- Nagarik Mancha, was formally established at a Citizens’ Convention held at the Student’s Hall, College Street on 21 SEPTEMBER 1989, 4pm. Those who were present included Jatin Chakraborty (Minister); Justice Masood; eminent lawyer Md. Lateef; besides Dr Ajit Narayan Bose, Biren Roy, Gopal Acharya, Bijay Chaudhuri, Nihar Mukherjee, Tapan Mitra, Jolly Kaul, Somesh Dasgupta and around 700 workers, employees and concerned citizens. A poster exhibition on closed industrial units was arranged and two books on ‘BIFR’ and ’Kamani Tubes’ was published.
Those who were the initiators of this initiative, 25 years back, included Late Bijay Chaudhuri, Late Aniruddha Bose, Nazes Afroz, Naba Dutta, Biswanath Dasgupta, Dipankar Bose, Dulal Chakraborty, Kajal Mukherjee, Partha Nag, Subhashish Mukherjee, Late Ajit Narayan Bose, Purnenedu Bose, Moloy Mukherjee, Bibhash Banerjee, Khokon Majumdar, Tapan Mitra, Late Acyutananda Das (Dasda), Somnath Bhattacharya, Late Bapi Duta, Sarat Pal, Asutos Thakur, Tapas Banerjee and Late Chandi Majumdar.
Since 1989, Nagarik Mancha was introduced as a ‘support and solidarity group for closed and sick industry workers’. Since 1997, ‘Industry-Labour-Environment’ is being used to denote its area of activity. - One of the earliest demands, in favour of which public awareness was raised and public pressure solicited, was the one regarding financial assistance to workers in locked out industries.
- On May Day, 1990, in response to the West Bengal Government’s annual publication on workers, titled ‘Labour in West Bengal’, Nagarik Mancha published ‘LABOUR IN WEST BENGAL: AN ALTERNATIVE VIEW’ based on elaborate survey on the plight of workers.
- A survey was conducted during August 1990 (and then again in 1994) on the various workers cooperatives in West Bengal. Subsequently workers and employees from twelve cooperatives participated in a meeting at Prajanananda Bhavan.
- There was lathi-charge followed by firing on the workers participating in a peaceful sit-in demonstration at Gourishankar Jute Mill demanding their outstanding dues after superannuation. It cost Rajeshwar Rai his life. This incidentally happened on 21 September 1990, the first foundation day of Nagarik Mancha.
- On May Day, 1991, in response to the ‘Labour in West Bengal’, Nagarik Mancha published ‘AGAINST THE WALL’ based on elaborate survey on the plight of workers.
- ‘SASIPADA BANDYOPADHYAY MEMORIAL LECTURE’ was organised on 7 May 1991. Sudhi Pradhan and Gautam Sen spoke on ‘The Present state of International workers movement and the unity of workers movement and the citizen in West Bengal’. This was the first memorial lecture.
- On 7 July 1991, at a general body meeting Nagarik Mancha activists agreed upon a written set of documents including its aims, objectives and a functional structure.
- On May Day, 1991, in response to the ‘Labour in West Bengal’, Nagarik Mancha published ‘AGAINST THE WALL’ based on elaborate survey on the plight of workers.
- About ten thousand workers in six industrial areas of West Bengal wore badges in support of a 5-point charter of demand. Workers organised meetings in front of 15 factories followed by a central meeting in the evening to commemorate ‘Rajeswar Rai Day’ on 21 September 1991, which was also the second foundation day of Nagarik Mancha.
- Towards the end of 1991, there was an attempt to fill up the fisheries in the East Calcutta Wetlands to build the World Trade Centre. This would have affected the lives and livelihoods of almost 20000 traditional fish workers, if implemented. A platform of 30 ‘peoples’ science’ and other organisations and hundreds of pro-environment individual citizens rallied together behind the fish workers and resisted this model of development.
- Nagarik Mancha in 1992 involved itself in a similar movement to resist the attempts of Calcutta Port Trust to destroy the water bodies being used by traditional fisher-folks for decades and the Nature Park the fish-workers cooperative had set up at Mudiali.
- On May Day, 1992, in response to the ‘Labour in West Bengal’, Nagarik Mancha published ‘AKRANTO SHRAMIK: 1991-92’ based on elaborate survey on the plight of workers.
- On 9 June 1992, about 30 trade union organisations along with Nagarik Mancha participated in a meeting to discuss issues related to ESI scheme and the workers. A 14-point charter of demand was prepared which became central to actions like deputation, rallies and sit-in-demonstrations.
- On 21 September 1992, Rajeswar Rai Day was observed by workers of closed and sick industries through local meetings, leafleting followed by a central rally at which a 22-point charter of demand was discussed. This was later handed over to the Chief Minister of West Bengal.
- In January 1993, Nagarik Mancha published ‘Bipanna Paribesh’ which dealt with a large number of environmental issues affecting people and nature in an urban environment. The compilation was well-received and consequently two more such publications with the same title were published in 1997 and 2000.
- On May Day, 1993, in response to the ‘Labour in West Bengal’, Nagarik Mancha published ‘AKRANTO SHRAMIK: 1993’ based on elaborate survey on the plight of workers.
- ‘SANKAR GUHA NIYOGY MEMORIAL LECTURE’ was held on 12 June 1993 on the topic ‘Sangharsh o Nirman’ at which Janaklal Thakur, Bharat Pattanayak, D Thankappan, Geetha, Ajit Narayan Bose spoke.
- In the years 1991, 92, 93, 95 and then again in 2001, Nagarik Mancha undertook detailed surveys related to the Plight of Jute industries and prepared reports and booklets besides formulating demands, petitions and suggested alternative plans for addressing the sickness of the entire jute industry.
- From 1989 till 1994, before each and every Parliamentary and Assembly elections 50,000 leaflets were distributed among voters in the industrial belts, drawing their attention to the plight of workers of sick and closed industries along with specific demands, in order to raise awareness and create public opinion.
- In October 1993, a team from Nagarik Mancha visited Rehala, near Daltonganj to study the effect of industrial pollution from a caustic factory and prepared a Fact Finding Report on the ecological disaster unfolding in this part of rural Bihar.
- On May Day, 1994, in response to the ‘Labour in West Bengal’, Nagarik Mancha published ‘AKRANTO SHRAMIK: 1994’ based on elaborate survey on the plight of workers.
- Nagarik mancha participated in the Calcutta Book Fair for the first time in Januray 1995, and since then, till 2024, it has been regularly hiring stalls in order to sell its publications and also in order to interact with its hundreds of associates and friends who visit the annual event.
- In 1995 Nagarik Mancha wrote a letter to a Supreme Court Judge regarding pollution and occupational disease which was accepted as a writ petition. This was later referred to as the ‘NAGARIK MANCHA MATTER’, which created huge pressure on the ESI which did not have any infrastructure for detection and treatment of occupational disease of workers at that time.
- In connection with Nagarik Mancha Matter the Supreme Court directed Nagarik Mancha to submit a report on the status of occupational disease in West Bengal, in May 1996.
- After a survey, Nagarik Mancha submitted the report in which eleven different kinds of occupational diseases were primarily identified and victims located including the case of death of stone crushing unit workers of Surendra Khanij at Chinchurgheria, near Jhargram, Midnapur.
- ‘SUKUMAR BANERJEE MEMORIAL LECTURE’ was delivered on 21 September 1996.
- In November 1996, the Supreme Court passed orders for compensation of Rs 1 lakh payable to the next of kin of the deceased workers of Surendra Khanij and suitable compensation to the diseased workers.
- A two-day residential workshop on OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE AND SAFETY was conducted at Belur for worker representatives and activists on 7-8 April 1997.
- A three-day FACT FINDING COMMISSION ON THE PLIGHT OF WORKERS, headed by Justice Rajinder Sachar was organised by Nagarik Mancha during 27-29 June 1997, in which the state of workers in sick and closed industries was revealed and a volume with the same name was subsequently published.
- On 21 September 1997, the eighth foundation day of Nagarik Mancha, a discussion was held at the Student’s Hall, College Street regarding social security, occupational disease and plight of unorganised workers. A calendar with cartoons about occupational health, safety and disease was released and was widely circulated.
- About 40 associates, friends and activists of Nagarik Mancha interacted about organisational issues and future programmes at Badu, Madhyamgram on 28-29 March 1998.
- The scheme for FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO WORKERS IN LOCKED OUT INDUSTRIAL Units (FOWLAI) was notified by Government of West Bengal on 14 May 1998.
- An interactive discussion on PLIGHT OF INDUSTRIES was held at ICMARD on 18-19 July 1998 a book with the same title was subsequently published.
- A ‘WHITE PAPER RELATED TO LABOUR’ (in West Bengal) was prepared after survey. It was subsequently released on 1 May 1999.
- In August 1999, a seven-member committee, constituted by Nagarik Mancha dealt with the plight of closed and sick industries and prepared an alternative proposal for revival and submitted the plan to the Government of West Bengal.
- In December 1999 Nagarik Mancha submitted a memorandum to the Subject Committee of West Bengal Assembly about the limitations of labour law including the need for amendment besides the need for extending the social security network suitably.
- A day-long sit-in-demonstration along with poster exhibition was organised at Curzon Park in the heart of the city 28 March 2000. It sought to raise awareness about the problems of closed and sick industries and demanded solutions for the same.
- ‘RANAJIT DASGUPTA MEMORIAL LECTURE’ was delivered on 23 September 2000 and the topic was ‘World Trade policy and the crisis of life and livelihood’.
- An interactive discussion INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS AND THE EFFECT OF GATT AND WTO ON THE LIFE AND LIVELIHOOD OF COMMON PEOPLE was organised at the ICMARD on 23-24 September 2000.
- On 7 April 2001, the compensation payable to the deceased and diseased workers affected by silicosis at Surendra Khanij, Chinchurgheria was finally disbursed after long four and a half years from the date of the Supreme Court order.
- A workshop on ‘WORKERS HEALTH AND OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE’ was organised by Nagarik Mancha on 16-17 December 2001, in which occupational disease activists from around the country participated.
- ‘BIREN ROY MEMORIAL LECTURE’ on ‘Economics and politics of development’ was organised on 21 September 2002 at which Tapan Mitra, Debdas Bandyopadhyay and Ajit Narayan Bose spoke.
- A meeting on the ‘REPORT OF THE SECOND NATIONAL COMMISSION ON LABOUR AND THE UNORGANISED SECTOR WORKERS BILL, 2002’ was held at the Agri Co-operative Staff Training Institute (ICMARD), Ultadanga on Saturday, 26 April 2003
- Gopal Acharya Memorial Lecture, 2004 was delivered by XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX titled IMPERILLED WORKERS IN WEST BENGAL: TWO DECADES on 30 September, 2004, Wednesday, 5.30 pm at the Indian Association Hall (Bharat Sabha Hall).
- A workshop on the PLIGHT OF WORKERS IN CLOSED INDUSTRIES was held on 27 and 28 November 2004, at the Agri Co-operative Staff Training Institute (ICMARD), Ultadanga Kolkata.
- Organised a BHUKHA MICHHIL on Sunday, 1 May 2005 at 2pm from College Square to Subodh Mullick Square, when thousands of workers from locked out industries marched through the streets of Kolkata.
- An Interactive discussion regarding the establishment of scores of SPONGE-IRON FACTORIES in and around Durgapur was held on 5 June 2005, Sunday, between 10am and 5pm at the Conference Hall of Academy of Fine Arts.
- DAABI MANCHA, of which Nagarik Mancha was a constituent, held a rally on 26th September 2005 at 3 PM from Subodh Mullick Square to Metro Cinema which was followed by a meeting. [Daabi Mancha, an organisation of about 25 civil society organisations, workers’ initiative and a few central trade unions, provides a platform to voice workers’ concerns. It had formulated a five-point charter of demands that were crucial to workers’ survival.]
- Vasundhara and Nagarik Mancha had organised a sit-in demonstration between 8am to 12 noon alongside Dhakuria bus stand (near Dakshinapan), on 10 November, Thursday, 2005 to PROTEST AGAINST EVICTION, as per High Court order, of residents from railway land by the side of RABINDRA SAROVAR in the name of environmental improvement.
- Nagarik Mancha presents a documentary film (74 minutes) titled ‘UNNAYANER KICHHU GALPO: KOLKATA 2005’ (Direction: Soumitra Ghosh) on Friday, 25 November 2005, 5.30pm at Gorky Sadan .
- A State-Level CONSULTATION ON UNPROTECTED WORKERS was organised on Saturday, 25 February 2006 between 10am to 5pm at Agri Co-operative Staff Training Institute (ICMARD), Ultadanga. Issues included minimum wages ascertained by the State Government; health related facilities; equal pay for equal work; provident fund issues; identity cards; occupational health and safety; and other relevant social security matters.
- A CITIZENS’ CHARTER – a CITIZENS’ ELECTION MANIFESTO – was released at a Press Conference on Monday, 10 April 2006, at the Kolkata Press Club between 3 and 4 pm, enumerating (in Bengali) some actions that a section of the civil society expects from to the next Government.
- An interactive discussion on LAND QUESTION WITH RESPECT TO INDUSTRIALISATION was organised on 9 August 2006, Saturday between 10am and 5pm at the basement hall of the University Institute Library near College Square.
- Took participatory initiative in organising a CITIZENS’ CONVENTION held on 3 November 2006, Friday, 4pm at Juba Kendra, Moulali, Kolkata. The said Convention expressed deep concern about the violations of laws and rights committed by the West Bengal Government, pertaining to its policies related to agriculture, industry and development. A Citizens’ Chargesheet in this regard was finalised and submitted.
- Fact Finding Committee visited HARIPUR a small hamlet 3 km to the West, along the sea dyke, from Junput, Contai, East Midnapur on 26 November 2006, where the NUCLEAR POWER PLANT is proposed to be located.
- CITIZENS MEET SCIENTISTS in the question of ENERGY ALTERNATIVES IN PRESENT DAY INDIA. An interactive discussion was held on 9 December 2006 from 10am to 5pm at the Conference Hall of the Academy of Fine Arts.
- A CITIZENS’ CONVENTION ON SINGUR was held at the Students’ Hall, College Square on Wednesday, 13 December 2006 at 4pm. The Conveners of the Convention were Mahasweta Debi, Sukumari Bhattacharya, Samkha Ghosh, Samik Bandyopadhyay, Kabir Suman, Joy Goswami, Lopamudra Mitra, Dipankar Chakraborty, Subhendu Dasgupta, Sujato Bhadra, Naba Dutta and many others. The Convention was jointly organised by APDR and Nagarik Mancha.
- Participated in the WALK FOR DEVELOPMENT-2006, a civil society initiative, on Saturday, 23 December 2006, 1 pm from Desbandhu Park to College Street.
- Nagarik Mancha organised a two-day interactive discussion in collaboration with NESPON, and NFFPFW on CLIMATE CRISIS–CARBON TRADE–ALTERNATIVE ENERGY on 17-18 March 2007 (Saturday and Sunday) between 10am and 5pm at the Institute for Cooperative Management in Agricultural Research and Development (ICMARD), Ultadanga.
- A CITIZENS’ MEET organised by Nagarik Mancha on: DEVELOPMENT — DISPLACEMENT – ALTERNATIVES to condemn the brutal killings at Nandigram on 20 March 2007 (Tuesday), 3pm at the Jubo Kendra (Moulali)
- WALK FOR DEMOCRACY Date: 24th March, 2007(Saturday) Time 2.30 PM Venue: Deshabandhu Park (Near Shyambazar) Route: Deshabandhu Park-Metro Channel (Esplanade)
- A SURVEY OF TEA GARDENS IN NORTH BENGAL between 12 and 15 May 2007.
- 16 May 2007 Visit to GAJALDOBA, Oodlabari, PS: Mal, Dist: Jalpaiguri, West Bengal to inquire into the PLIGHT OF SETTLERS THREATENED WITH EVICTION by the Forest Department.
- On 26 May 2007 a team from Nagarik Mancha visited Nandigram to assist volunteers organising the hearings of the PEOPLE’S TRIBUNAL ON NANDIGRAM.
- A Press Conference was organised on 12 October 2007 at George Bhavan to protest against DISAPPEARANCE OF PARTHA MAJUMDAR FROM POLICE CUSTODY.
- Participated in the MAHAAMICHHIL on 14 November 2007, from College Street to Metro Channel.
- A Meet towards a CHARTER ON BEHALF OF THOSE WHO WORK TO STAY ALIVE organised by Nagarik Mancha on Saturday, 22 December 2007 between 10am and 5pm at the Agri Co-operative Staff Training Institute (ICMARD), Ultadanga.
- Organised a Press Conference on 9 January 2008 Calcutta Press Club demanding IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FOREST RIGHTS ACT in favour of National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers (NFFPFW) which has launched a Campaign in the forest areas of North Bengal.
- A workshop on matters related to INDUSTRIALISATION, INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT, LABOUR, EMPLOYMENT, LAND QUESTIONS, AGRICULTURAL POLICIES and such other issues was held on 20 January 2008 for Nagarik Mancha activists at the residence of a well-wisher.
- The booklet “Shilpayaner ei pathey laabh kaar?” was released at an interactive meeting at the Mahabodhi Society Hall near College Square on Thursday 28 February 2008 at 5pm. The various modules of this interactive discussion were initiated by Siddhartha Sen, Anjan Chakraborty, Pranab Dey, Naba Dutta and Subhendu Dasgupta.
- NAGARIK MANCHA BIENNIAL GENERAL BODY MEETING was held on 20 April 2008, Sunday, 10am to 4pm
- An interactive discussion on the ‘POLITICS & ECONOMICS OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION’ was held at the Conference Hall of Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata on 3 June 2008 at 6 pm..
- A PRESS CONFERENCE AT THE KOLKATA PRESS CLUB at 3pm on 3 June 2008 was organised where programmes like a) inauguration of a new look “Carbon Banijya”; b) opening of a ‘Poster Exhibition’; c) release of a charter to the state government – was undertaken jointly with NESPON.
- ‘POSTER CAMPAIGN’ was organised on 13 June 2008 at Karunamoyee / Salt Lake, Jadavpur, 8B Bus Stand, Bank of India, Bowbazar. The ‘Charge Sheet’ that was released at the press conference was distributed and street-corner meetings for mass awareness was held.
- Byasdeb Dasgupta spoke on ‘LABOUR UNDER STRESS’ on Saturday, 5 July 2008, 3pm at SBRC.
- A SPECIAL GENERAL BODY MEETING was held on 12 July 2008 at the Library Hall of University Institute, College Street, Kolkata.
- Interaction at SBRC, on Saturday, 9 August 2008, 3pm on ‘DISPLACEMENT’
- NESPON, Siliguri and Nagarik Mancha jointly organised a two-day Workshop at Agri Co-operative Staff Training Institute Kolkata on 30 and 31 August (Saturday, Sunday) 2008. This workshop ON DEVELOPMENT, DISPLACEMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE was attended by 17 environment related organisations from 9 districts.
- A two-day Interactive Meet on –’LEGAL RIGHTS, SOCIAL SECURITY AND EMPLOYMENT OF WORKERS IN WEST BENGAL’ was organised on 20-21 September 2008 (Saturday, Sunday) from 10am to 6pm. The venues were Eastern Regional Centre, ICSSR, 10 Jadunath Sarkar Road (Lake Terrace), Kolkata 700029. On both days senior labour lawyers of West Bengal, social scientists, trade unionists and trade union activists including D Thankappan of Centre for Workers’ Management, attended the Meet.
- A fact finding team visited LALGARH and surrounding areas on 13 December 2008 in the wake of resistance by adivasis to police oppression and terror. The report was later published as a Bengali booklet.
- In order to place the aspects of DEVELOPMENT AND RIGHTS OF ADIVASIS before the civil society in the right perspective, a PRESS CONFERENCE was organised on Tuesday, 16 December 2008, 3pm at the Kolkata Press Club. Adivasi leaders spoke at this conference.
- In continuation of the Press Conference mentioned above, about 150 eminent personalities of the civil society including persons like Mahashweta Devi, Jaya Mitra, Aparna Sen, Shaonli Mitra, Amlan Dutta, Bivas Chakraborty, Shuvaprasanna, Shankha Ghosh, Tarun Sanyal and others, gave a call to the leadership of adivasi organisations from different districts of West Bengal to speak about their grievances. The meeting was held on Thursday 18 December 2008, 1 pm at the Metro Channel, Dharmatala, Kolkata.
- A team visited some forest villages in North Bengal during December 2008 to investigate the various problems related to the implementation of the FOREST RIGHTS ACT, 2006.
- A fact finding team visited Gajashimul and Jitushol near Jhargram on 8 March 2009 to study the effects of SPONGE IRON FACTORIES on the surrounding areas. Another fact finding team visited areas near Bankura on 13 March 2009 with a similar purpose. Based on the findings, a booklet in Bengali was published and a photo essay (in pdf format) was circulated over the internet.
- A Convention on – HOW THE SPONGE IRON UNITS ARE AFFECTING THE WATER, AIR, SOIL AND HUMAN LIVES ALL IN THE NAME OF SO-CALLED INDUSTRIALISATION AND EMPLOYMENT GENERATION, was organised on Saturday, 4 April 2009; 3pm; at the Mahabodhi Society, College Square, Kolkata
- Recent Debate on Development – A DISCUSSION on ECONOMICS AND POLITICS OF WEST BENGAL AMARTYA SEN’S STATEMENTS OUR RESPONSE was organised at the Indumati Sabhagriha on 11 April 2009, Saturday, 4pm. Speakers participating in the discussion were Pranab Kanti Basu, Ranabir Samaddar, Prabrit Das Mahapatra and Subhendu Dasgupta.
- Organised a Press Conference on – ‘LAND AND WORKERS OF CLOSED INDUSTRIAL UNITS IN WEST BENGAL: INDUSTRY MINISTER’S STATEMENTS AND OUR RESPONSE’ at the Press Club of Calcutta on Tuesday 5 May 2009 at 5pm.
- Sri Bibhash Chakraborty inaugurated the ‘SASHIPADA BANDYOPADHYAY RESOURCE CENTRE’ (SBRC), a Nagarik Mancha Initiative at the ‘Prabha-Batokrishna Pathakaksha’ on Saturday, 4 July, 2009 at 4pm at its New Premise at 278 Jodhpur Park, Kolkata 700068.
- DRAMA-READING SESSION: Sri Bibhash Chakraborty read from the script of his upcoming production. Saturday, 15 August 2009, 6pm at SBRC, 278 Jodhpur Park, Kolkata.
- Interactive Discussions on ‘JNNURM’ from 10am to 1.30 pm and ‘INDIA-EU FREE TRADE AGREEMENT’ were arranged from 2.30 pm to 6pm on Saturday, 22 August 2009 at ICMARD, Ultadanga, The later was organised jointly with Madhyam, New Delhi.
- JAN BREMAN delivered a talk on ‘LABOUR AND GLOBALISATION’ on Wednesday, 9 September 2009, 5.30pm at SBRC, 278 Jodhpur Park, Kolkata.
- AJIT NARAYAN BOSE MEMORIAL LECTURE, 2009 was delivered by Dr. Abhijit Guha, Anthropology Department, Vidyasagar University. 19 September 2009, Saturday, 4pm, Indian Association Hall (Bharat Sabha Hall).
- On 21 September 2009 a fact finding team visited various slum areas towards south west Kolkata to study ‘EVICTION ALONG KOLKATA CANAL BANKS ‘ and resettlement programmes. A detailed report is available on pdf.
- Interactive Discussion Sessions on ‘EVICTION ALONG KOLKATA CANAL BANKS’ and then on ‘DEMANDS OF INDIGENOUS AND FOREST PEOPLE’ were held on Saturday, 14 November 2009, 2.30pm at SBRC, 278 Jodhpur Park.
- CITIZENS’ CONVENTION: EVICTION OF CANAL BANK DWELLERS was held at Jubo Kendra, Moulali on Monday, 30 November 2009; Time: 3-8pm
- A DAY-LONG SIT-IN-DEMONSTRATION on the service road in front of WBPCB Office at Paribesh Bhavan, Salt Lake on Wednesday, 16 December 2009 between 10am and 4pm was held by a number of individuals, organisations and initiatives including Nagarik Mancha.
- An interaction on ‘COPENHAGEN CLIMATE SUMMIT’ was arranged on Saturday, 23 January 2010 3pm at SBRC, 278 Jodhpur Park, Kolkata.
- A fact team visited KHEYADAHA on 26 January 2010, which is about 12 km to the east of Ruby Hospital (EM Bypass). There is CLUSTER OF TWELVE ADIVASI VILLAGES where there is no electricity, drinking water, health facilities or EGS support.
- THIRD BIENNIAL GENERAL BODY MEETING of Purba Kolkata Nagarik Mancha was held on Sunday, 21 March 2010 between 9.30 am and 5pm at University Institute (Second Floor Library Hall), College Street. A participatory discussion on STRUGGLE FOR ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT AGAINST THE ONGOING PARADIGM OF DEVELOPMENT also took place.
- National Meeting on DISPLACEMENT AND DEMOCRATIC SPACE: The Fight for Social and Community Rights’ was held on Saturday, 22 May 2010, at Seva Kendra.
- Shri Tushar Bhattacharjee delivered his lecture on MARICH JHAPI and DANDAKARANNYA followed by a screening of a documentary film on May 15, 2010 Saturday at 5.00 p.m. at SBRC
- Parimal Ghosh spoke on LABOUR MOVEMENT – PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE on 12th June, 2010 Saturday, 4 p.m. at SBRC
- A film by Promod Gupta ‘PROPHECY OF THE NIGHT’ was screened at SBRC, on 26 June 2010 at 4 pm. The screening was followed by a discussion.
- Supriyo Sen introduced his award-winning film ‘ABAR ASIBO FHIRE’ with a narration on Saturday, 10 July, 2010 , 4.00 p.m. at SBRC
- Smt. Keya Dasgupta spoke on URBANIZATION & PLANNING on Saturday, 7 August, 2010, 4.00 p.m. at SBRC
- Naba Dutta, the General Secretary of Nagarik Mancha, was arrested, and released a day later, on interim bail. To register our collective protest Nagarik Mancha arranged for a PROTEST MEETING on Sunday, 22 August, 2010, 3pm at the Theosophical Society Hall, College Square.
- In order to demand for WITHDRAWAL OF ALL FALSE POLICE CHARGES AGAINST INITIATORS AND ACTIVISTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENTS and in order to stop harassment and mental torture of such falsely charged activists by owners, with patronage from a section of the State administration, a MASS CONVENTION was organised collectively by at least 30 organisations and initiatives, at the Moulali Jubo Kendra on Tuesday, 14 September 2010, 3.30pm.
- Demanding implementation of the ‘SCHEDULED TRIBES AND OTHER TRADITIONAL FOREST DWELLERS (RECOGNITION OF FOREST RIGHTS) ACT, 2006’ and the end of repression of the forest dwellers A MASS CONVENTION was collectively organized on the above issues by NFFPFW, Nagarik Mancha, Natun Shatok, Brhattaro Kolkata Khalpar Basti Uchhed Pratirodh Committee, Sunderban Banadhikar Sangram Committee, MKP, Radical Socialists, DISHA, National Fish Workers Forum on Saturday, 4 December 2010, 3pm at the Students’ Hall, College Square.
- A DAY-LONG SIT-IN-DEMONSTRATION was held on the service road in front of West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) Office at Paribesh Bhavan, Salt Lake (near Beleghata Bypass crossing) on Thursday, 16 December 2010 between 12noon and 5pm to protest against SPONGE IRON UNITS in several districts of West Bengal. These have been causing environmental pollution and have also been devastating the lives and livelihoods of thousands of inhabitants in nearby villages.
- Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE) report containing Nagarik Mancha’s contribution on sponge iron units in West Bengal was released on February 11, 2011 in the Conference Hall, Bangla Academy. Along with the release, there was a presentation on the status of sponge iron and environment, followed by a panel discussion.
- Prof Sutanu Bhattacharya and Prof Anjan Chakraborty spoke on UNNOYNER EKAL SEKAL (Development in current and earlier phases) in a seminar arranged by Nagarik Mancha with the help of NESPON, Siliguri, on 24th March, 2011 at Indumati Sabhagriha, Jadavpur at 5 PM. The film ‘TALES OF DEVELOPMENT: KOLKATA 2005-2010’ (60 Minutes), made by Sri Soumitra Ghosh was screened after the Seminar.
- A press Conference was organised on Tuesday, 5 April 2011, at the Calcutta Press Club, between 4 and 5 pm in connection with the forthcoming Shramajibee Adhikaar Yatra by 43 participating organisations. Their ‘Ishtehar’ or ‘Dabi-sanad’ was released.
- The SRAMAJIBI ADHIKAR JATRA, an assembly for the rights of working communities took place on Saturday, April 9, 2011 at 12 noon, before the Assembly election. About 3000 participants from various parts of West Bengal converged at Subodh Mullick Square (Wellington Square), Kolkata. Approximately 50 organizations participated. Fishermen, agricultural labours, Adivasis, Forest dwellers, SC communities, artisans like zari shilpi, pathar shilpi, and hawkers, unorganised workers, closed industry workers, teachers, pavement dwellers, cultural workers were involved in this initiative.
- On 30 August 2011, Nagarik Mancha arranged a whole day discussion on HEALTH RIGHTS OF WORKERS at Seva Kendra, Calcutta. In this discussion INTUC, INTTUC, AITUC , TUCC, UTUC, AICCTU, AWBSRU, Shramajibee Hospital, Jukta Sangram Committee of closed industries, Dr. Kunal Dutta, Dr. Sidhhartha Gupta, Dr. Sovan Panda, Dr. Krishnajyoti Goswami, Dr. D P Chakravarty, Dr. Hiralal Konar and many others were present. A paper was placed on the ‘Health Rights of Workers’ for discussion.
- A discussion on THE PRESENT TIMES: OUR RESPONSIBILITY was held on 21 September 2011at SBRC, Jodhpur Park and the discussants were Subhendu Dasgupta, Biswanath Dasgupta, Pranab De and others.
- On 22 October 2011, SABUJ MANCHA, a platform for environment-conscious people and organisations across West Bengal, was officially launched. In which Nagarik Mancha was an active partner.
- On 16-18 December, 2011, a three days ‘Dharna’ and discussion was organized by the same initiative and they submitted ‘MARGINAL PEOPLE’S DEMAND MANIFESTO’ to West Bengal Government. From around this time there was a change in the mode of functioning of Nagarik Mancha.Nagarik Mancha became an active partner in various combined initiatives and joint platforms with different grass root organisations and initiatives of marginal people. It was a unique and special experience as these activities became the mainstay of Nagarik Mancha. The voices from the margins, speaking about their experiences and about their perceptions of the present model of development, were shared by Nagarik Mancha.
- On 9 April, 2012, approximately 100 members of Shramajibee Adhikaar Jaatra organised a whole day discussion.
- The WEST BENGAL FACT FINDING COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENT was inaugurated on 4 August 2012. Sabuj Mancha and Nagarik Mancha had important roles in its initiation.
- On World Adivasi day, 9 August 2012, a gathering was held by ‘ADIVASI BANABASI ADHIKAAR MANCHA’, another initiative in which Nagarik Mancha was an active partner.
- The ‘FIRST PEOPLE’S SUMMIT ON ENVIRONMENT IN WEST BENGAL’ was organised by Sabuj Mancha on August 11, 2012 at the Conference Hall of Academy of Fine Arts.
- On 21 September, 2012 Nagarik Mancha organized BIJOY CHOUDHURI MEMORIAL LECTURE on Crisis of Global Economy at Birla Planetorium Hall, Calcutta by Devdas Bandyopadhyay and Byasdeb Das Gupta.
- Since 22 September, 2012 Fact Finding Commission on Environment started its hearing on behalf of Sabuj Mancha.
- On 4 January 2013 Sabuj Mancha framed a GREEN CHARGE-SHEET against the West Bengal Pollution Control Board.
- On 3 April 2013, a convention was held by Adivasi Banabasi Adhikaar Mancha to implement Forest Rights Act in West Bengal.
- Nagarik Mancha participated in Kolkata Book Fair from 26 January 2013 and published a calendar jointly with Nespon.
- Nagarik Mancha with other organisations organised meeting at Press Club for Bhopal Gas victim on 3 March 2013.
- 5 June 2013 Sabuj Mancha organised a gathering in front of WBPCB to demand action on different environmental issues.
- On 8 June 2013, Nagarik Mancha actively participated in the Convention at Tapan Theatre, to form NGO KARMACHARI KALYAN SAMITY.
- On 21September 2013 Nagarik Mancha’s 25th foundation day was celebrated at Rammohan Library Hall and its website was formally launched.