The political instability in Zimbabwe was also one of the reasons for the slump in production, which had created a good demand for Indian tobacco.Though Indian tobacco was generally used as neutral fillers to be added to the volume of tobacco in cigarettes, the low nicotine content in tobacco grown in the Mysore region made it attractive for the global cigarette manufacturers.An estimated 42,000 farmers in Karnataka, concentrated in Hunsur, Periyapatna and H D Kote taluks in Mysore district, cultivate tobacco in around 80,000 hectares of land, which was largely rain-fed area.India, a signatory to the framework convention on tobacco control sponsored by the WHO, was encouraging farmers to switch over to alternative commercial crops, but the question whether farmers would give up such a lucrative crop remains to be seen.

It sought to gradually eliminate tobacco consumption that claimed ten million lives every year, by 2020.Karnataka VFC Tobacco Growers’ Association president Jaware Gowda, also a member of the tobacco board, attributed the good socio-economic condition of the farmers of the region primarily to the tobacco crop.

'There is no viable alternative to tobacco, he claimed. Meanwhile, the association strongly opposed the state government's proposal to impose value added tax (VAT) on tobacco in the state.Gowda contended that tobacco was produced at the farm level and was not a finished product.''Any move to introduce vat on tobacco would reflect on the tobacco price and the brand image of 'Mysore tobacco'' would take a beating in the international market,'' he added.

online available at- http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEK20070506033024&Page=K&Title=Southern+News+-+Karnataka&Topic=0

Indo-Pak peace while chewing tobacco

May 5, 2007 posted by indiatime

News- Indo-Pak peace while chewing tobacco

New allegations are coming to light on the business connections of some of India’s richest business tycoons to Dawood Ibrahim’s organization. India’s first Maybach owner and the Gutkha King Rasiklal Dhariwal, and his one-time partner Jagdish Joshi are once again in the limelight, and are now said to be targets of a joint investigation by the Scotland Yard and the CBI.
Previously, both Dhariwal and Joshi, the so-called Gutkha (chewing tobacco) kings of India, were implicated in helping India’s most wanted Dunai-based crime don Dawood, to set up shop in Pakistan. More information is now about to come out as both Dhariwal and Joshi are at each other’s throats, and probably about to spill a lot more tobacco.

Dhariwal’s daughter Janhavi, who got India’s first Maybach as a 21st birthday present from her Gutkha tycoon dad is also being investigated for business irregularities.

The gutkha kings’ tobacco adventure is one of the first Indo-Pak joint business ventures. And with financiers like Dawood Ibrahim backing up the collaboration, there is no shortage of funds. With tobacco connoisseurs on both sides of the border willing to sacrifice and bet their health, the chewing tobacco may be the glue that finally brings the subcontinent together.

The armies on both sides can now safely tuck away their guns, bombs and missiles, and open up their tobacco satchels. India and Pakistan, once blood brothers, will now become spit-brothers, thanks to Dawood and his friends in Pakistan, and the Maybach-driving tobacco barons of India.

online available at- http://www.indiatime.com/2007/05/05/indopak-peace-while-chewing-tobacco/

India on course to become fifth largest market by 2025

May 4 2007

New Delhi

News- India on course to become fifth largest market by 2025

May 04, 2007 04:43 ISTIndia will pole-vault into the premier league of the world's consumer markets by 2025, according to a study by the McKinsey Global Institute, if it sustains and accelerates economic growth.

From the current 12th rank, the study predicts that India's market will be the world's fifth largest, surpassing Germany.
By then, the middle class will have grown almost 12 times, from 50 million today to 583 million. Over 23 million Indians -- more than the population of Australia today -- will number among the country's wealthiest citizens.

At the same time, overall economic growth will benefit India's poorest people, with the deprived segment dropping from 54 per cent of the population in 2005 to 22 per cent by 2025.

The report says a further 291 million people will move out of poverty during a period when 322 million people will be added to the country's population. In effect, India will have 465 million fewer poor people by 2025 than if the poverty rate remains at 2005 levels.

Titled "The 'Bird of Gold': The rise of India's consumer market", the study, conducted over a year, says, "The combination of rapidly rising household incomes and a robustly growing population will lead to a striking increase in overall consumer spending."

The study forecasts that aggregate consumption in India will grow fourfold in real terms, from Rs 17 trillion at present to Rs 70 trillion by 2025.
The study is predicated on India's real GDP growth ranging between 6 per cent and 9 per cent a year over the next two decades.

"Our base case assumes real compound annual growth of 7.3 per cent in the 2005-2025 period, a marked acceleration from the 6 per cent growth of the previous two decades," says the report.
It adds, "This optimism is justified because of the substantial scope for continued productivity increases in Indian businesses, the growing openness and competitiveness of the Indian economy, and favourable demographic trends."

If India achieves this growth path over the next two decades, Indian income levels will almost triple.

As Indians graduate to a better lifestyle, the study predicts that expenditure on foods, beverage and tobacco will see a remarkable drop as a proportion to overall expenditure by 2025. Though FB&T will still be the biggest category, its share will have dropped from 42 per cent to 25 per cent.
Interestingly, communications, which accounts for only 2 per cent of spending today, will be one of the fastest expanding categories with growth of over 13 per cent a year.

However, the booming consumption and the size of India's market will still be tied closely to its large population. On a per capita basis, real spending will remain modest at Rs 48,632 in 2025 -- although this will still represent a tripling from current levels

online available at- http://inhome.rediff.com/money/2007/may/04india.htm

HIV TEST-The bigger picture

Deccan Herald
Bangalore, Karnataka
3 May 2007

HIV TEST
The bigger picture

By Bobby Ramakant

[The test must be part of a comprehensive rehabilitation strategy].

Karnataka has proposed mandatory HIV test for couples. Another state Andhra Pradesh favoured mandatory HIV test before marriage. Goa too proposed the testing ‘by law’ in April 2006. But will this mandatory test alone check new HIV infections? Public health experts disagree. "We need to create an awareness about HIV, and the stigma associated with HIV, especially the stigma within healthcare which keeps people away from accessing these services (which often help to extend one’s life and contribute towards prevention of the disease), strengthen primary healthcare services and enhance sensitivity to issues of confidentiality and the dignity of life of those living with HIV," said health rights' advocate Jashodhara Dasgupta of Sahayog.

We have not been thinking of prevention/treatment in its entirety. States are seen to be promoting HIV prevention strategies completely ignoring the treatment, care and support provisions for people living with HIV.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy said last month: "I fail to understand the reasons behind the objections raised by some human rights activists on the government's initiative for making HIV/AIDS tests mandatory for couples before marriage."

What human rights' advocates would like to tell Dr Reddy is that the impact of HIV positive diagnosis on an individual's life is enormous. The combination of stigma, discrimination and denial associated with HIV, thwarts an individual's life in a myriad ways. What are the plans for people who test HIV positive? Will they have to face life without even access to primary healthcare services? In violation of NACO's (National AIDS Control Organisation) confidentiality guidelines, the HIV positive status becomes public knowledge in communities of the would-be bride and groom. Are we prepared to meet the healthcare needs of people who test positive, and ensure that they will not be forced to lead a life adversely hit by HIV-associated stigmas, discrimination and denial?

A United Nation's Programme official has said that Karnataka should think about the issue again as mandatory HIV testing will prove to be counter-productive. It not only violates privacy but also affects the entire family with a stigma tag, and 'tends to create a blackmarket in false HIV test results'.

Senior Advocate Colin Gonzalves said that "any mandatory testing is wrong. Couples should rather be counselled and educated. If they want to get a testing done by choice after that, it's their business. But a mandatory test can't be imposed on them".

NACO guidelines say that "testing for HIV is more than merely biological for it involves ethical, human and legal dimensions. The government feels that there is no public health rationale for mandatory testing of a person for HIV/AIDS. On the other hand, such an approach can be counter productive as it may scare a large number of suspected cases from being detected." The HIV test alone will not result in behavioural changes. It should be a part of a comprehensive control programme which helps in the individual’s behaviour.

Providing social support, means and skills to reduce or eliminate risk behaviour. NACO official further adds that "Otherwise such testing can drive the target people underground and make it more difficult for launching intervention." As access to antiretroviral treatment is scaled up, there is a critical opportunity to simultaneously expand access to HIV prevention, which continues to be the mainstay of the response to the HIV epidemic. Without effective HIV prevention, there will be an ever increasing number of people who will require HIV treatment. Among the interventions which play a pivotal role both in treatment and in prevention, HIV testing and counselling stands out as paramount. The current reach of HIV testing services remains poor. The reality is that stigma and discrimination continue to stop people from having an HIV test. To address this, the cornerstones of HIV testing scale-up must include improved protection from stigma and discrimination especially within healthcare settings, as well as assured access to integrated prevention, treatment and care services. Just earlier this month, a pregnant woman with HIV died after being denied medical attention in Indore . Undoubtedly public health strategies and human rights promotion are mutually reinforcing. It is clear that India has a long way to go before we have a public health system strong enough to deliver effective healthcare to most underserved communities. And mandatory HIV testing alone is certainly not the short-cut.

(The author is a senior health and development journalist writing for newspapers in Asia, Middle East and Africa

online available at - http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/may32007/panorama21333200752.asp