November 2014
No water in school: Students walk for hours to quench thirst
The nearest well to the Upper Middle School of Kailashpur is in the neighbouring village of Indrapatti. Students must walk there — miles away — in order to get drinkable water since the school doesn’t have a hand-pump.Community correspondent Amit Kumar reports from Bihar’s Gaya district on the deplorable state...
Violations of the RTE Act in Bihar
The government middle school in Garahi village has 454 students but only 7 teachers. A direct violation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, which mandates a student teacher ratio of 30:1, is, however, not the only problem at this school. Community Correspondent Indu Devi reports on the violations of...
637 Student and No toilets
Community correspondent Mister Alam reports from Ganpati Vigha village in Hilsa block of Nalanda district of Bihar, on the lack of sanitation facilities in the village’s middle school. CALL TO ACTION: Call the Block Education Officer for Hilsa Block of Nalanda district, on +91-9939712741, and demand that construction of toilets...
Safe Motherhood scheme not safegaurding the rights of pregnant women in Uttar Pradesh
Pregnant women pay bribes to avail free maternal health service in Uttar Pradesh The staff of a Community Health Centre of Mirjapur village in Uttar Pradesh, have been demanding cash from pregnant women before providing service of any kind. As a result, they are forced to buy medicine from outside...
MNREGA: 80 labourers, 20 days of work, no payment
Our VV-PACS Community Correspondent, Navita Devi, reports from Ahimachak village, in Bagicha Tola of Katihar district in Bihar, on how the village’s labourers are still awaiting compensation under M.N.R.E.G.A eight months after completion of the work allotted to them. Spokespersons for the affected community say that such irregularities are just...
Tribals not allowed in ancestral forest
The Tharo tribe is indigenous to Betia area of West Champaran district in Bihar. The nearby forest, which has been the source of firewood and other natural resources for the tribe, has recently been converted into a Tiger Reserve under the Wildlife Protection Act. VV-PACS Community Correspondent Tanju Devi reports...