Anti-Dow agitation

Dear Friend,

We had written to you about the anti-Dow agitation in and around Pune. It is picking up. The people of Shinde Vasuli are more determined than ever to protest. Dow tried to restart construction on Feb 26 with the help of the police, the villagers blocked the road again. Despite huge arrests, more than 150 people were arrested by the Police, the villagers did not back out. People from nearby villages collected and joined the blockade and ultimately the police was forced to retreat, and all arrested villagers were released the next day. A great victory!

But this is just the first round, and the committee set up by the government is scheduled to submit its report very soon, probably this week. As mentioned in our previous mail, with the PM himself promoting Dow in India, the report is going to say the plant is fine, and then the district administration is going to help Dow try and restart construction with police help.

So the struggle should pick up then. We are organising a series of programs to mobilise people to join the protests. Do come for what is possible:

1.  Alandi             Date: March 7, 2008     Time: 2 to 6 pm
Dharna, rally and public meeting  starting from Nagar Parishad building and culminating at       Mahadwar chowk.

2.  Pune               Date: March 8, 2008    Time: 2 pm to 3.30 pm
Rally from Shramik building to Sambhaji park via Shaniwarwada.
This is a part of International Women's day celebrations. The Women's groups committee has agreed to take up the struggle against Dow as one of its issues for this day. So we take out a rally and join the women's day programs at Sambaji Park.

3.  Akurdi-Nigdi      Date: March 9, 2008    Time: 5 pm
Public Meeting and Rally starting from Savarkar bhavan and culminating at Annabhau Sathe Putla, Nigdi.

4. Dehu:   Date: March 10, 2008  Time: 6 pm
Public meeting near temple.

5.  Pimpri-Chinchwad    Date: March 13, 2008   Time: 3-7 pm
Dharna at Ambedkar Putla, Pimpri followed by Motorcycle Rally via Chapekar Chowk to Nigdi, culminating in public meeting at Anna Bhau Sathe Statue, Bhakti Shakti Udyan, Nigdi.

6. People's Court    Date: 16 March Sunday. Time: 4 pm
Presiding judges: Justices Suresh Hospet and G.G. Lone
Dow and the district administration will be chargesheeted in this people's court.
Venue: SHRAMIK building, Near Corporation Bus Stand, Pune.

7. DOW'S HOLI           Date: 21 March          Time: 7 pm - 9 pm
Venue: Pandav Nagar, Wadarwadi, Pune.

8. WARKARIS RALLY FROM DEHU TO DOW                 Date: 23 March
This day is Tukaram Beej Divas, and warkaris collect at Dehu in large numbers. So we plan to take out a march from Dehu to Shinde Vasuli on this day.

apart from this, we have a street campaign going on daily evening, to mobilise people against Dow. We put up a poster exhibition and show a street play on DOW.

Also, students of various colleges are being mobilised to observe BLACK BADGE protest against Dow. CUMMINS ENGINEERING COLLEGE girls observed this today, March 5, and ILS students will be observing it tomorrow on March 6.

DO JOIN US FOR THESE PROGRAMS.

MAIL THE PAMPHLET TO YOUR FRIENDS, GET THEM TO JOIN TOO.

THIS IS OUR AGITATION, AS WE WILL BE AFFECTED IN CASE THERE IS A MAJOR ACCIDENT.
--
Neeraj Jain
--
Our website http://www.lokayat.org.in
Our blog      http://pune-lokayat.blogspot.com