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
Rehabilitation – A mind boggling process
Rehabilitation is a complex process. It not only involves getting the people resettled but in a way requires picking up a village. Copying its ingredients and pasting it at a distant location. We came across a few problems associated with rehabilitation, which has been summarized as follows.
• Right to Misinformation
The dam affected villager were never informed or educated about their right to get land in exchange of their existing land. They were bluntly suggested to accept the compensation otherwise they will end up losing both the land as well as the compensation.
• No man’s land
One of the complexities of rehabilitation has been resettling people who have encroached on a land are not the legitimate owners of the particular land. These people pay a tax for the encroachment which varies from Rs 150 to Rs 200, payable after every six months. The dated receipt of paying such a tax is the only evidence for such people to exercise their right to get land. However, generally facts are manipulated and such people are deprived of their right, although rehabilitation policy has specifically defined the rights of such people.
• Pride and prejudice
There have been instances when the authorities have obstructed and not taken initiatives in the process of rehabilitation and resettlement just for the sake of doing it. The point will be relevant through following case study.
Dharaji has been in the limelight for all the wrong reasons. It is a case of ignorance as far as the authorities and tolerance as far as villagers are concerned. The dreadful incident of the devotees flown away by the velocity of the water released from the Indira Sagar Dam has made a huge bearing on the lives of the villagers. The process of rehabilitation in this village is a matter of grave concern and has not been addressed for long time now. In circumstances where the compensation of the villagers is pending and the land and the plots remain to be allocated etc, the act of preparing a bridge on a Nala for a massive budget of 11 lakh defies all logic. The authorities could have spent a lower expenditure and rehabilitated and resettled villagers, instead of constructing a useless bridge which will be of no use once the village gets submerged. It seems it’s always been a problem of intent rather than a problem of resource allocation.
• Mission possible
Even after stringent directions of the Supreme Court which is one of the highest judiciaries to indulge in any sort of construction above the crest level in the Maheshwar dam, there seems to be no difference and on the contrary the process had been expedited. As a result of such a massive exploitation, the villagers of Lepa and Jalud, who have close proximity to dam have taken the gauntlet in their own hand and initiated a Dharna. In fact, if we look at the history of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, Dharna and protest are the only possible ways which has some resistance to the carnage which seems never ending.
• Enemy at the gates
The people who are associated with Narmada Bachao Andolan are paying heavy price for their involvement. There have been cases wherein people working for other government entities, when voiced their opinion in support of Narmada Bachao Andolan, were the receiving end of exploitation , manipulation and discrimination. A few villagers have been dismissed, terminated and blacklisted in their fight to attain justice. Narmada Bachao Andolan has witnessed the greatest irony of democracy. There have been instances when volunteers trying to explore the truth of the Maheshwar dam have been ill-treated by the security guard on the gate and bluntly told “Move away you are our enemy, why should you see Maheshwar Dam?”
Later on he allowed volunteers to visit Maheshwar and shook hands with them when they were about to leave. Whether it was the assertiveness of the volunteers or the guilt of the security guard still remains to be seen?
Posted by abhijit sarkar at 3:20 AM 0 comments
• Right to Misinformation
The dam affected villager were never informed or educated about their right to get land in exchange of their existing land. They were bluntly suggested to accept the compensation otherwise they will end up losing both the land as well as the compensation.
• No man’s land
One of the complexities of rehabilitation has been resettling people who have encroached on a land are not the legitimate owners of the particular land. These people pay a tax for the encroachment which varies from Rs 150 to Rs 200, payable after every six months. The dated receipt of paying such a tax is the only evidence for such people to exercise their right to get land. However, generally facts are manipulated and such people are deprived of their right, although rehabilitation policy has specifically defined the rights of such people.
• Pride and prejudice
There have been instances when the authorities have obstructed and not taken initiatives in the process of rehabilitation and resettlement just for the sake of doing it. The point will be relevant through following case study.
Dharaji has been in the limelight for all the wrong reasons. It is a case of ignorance as far as the authorities and tolerance as far as villagers are concerned. The dreadful incident of the devotees flown away by the velocity of the water released from the Indira Sagar Dam has made a huge bearing on the lives of the villagers. The process of rehabilitation in this village is a matter of grave concern and has not been addressed for long time now. In circumstances where the compensation of the villagers is pending and the land and the plots remain to be allocated etc, the act of preparing a bridge on a Nala for a massive budget of 11 lakh defies all logic. The authorities could have spent a lower expenditure and rehabilitated and resettled villagers, instead of constructing a useless bridge which will be of no use once the village gets submerged. It seems it’s always been a problem of intent rather than a problem of resource allocation.
• Mission possible
Even after stringent directions of the Supreme Court which is one of the highest judiciaries to indulge in any sort of construction above the crest level in the Maheshwar dam, there seems to be no difference and on the contrary the process had been expedited. As a result of such a massive exploitation, the villagers of Lepa and Jalud, who have close proximity to dam have taken the gauntlet in their own hand and initiated a Dharna. In fact, if we look at the history of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, Dharna and protest are the only possible ways which has some resistance to the carnage which seems never ending.
• Enemy at the gates
The people who are associated with Narmada Bachao Andolan are paying heavy price for their involvement. There have been cases wherein people working for other government entities, when voiced their opinion in support of Narmada Bachao Andolan, were the receiving end of exploitation , manipulation and discrimination. A few villagers have been dismissed, terminated and blacklisted in their fight to attain justice. Narmada Bachao Andolan has witnessed the greatest irony of democracy. There have been instances when volunteers trying to explore the truth of the Maheshwar dam have been ill-treated by the security guard on the gate and bluntly told “Move away you are our enemy, why should you see Maheshwar Dam?”
Later on he allowed volunteers to visit Maheshwar and shook hands with them when they were about to leave. Whether it was the assertiveness of the volunteers or the guilt of the security guard still remains to be seen?
Posted by abhijit sarkar at 3:20 AM 0 comments
Day 1 : Smile Orientation
I could see how hesitant and unsure everyone was , waiting for a conversation to start with it. It was a calmness, which was similar to the serenity before a stormy wind sets in. The conversation started with a round of discussion , followed by the creating our visiting cards and and representing each other. From thereon , everyone started interacting and who knew what was about to come. we helped each other in putting our luggage on the cabs and literally fitting each other. we finally reached Sarai Kale Khan and stormed our way to the bus. We were on our way to GVNML Laporia.
Well it did not take much time for us to explode. we started playing Antakshari, shouting , yelling and laughing , fighting etc our way to glory. Gradually , everyone was exhausted and we were confined to our seats.But that was just the break need to re energize our spirits. Once we reached Dudu at 5 am the enthusiasm came back and this time with much more vigor. Once we assembled at the bus stand stretched our self and asked each other " whats Next?".
To get everyone on their feet we played the coin game , a game truly showcasing the exuberance of youth. Thereafter, a few of us had and rest of us were busy accommodating our luggage and made it sure that none of us knew , which of the bags will be in danger. Thereafter , we boarded the cabs and our curiosity and excitement was increasing on every turn that cabs took.
A few of us were unfortunate enough for getting their bags tossed us again and again, but everyone took it in the right spirit and that deserves a lot of accolades.We finally reached GVNML and had a glimpse of a rock strong mountain , standing fearlessly, challenging us to climb it. The tiredness and fatigue was evaporated by the aroma and taste of the wonderful chai and we were up and running.
From thereon , we played a number of games, and each each of the game was unique i some or the other way. However the purpose of the game was the same. The purpose of moving from I to we. one common thing about the activity was the affinity of the instruction. I can still hear someone saying "Ek gol sa circle Banao".
After a while we had our lunch and tried our best to sneak into the room and take a small nap. But there was something better that was awaiting us. After a couple of light stuff, it was time for some intensity.we started sharing our thoughts , stories and experiences relating to our lives. It seemed that each one of us were hypnotized by a force and that made us speak our heart. The stories drilled our brain, pierced our hearts and it seemed a lightning had struck. Tears started dripping from our eyes , people started covering their faces in whatever way possible and keeping an eye contact was next to impossible. we all had similar stories, the story of our life.
After the emotional storm silence took and we moved to a corner, where we can speak to our soul, not in terms of what is happening to us. We were scattered looking for an answer rather than a consolation. But this is just the impetus we needed. We held each other , comforted each other and were back with a bang. We were now a tribe, named Zingo Liga Jumba jumping , singing and dancing our way to glory.
From there we were part of a few innovative and creative sessions , which helped us to justify each other, understand both the sides of coin and assuming the impact of everything that we do. The thought provoking discussion on conflicts , values , prioritizing our values still is echoing in my ears. We had a prolonged discussion and we still trying to interpret and analyze the things that were discussed.
At the end the discussion was kept open and it was truly bizarre to leave the discussion at that very point. A question mark was loomed large on our face and I guess the process of finding the answers has just started. It was decided that we will sleep under the star studded sky much to the delight of all the jumbalites. we carried our mattress and quilt and collapsed in our beds. Just when I was about to sleep someone said "It seems we have been together for a year, a year"?.
Well it did not take much time for us to explode. we started playing Antakshari, shouting , yelling and laughing , fighting etc our way to glory. Gradually , everyone was exhausted and we were confined to our seats.But that was just the break need to re energize our spirits. Once we reached Dudu at 5 am the enthusiasm came back and this time with much more vigor. Once we assembled at the bus stand stretched our self and asked each other " whats Next?".
To get everyone on their feet we played the coin game , a game truly showcasing the exuberance of youth. Thereafter, a few of us had and rest of us were busy accommodating our luggage and made it sure that none of us knew , which of the bags will be in danger. Thereafter , we boarded the cabs and our curiosity and excitement was increasing on every turn that cabs took.
A few of us were unfortunate enough for getting their bags tossed us again and again, but everyone took it in the right spirit and that deserves a lot of accolades.We finally reached GVNML and had a glimpse of a rock strong mountain , standing fearlessly, challenging us to climb it. The tiredness and fatigue was evaporated by the aroma and taste of the wonderful chai and we were up and running.
From thereon , we played a number of games, and each each of the game was unique i some or the other way. However the purpose of the game was the same. The purpose of moving from I to we. one common thing about the activity was the affinity of the instruction. I can still hear someone saying "Ek gol sa circle Banao".
After a while we had our lunch and tried our best to sneak into the room and take a small nap. But there was something better that was awaiting us. After a couple of light stuff, it was time for some intensity.we started sharing our thoughts , stories and experiences relating to our lives. It seemed that each one of us were hypnotized by a force and that made us speak our heart. The stories drilled our brain, pierced our hearts and it seemed a lightning had struck. Tears started dripping from our eyes , people started covering their faces in whatever way possible and keeping an eye contact was next to impossible. we all had similar stories, the story of our life.
After the emotional storm silence took and we moved to a corner, where we can speak to our soul, not in terms of what is happening to us. We were scattered looking for an answer rather than a consolation. But this is just the impetus we needed. We held each other , comforted each other and were back with a bang. We were now a tribe, named Zingo Liga Jumba jumping , singing and dancing our way to glory.
From there we were part of a few innovative and creative sessions , which helped us to justify each other, understand both the sides of coin and assuming the impact of everything that we do. The thought provoking discussion on conflicts , values , prioritizing our values still is echoing in my ears. We had a prolonged discussion and we still trying to interpret and analyze the things that were discussed.
At the end the discussion was kept open and it was truly bizarre to leave the discussion at that very point. A question mark was loomed large on our face and I guess the process of finding the answers has just started. It was decided that we will sleep under the star studded sky much to the delight of all the jumbalites. we carried our mattress and quilt and collapsed in our beds. Just when I was about to sleep someone said "It seems we have been together for a year, a year"?.
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