The best part of our tenure in Narmada Bachao Andolan was our interaction with the kids out there. Whether it was Golu of Lepa , Biswajit of Jalud , Sachin of Dharaji or Shalini of Narsingpura , each one of these kids enabled us to discover something new and made us realize the true meaning of life.
The meaning was simple yet intellectual. It was to wake up every day with enthusiasm, oozing with confidence and energy and get what we want. Just as a kid cries for his toy, yells when he is hungry and finds a friend at every step he takes. These qualities were truly exhibited by Golu, Biswajit, Sachin and Shalini and we at that very moment thought that how easier our lives would have been, had we possessed the same innocence, trust and enthusiasm that these kids possess their eagerness to learn and respond to our love and affection was really touching. I have listed some of these unforgettable moments
• The kids taught us a beautiful and meaningful song on Narmada River. The amazing thing is that it took us mere 10 minutes to memorize the complete song and it is the only song which we remember completely
• We were able to make them learn a song cum dance – Ek kadam daye haath aur ek kadam baaye haath- a song very close to our heart , taught to us by a very special entity ( None other than Pravah). They grasped the steps and the lyrics at just one go which as quite astonishing.
• We thought of expanding the horizons of our tribe (Zinga Lika Chumbha – a tribe that came into existence during Smile Orientation camp) in such a way that only one tribe exist in the entire world. And they loved it. We are eagerly waiting for the moment , when we can introduce these new Zingolikas and Chumbhas
• After all these jubilation there was only one thing that was left. The patent song of our tribe- Ek geet Tere Naam Ka Hai Shava. However this was done with a twist. The deal was that no filmi songs will be sung. The round of Geet Tere Naam ka proved tobe extremely entertaining and as we got to listen to a dozen of songs and each one of them were uniquely different. The Kids have promised us that they weill carry this trend forward and help us in creating a world where everyone can cheerfully yell “ Zinga Lika Chumbha “.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Rehabilitation – Some points to ponder
Rehabilitation – Some points to ponder
• There is a tendency amongst the villagers to take compensation in form of Cheque , deposit in post office which have high degree of liquidity instead of plots and land allocated to them
• This tendency makes them vulnerable to exploitation by middlemen (Dalals)
• There have been instances in project affected villages where the villagers have withdrawn the entire compensation that they had received
• There are chances that the money the villagers have withdrawn will be exhausted by them completely and they will end up in situation wherein they will not even have a penny to spend and their existing land, plot and house will be washed away and their decision to take out money will leave them stranded
• There is a tendency amongst the villagers to take compensation in form of Cheque , deposit in post office which have high degree of liquidity instead of plots and land allocated to them
• This tendency makes them vulnerable to exploitation by middlemen (Dalals)
• There have been instances in project affected villages where the villagers have withdrawn the entire compensation that they had received
• There are chances that the money the villagers have withdrawn will be exhausted by them completely and they will end up in situation wherein they will not even have a penny to spend and their existing land, plot and house will be washed away and their decision to take out money will leave them stranded
I am what I am doesn’t always work
There is a common saying “You are what you think you are”. This applies well when we are referring to convincing and constantly motivating our inner self. However, when it comes to representing yourself to the world and convincing them about your motives, vision, aspirations and action plan it is important to not only think but act in a way which communicates “ what you are “ and “ What do you intend to do” and most importantly “ The means you will use to reach your end”.
The above mentioned facts are quite relevant in regards to our research on Narmada Bachao Andolan. At the Grass root level it is very clear that Narmada Bachao Andolan has diversified is activities and its approach has been multidimensional. However, the interpretation of this Andolan by a person living in a distant place, miles away from the action has always been that it is an Anti Dam revolt which has probably reached its saturation point. But I don’t think it is true.
There have been a few observations which has helped me in identifying the cause and affect of such a situation
Misrepresentation
The misrepresentation of facts by the Media (both print and electronic) has formed an impression in the minds of the people and Narmada Bachao Andolan is facing it difficult to break the cobweb of stereotypes surrounding them
I used to be conceited but now I am perfect
This attitude can be one of the biggest factors of holding ones progress. NBA no doubt has been a revolution of its kind and has discovered a way to keep to the momentum going against all odds. However it has often taken all the responsibilities in their own shoulders and its ideologies and vision has not quite disseminated among the masses.
Let’s take each day at a time
Everyday there is something new that NBA deals with and NBA cannot be blamed for that, it is just the nature of the movement. However concentrating and confining its thinking to today have often questioned its vision. Every revolt requires a clear objective and a powerful vision. Unfortunately for NBA that vision is lacking today. The best way to overcome this problem is to make NBA visible because people seem to have ignored it for some time now and we all are responsible for it (Including me)
Quality and not quantity
Today NBA Requires people who possess diverse skills and work in a way that can contribute (in a big or small way) to the organization. It might involve a minor thing like getting an important document Photostatted, preparing a database in which everyone who has been associated with NBA is named or arranging the communications that NBA has received from NHDC OR NVDA. However the bottom line is that the work should be done within reasonable timescales, avoiding duplication of work and most importantly prioritizing work.
Creating new ways
The fight has been long and just like a metal which has been kept in the sun for years, exposed to rain, sun catches rust. Similarly the people who have been involved in this struggle have lost their enthusiasm to an extent and hence there is greater need to involving volunteers- national and foreign, initiating brainstorming sessions and finding new ways and methodologies. The volunteers can bring a fresh approach to this movement and can provide valuable inputs such as – the kind of rehabilitation practices that is done in foreign countries and the kind of strategies used. The Volunteers can also assist the movement in their minor projects in terms of experience and skill through well defined volunteering Programmes. We can definitely resort to creative mediums such as Blogging, street plays, Citizen Journalism, undertake small surveys and approach environmentalist, policy makers across India to comment on the findings and get these surveys propagated. Last but not the least International Organizations need to be approached such as united nations and the Humanitarian issues which are at stake need to be questioned.
The above mentioned facts are quite relevant in regards to our research on Narmada Bachao Andolan. At the Grass root level it is very clear that Narmada Bachao Andolan has diversified is activities and its approach has been multidimensional. However, the interpretation of this Andolan by a person living in a distant place, miles away from the action has always been that it is an Anti Dam revolt which has probably reached its saturation point. But I don’t think it is true.
There have been a few observations which has helped me in identifying the cause and affect of such a situation
Misrepresentation
The misrepresentation of facts by the Media (both print and electronic) has formed an impression in the minds of the people and Narmada Bachao Andolan is facing it difficult to break the cobweb of stereotypes surrounding them
I used to be conceited but now I am perfect
This attitude can be one of the biggest factors of holding ones progress. NBA no doubt has been a revolution of its kind and has discovered a way to keep to the momentum going against all odds. However it has often taken all the responsibilities in their own shoulders and its ideologies and vision has not quite disseminated among the masses.
Let’s take each day at a time
Everyday there is something new that NBA deals with and NBA cannot be blamed for that, it is just the nature of the movement. However concentrating and confining its thinking to today have often questioned its vision. Every revolt requires a clear objective and a powerful vision. Unfortunately for NBA that vision is lacking today. The best way to overcome this problem is to make NBA visible because people seem to have ignored it for some time now and we all are responsible for it (Including me)
Quality and not quantity
Today NBA Requires people who possess diverse skills and work in a way that can contribute (in a big or small way) to the organization. It might involve a minor thing like getting an important document Photostatted, preparing a database in which everyone who has been associated with NBA is named or arranging the communications that NBA has received from NHDC OR NVDA. However the bottom line is that the work should be done within reasonable timescales, avoiding duplication of work and most importantly prioritizing work.
Creating new ways
The fight has been long and just like a metal which has been kept in the sun for years, exposed to rain, sun catches rust. Similarly the people who have been involved in this struggle have lost their enthusiasm to an extent and hence there is greater need to involving volunteers- national and foreign, initiating brainstorming sessions and finding new ways and methodologies. The volunteers can bring a fresh approach to this movement and can provide valuable inputs such as – the kind of rehabilitation practices that is done in foreign countries and the kind of strategies used. The Volunteers can also assist the movement in their minor projects in terms of experience and skill through well defined volunteering Programmes. We can definitely resort to creative mediums such as Blogging, street plays, Citizen Journalism, undertake small surveys and approach environmentalist, policy makers across India to comment on the findings and get these surveys propagated. Last but not the least International Organizations need to be approached such as united nations and the Humanitarian issues which are at stake need to be questioned.
Reflections at Smile and NBA
Something’s looks easy to be done, however when we actually start doing it, we realize the actual skills and competence required to complete the task. We tried ourhands in Cooking, Washing, cleaning etc. The interesting observation that struck our mind was the synchronization of our body parts to provide force and simultaneously much needed stability to perform that particular task. For instance, when we were involved in preparing dough we were using the strength of our hands, palms and shoulder to grind the flour.
Thereafter, we had to pack a punch and then tried to accumulate the flour into one compete structure. While were doing this process, we realized that the different body posture were suited for performing different tasks. For example when we were the flour(by packing a punch), we were sitting on our knees and it enables the rest of our body to stand as pillar and pass the strength to our shoulders, which in turn passed the strength to our hands and palms.
This was an example of an activity which was strength oriented. On the other hand, when we were preparing rotis we often had to do things other way around. So we used the softness of our palms that give that perfect oval shape. This activity primarily involved co ordination of hands, palms, eyes and more importantly our intuition and judgment whichever is more reliable.
I am sure you must be left wondering that this blog post talks about Shoulders, hands, palms, knees, shoulders etc. But why haven’t I mentioned anything about fingers. We used the flexibility of our fingers in cleaning desk, corner of a house where our hands or palms could not reach.
The use of our stomach could not be ignored either. We had learnt in our orientation workshop prior to volunteering “Pet se Awaaz Nikalo”. We were just doing that, as there was chaos when we were mobilizing people and our vocal skills were put to stern test.
However, to sum it up we learnt that every task /activity has a process and we can master it only by practicing. The bottom line is that we should not lose our creativity in performing any task. There are thousand of ways to done one particular task and the fun is to discover a new method every time we start losing interest.
Thereafter, we had to pack a punch and then tried to accumulate the flour into one compete structure. While were doing this process, we realized that the different body posture were suited for performing different tasks. For example when we were the flour(by packing a punch), we were sitting on our knees and it enables the rest of our body to stand as pillar and pass the strength to our shoulders, which in turn passed the strength to our hands and palms.
This was an example of an activity which was strength oriented. On the other hand, when we were preparing rotis we often had to do things other way around. So we used the softness of our palms that give that perfect oval shape. This activity primarily involved co ordination of hands, palms, eyes and more importantly our intuition and judgment whichever is more reliable.
I am sure you must be left wondering that this blog post talks about Shoulders, hands, palms, knees, shoulders etc. But why haven’t I mentioned anything about fingers. We used the flexibility of our fingers in cleaning desk, corner of a house where our hands or palms could not reach.
The use of our stomach could not be ignored either. We had learnt in our orientation workshop prior to volunteering “Pet se Awaaz Nikalo”. We were just doing that, as there was chaos when we were mobilizing people and our vocal skills were put to stern test.
However, to sum it up we learnt that every task /activity has a process and we can master it only by practicing. The bottom line is that we should not lose our creativity in performing any task. There are thousand of ways to done one particular task and the fun is to discover a new method every time we start losing interest.
Reflections at Smile and NBA
Volunteering can be at times be tricky.In the orientation camp, attempts are made to open ones mind and clear one of all the stereotypes, that generally hampers our thought process. During the course of the internship, one may be asked to do a task which might be repetitive in nature. There are three basic stages in doing a task. The first stage involves learning the basic skills required to perform a the task. This is generally the time when our focus is at its very best since at the back of our mind we know that an early hiccup could be a major hindrance in successful completion of the task
The next stage arrives commences when we get the essence of the task an our efficiency in doing the task increases. After a while there is a feel good factor comes in as our initial apprehensiveness about doing the task disappears and we are oozing with confidence.
However this stage is short lived and very shortly our intensity recahes a saturation point and monotony and fatigue creeps in. This is the stage when we need to use our creativity to sustain our interest in the task which is at our disposal.It can be listeningto music while doing the task , exchanging roles within the purview of the task/activity in case more than one people are involved or we can aslo take a short break and chit chat ith our friend, colleagues, buddies etc.
However at all times it must be ensured that the quality of our work is no affected and trust me its not all that difficult.These innvative methods are extremely helpful and enables us to break the shackles of monotony. Creativity and innovation is the tantra and the Mantra to deal with fatigue, frustation, exhausation arising out of monotony. Can you think of any method which you used to break the monotony. Please do let me kn
The next stage arrives commences when we get the essence of the task an our efficiency in doing the task increases. After a while there is a feel good factor comes in as our initial apprehensiveness about doing the task disappears and we are oozing with confidence.
However this stage is short lived and very shortly our intensity recahes a saturation point and monotony and fatigue creeps in. This is the stage when we need to use our creativity to sustain our interest in the task which is at our disposal.It can be listeningto music while doing the task , exchanging roles within the purview of the task/activity in case more than one people are involved or we can aslo take a short break and chit chat ith our friend, colleagues, buddies etc.
However at all times it must be ensured that the quality of our work is no affected and trust me its not all that difficult.These innvative methods are extremely helpful and enables us to break the shackles of monotony. Creativity and innovation is the tantra and the Mantra to deal with fatigue, frustation, exhausation arising out of monotony. Can you think of any method which you used to break the monotony. Please do let me kn
The clock is ticking for Dharaji
Time changes quickly and brings a lot of changes with itself. It can bring adversities, prosperity, conflicts, resolve, hopelessness and determination. The Dharaji village has seen it all after the catastrophe of 13th may 2006.
It was a village of festivity, where each Poornima and Amavasya will bring a carnival like atmosphere and thousands of jubilant devotees will joyfully cheer and chant “Guru Dev Maharaj ki Jai”. Besides that it was a popular destination and could have been developed as a tourist spot for the nearby areas. It would have opened a heap of economic opportunities for the villagers in earning a living and generating an alternative source of income. It was on the verge of growth and development, since its popularity as a prospective tourist destination was increasing with every given day.
However the fate of the village changed due to one incident which was avoidable in the ordinary circumstances. The incident was that the water of Indira Sagar Pariyozana was released at night and had a devastating effect on the picturesque view of dharaji. Ironically when the water was coming down and was about to hit dharaji, a few of the villagers did see it coming and shouted “Pani aa raha hai “. Unfortunately the devotees thought it is the rain which was about to come and they started looking towards the clouds.
However the truth was very different, the water flushed into the wonderful Dharaji and destroyed everything that came along its way. According to MR Ramesh, who is one of the teachers of the primary school in Dharaji, it was one of the most demolishing incidents that he had ever experienced. He unraveled a story which was painful and depressing. He told us in an intense tone “13 th May 2006 was the day”. The scenic beauty of Dharaji was destroyed the flooding Indira Sagar. The water hit the mountain and many of the devotees were struck in between the rocks. They thought the only way to get out of the mess was to jump in Narmada and did just that.
The water of the dam unleashed itself with tremendous velocity and wiped out a canvas which can only be remembered now. The villagers strongly believe that the loss could have been mitigated, if the authorities had informed the villagers about the aftermaths of the incident.
Although the villagers were aware of the fact that a dam was under construction, but the magnitude of the structure was not disclosed to them. In one single moment, thousands of villagers were flown away by the fury of Indira Sagar and the casualties were close to 5000, very different from what was estimated by the state (1500 to be precise.). The casualties comprised most of the devotees of Narmada River who has come from nearby areas.
Since that dreadful incident, it has been a struggle for the villagers. The wait has been long and the pain has been everlasting. Today the place is considered a bad omen and the villagers are confined to their homes. The water has hampered the connectivity of dharaji to Punasa, one of the nearby towns. The water which used to separate the village from the town has rose from 100 feet to 1000 feet and has submerged most of the mountains which was the beauty of the place.
To make matters worse, the rehabilitation and the resettlement of the villagers seems far from been probable. The villagers possess a great sense of unity and determination, which will be vital in things to come in the future. The irony is that the state has built up a bridge of a massive budget of 11 crores on a Nala in Dharaji, although the same amount could have been spent in meeting the rehabilitation and resettlement needs of the villagers. The very fact that the villagers could have been rehabilitated and resettled for a sum lower than the expenditure incurred on constructing a bridge lacks a rational approach. It seems authorities have closed their eyes and decided to do everything except working on the welfare of the villagers. The villagers have also made their stance very clear and have stringently opposed the construction of the bridge. It was clearly evident from the fact that the opening ceremony of the bridge was abandoned, as the villagers strongly condemned and revolted in retaliation.
But the clock is ticking and it is high time now that the authorities realize their mistake and expedite the rehabilitation and resettlement process.
It is disheartening to see the ignorance of officials towards a village which had the potential of a tourist destination. Although the wounds of the village can never be filled or cured but an attempt to secure their future will rejuvenate the faith of the villagers in law and order
It was a village of festivity, where each Poornima and Amavasya will bring a carnival like atmosphere and thousands of jubilant devotees will joyfully cheer and chant “Guru Dev Maharaj ki Jai”. Besides that it was a popular destination and could have been developed as a tourist spot for the nearby areas. It would have opened a heap of economic opportunities for the villagers in earning a living and generating an alternative source of income. It was on the verge of growth and development, since its popularity as a prospective tourist destination was increasing with every given day.
However the fate of the village changed due to one incident which was avoidable in the ordinary circumstances. The incident was that the water of Indira Sagar Pariyozana was released at night and had a devastating effect on the picturesque view of dharaji. Ironically when the water was coming down and was about to hit dharaji, a few of the villagers did see it coming and shouted “Pani aa raha hai “. Unfortunately the devotees thought it is the rain which was about to come and they started looking towards the clouds.
However the truth was very different, the water flushed into the wonderful Dharaji and destroyed everything that came along its way. According to MR Ramesh, who is one of the teachers of the primary school in Dharaji, it was one of the most demolishing incidents that he had ever experienced. He unraveled a story which was painful and depressing. He told us in an intense tone “13 th May 2006 was the day”. The scenic beauty of Dharaji was destroyed the flooding Indira Sagar. The water hit the mountain and many of the devotees were struck in between the rocks. They thought the only way to get out of the mess was to jump in Narmada and did just that.
The water of the dam unleashed itself with tremendous velocity and wiped out a canvas which can only be remembered now. The villagers strongly believe that the loss could have been mitigated, if the authorities had informed the villagers about the aftermaths of the incident.
Although the villagers were aware of the fact that a dam was under construction, but the magnitude of the structure was not disclosed to them. In one single moment, thousands of villagers were flown away by the fury of Indira Sagar and the casualties were close to 5000, very different from what was estimated by the state (1500 to be precise.). The casualties comprised most of the devotees of Narmada River who has come from nearby areas.
Since that dreadful incident, it has been a struggle for the villagers. The wait has been long and the pain has been everlasting. Today the place is considered a bad omen and the villagers are confined to their homes. The water has hampered the connectivity of dharaji to Punasa, one of the nearby towns. The water which used to separate the village from the town has rose from 100 feet to 1000 feet and has submerged most of the mountains which was the beauty of the place.
To make matters worse, the rehabilitation and the resettlement of the villagers seems far from been probable. The villagers possess a great sense of unity and determination, which will be vital in things to come in the future. The irony is that the state has built up a bridge of a massive budget of 11 crores on a Nala in Dharaji, although the same amount could have been spent in meeting the rehabilitation and resettlement needs of the villagers. The very fact that the villagers could have been rehabilitated and resettled for a sum lower than the expenditure incurred on constructing a bridge lacks a rational approach. It seems authorities have closed their eyes and decided to do everything except working on the welfare of the villagers. The villagers have also made their stance very clear and have stringently opposed the construction of the bridge. It was clearly evident from the fact that the opening ceremony of the bridge was abandoned, as the villagers strongly condemned and revolted in retaliation.
But the clock is ticking and it is high time now that the authorities realize their mistake and expedite the rehabilitation and resettlement process.
It is disheartening to see the ignorance of officials towards a village which had the potential of a tourist destination. Although the wounds of the village can never be filled or cured but an attempt to secure their future will rejuvenate the faith of the villagers in law and order
A difficult word named rehabilitation
A difficult world named rehabilitation,
Is the cause of their disgust and frustration?
Innocent faces looking for support
It is a matter of a house and not a fort (dam)
Things have been blown out of proportion,
Life is at stake of the present and the next generation
The smile on their face is still prevalent,
A few tears here and there are irrelevant
Their life is an everyday fight,
For them every new day brings a ray of light
They have taught me the objective of my survival,
I hope I can contribute to their revival
With this hope I walk towards a village,
Where the authorities are leading carnage
And then a co worker pats on my back and says
Give your best
Leave the rest
All the best
Is the cause of their disgust and frustration?
Innocent faces looking for support
It is a matter of a house and not a fort (dam)
Things have been blown out of proportion,
Life is at stake of the present and the next generation
The smile on their face is still prevalent,
A few tears here and there are irrelevant
Their life is an everyday fight,
For them every new day brings a ray of light
They have taught me the objective of my survival,
I hope I can contribute to their revival
With this hope I walk towards a village,
Where the authorities are leading carnage
And then a co worker pats on my back and says
Give your best
Leave the rest
All the best
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