in the country. The network support local campaigns through information, linkages, legal, media, technical and policy support on mining issues and highlights them at a national and international level. 3. Industry Watch: Samata, being an advocacy and support group, monitors the proposed and existing industries and development projects in the state of A.P in order to act as a vigilant civil society. It participates in public hearings, accesses information and disseminates it to the local communities affected. It takes up legal, technical and media advocacy on urban and rural environment issues affected by industries. 4. Support to Development Activities: Samata implements development programmes in the tribal villages through local community participation to meet their basic requirements of housing, drinking water, education, health services, etc. by linking up with either government departments like Tribal Welfare, Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, Forest Department, etc. or with institutions/organizations concerned with the development of tribals. Samata also encourages communities to build up local sustainable institutions for over-coming exploitation through women's thrift societies, forest protection committees, health and education committees and farmers’ associations. 5. Direct legal services: Legal aid which is most crucial for marginalised communities fighting for their rights is inaccessible to them. Inability to understand the laws or approach the judiciary on their own makes local communities and small organisations working with them vulnerable to exploitation by the state and other forces. Samata provides direct legal services to communities and groups by helping in legal problems like false criminal cases, illegal custodies, getting bails, harassment and human rights violations, land alienation, either through writ petitions or public interest litigations. It takes up legal action and advocacy on issues related to tribal, forest, environment, industrial violations of the Constitution. 6. Campaign support and legal advocacy: Samata provides assistance to local struggles of tribals, farmers, fishermen, etc. who are fighting in the region for their specific rights of land, water, resources and struggles against displacement by industries. Local groups in Orissa and North Coastal Andhra Pradesh have asked Samata for guidance in organising committees, dissemination of information, planning and implementing campaign strategies, cultural training, help in legal advocacy through public interest litigations and writs, spreading legal awareness and literature among communities, etc. 7. Information support: Communities affected by private or government projects have a right to information on these projects and their likely impacts. Information should also be accessible to local groups and communities on