satyawati college Archives - DU Beat - Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper

While DU grants permanent positions to faculty members, numerous ad-hoc professors face dismal. A recent case of the same at Satyawati College (E) has caused commotion.

After a significant break, the University of Delhi is currently engaged in the process of granting permanent faculty positions at various colleges. As many professors transition from their temporary (ad-hoc) roles to permanent positions, this current recruitment drive has also resulted in the removal of existing faculty members to accommodate newly selected ones.

A notable case of the same was recently seen at Satyawati College (Evening), where mass displacement of teachers from the Department of Hindi occurred. Reportedly, out of the existing faculty of 11, only 5 were retained, despite there being 16 posts for which interviews took place. The displaced teachers had been working at the college for no less than a decade, with one having served for 23 years. This development has caused a major uproar among the many teachers’ associations of the university.

This concern was voiced in a letter addressed to the Vice-Chancellor of the university, signed by 15 eminent figures from said associations. It was expressed that these long-serving professors from the department were rejected despite having excellent academic credentials and high API scores. This cohort included teachers from ST, OBC, visually challenged categories, and other marginalized backgrounds. Attached were the credentials of the selected and rejected candidates, and a stark difference was indeed observable.

“The entire sequence of events, presided over by an OSD appointed by you in violation of the Act, Statutes, and Ordinances of Delhi University, have made a mockery of the recruitment process and a travesty of justice.” -Excerpt from the letter addressed to Professor Yogesh Singh, Vice-Chancellor

Accountability and transparency are being demanded from the OSD. In recent months, there have been similar instances at various colleges, and this large-scale dismal of ad-hoc professors is currently a major concern for the teacher associations. In view of the same, a candlelight vigil was conducted by the Democratic United Teachers Alliance on Thursday, September 21, near the Vivekananda Statue at the arts faculty.

Featured image source: NewsClick

Arshiya Pathania

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The Third Act: Convenor Denies the Allegations of the Senior Members

By Ankita Baidya May 6, 2023

The third-year students of The Third Act had claimed to have faced abuse by the convenor. However, the convenor denies the allegations and claims their disorderly behaviour was the reason for their suspension.

The recent events that took place in the dramatics society of Satyawati College spurred a row of accusations. In a conversation with the convenor, the professor informed that the college has not done anything. The third-year students have made a huge issue, which was not supposed to be, and due to the ruckus they created, they had to be suspended from the society.

The professor went on to inform us that the letter that was sent to the students, talked about the indiscipline that they created. He explained that due to the news that went up one-sided, the college has asked the students for clarification on the irregularities that have occurred in the dramatics society. The college has asked both the students and the convenor to respond to the same.

The chats that have taken place between the students, as claimed by the professor, has addressed the professor in a disrespectful manner by using only his first name. The professor also asserted that nobody has done anything with them. Just a disciplinary action has been taken against the third-years.

The students have claimed that they have been tortured and what not but nothing of that sort ever happened. Rather, there are chats where they have been completely disrespectful towards the teacher (me).

-Convenor, The Third Act

Further, the professor has informed us that The Third Act page on Instagram is being run by a pass-out student, Nikhil Pandey. The admin was changed a few days ago after the fiasco erupted. Moreover, according to the professor, the letter-head that the students are using is not the correct one. The name ‘The Third Act’ is also not verified by the council yet, though the name was given by the convenor and a few other teachers in 2014-15. Before that, the name was ‘Sarang Natya Samiti.’ Back then, as claimed, the professors were new appointees and were not aware that the name must be verified by the council. Now the students are using a letter-head that is not verified by the college and it also consists of a contact of a student who is not even in the society.

The third-years are also claiming that they are being suspended from the college and they would be barred from sitting for the exams. However, as the convenor claimed, they have been suspended from the society only and nothing else.

According to the convenor, the cybercrime that the third years are claiming is not from the professor’s tenure. All of this came to light only after the students were suspended. When the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) came to the convenor, it was signed by the students. The professor explained to them then that whatever they are doing might result in criminal offences and in the future, they should not indulge in anything of this sort.

As claimed by the convenor, the students tried to physically assault a second-year student. The convenor was an eye-witness, along with other two teachers. After the incident, they lodged a formal complaint.

I decided to suspend the students, which is my constitutional right as the students went against the disciplinary rules. Also, this suspension does not jeopardize their career, they have been simply suspended from the society.

-Convenor, The Third Act

The professor went on to explain about the Rs. 8000 that has been taken from the college. He said that if the amount belongs to the college, even if any crime has taken place, it must be returned to the college. It is a government fund and it needs to be returned, no matter what.

The professor also claimed that irregularities in the bills have been found. The society went on to get clearance for a bill in Bihar in the accounts section without the prior knowledge of the convenor. They also went on for a competition in Chandigarh without informing the teachers. Moreover, claims of bills of November 2022 have been manipulated and are being shown in 2023. The convenor also claimed that there was a bill of Rs.7385 (approx.) of Muzaffarpur which is apparently a fraud. The bill is of a shop that belongs to one of the students. According to him, the advance bill settlement application is dated 23 March 2023 and 24 March 2023 but the bill submitted by the students is also dated 23 March 2023, which made the authorities raise an eyebrow. He also said that the students had gotten money sanctioned for the costumes and since those costumes belong to the college, they are supposed to be in the college to which negligence was shown.

Given the situation that the students were going to go in five days and I thought of doing something that would not be harmful for the students so I defunct the entire society. I did not even bother about the bills and finances initially but when they start misbehaving, I asked for the bills and then the irregularities in finances were realized.

-Convenor, the Third Act

Moreover, according to him the students issued MOU with the president’s signature, that too a scanned copy which is wrong and is supposed to be signed only by higher authorities. All in all, he claimed that the irregularities in the funds of the society made by the students are being highlighted because of their own actions. The college called the senior members on 4 May 2023 for clarifications on the matter. However, according to the convenor, the students did not come. Professor informed us that the students would be sent another notice in regard to the same.

Featured Image Credits: satyawati.du.ac.in

Ankita Baidya

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The Third Act Seniors Accuse the Convenor, Students Deny the Allegations

By Ankita Baidya May 2, 2023

The third-year members of The Third Act have accused their society convenor of displaying atrocious behaviour. However, the other students of the college deny the allegations and claim the accusations to be false. Read ahead to find out more.

The third-year students of dramatics society of Satyawati College, The Third Act, have alleged that they have been facing an “atrocious behaviour” for the past couple of months. They have claimed that their convenor has been bullying them and the professor’s behaviour has gotten intolerable. The students have reported that they have been accused of financial frauds and have been threatened to be sent to jail. The students have further added that their convenor has asserted to shut the society as he wants everything to run according to him. Further, it has been claimed that a threat to fail the said students in their respective internals has been given by the convenor of the society. The students have reported that the reason behind the failure to organise their annual fest, “Pravaaz,” was because the convenor did not sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). He was not present during the proposed dates and denied to take any responsibility for it, and did not assign any other teacher in-charge. It has been asserted that the convenor has been verbally abusing the students and has threatened to send letters to the parents of the students due to the behaviour displayed by them. However, the latter has rejected such an assertion against them. The third-year students have informed that the convenor has not held any formal meeting and whenever the former went for the same, they were always asked to sit in the Staff Room Lawns where rather than discussing important matters, they wasted 4-5 hours listening to their convenor’s personal stories.

The students have alleged that any decision in the college must pass through the Principal and the AO. However, the students have been suspended from their society at their convenor’s discretion and the latter can run the society as he wishes to while taking the juniors along with him for the same.

The third-year students have lodged a formal complaint against their convenor with the principal. However, they have been dismissed. Further, on knowing about the complaint, the third-year students asserted that the convenor called for a meeting with the second-year students and pressurised the first-year students for the same. It is alleged that the convenor had asked the first-year students to take back their signatures and pin everything on the third-year students. Moreover, the third years have claimed that their convenor made the second-year students sit with the first-year students to keep a check if the latter were recording him threatening them. The third-year students have put out a post on their Instagram handle calling out the entire incident and asking for help.

We seek only one thing and that is the removal of Dr. Pandey as our convenor. We will take legal action if college authorities don’t help us. We have been suspended without any reason and he is threatening our Juniors that he will debar us from college. He has threatened us that he will send letters to our parents. He is blaming us for financial fraud as well.” -Third year Students of The Third Act in conversation with DU Beat

While talking to other students from the college, they revealed that the third-year students wanted to organise an unofficial farewell at a farm house and it was decided that every member would be contributing some amount for the same. However, the amount that the members raised was not enough to cover the entire expense so the third-year students decided to take the remaining amount out of the society fund without the knowledge of anyone. They roped in a second-year student and tried convincing them to take the amount out but the student went on to talk to their batchmates first where the latter rejected the proposed idea.

The society fund is for the betterment of the college, to purchase lights and equipment, not for wasting it on a single night partying. If one wants to celebrate and party then they should be doing it with their own money.” – Student of Satyawati College

According to the student, things started getting escalated from this point. The annual fest that was supposed to take place got cancelled by the principal. The reason for cancellation was that none of the MoUs were signed by either the principal or the convenor. It carried just the president’s signature. The third-year members of the society asserted that they were given only a week’s time to prepare for everything since on the initial date the convenor was not available and did not assign any other teacher in-charge. However, the fest finally got cancelled again and according to the students, though they were dismissed on the grounds of MoUs not being signed by the concerned authorities and the failure to conduct any formal meeting, the former was not aware about this entire procedure.

The students from Satyawati College also reported that when bills had to be cleared in the accounts department, it was revealed that they were from Muzaffarpur, Bihar reportedly and were amounting to up to Rs. 7000 for coats, shirts, and pants. However, the students informed us that they wore their own clothes and the bills attached were false.

According to the bill, the blazer was of Rs.3500, the shirt costed around Rs.2000, and all of the items amounted to Rs. 7000. There was another bill for the tent that amounted to Rs.15000. The students had attached false bills. When all of this was questioned, the third-year students went into frenzy.” – Student of Satyawati College

Further, reportedly, there is a third-year student in the society who has Rs. 8000 from the society fund with them. On asking for the amount back, the student informed that a cyber-crime has taken place with them and hence was able to return only Rs.600 out of the Rs.8000 they had.

According to the students of the college, the third-year students have changed the login details of their E-mail and Instagram handle. They have started posting things on their own and are now falsely accusing the convenor.

Featured Image Credits: @the_third_act

Ankita Baidya
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Colleges and its Walls: A Need for Improvement

By Ankita Baidya May 15, 2022

The infrastructural issues of many Colleges continue to deteriorate and no action has been taken for its improvement. Just because students study in a government college, are they supposed to accept the conditions or is there any hope for correction? Read to find out more.

For many of us it has been a ‘dream come true’ experience as we entered University of Delhi (DU). From living ‘the’ college life to savouring moments that only a student of DU would know, it has been one of the most anticipated journeys that we always wanted to embark on. Words fall short while describing the feeling of finally getting into the college for which you had worked so hard. However, it all comes crashing down because of a few shortcomings and this makes you question your decision of whether you made the right choice. DU is one of the most prestigious institutions of the country but is it really capable enough as it is deemed to be? From a very young age, we have been taught that if we study hard, we will score a government college but is it worth it when even the basic necessities for a decent academic experience are not to be found here.

DU is an institution set up in the times we call history. It becomes quite important to make the necessary adjustments and carry out renovations in regards to the infrastructure. Nevertheless, DU has somewhat failed us in that domain. A number of colleges under DU have reported a lack of basic infrastructure in terms of classrooms and washroom facilities. The buildings may look poised and aesthetic from outside but from the inside a different story has been spinning from a very long time.

The lack of infrastructural care is quite evident in Kalindi College, DU. On talking with a number of students from the college on the pretext of anonymity informed us that none of the washrooms present in the college have proper latches, working flushes, soaps or even a basic standard of hygiene. The loos stink almost all the time. Apart from the washrooms, the buildings of the college are in need of an “immediate renovation”. Walls have not been repaired since years and the paint has cracked and deepened into dry flakes. Further, the condition of the classrooms are in a battered state. The benches and chairs are broken and the doors do not have latches due to which they swing freely. Even in Delhi’s harsh weather, fans of many classrooms fail to work which makes the teaching and learning process a tedious task. There is absolutely no maintenance whatsoever of the college infrastructure. According to various students, the Principal, Dr. Naina Hasija, has been notified about these issues on several occasions including the general body meeting of the students and faculty. However, no steps have been taken to improve the conditions, which continue to deteriorate.

In conversation with a student from Gargi college, DU, told DU Beat about the hygiene issues that persist in their college washrooms. According to the student, the washrooms are very dirty and they are in quite a horrible condition. To add onto this, the student stated that the loos stink almost all the time and they even get flooded with water sometimes. Further, the student brought to light that the first year class representatives brought this matter to the attention of their previous students’ union and followed the developments. However, they were told that this happens every year and nothing is done about it.

There are Indian loos but the western ones usually have dirty seats which increases the risk of an infection, especially during the menstrual period.

-Student, Gargi College, DU

Amidst the reports of a fan falling over a student in Lakshmibai College, DU, another similar issue has been reported from Shaheed Bhagat Singh College. A student of the college told DU Beat that a fan in their class was shaking hard and during the exams the fan fell down but no one was hurt. However, we await for an official confirmation about the same. Additionally, such infrastructural issues were also reported from Satyawati College, DU. In conversation with a student from the same college, told DU Beat that since the inception of the new building, there has been no maintenance work done for the old building of the college. Besides this, the worrisome conditions of the washrooms are also deteriorating.

The washroom beside our auditorium does not have mirrors while the washroom located above the canteen has mirrors but no water. Urinals do not function and they always stink. Also, the walls of our college are covered with slogans like ‘Join ABVP’ and names of students who are a part of the political parties. The outer beauty of the college has also been compromised because of this.

-Student, Satyawati College, DU

Besides this, there is an infrastructural issue present in Kamla Nehru College as well. In conversation with Taneesha, a student of Kamla Nehru College told DU Beat about the conditions of the classrooms. She informed us about the lack of seating and even classrooms to accommodate the students of any course. She claimed that during the winters, the teachers used to take classes in the shed activity area present in the college or in the ‘choppal’ area. However, in summers too, they are taking classes in that open area under the scorching heat of Delhi, according to her.

Half of the students in ‘choppal’ are eating, some of them are taking a lecture, and some are taking some other lecture. It is a complete mess.

-Taneesha, Kamla Nehru College, DU

Further, she asserted that there are no proper benches to sit on and this is quite evident during the examinations. She claimed that as she entered the class to give her exam, she found no seats left. However, at the end, there was a chair and no table where her roll number was mentioned. According to her, she was asked to sit on the chair and give her paper but at this, she questioned the authorities and asked for a table since without it she would not be able to give her exam. After about ten minutes of searching, Taneesha was given a table as she stated.

Very poor conditions of the classrooms and seating arrangement. The college has a small infrastructure to the extent that the batch of political science has 180 students but it can not even offer the basic infrastructure to 100 students.

-Taneesha, Kamla Nehru College, DU

This does not end here. Another college under DU, perhaps already in a tussle of disaffiliation, College of Arts (COA), has a very dilapidated infrastructure issue. In conversation with Deepika, a student of COA, told DU Beat about the deteriorated conditions present in their college. She stated that the washroom issues continue to remain the same. The restrooms in the college lack door latches and water, have broken windows, and non-functional flushes, as she stated. She asserted that the college has re-painted the walls of the buildings to maintain the “outer beauty” of the college. However, this was done over the wall paintings created by the seniors. According to her, the students are again painting the empty walls to maintain the environment of the college. Another student of COA told DU Beat about the poor conditions of the classroom. Additionally, he claimed that there is no proper drinking water present in the college.

They installed a college flag and painted the entire campus but they are not working to provide the basic needs to the students which should be sorted first.

-Student, College of Arts

The conditions in regards to the infrastructure and hygiene is quite perturbing and troublesome for the students. The authorities must take cognition of the situation and act on it at the earliest.

Featured Image Credits: swirlgirlspeaks.com

Ankita Baidya

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ABVP Accussed of Disrupting Event, Abusing Teachers and Students at Satyawati College

By Niharika Dabral February 24, 2018

Kawalpreet Kaur, the University of Delhi (DU) President of All India Students’ Association (AISA), has alleged that she was harassed and verbally abused by students affiliated to the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) at an event at Satyawati College, on 22nd February 2018. Some students and teachers of Satyawati College also alleged that the members of the ABVP had disrupted the event for which Kawalpreet Kaur was invited as a panelist.

After the incident, the staff council at Satyawati College held a meeting and passed a unanimous resolution condemning the incident. They also suspended two of those ostensibly involved in the disruption, namely Kunal Yadav and Aman Awana, students of the same college.

During a phone call conversation with the DU Beat correspondent, Kawalpreet described the incident, “I had finished speaking and was sitting in the front row with the organisers when a group of 30-40 students -all males- barged into the auditorium demanding that I be kicked out of college immediately. At that time, the teachers started to negotiate with the students. But they continued with their hooliganism. During the same, they started verbally abusing the professors and were also targeting me. In fact, some of the professors were manhandled as well.” She further stated, “Even the Principal had taken the podium and requested these students to maintain the dignity of the college. But she was booed down.” Thereafter, Kawalpreet filed a complaint at the Bharat Nagar police station against the members of the ABVP on February 23rd.

On being asked about their side of the story, Kunal Yadav, Secretary of Satyawati College Students’ Union who was suspended for purportedly disrupting the event, said, “We were protesting because Kawalpreet Kaur was banned from our college last year. She came for the college fest and then later filed molestation complaints against some students. After that, the college banned her. We didn’t want something of that sort to happen again, so we were talking to our professors and saying that if her event is over, she should leave.”

However, during the phone call with the DU Beat correspondent, Kawalpreet asserted, “I was never banned from the college and the Principal has confirmed this. In fact, such a ban cannot be proposed against me because I myself am a student of DU.”

When the DU Beat correspondent approached Saket Bahuguna, National Media Convener of ABVP, he said, “The protests were done by the Students’ Union of Satyawati College. Some of them are our members, but none of them are ABVP office bearers. Kawalpreet is very tactical. She knows that if she mentions ABVP, she’ll get all the media attention. It is like Arvind Kejriwal blaming Modi all the time whereas Modi is not even present.”

Feature Image Credits: The Hindustan Times
Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak
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“They called me an anti-national slut” – AISA President alleges harassment by ABVP members at Satyawati College

By DU Beat August 18, 2017

In another case of assault by ABVP members, Kawalpreet Kaur, the president of Delhi University All India Students Association (AISA) has alleged harassment by ABVP members as she visited Satyawati College. She alleges that the ABVP members harassed her, tried to physically restrain her and verbally abused her.

She has lodged a FIR against members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of RSS. The FIR has been registered under Section 154 of CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) along with Sections 354, 354(A), 509, 341 within the IPC 1860 Act against the ABVP activists. The police complaint has been filed against Vikram Singh Tomar, ABVP convenor of Satyawati College, Dharamprakash, Adw-ait Sharma, Mantu Sharma and few unknown activists.

[quote]I had gone to Satyawati College in order to meet a professor there for my own academic work as well as to meet some of my friends and AISA activists. As soon I entered the college ABVP members gathered around me and started harassing me[/quote]

-Kawalpreet Kaur, AISA President, Delhi University

She alleged that the ABVP activists tried to bully her by saying ‘tum kya kar rahi ho’, ‘show us your ID card’, ‘we shall not tolerate any anti-national activities here’, ‘Satyawati ko Ramjas nahi ban ne denge’. She resisted by saying that it was her right to visit any college. After this, the ABVP members started shooting her videos on their phones. As she resisted their action, she was abused by Dharam Prakash, whom she alleges as an outsider. “They questioned my nationality, called me a slut”, says Kawalpreet. Meanwhile, one of the students who asked ABVP members to steer clear of her way was also roughed up by them.

Later hearing the commotion, the Principal of the college reached the scene and dispersed the crowd. “He supported me and helped me file a complaint against them”, says Kawalpreet. She expects the police to take strict action against those who advocate for goonda-gardi in the campus.

Image Credits: News Nation

Oorja Tapan

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Delhi University Colleges organise self-defence classes post NYE mass molestation

By Srivedant Kar January 24, 2017

In the wake of mass molestation at Bengaluru which sent shock waves around the nation, colleges in University of Delhi (DU) are going a step ahead by encouraging students to enroll for self-defence classes, and some are even imparting skill development training to empower.

Kirori Mal College (KMC) organised a 15 day long self-defence training camp for girls in collaboration with Delhi Police. “It’s difficult to change the sick mindset in our country. Women empowerment should be more than a slogan. Through this self-defence training, we will enable girls to defend themselves when in need” says Nikhil Agrawal, a third year student of the college. The program which is an initiative of SAHAS – Women Empowerment Cell of the NSS unit of the college started on January 9^th.

Hindu College also started a self-defence and skill development program called Project Veerangana. An initiative of Enactus Hindu, the program imparts basic self-defence training for women and also helps them to turn their self-defence skills into a source of livelihood. “The objective of our project is not to just impart self-defence training to women but also help them become young entrepreneurs so that they can market their skills for a basic livelihood and teach more women how to be safe,” said Vishruti Jain, president of Enactus Hindu College. Under a three-tier process, the first 10 days saw a workshop conducted by the special police unit for women and children in association with Evergreen Public School. The self-defence workshop included 40 school students and 30 women from the slum area. After the training process, these women will in turn impart lessons to the other women under the supervision of colleges and schools. The program plans to impart lessons of entrepreneurship and communications to them, so that they can earn a livelihood by imparting these lessons in schools and colleges.

Satyawati College has also begun its self defence training program for girls which would be of 15 days beginning from 20^th January. This initiative is being taken up by the NSS unit of the college in collaboration with Delhi Police Ashok Vihar police station. Rashi Nimi, the NSS vice president of Satyawati College says, “Crime is increasing day-by-day and so are the numbers of molestation cases. In such times, it is important that women be empowered in whatever way they can be. The students are very happy that such programs are being conducted, and if the response is good, we will organise it again.”

With growing cases of molestation in colleges and DU being a top choice of meritorious girls across the country, the colleges are serious towards ensuring safety of their students.

Srivedant Kar

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Image credits: Prithvijeet Singh Thakur, KMC

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4 AISA students detained after attempts to stop Arvind Kejriwal’s Car

By Tarushi Varma April 12, 2016

The incident took place on Tuesday when Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi’s current Chief Minister, was visiting Satyawati College for their NCC fest. Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia were the chief guests of the event. As the CM was leaving, his car was obstructed by four students who were stopped and detained for over an hour.

These students belonged to left-wing backed organisation AISA and claimed wanting to present a four point memorandum to the CM which included better facilities for students such as metro concessions passes and special university buses for women etcetera.

The authorities rejected the alleged claims of the students and claimed that they wanted to click selfies with the CM and hence tried to stop his car. Mr. Bharat Singh the NCC officer of Satywati, also in charge of heading the fest described the student’s claim as baseless and reinforced that they actually just wanted to click selfies with Mr. Kejriwal.

The students later identified as Dhanpal, Raj Singh, Raj Aryan and Utkarsh Bhardwaj, stated that they wanted to peacefully approach the CM when they were blocked by the security personnel and detained.

Picture credits: tribuneindia.com

Tarushi Varma

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Enactus Satyawati: Transforming lives, creating possibilities

By DU Beat September 8, 2015

Every time we pass a dumpster, we cover our face. We cannot stand the smell of the stinking garbage. But, right in that dumpster are people; men, women with little infants in one hand and a bag in the other, and little children with bags full of filth. They are our city’s ‘invisible environmentalists’. They are the ones who segregate our biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes. The other invisible lot of our city is of the four thousand sex workers trapped in the seventy-seven brothels, situated within one kilometer radius of G.B. Road. Both these sections of our society not only lead an impossibly hard life but, a marginalized one too; a life completely devoid of social acceptance and economic stability. In an effort to bring a positive change in the lives of these two sections of our society, the young entrepreneurs of Enactus Satyawati are working on two projects – Project Navjeevan and Project Vasundara. Enactus Satyawati consists of 35 Enacters who are committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better, more sustainable world. It started 18 months back and has achieved a number of national level grants, including being sponsored by KPMG, Walmart, Bluedart, HUL and Mahindra Rise. Project Navjeevan Through this project, Enactus Satyawati aims to improve the lives of the women at G.B. Road by providing them with the training to make notebooks. This will not only provide them with a new way to gain economic stability but, pave a path which will help them enter the mainstream world from their present marginalized state. Their prime objective is to uproot these women from prostitution by providing them vocational training and tailoring so, that they can live a dignified life. They intend to provide them with a place within the social structure without the stigma of prostitution. Project Vasundhara Under this project, Enactus Satyawati is working with the rag pickers of Roshnara Bagh. Rag pickers’ work involves the sorting out of the biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste. The biodegradable waste is vermi-composted to produce ‘manure’ which is the cheapest in the realm of fertilizers and is accredited by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute. The non-biodegradable waste is further sold off to middlemen who in return give them meager money for their labour. Children are the most exploited commodity in this trade of rag picking. They not only lose their childhood to hazardous workplaces but, are constantly prone to life-threatening diseases and toxic substances. Therefore, their project aspires to create a better and secure future for the rag pickers by opening new opportunities for them in various fields, while creating a model of ‘Green city, Zero Rubbish’, in the process. Image credits: Enactus Satyawati Facebook page. Nidhi Panchal [email protected]]]>