From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Abhay Shukla</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:abhayshukla1@gmail.com">abhayshukla1@gmail.com</a>></span><br><div class="gmail_quote"><br><br><div dir="ltr"><br><div class="gmail_quote">
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN"><b>Over
2000 participate in mass protest on Food security and Health rights issues in Maharashtra, India</b><br></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:.5in">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">The Right to Food campaign, Maharashtra and PHM
– Maharashtra jointly organized a state level <i>protest </i>on 22<sup>nd</sup>
March, 2013 jn Mumbai, to press for urgent action on important
policy demands regarding Health services and Food security in Maharashtra. Over
2000 people from </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">ten districts </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">across
various parts of the state participated in this protest to demand
prompt action on demands like ‘No cash transfers’ and the need for a
Maharashtra state act to regulate private hospitals. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:.5in">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">Mass
organisations of adivasi and rural people were in the forefront of mobilisation for this
protest. Representatives from various political parties in the state visited the site and put forward their party positions on the demands being raised
regarding Food security and Health related policy issues. <br></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">
<b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">Major
demands on Health issues included-</span></b></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="I"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:2.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">Adopt a state specific ‘Maharashtra Clinical Establishments Act’ to
regulate private hospitals, with inclusion of provisions for participatory
regulation and Patient’s rights.</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:2.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">Stop privatisation of Radiological services in Medical college and
District hospitals!</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN"></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:2.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">Ensure adequate provision of essential medicines in all public health
facilities by implementing the ‘Tamil Nadu model’ in comprehensive manner
at earliest </span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:2.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">Government should strictly and effectively implement the ban on
private practice by Public doctors, and should not dilute this order in
any manner.</span></li></ol><br><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">Major Food security related demands
were-</span></b></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="A"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:2.0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="AR-SA">Stop Cash Transfers as an alternative to
the Public Distribution System</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">.</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:2.0pt;text-align:justify">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="AR-SA">Do not pass a Food Security Act that
will in reality dismantle the Public Distribution System. Pass an
effective Food Security Act that will ensure that no one remains hungry</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">.</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:2.0pt;text-align:justify">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">Reform, Universalise and Strengthen the
Public Distribution System.</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:2.0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="AR-SA">Fourteen essential items and millets must
be distributed through the PDS</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN"></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:2.0pt;text-align:justify">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="AR-SA">Every </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">ration
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="AR-SA">card holder </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">should</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="AR-SA">
be eligible to obtain twelve subsidised gas cylinders per year.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN"></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:2.0pt;text-align:justify">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="AR-SA">Stop the entry of foreign companies in
retail trade</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN"></span></li></ol>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">This
large scale mobilisation of people coming from far flung hamlets and villages
across the state reflects growing discontent related to the dysfunctional Public Distribution System
system for foodgrains, continued problems related to the public health system (such as serious
shortage of essential medicines), and major exploitation of patients in private
hospitals. The ‘solutions’ being offered by the Government such as cash
transfer instead of subsidised foodgrains and privatisation of public health
services, will further weaken the already dysfunctional PDS and Public health
systems. Many of these demands have been raised earlier with the State
government, which has not taken any effective action on the range of issues
that are in its power to address. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">Given
the increasingly regressive policies being observed at both state and national
levels, as well as elections coming up in Maharashtra as well as at national level
next year, it was decided to continue to raise these demands through political
processes, while carrying forward the mass campaigns on these issues. Given the
positive experience of joint mobilisation by the Right to food campaign and PHM, it was decided to continue joint follow up with political representatives
and to discuss further strategies in a joint meeting in early May. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">The
main banner for the programme carried the following slogans:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN"></span></p>
<ul><li><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">Food security and Health care is
everyone’s right!</span></b></li><li><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">Strengthen the Rationing system and
Public health system!</span></b></li><li><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">Do not wind up or privatise public
services!</span></b></li><li><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-IN">Ensure social control of Public Distribution System and Health
services (public as well as private)!</span></b></li></ul>
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