Environmental, Social Justice & Governance Initiatives
A crisis of hunger, and consequent malnutrition, is growing within the Covid-19 pandemic. Even as vulnerable communities were trying to recover from the economic hardships of last year’s lockdown, countless families now find themselves exhausting whatever meager savings they had on food. And they have run out of money already.
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Environment Support Group invites you to participate in a conversation with Dr. Kashinath Dixit, an Endocrinologist who has worked for decades in the United Kingdom and been closely involved in responding to the COVID waves that affected the region. He is now also helping a variety of vulnerable communities across India to take precautions, stay healthy and recover from the disease
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This year, as the lockdown is extended and cases are on the rise, these communities rely on our support so they can nourish themselves and stay healthy.
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Over the past year he has saved hundreds from COVID. As the line of patients grew long in his clinic, Tekur stayed, from morning till the last patient got the care. Often I would argue with him- when he regularly went home at 4 or 5 pm to have lunch – what he was doing as unacceptable. He would laugh it off.
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The rise in these two NCDs is largely attributed to degradation of our ecosystems due to urban proliferation with decreasing open green spaces, change in lifestyle over the years driven by the nerve-wracking GDP based economic engines, and socio-cultural changes, with a host of other factors contributing to these conditions.
Bengaluru’s ecosystem once comprised of open green spaces such as parks, urban forests, lakes and open public spaces. Such spaces help reduce temperature, improve air quality, cut noise, and provide space for physical activities such as walking, cycling, playing, exercising that help reduce the burden of these NCDs.
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There have been innumerable efforts in the past by civil society, trade unions, academia, public health experts and others who repeatedly stressed the crucial importance of strengthening local governance as key to mitigating and managing problems. These efforts have reached various High Courts and the Supreme Court too as Public Interest Litigations, trying to make local governance work. But the hubristic reliance and faith in centralised management has been such that even court orders directing public involvement in decision-making have all been disregarded. The whims and fancies of a few in power have prevailed with technology-based solutions for the pandemic.
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View Full Conference Report Report of Press Conference held via Zoom on 6th May 2021, 3 pm Opening the press conference, Ms. Bhargavi Rao, Trustee of Environment Support Group noted “We have lost so many of our loved ones, not so much because of the virus as because of malgovernance.” She drew particular attention to the unnecessary deaths that happened in Gulbarga and Chamrajnagar due to the appalling lack of oxygen in hospitals. She pointed out that at
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We also draw your attention to urgent steps needed to address sufferings of those reeling under COVID.
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The entire world has been afflicted with COVID. But nowhere has a landfill been used to cremate loved ones. We must all work together to ensure there is dignity and grace in conducting final rites of the unfortunate departed, and in a place appropriate for such terribly sad occasions. It has to be a place worthy of a sacred ritual.
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On the afternoon of 28th April 2021, Mavallipura was paid a visit by police and revenue officials. The intent of the visit was to set up an open crematorium atop the landfill. The thought of cremating the dead in a landfill is shocking. At a time when the nation grieves for those who lost their lives to the pandemic, the least we can do is to ensure that their untimely loss is respectfully and reverentially treated. A landfill cannot be the place to cremate or bury our dead.
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As the world tried to make sense of the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, ESG was invited to participate in a 23 country and 6 continent-wide collaborative study involving 60 researchers led by Pforzheimer Professor of Science and Technology Studies Sheila Jasanoff of the Harvard Kennedy School and Prof. Stephen Hilgartner of Cornell University in a study on Comparative Covid Response: Crisis, Knowledge, Politics (CompCoRe for short).
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T Peter, General Secretary of the National Fishworkers Forum (NFF), passed away on 8 October 2020 from COVID-19 related complications in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. He was 62 years old. For over three decades, Peter worked as a full time activist and union organiser. He especially worked for the empowerment of India’s fishing communities and played a critical role in advancing their struggles from the margins into the political mainstream. Peter joined the Kerala Independent Fishworkers Federation
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Leo Saldanha of Environment Support Group speaks on rethinking aspects of our governance system in post-pandemic times.
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Peter Thomas, the incredible leader of the National Fishworkers Forum – NFF India has lost his battle to COVID. India has lost a leader who fought on the streets throughout his life for the rights of fisherfolk and other vulnerable communities Rest In Peace Peter. Millions inspired by you will carry on the struggle.
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Veeranna Arahunashi (aged 59) lost his battle with COVID today (26 Aug 2020). Veeranna was an awe inspiring teacher, movement organiser, creative farmer, and a pillar of strength to Arunodaya Poirada, a civil society organisation and farm-school located in Papinayakanahalli, halfway between Bellary and Hospet, co-founded by Sr. Mary Mathew with Veeranna. ESG partners with Arunodaya Poirada in multiple social justice and environmental initiatives. As Bellary district was ravaged by massive illegal iron ore mining
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Fieldwork conducted during May 20th & 21st, 2020 in 20 Wards of Bangalore
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The three sisters were desperately waiting for their institutional quarantine to finish on June 24 when their mother passed away. To read the full article by Leo F. Saldanha, click here.
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We assist them to continue living a dignified life through the pandemic lock-down. This means they do not have to depend on daily handouts. We provide them at least two weeks of dry rations. With the lock-down extended, they now need more help.
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a. Top References b. Key Orders, Circulars and Advisories from Indian Central and State Agencies regarding tackling COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 Circulars & Orders from Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Advisories and Guidelines by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Orders from Ministry of Finance Orders from Ministry of Labour Advisories from Ministry of AYUSH Orders, Guidelines and Advisories from National Disaster Management, Government of India Food Corporation of India (FCI) Circular reg COVID-19 National
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Distress Migration forced by Lockdown without appropriate Preparation: India executed the biggest lockdown in human history by imposing curfew and forcing 1.3 billion citizens to stay home from 24th March 2020. The initial three weeks lock down has now been extended to 3rd May 2020. This sudden announcement unleashed chaos across the country as migrant workers, daily wagers, the poor and travelling public were left stranded. Without money and food, millions were forced to stay
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Police Brutality: As India goes into an extended lockdown till 3rd May 2020, a range of police excesses have been reported. Instead of helping distraught citizens cope with these frustrating and hungry times, various accounts of police brutality has demonstrated an aggressive face of the government. While public messaging has spoken essentially to the needs of middle and upper classes, the poor are running from pillar to post in search of food and socio-economic security,
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These are recorded videos of the webinar: Solidarity Series: Conversations during lockdown & beyond, conducted between March 31, 2020 and April 17, 2020. The Webinar is being conducted by Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA), New Delhi. This webinar is aimed for activists who want to explore the concepts in depth, develop conceptual clarity & understanding on some of the issues we all work on, & grapple with. We believe it will help us in our
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“It’s well known from disaster studies that effects on vulnerable populations are much more severe and long-lasting. The wealthier may have better insurance, they may live in circumstances where social distancing is easier to implement than for people living in crowded quarters, they may have the resources to take themselves out of danger zones. These things are not available to people on lower levels of the socioeconomic scale. “ “In my university, for example, undergraduates
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By Leo F Saldanha, Published in Deccan Herald on 05 April 2020 His way is to be sparing with the truth but high on hyperbole. His solutions for resolving complex problems are simple and sometimes even simplistic. But his ability to communicate in ways that is accessible to a majority of the population, relying on entreaties of sacrifice for the greater common good proclaimed as fundamentally transformative, is what Modi has done in all his
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A report about the working conditions of Powrakarmikas across Karnataka has been prepared after speaking to powrakarmikas across the state. Many of them are still to be paid wages, they are working without protective equipment, food or transport. If the government does not take any steps soon, there is a great danger of workers falling prey to Corona like it happened in Mumbai. The report has been prepared by several unions/associations working with Powrakarmikas across
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