A cultural mass-struggle necessary to change the feudal mind-set
By Rupak Johnson
The women, in northern belt of India, have largely been non-participants in the development process of their respective states. Unlike south, where women are understood to have a pragmatic approach towards globalization, the scene in the north is fraught with confusion and embarrassment.
In mid-eastern state Odisha too, the women are yet to come in terms with the reality of industrialization and modernization. However, too late, Odisha also jumped into the development bandwagon to come out of the poverty tag attached with it for a long time. The present government invited the big business players to join hands with them in exploring the possibility of the elusive growth. And the state desperately requires skilled human resources to work as development agents. The huge task ahead is not possible without the participation of womenfolk, who consist of a large chunk of the population. But the question is: How can they be ready for action ?
Women in Odisha: An overview
The Constitution of India provides for equality between men and women according to Articles 14, 15 and 16. But there is denial of equality at various levels because of the strong feudal mindset in the state. The feudal and agricultural societies of the yore brought in the male-dominance concept because of the physical strength of men-folk. Women preferred to play second fiddle by confining themselves within the four walls of the house cooking food, giving birth and rearing children.
The situation still holds true for Odisha, especially the rural belts, where nearly eighty five percent of the total population resides. And despite dominance of mineral-based industries, agriculture continues to be the mainstay of about three-fourths of the total working force. As a result, women keep themselves associated with only household work; they do not want to think anything else; they restrict their outlook.
In Odisha, like other parts of the country, women are still looked down upon. The birth of a girl child is seen as a tragedy even among people belonging to educated class. The girl is considered as a burden. This is the reason why the reports of female foeticide appear in media at frequent intervals. The disgusting practice of dowry also cast the women in a negative picture; she is treated like cattle in the marriage market; she has no value of her own; her education and thoughts are of no meaning.
It is strange to learn that women in Odisha are still far from equal in terms of their rights and privileges. They work from dawn to dusk doing their chores and taking care of the members of the household, but sadly, they are not supposed to have their say in decision-making. It is the male who decide or rather the society, in general, that would want him to decide. The woman, however intelligent and wise, is seldom asked to participate. It is immaterial to know whether she possesses 'a piece of her own mind'; she is a mute spectator who is forced to play a passive role.
What are the reasons?
Women in Odisha have not learnt to assert themselves and they also suffer from low self-esteem. Intelligence Quotient tests have established that the IQ of an average woman is the same that of an average man.
Given a chance, women can perform as well as men in almost all activities. There have been umpteen numbers of examples in the country where women showed they can deliver. Right from Kalpana Chawla, the late astronaut of Indian origin to, Indira K. Nooyi, the chief executive officer of PepsiCo, Kiran Desai, the man booker prize winner, Sania Mirza, the mixed doubles Australian Grand Slam winner to Aishwarya Rai, the international face of Indian film industry, there are ever increasing number of women achievers from our country. These women are known to have been assertive, a trait which implies exercising one's own rights and having conviction — a firmly held belief in one's own self.
A majority of women in Odisha are cocooned in a pile of prejudice and pre-conceived notion. They do not want to come out of the rut; they lack self-will and the urge to achieve a foothold in the society. The state can boast of a handful of women achievers who have given Odisha recognition at the national level.
Nandita Das, Kalpana Das and Roopa Mishra are some of the achievers who brought laurels for themselves as well as for the state. But, the success rate is few and far between. There is a huge scope for women in new-age professions like television, journalism, fashion design and entertainment. It is rather strange to note that the women here are cut-off from the political thinking; they treat politics as pariah. They still believe in clichés like 'the person who does not have any other work does politics'. Strange enough! Living in a globalised world with such thinking is pathetic and calls for serious attention. It is indeed a gross misconception which has been inculcated on their minds by external forces.
The women should look at their neighboring states Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal where women have strong political base. They need to look at Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Punjab and even North-East. A breakthrough initiative for Industrialization and modernization of the state is possible only through the active and collective participation of its citizens at thinking and action level. Odisha's women must act fast.
What to do?
A change in the outlook is possible with the willingness to change along with a positive approach. The slogan 'Yes, we can' played a key role in Mr. Barack Obama's historic victory in USA; it was the essence of his political campaigning. This attitude is required in Odisha too. The women need to have self-belief which will open up news vistas of opportunity for them. They need a revolution in thinking level, a complete overhauling of the mindset. They need to ignite their brain to have a clear vision of the surrounding.
A mass-struggle is required to help them break free from the mindset of feudal societies. The women need to think beyond the four walls; they need to lift themselves up. In the age of machines and computers, Odisha requires large participation of women. Physical power, the emblem of feudal mindset, is passé; mental power is the new mantra. It's time to dream big. Emancipation waits for them at the door.
The author is a communication expert. Please send your feed back at janatavikasmanch@gmail.com or visit http://www.janatavikasmanch.blogspot.com/ for more information.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Odisha's youth must change mindset to meet challenges of global meltdown
By Rupak Johnson
Odisha's youth is not different than the rest of India as the global meltdown has them badly. The current batch of engineering and management institutes of the state are seeing a bleak future for their placement opportunities in the industry because the existing ones working within and outside the Odisha are loosing jobs left, right and centre.
Both global and national media reports convey that the frustration, anxiety and anger is being easily seen and experienced throughout the globe in the current global economic crisis which is even greater in magnitude than the Great Depression of 1930s. Job cuts, lay-offs, pink slips are the kind of unpleasant words which have become so frequent these days that it cast a shadow on our very survival in this competitive world. The news dailies are replete with reports of demonstrations by jobless youth, right from US to Germany and France in Europe to several regions in Asia. The situation in India too does not present a rosy picture. Soon after the meltdown shockwaves, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Sensex tumbled bringing the business tycoons many steps down the profit ladder. There have been sudden brakes in the business activities of manufacturing and service sectors. Everyone is asking now: what next?
Odisha: Development Issue
Odisha unfortunately has not undergone any significant developmental change in the last 60 years. A comparative study of the neighboring states like Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal can be done in this regard to understand the actual situation of the state. Andhra Pradesh is known internationally as the progressive state both in terms of IT, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and for the forward thinking of the youth.
On the other hand, West Bengal, though a Communist-led state, has seen the sincere efforts of the pragmatic chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya for the economic growth of the state. Moreover, Bengali youth, shaking off their nostalgia are scattered throughout the globe, thus contributing to the welfare of their home state.
Odisha needs development on many fronts starting with the desire to develop first. And the desire takes place when we ponder sincerely over gain and loss. No country or state, in this fast shrinking global world, can afford to remain aloof. There are genuine development requirements in the thinking level of the Odisha people, especially the youth. Development of the self is what required the most at the collective level. We can take inspiration from the youth of Bihar. Though their state is in shambles, their contribution in national politics as well as union civil services are of great significance. They feel proud to be known as Bihari whereas a person from Odisha, living in West Bengal, New Delhi or Mumbai for years, prefers to give a pseudo identity! There is a big question mark on the self-respect. Whom to blame? The so-called politicians who have failed to give a proper identity to Odisha at the national level or the parents who have not taught their children to be proud of Odisha and its culture? It is high time for the youth to change their mindset to actively participate in the future development of Odisha.
Odisha: Youth Mindset
Once ensconced in the cool comfort of their surrounding, the youth, today find themselves trapped with the onslaught of globalization. It is like suddenly changing pace and be on the fast track! The progress in Information and Communication Technology vis-a-vis cutting edge technology have caught them, lagging behind in the race.
In addition to that, the advent of multinational companies in Odisha has further compounded their task of competing with their counterparts at the highest level! The state requires technical manpower not only to develop infrastructure but also to set up its own manufacturing units at various levels to lessen dependency on other states.
The youth can ill-afford to remain in a regressive mindset when they have a greater role to play for the welfare of their state. Gone are the days when they would enjoy the notion that only fathers were required to work to run as big a family as a volleyball team! Ignorance is no more bliss especially when the very question of existence arises with alarming proportions.
Secondly, an attitude which borders on the periphery of fatalism is equally dangerous as it takes the logic out rendering the thoughts irrational and out of sync with the facts. This is known as back-ward thinking due to which not only the individual's progress is blocked but state too, as a whole, has to pay the price.
Though there is no harm in having faith in God and practicing spiritualism, it is the overdose of religious intoxicants that is really hazardous to one's own development as a contributing citizen of the state.
The youth in Odisha has to realize fact that the Time is slipping out of hand. The youth from other states like Bihar, Jharkhand and others are capturing more number of seats not only in premier educational institutions but also grabbing jobs both in public and private companies in Odisha.
Odisha: Way Forward For Youth
It is not too late. In order to measure up to the desired expectation, the youth would do well to pull its socks together by taking corrective steps. Taking cue from the Darwin theory that 'survival is the art of the fittest', the youth has to equip himself with the required arsenal to cope with the challenges ahead in the global meltdown. The steps to be taken are as follows:
1. Political Awareness: It is the political leadership of our country which takes decisions of our day-to-day life right from what we should eat, drink, wear to what we should watch on TV or where we can smoke to and what type of education we should have. It is, therefore, imperative for the youth to take active participation in the political debate and discussions. For example, the youth in West Bengal, Kerala, Bihar and other state are politically literate and they not only take active part in political debate and discussions, but also express their opinion. Political awareness is the power to choose between right and wrong.
2. Communication Skill: Communication is a vast subject and it has several connotations. But the topic which is very relevant for the youth of Odisha, in general, is to have a sound understanding and command over English, which is now the language of the global world. Certain manners and etiquettes associated with English should also be learnt. The economic crisis has made the selection process tougher. 'Creamy layer' is fast becoming the buzzword in the recruiting companies.
3. Information & Communication Technology: In the wake of the global economic crisis, the major IT companies like Microsoft have taken a beating. This gives the understanding that something advanced like Information & Communication Technology is the call of the day. The first step in this regard for scores of computer-ignorant youth would be to learn the basics of computer and get to know about Internet, emailing and MS-office applications like working on Windows, Excel and PowerPoint. One of the pre-requisites in the professional world today is to be a computer literate.
4. Entrepreneurial Attitude: A study of the Indian youth suggests that in metro cities youth are opting for 'self-employment' ways leaving behind the 'employment seekers' mindset . Instead, they are generate employment through self-employment. This is a healthy trend for a country like India where more than thirty crore educated youth are unemployed! In Odisha, entrepreneurial mindset can be developed to work in the field of agriculture, floriculture, fisheries, tourism, small scale industries and several other untapped sectors.
5. Need to develop 24/7 work culture and dismantle the 10 to 5 mindset: Youth must develop work culture if he or she wants to develop Odisha like Punjab, Haryana, Gujrat, Maharashtra and other developed states in India.
This is the right time for the youth of Odisha to introspect and re-position himself or herself for the development of the state in the post-meltdown. Otherwise, the state will remain unchanged even after another sixty years. This is the bitter truth, one may or may not like it.
The author is a communication expert. Please send your comments and suggestions to janatavikasmanch@gmail.com or rupak.johnson@gmail.com . And, visit www.janatavikasmanch.blogspot.com for more information.
Odisha's youth is not different than the rest of India as the global meltdown has them badly. The current batch of engineering and management institutes of the state are seeing a bleak future for their placement opportunities in the industry because the existing ones working within and outside the Odisha are loosing jobs left, right and centre.
Both global and national media reports convey that the frustration, anxiety and anger is being easily seen and experienced throughout the globe in the current global economic crisis which is even greater in magnitude than the Great Depression of 1930s. Job cuts, lay-offs, pink slips are the kind of unpleasant words which have become so frequent these days that it cast a shadow on our very survival in this competitive world. The news dailies are replete with reports of demonstrations by jobless youth, right from US to Germany and France in Europe to several regions in Asia. The situation in India too does not present a rosy picture. Soon after the meltdown shockwaves, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Sensex tumbled bringing the business tycoons many steps down the profit ladder. There have been sudden brakes in the business activities of manufacturing and service sectors. Everyone is asking now: what next?
Odisha: Development Issue
Odisha unfortunately has not undergone any significant developmental change in the last 60 years. A comparative study of the neighboring states like Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal can be done in this regard to understand the actual situation of the state. Andhra Pradesh is known internationally as the progressive state both in terms of IT, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and for the forward thinking of the youth.
On the other hand, West Bengal, though a Communist-led state, has seen the sincere efforts of the pragmatic chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya for the economic growth of the state. Moreover, Bengali youth, shaking off their nostalgia are scattered throughout the globe, thus contributing to the welfare of their home state.
Odisha needs development on many fronts starting with the desire to develop first. And the desire takes place when we ponder sincerely over gain and loss. No country or state, in this fast shrinking global world, can afford to remain aloof. There are genuine development requirements in the thinking level of the Odisha people, especially the youth. Development of the self is what required the most at the collective level. We can take inspiration from the youth of Bihar. Though their state is in shambles, their contribution in national politics as well as union civil services are of great significance. They feel proud to be known as Bihari whereas a person from Odisha, living in West Bengal, New Delhi or Mumbai for years, prefers to give a pseudo identity! There is a big question mark on the self-respect. Whom to blame? The so-called politicians who have failed to give a proper identity to Odisha at the national level or the parents who have not taught their children to be proud of Odisha and its culture? It is high time for the youth to change their mindset to actively participate in the future development of Odisha.
Odisha: Youth Mindset
Once ensconced in the cool comfort of their surrounding, the youth, today find themselves trapped with the onslaught of globalization. It is like suddenly changing pace and be on the fast track! The progress in Information and Communication Technology vis-a-vis cutting edge technology have caught them, lagging behind in the race.
In addition to that, the advent of multinational companies in Odisha has further compounded their task of competing with their counterparts at the highest level! The state requires technical manpower not only to develop infrastructure but also to set up its own manufacturing units at various levels to lessen dependency on other states.
The youth can ill-afford to remain in a regressive mindset when they have a greater role to play for the welfare of their state. Gone are the days when they would enjoy the notion that only fathers were required to work to run as big a family as a volleyball team! Ignorance is no more bliss especially when the very question of existence arises with alarming proportions.
Secondly, an attitude which borders on the periphery of fatalism is equally dangerous as it takes the logic out rendering the thoughts irrational and out of sync with the facts. This is known as back-ward thinking due to which not only the individual's progress is blocked but state too, as a whole, has to pay the price.
Though there is no harm in having faith in God and practicing spiritualism, it is the overdose of religious intoxicants that is really hazardous to one's own development as a contributing citizen of the state.
The youth in Odisha has to realize fact that the Time is slipping out of hand. The youth from other states like Bihar, Jharkhand and others are capturing more number of seats not only in premier educational institutions but also grabbing jobs both in public and private companies in Odisha.
Odisha: Way Forward For Youth
It is not too late. In order to measure up to the desired expectation, the youth would do well to pull its socks together by taking corrective steps. Taking cue from the Darwin theory that 'survival is the art of the fittest', the youth has to equip himself with the required arsenal to cope with the challenges ahead in the global meltdown. The steps to be taken are as follows:
1. Political Awareness: It is the political leadership of our country which takes decisions of our day-to-day life right from what we should eat, drink, wear to what we should watch on TV or where we can smoke to and what type of education we should have. It is, therefore, imperative for the youth to take active participation in the political debate and discussions. For example, the youth in West Bengal, Kerala, Bihar and other state are politically literate and they not only take active part in political debate and discussions, but also express their opinion. Political awareness is the power to choose between right and wrong.
2. Communication Skill: Communication is a vast subject and it has several connotations. But the topic which is very relevant for the youth of Odisha, in general, is to have a sound understanding and command over English, which is now the language of the global world. Certain manners and etiquettes associated with English should also be learnt. The economic crisis has made the selection process tougher. 'Creamy layer' is fast becoming the buzzword in the recruiting companies.
3. Information & Communication Technology: In the wake of the global economic crisis, the major IT companies like Microsoft have taken a beating. This gives the understanding that something advanced like Information & Communication Technology is the call of the day. The first step in this regard for scores of computer-ignorant youth would be to learn the basics of computer and get to know about Internet, emailing and MS-office applications like working on Windows, Excel and PowerPoint. One of the pre-requisites in the professional world today is to be a computer literate.
4. Entrepreneurial Attitude: A study of the Indian youth suggests that in metro cities youth are opting for 'self-employment' ways leaving behind the 'employment seekers' mindset . Instead, they are generate employment through self-employment. This is a healthy trend for a country like India where more than thirty crore educated youth are unemployed! In Odisha, entrepreneurial mindset can be developed to work in the field of agriculture, floriculture, fisheries, tourism, small scale industries and several other untapped sectors.
5. Need to develop 24/7 work culture and dismantle the 10 to 5 mindset: Youth must develop work culture if he or she wants to develop Odisha like Punjab, Haryana, Gujrat, Maharashtra and other developed states in India.
This is the right time for the youth of Odisha to introspect and re-position himself or herself for the development of the state in the post-meltdown. Otherwise, the state will remain unchanged even after another sixty years. This is the bitter truth, one may or may not like it.
The author is a communication expert. Please send your comments and suggestions to janatavikasmanch@gmail.com or rupak.johnson@gmail.com . And, visit www.janatavikasmanch.blogspot.com for more information.
Fishermen commit suicides in Kendrapada district of Odisha
Ashis Senapati
The national media has started highlighting the problems being faced by the diamond industry due to the global meltdown. The suicide cases, committed by the diamond workers in the western part of India, are being reported on the front pages of the national dailies.
Likewise, in the last few years, the media has been focusing on the farmers suicides in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. And, the government was forced to announce relief package for these farmers.
But, surprisingly, the media attention has not gone towards the miserable condition of the fishermen of Kendrapada district.
It is know to one and all in Odisha that the fishing industry was flourishing, a few years back, in Kharinashi, Ramnagar, Batighar,Jamboo, Petachila, Suniti, Kansarbadadandua, and other villages, with a population of about 20,000 fishermen families, in the Kendrapada district.
But now these villages are going through a nightmare with these areas becoming synonymous with poverty, hunger and suicide following the decision of the state government to ban fishing to protect turtles between November 1 to May 31 every year. The turtles lay eggs during the said period along with the coastline.
On the direction of judiciary, the government has imposed the ban strictly since the year 2002. The fishermen are not allowed to take the boat to the 20 km from the coast within the 35 km long Gahirmatha marine sanctuary and five km off the seacoast in other areas.For many in the coastal pockets of the district, the fishing nets and boats have been the breadwinner. These people used to venture on the sea with their country and mechanized boats to catch fish.. But, they do not venturing on the sea to catch fish during the said ban period – November 1 to May 31.
Some tried to fish slyly but they were arrested by the forest and Coast Guard officials on the sea. At least 160 fishermen have been arrested by the forest and police officials. They also seized their boats.
On January 2, 2007 a fisherman was also killed by the forest guards when he along with 14 fishermen were fishing near the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary.The government each year impose "Fishing Ban" from November 1 to 31st, May to protect turtles and one month ban during the breeding season in July. The fishermen never venture on the sea in the month of May due to the heavy wind for which the fishermen are not allowed to fish eight months in a year as a result their fate is hanging in balance.
The government declaring "No Fishing Zone" on the sea has swept their bread basket away, leaving their lives a torn canvass with nothing to paint on it. With their lives in knots, pockets penniless, future directionless and their boats dead silent, many have opted for the painful exit route to get rid off from the financial misery - suicide.
Gourna Saha(38) of Kharinashi , Rosan Mandal (45) of Ramnagar, Juan Mandal of Pitapatha, Bidyadhar Ram(41) of Kharinashi, Jyganta Biswas(52) of Pitapata, Sripad Jahar( 38) of Ramnagar, Buddayananda Saraswati (43) of Ramnagar, Birata Haldar(35 ) of Ramnagar, Sukumar Srarkar(35) of Ramnagar and many fishermen committed suicide in the last three years in the Mahakalapada block of Kendrapara district of Odisha.
Many fishermen became paupers and insane in these areas after loosing their livelihood. Budhananda Saraswati, Dileswar Das, Sital Das , Balai Biswas, Mahadev Das, Susanta Das and several other fishermen of Mahakalapada areas lost their mental balance after the authority impounded their boats.
Sikha Ram(32) the widow of Bidyadhar Ram of Kharinashi said, "My husband committed suicide on December 15, 2006 after the forest officials seized his boat on November 5, 2006 from the Gahirmatha areas. In 2006, he had obtained a loan of one lakh rupees from a moneylender to make the boat. Now it is difficult for me to survive along with my two sons".
Arati (34), the widow of Gournga Saha, a former Sarapanch of Kharinashi Gram Panchayat said " Three years back , the forest officers seized my husband's boat while he was fishing within Gahirmatha areas. After seizure of the boat, my husband was running from pillar to post to get another boat. After loosing all his hope to get a boat, he committed suicide by hanging in his fishing net"."After the death of my husband, I and my two minor daughters have been eking out our livelihood by binding beedies", said a dejected Arati.
Incidentally, the coastal pockets of Kendrapada and its nearby areas have been witnessing an unusual phenomenon of suicides. With nearly ten fishermen allegedly committing suicide in less than three years, the authority is at a loss on how to infuse life into the fishing sector.
But behind the suicides is also sad story of the role of some local moneylenders who behave like the characters of the greedy Shylock in the Shakespeare's famous play "Merchant of Venice". These village moneylenders charge 30 to 60 percent interest from the innocent fishermen, alleged Ramahari Manna a teacher by profession. It may be mentioned here that the banks charge an interest of 12% to 18% depending upon the nature of the loan.
"Unable to provide work, several dry-fish unit owners have closed their units and some fishermen even sold their boats for scrap", said Tapan Mishra a dry-fish unit owner of Mahakalapada.
"Now, the fishermen are pushed to a corner and with no hopes, many hang their fate on the fishing nets that once gave them life", said Arabinda Mandal ,the former Sarapanch of Jamboo Gram Panchayat.
Odisha government should take steps to prevent further suicides of fishermen in Kendrapada district. The government should offer fishermen an alternative livelihood as Pondichery and other state governments do for the welfare of their fishermen. These fishermen can also be given compensation package during the ban period. Then only happiness can return to these villages of Kendrapada district.
The author is a Odisha based senior journalist. You can send your comments and suggestions at janatavikasmanch@gmail.com or senapatiashis@rediffmail.com . And, visit
www.janatavikasmanch.blogspot.com for more information.
The national media has started highlighting the problems being faced by the diamond industry due to the global meltdown. The suicide cases, committed by the diamond workers in the western part of India, are being reported on the front pages of the national dailies.
Likewise, in the last few years, the media has been focusing on the farmers suicides in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. And, the government was forced to announce relief package for these farmers.
But, surprisingly, the media attention has not gone towards the miserable condition of the fishermen of Kendrapada district.
It is know to one and all in Odisha that the fishing industry was flourishing, a few years back, in Kharinashi, Ramnagar, Batighar,Jamboo, Petachila, Suniti, Kansarbadadandua, and other villages, with a population of about 20,000 fishermen families, in the Kendrapada district.
But now these villages are going through a nightmare with these areas becoming synonymous with poverty, hunger and suicide following the decision of the state government to ban fishing to protect turtles between November 1 to May 31 every year. The turtles lay eggs during the said period along with the coastline.
On the direction of judiciary, the government has imposed the ban strictly since the year 2002. The fishermen are not allowed to take the boat to the 20 km from the coast within the 35 km long Gahirmatha marine sanctuary and five km off the seacoast in other areas.For many in the coastal pockets of the district, the fishing nets and boats have been the breadwinner. These people used to venture on the sea with their country and mechanized boats to catch fish.. But, they do not venturing on the sea to catch fish during the said ban period – November 1 to May 31.
Some tried to fish slyly but they were arrested by the forest and Coast Guard officials on the sea. At least 160 fishermen have been arrested by the forest and police officials. They also seized their boats.
On January 2, 2007 a fisherman was also killed by the forest guards when he along with 14 fishermen were fishing near the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary.The government each year impose "Fishing Ban" from November 1 to 31st, May to protect turtles and one month ban during the breeding season in July. The fishermen never venture on the sea in the month of May due to the heavy wind for which the fishermen are not allowed to fish eight months in a year as a result their fate is hanging in balance.
The government declaring "No Fishing Zone" on the sea has swept their bread basket away, leaving their lives a torn canvass with nothing to paint on it. With their lives in knots, pockets penniless, future directionless and their boats dead silent, many have opted for the painful exit route to get rid off from the financial misery - suicide.
Gourna Saha(38) of Kharinashi , Rosan Mandal (45) of Ramnagar, Juan Mandal of Pitapatha, Bidyadhar Ram(41) of Kharinashi, Jyganta Biswas(52) of Pitapata, Sripad Jahar( 38) of Ramnagar, Buddayananda Saraswati (43) of Ramnagar, Birata Haldar(35 ) of Ramnagar, Sukumar Srarkar(35) of Ramnagar and many fishermen committed suicide in the last three years in the Mahakalapada block of Kendrapara district of Odisha.
Many fishermen became paupers and insane in these areas after loosing their livelihood. Budhananda Saraswati, Dileswar Das, Sital Das , Balai Biswas, Mahadev Das, Susanta Das and several other fishermen of Mahakalapada areas lost their mental balance after the authority impounded their boats.
Sikha Ram(32) the widow of Bidyadhar Ram of Kharinashi said, "My husband committed suicide on December 15, 2006 after the forest officials seized his boat on November 5, 2006 from the Gahirmatha areas. In 2006, he had obtained a loan of one lakh rupees from a moneylender to make the boat. Now it is difficult for me to survive along with my two sons".
Arati (34), the widow of Gournga Saha, a former Sarapanch of Kharinashi Gram Panchayat said " Three years back , the forest officers seized my husband's boat while he was fishing within Gahirmatha areas. After seizure of the boat, my husband was running from pillar to post to get another boat. After loosing all his hope to get a boat, he committed suicide by hanging in his fishing net"."After the death of my husband, I and my two minor daughters have been eking out our livelihood by binding beedies", said a dejected Arati.
Incidentally, the coastal pockets of Kendrapada and its nearby areas have been witnessing an unusual phenomenon of suicides. With nearly ten fishermen allegedly committing suicide in less than three years, the authority is at a loss on how to infuse life into the fishing sector.
But behind the suicides is also sad story of the role of some local moneylenders who behave like the characters of the greedy Shylock in the Shakespeare's famous play "Merchant of Venice". These village moneylenders charge 30 to 60 percent interest from the innocent fishermen, alleged Ramahari Manna a teacher by profession. It may be mentioned here that the banks charge an interest of 12% to 18% depending upon the nature of the loan.
"Unable to provide work, several dry-fish unit owners have closed their units and some fishermen even sold their boats for scrap", said Tapan Mishra a dry-fish unit owner of Mahakalapada.
"Now, the fishermen are pushed to a corner and with no hopes, many hang their fate on the fishing nets that once gave them life", said Arabinda Mandal ,the former Sarapanch of Jamboo Gram Panchayat.
Odisha government should take steps to prevent further suicides of fishermen in Kendrapada district. The government should offer fishermen an alternative livelihood as Pondichery and other state governments do for the welfare of their fishermen. These fishermen can also be given compensation package during the ban period. Then only happiness can return to these villages of Kendrapada district.
The author is a Odisha based senior journalist. You can send your comments and suggestions at janatavikasmanch@gmail.com or senapatiashis@rediffmail.com . And, visit
www.janatavikasmanch.blogspot.com for more information.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Health services in shambles in Posco-hit villages
By Ashis Senapati
There seems to be no end to the sufferings of the Posco project hit villages of Dhinkia, Gadakujang and Nuagaon gram panchayats falling under Kujang block of Jagatsinghpur district. The health services in these areas are effected as the health officials stopped to enter the villages for the last two years following the blockage of all entry points to these villages by the villagers to prevent the entry of the government officials.
The health services are in shambles in these seaside gram panchayats. The villagers are protesting against the decision of the government to acquire 4,004 acres of land in this areas for the South Korean steel company Posco o build a steel plant with an investment of Rs 51,000 crores.
Commenting on the anti-Posco movement, Sishir Mohapatra, secretary, Posco Pratirodhaka Sangram Samiti (PPSS) said, "Police filed false cases against more than five hundred anti-POSCO villagers allegedly for attacking government officials, forcefully locking the village post office, assaulting pro-Posco villagers and blocking the roads by erecting wooden gates and committing other crimes due to which many anti-Posco villagers are not coming out of these villages - the bastion of anti-land acquisition movement".
The nearby community health center at Kujang is located near the police station of Kujang. And, the villagers are reluctant to visit the government hospital. Some villagers go to the port town Paradeep through sea route. But, it is not possible for many villagers to reach Paradeep through sea route. Last month, police arrested three anti-land acquisition villagers in Paradeep and Kujang when they slyly came out from the villages.
The innocent villagers are being harrased by the police for putting resistence against the land acquisition. A large number of innocent villagers were arrested. Abhaya Sahoo, president, PPSS was suffering from spinal cord problem for which he had gone to Hydrabad. But on his return to Dhinkia, he was arrested by the police near Kujang four months back, Mohapatra said.
"We recently sought the help of some doctors of West Bengal to provide medical helps to the anti-land acquisition villagers. A team of four doctors of Mazdoor Kranti Parisada visited Dhinkia and other villages and treated several villagers. They also provided medicines free of costs to these villagers. The doctors spent three days and treated a large numbers of villagers", said Manaroma Khatua, an anti-land acquisition leader of Dhinkia.
Due to the road block by the anti-land acquisition villagers, health officials are also feared to enter the bastion of anti-Posco movement, said Gadadhar Das a villager of Kujang. "We cut the roads and blocked all the entry points to prevent government officials to enter our villagers to acquire our lands. But we never prevented any health officials to enter our villagers. Some government officials with an ulterior motive are not allowing health officials to enter our villages due to which several villagers are not getting any treatments from the doctors", said Prakash Jena a villager of Dhinkia.
When contacted, Dr Narayan Sahoo, Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO), Jagatsinghpur told this journalist, "All the health workers like ASHA , Anganabadi workers and health officials of Kujang and Earasama are providing health services to the villagers of Dhinkia and its nearby areas. We have never faced any impediments from the villagers to visit their villagers to treat them ".
The villagers of the Posco effected areas have already suffered a lot due to the state repression against the anti-land acquisition movement. It is high time that the state administration take a proper care of these poor villagers. And, the political process should be intensified to resolve the long pending demands of these innocent villagers.
The author is a Odisha based senior journalist. You can send your comments and suggestions at janatavikasmanch@gmail.com or senapatiashis@rediffmail.com and visit www.janatavikasmanch.blogspot.com for more details.
There seems to be no end to the sufferings of the Posco project hit villages of Dhinkia, Gadakujang and Nuagaon gram panchayats falling under Kujang block of Jagatsinghpur district. The health services in these areas are effected as the health officials stopped to enter the villages for the last two years following the blockage of all entry points to these villages by the villagers to prevent the entry of the government officials.
The health services are in shambles in these seaside gram panchayats. The villagers are protesting against the decision of the government to acquire 4,004 acres of land in this areas for the South Korean steel company Posco o build a steel plant with an investment of Rs 51,000 crores.
Commenting on the anti-Posco movement, Sishir Mohapatra, secretary, Posco Pratirodhaka Sangram Samiti (PPSS) said, "Police filed false cases against more than five hundred anti-POSCO villagers allegedly for attacking government officials, forcefully locking the village post office, assaulting pro-Posco villagers and blocking the roads by erecting wooden gates and committing other crimes due to which many anti-Posco villagers are not coming out of these villages - the bastion of anti-land acquisition movement".
The nearby community health center at Kujang is located near the police station of Kujang. And, the villagers are reluctant to visit the government hospital. Some villagers go to the port town Paradeep through sea route. But, it is not possible for many villagers to reach Paradeep through sea route. Last month, police arrested three anti-land acquisition villagers in Paradeep and Kujang when they slyly came out from the villages.
The innocent villagers are being harrased by the police for putting resistence against the land acquisition. A large number of innocent villagers were arrested. Abhaya Sahoo, president, PPSS was suffering from spinal cord problem for which he had gone to Hydrabad. But on his return to Dhinkia, he was arrested by the police near Kujang four months back, Mohapatra said.
"We recently sought the help of some doctors of West Bengal to provide medical helps to the anti-land acquisition villagers. A team of four doctors of Mazdoor Kranti Parisada visited Dhinkia and other villages and treated several villagers. They also provided medicines free of costs to these villagers. The doctors spent three days and treated a large numbers of villagers", said Manaroma Khatua, an anti-land acquisition leader of Dhinkia.
Due to the road block by the anti-land acquisition villagers, health officials are also feared to enter the bastion of anti-Posco movement, said Gadadhar Das a villager of Kujang. "We cut the roads and blocked all the entry points to prevent government officials to enter our villagers to acquire our lands. But we never prevented any health officials to enter our villagers. Some government officials with an ulterior motive are not allowing health officials to enter our villages due to which several villagers are not getting any treatments from the doctors", said Prakash Jena a villager of Dhinkia.
When contacted, Dr Narayan Sahoo, Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO), Jagatsinghpur told this journalist, "All the health workers like ASHA , Anganabadi workers and health officials of Kujang and Earasama are providing health services to the villagers of Dhinkia and its nearby areas. We have never faced any impediments from the villagers to visit their villagers to treat them ".
The villagers of the Posco effected areas have already suffered a lot due to the state repression against the anti-land acquisition movement. It is high time that the state administration take a proper care of these poor villagers. And, the political process should be intensified to resolve the long pending demands of these innocent villagers.
The author is a Odisha based senior journalist. You can send your comments and suggestions at janatavikasmanch@gmail.com or senapatiashis@rediffmail.com and visit www.janatavikasmanch.blogspot.com for more details.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Democratise the development process in Odisha
By Pravin Patel
Odisha is bestowed with huge natural wealth and possesses rich culture with glorious past. It has a beautiful coast line that not only attracts tourists from all over the world but also provides livelihood to many. Rich forests with flora and fauna on the surface and huge mineral wealth below the surface are all more than enough for its four and half crore population to make them happy and become the leading state of India.
However, in contrast to the glorious past, the present is shocking with uncertain future. The rich land is witnessing more than half of its population below the poverty line who struggle to survive; high rate of illiteracy; lack of quality education and non existence of minimum required health care in rural tribal areas; ruined rural economy; demographic attack on tribal areas disturbing their culture and destroying sources of livelihood and exploitation of the rural poor are some of the hard realties, that has resulted in ultras gaining more and more strength every day.
Is this the development that the people of the state looked at from successive governments during last sixty years of Independence? Retrospective of the facts reveals that the definition of development has been redefined at Odisha not once but several times. Blindly pursuing the policy of rapid industrialization; mortgaging the long-term strategic interests of the state by bowing down to the powerful corporate houses is the latest definition of development. At Odisha, the definition of development is defined again and again. Let us have a look.
Rural economy depends on agriculture and related activities. What a farmer needs is quality seeds, fertilizers and water to irrigate the field well in time with proper marketing support. Helpless farmers are left on their own to look at sky for rains, while the mining and industrial corporations manage to divert the water to their plants.
Poor farmer with no money has to depend on middlemen who supply those poor inputs, charging exorbitant rate of interest and lifts the harvest from the farms to recover money. Such shylocks cause humiliation, stress and economic ruins for the helpless poor tribals bringing tears in their eyes. This is the story with most of the marginal farmers in the tribal areas. Umarkote area in Nabrangpur district will expose that a number of mafia styled Shylocks operate illegally defying Odisha money lending act with many poor persons in their clutches. Who can expect those poor farmer to gather enough courage to lodge a complain? Neglect the farm sector and ruin rural economy to make farmers vulnerable is the first definition of development.
National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) provides the right to get minimum 100 days of employment to rural poor. Villagers through the Gram Sabha are to decide the work which is needed but in nexus with contractors, BDO decides the work that has been done using earth moving machineries but by preparing false muster rolls, Crores of rupees have been eaten away. Any one complaining is taught lessons by the musclemen of the contractors. A report of Parsuram has exposed scam of Rs 500 crore at KBK. Playing mischief in an important program to eat away money meant for creating for employment for the poor and needy and forcing those rural poor to migrate to the urban areas in search of livelihood is second definition of development.
Tribal habitats are bestowed with huge natural wealth in shape of forests and minerals. But by pursuing faulty mining policies that is tilted heavily takes the care of mining and industrial corporations. Iron ore (International market price is Rs. 10,000/tonne) is allowed to be virtually looted at laughingly low rate of royalty of average Rs 17/tonne, speaks of how big games are played to play mischief with the mineral wealth of the state.
Similar is the situation in Bauxite and other costly minerals. While private corporations earn hundreds of crores of rupees, poor tribals are forcibly displaced and huge environmental losses are in bonus for the state. Corporate social responsibility remains on paper as a visit to the mining area villages is more than enough to understand the big games played in the name of development. Pursuing faulty mining policies that makes the state poorer and make tribals vulnerable is the third definition of development.
Forests and Tribals are made for each other. Without forests tribals can not live and without tribals forest can not be safe. Faulty anti-people policies have resulted in the exploitation of tribals to fill the coffers of the private parties and state exchequer. While bamboo is supplied to paper mills at 49 paisa a piece, tribals are harassed and denied their rights to use bamboo for their livelihood. Even at the rate of Rs. 7/- fixed by the forest department, he finds great difficulty to procure it to weave basket and other products.
Similarly Kendu Leaves that generates about Rs. 500 crore per year on average, state collects more than 40% as Royalty and taxes. As per KLCC committee meeting held on March 11, 2008, chaired by Chief Secretary of Odisha, the target for 2008 crop year was fixed at 4.46 lakh quintal. Purchase price of KL has been fixed at Rs. 1420.20 per quintal that means a payment of Rs. 63.34 crore to 10 lakh pluckers, which is a meager amount of only Rs. 639.34 paisa per person. Where as the budget for about 12,000 strong forest staff was fixed at Rs. 20.09 crore as establishment cost.
Forest Rights Act empowers tribals with right to collect, process and sale Kendu Leaves, Bamboos and other non timber products but in absence of any clear rules, there are confusions how to transport the material to the customer’s destination. Playing gimmicks to give shoes for free to Kendu leaves pluckers and exploitation of tribals to fill the coffers of the state and private corporations is the fourth definition of development.
There are enough legal provisions available to tribals to protect their property rights. Panchayat Extension of Schedule Areas Act (PESA) is of much importance. Under PESA, it is mandatory to obtain positive consent of the villagers through a properly convened and conducted Gram Sabha. But by imposing section 144, preventing the tribals to attend the meeting, crushing their democratic right of protest, forwarding those who take leadership initiatives under false criminal cases to remove them from the scene and as if this is not enough terrorize them by beating with lathis, firing tear gas shells and even live bullets, all to forcibly acquire the land of the poor using century old colonial land acquisition act for the “Private Purpose” of corporate houses in the name of “Public Purpose”. Making mockery of the laws of the land to make `Private Purpose’ to ‘Public Purpose’ by bulldozing the rights of the poor people of the state is the fifth definition of development.
R & R Policy of the state is decided in consultation with the project proponent which is to be well explained to the people who are to be displaced. Two major components of the R & R Policy is to make a one time payment in lieu of the land lost, to be determined by the state in consultation with the project proponent and the other is to provide one person from each family a permanent employment in the project that is to be created by displacing them.
Poor tribals, most of whom are illiterates and do not know how to use those money fall in the hands of touts who lure them to cheat them of their money. The result is land is also lost and money is also gone. The proud land owner within no time becomes a pauper and has no option left except to become a poorly paid daily wage earner. Secondly, the permanent jobs never reach to them. Take the list of the displaced person from any project and compare with the list of permanent employment provided them. The result will be shocking.
Locals are pushed to corners and many new faces close to the project proponent and people in power takes benefit with both hands while locals are pushed to corners, barring few lucky ones who are used as show case, who are also shown the door once the purpose is served. Farmers of 3,400 acres of land lost at Behrampur to Tatas, nor the plant has come even after twenty years nor any employment is provided. Making mockery of the R & R policy and not to take penal action against the defaulting private corporations is sixth definition of development.
Promising huge sops to the private industrial and mining corporations including assess to water from natural water bodies, minerals, granting monetary concessions and other assurances as conditions to give permanent employment etc are all the components in the MoUs but are kept a secret document for example MoU inked with Tata Steel at Kalinganagar which is in the news due to bloody killings. In the largest democracy of the world, there should be a policy of democratic industrialization in which complete transparency is assured. Hiding facts from the very people who have voted the government to power as if they are agents of the private industrial corporations is seventh definition of development.
Orissa State pollution control Board is a statutory body duly empowered to ensure that Air and Water pollution norms are strictly complied as per law. Board issues mandatory clearances i.e. “Consent to establish”; “Consent to Operate”, only after fulfilling the required criteria and set norms and guidelines.
It is also a vital clause that on submissions of wrong information or violations of the conditions of the clearances issued, Board is empowered to withdrawal the consents and even seal the unit. But despite serious violations and false submissions the Board has failed to discharge their official duties. Mandatory clearances have been given to one metallic company at Khairban (Latikata Block) on land not owned by them. Village school which is located within 500 meters is shown beyond 1.5 KM, Kalushira village (Kuarmunda Block) is within one KM of Ganesham and two other sponge iron plants but it is shown at a distance of 25 KM, Population of the village is over 8,000 which is shown as only 50. A number of houses are located within 500 meters but it is shown that there are no houses within 2 Km distance.
A visit to any village in the vicinity of the coal based sponge iron plants is more than sufficient to see how the norms are openly flouted, causing irreparable losses to the health of the villagers and the sources of livelihood. How the mischief is played in conducting public hearing is also not a secret. Despite the facts are brought to the notice of the Board, no action taken is concrete proof of an unholy nexus existing between Board and those defaulter plants is the eighth definition of development.
The negative role of the administration that has expertise how to misuse the state police force to crack down on the democratic protests of the villagers, make mockery of the legal provisions of the country in broad day light, behave as a private army of the private corporations, not registering the complains of the poor and instead acting on false complains the victims are made culprits. From Khairban to Kalinganagar many incidents are in front of us where excesses committed by the misuse of state police force. Grossly misusing police force to intrude and bulldoze democratic rights of the people is the ninth definition of development.
Continuing the legacy of the previous governments, the present state government has also opened up all the tribals areas for the liquor vendors to brew and sale liquor, even when the tribals have rights to brew liquor for their own consumption. This has not only resulted in driving those poor tribals to economic ruins but those liquor vendors are busy in all sorts of illicit liquor activities. The result is repeated hooch tragedies in Odisha. Practising faulty excise policy to benefit of liquor mafias operating in nexus with corrupt excise and police officials even at the cost of huge losses of revenue and pushing tribals to economic ruins is the tenth definition of development.
The author is the Director, Tribal Welfare Society and Public Eye Swiss Award – 2008 Nominee. The comments and suggestions can be sent at janatavikasmanch@gmail.com . And, please visit www.janatavikasmanch.blogspot.com for more information.
Odisha is bestowed with huge natural wealth and possesses rich culture with glorious past. It has a beautiful coast line that not only attracts tourists from all over the world but also provides livelihood to many. Rich forests with flora and fauna on the surface and huge mineral wealth below the surface are all more than enough for its four and half crore population to make them happy and become the leading state of India.
However, in contrast to the glorious past, the present is shocking with uncertain future. The rich land is witnessing more than half of its population below the poverty line who struggle to survive; high rate of illiteracy; lack of quality education and non existence of minimum required health care in rural tribal areas; ruined rural economy; demographic attack on tribal areas disturbing their culture and destroying sources of livelihood and exploitation of the rural poor are some of the hard realties, that has resulted in ultras gaining more and more strength every day.
Is this the development that the people of the state looked at from successive governments during last sixty years of Independence? Retrospective of the facts reveals that the definition of development has been redefined at Odisha not once but several times. Blindly pursuing the policy of rapid industrialization; mortgaging the long-term strategic interests of the state by bowing down to the powerful corporate houses is the latest definition of development. At Odisha, the definition of development is defined again and again. Let us have a look.
Rural economy depends on agriculture and related activities. What a farmer needs is quality seeds, fertilizers and water to irrigate the field well in time with proper marketing support. Helpless farmers are left on their own to look at sky for rains, while the mining and industrial corporations manage to divert the water to their plants.
Poor farmer with no money has to depend on middlemen who supply those poor inputs, charging exorbitant rate of interest and lifts the harvest from the farms to recover money. Such shylocks cause humiliation, stress and economic ruins for the helpless poor tribals bringing tears in their eyes. This is the story with most of the marginal farmers in the tribal areas. Umarkote area in Nabrangpur district will expose that a number of mafia styled Shylocks operate illegally defying Odisha money lending act with many poor persons in their clutches. Who can expect those poor farmer to gather enough courage to lodge a complain? Neglect the farm sector and ruin rural economy to make farmers vulnerable is the first definition of development.
National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) provides the right to get minimum 100 days of employment to rural poor. Villagers through the Gram Sabha are to decide the work which is needed but in nexus with contractors, BDO decides the work that has been done using earth moving machineries but by preparing false muster rolls, Crores of rupees have been eaten away. Any one complaining is taught lessons by the musclemen of the contractors. A report of Parsuram has exposed scam of Rs 500 crore at KBK. Playing mischief in an important program to eat away money meant for creating for employment for the poor and needy and forcing those rural poor to migrate to the urban areas in search of livelihood is second definition of development.
Tribal habitats are bestowed with huge natural wealth in shape of forests and minerals. But by pursuing faulty mining policies that is tilted heavily takes the care of mining and industrial corporations. Iron ore (International market price is Rs. 10,000/tonne) is allowed to be virtually looted at laughingly low rate of royalty of average Rs 17/tonne, speaks of how big games are played to play mischief with the mineral wealth of the state.
Similar is the situation in Bauxite and other costly minerals. While private corporations earn hundreds of crores of rupees, poor tribals are forcibly displaced and huge environmental losses are in bonus for the state. Corporate social responsibility remains on paper as a visit to the mining area villages is more than enough to understand the big games played in the name of development. Pursuing faulty mining policies that makes the state poorer and make tribals vulnerable is the third definition of development.
Forests and Tribals are made for each other. Without forests tribals can not live and without tribals forest can not be safe. Faulty anti-people policies have resulted in the exploitation of tribals to fill the coffers of the private parties and state exchequer. While bamboo is supplied to paper mills at 49 paisa a piece, tribals are harassed and denied their rights to use bamboo for their livelihood. Even at the rate of Rs. 7/- fixed by the forest department, he finds great difficulty to procure it to weave basket and other products.
Similarly Kendu Leaves that generates about Rs. 500 crore per year on average, state collects more than 40% as Royalty and taxes. As per KLCC committee meeting held on March 11, 2008, chaired by Chief Secretary of Odisha, the target for 2008 crop year was fixed at 4.46 lakh quintal. Purchase price of KL has been fixed at Rs. 1420.20 per quintal that means a payment of Rs. 63.34 crore to 10 lakh pluckers, which is a meager amount of only Rs. 639.34 paisa per person. Where as the budget for about 12,000 strong forest staff was fixed at Rs. 20.09 crore as establishment cost.
Forest Rights Act empowers tribals with right to collect, process and sale Kendu Leaves, Bamboos and other non timber products but in absence of any clear rules, there are confusions how to transport the material to the customer’s destination. Playing gimmicks to give shoes for free to Kendu leaves pluckers and exploitation of tribals to fill the coffers of the state and private corporations is the fourth definition of development.
There are enough legal provisions available to tribals to protect their property rights. Panchayat Extension of Schedule Areas Act (PESA) is of much importance. Under PESA, it is mandatory to obtain positive consent of the villagers through a properly convened and conducted Gram Sabha. But by imposing section 144, preventing the tribals to attend the meeting, crushing their democratic right of protest, forwarding those who take leadership initiatives under false criminal cases to remove them from the scene and as if this is not enough terrorize them by beating with lathis, firing tear gas shells and even live bullets, all to forcibly acquire the land of the poor using century old colonial land acquisition act for the “Private Purpose” of corporate houses in the name of “Public Purpose”. Making mockery of the laws of the land to make `Private Purpose’ to ‘Public Purpose’ by bulldozing the rights of the poor people of the state is the fifth definition of development.
R & R Policy of the state is decided in consultation with the project proponent which is to be well explained to the people who are to be displaced. Two major components of the R & R Policy is to make a one time payment in lieu of the land lost, to be determined by the state in consultation with the project proponent and the other is to provide one person from each family a permanent employment in the project that is to be created by displacing them.
Poor tribals, most of whom are illiterates and do not know how to use those money fall in the hands of touts who lure them to cheat them of their money. The result is land is also lost and money is also gone. The proud land owner within no time becomes a pauper and has no option left except to become a poorly paid daily wage earner. Secondly, the permanent jobs never reach to them. Take the list of the displaced person from any project and compare with the list of permanent employment provided them. The result will be shocking.
Locals are pushed to corners and many new faces close to the project proponent and people in power takes benefit with both hands while locals are pushed to corners, barring few lucky ones who are used as show case, who are also shown the door once the purpose is served. Farmers of 3,400 acres of land lost at Behrampur to Tatas, nor the plant has come even after twenty years nor any employment is provided. Making mockery of the R & R policy and not to take penal action against the defaulting private corporations is sixth definition of development.
Promising huge sops to the private industrial and mining corporations including assess to water from natural water bodies, minerals, granting monetary concessions and other assurances as conditions to give permanent employment etc are all the components in the MoUs but are kept a secret document for example MoU inked with Tata Steel at Kalinganagar which is in the news due to bloody killings. In the largest democracy of the world, there should be a policy of democratic industrialization in which complete transparency is assured. Hiding facts from the very people who have voted the government to power as if they are agents of the private industrial corporations is seventh definition of development.
Orissa State pollution control Board is a statutory body duly empowered to ensure that Air and Water pollution norms are strictly complied as per law. Board issues mandatory clearances i.e. “Consent to establish”; “Consent to Operate”, only after fulfilling the required criteria and set norms and guidelines.
It is also a vital clause that on submissions of wrong information or violations of the conditions of the clearances issued, Board is empowered to withdrawal the consents and even seal the unit. But despite serious violations and false submissions the Board has failed to discharge their official duties. Mandatory clearances have been given to one metallic company at Khairban (Latikata Block) on land not owned by them. Village school which is located within 500 meters is shown beyond 1.5 KM, Kalushira village (Kuarmunda Block) is within one KM of Ganesham and two other sponge iron plants but it is shown at a distance of 25 KM, Population of the village is over 8,000 which is shown as only 50. A number of houses are located within 500 meters but it is shown that there are no houses within 2 Km distance.
A visit to any village in the vicinity of the coal based sponge iron plants is more than sufficient to see how the norms are openly flouted, causing irreparable losses to the health of the villagers and the sources of livelihood. How the mischief is played in conducting public hearing is also not a secret. Despite the facts are brought to the notice of the Board, no action taken is concrete proof of an unholy nexus existing between Board and those defaulter plants is the eighth definition of development.
The negative role of the administration that has expertise how to misuse the state police force to crack down on the democratic protests of the villagers, make mockery of the legal provisions of the country in broad day light, behave as a private army of the private corporations, not registering the complains of the poor and instead acting on false complains the victims are made culprits. From Khairban to Kalinganagar many incidents are in front of us where excesses committed by the misuse of state police force. Grossly misusing police force to intrude and bulldoze democratic rights of the people is the ninth definition of development.
Continuing the legacy of the previous governments, the present state government has also opened up all the tribals areas for the liquor vendors to brew and sale liquor, even when the tribals have rights to brew liquor for their own consumption. This has not only resulted in driving those poor tribals to economic ruins but those liquor vendors are busy in all sorts of illicit liquor activities. The result is repeated hooch tragedies in Odisha. Practising faulty excise policy to benefit of liquor mafias operating in nexus with corrupt excise and police officials even at the cost of huge losses of revenue and pushing tribals to economic ruins is the tenth definition of development.
The author is the Director, Tribal Welfare Society and Public Eye Swiss Award – 2008 Nominee. The comments and suggestions can be sent at janatavikasmanch@gmail.com . And, please visit www.janatavikasmanch.blogspot.com for more information.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Make village forests rules transparent in Odisha
By Ghasiram Panda
Odisha government had taken step towards decentralization of state forest through formulation of Orissa Village Forest Rule, 1985. In context of thousands of community groups protecting and managing nearby forests on their own, this rule holds significance and could have had remarkable impact over whole of forest governance in the state.
However, past twenty years of experience depicts a different scenario, contradicting the then made claims. A close analysis of the existing rules gives glimpses of what went wrong at the policy level which created hindrance and defeated the very objective of village forest and its rule.
It is learnt that the rules in Odisha are so framed that the provisions for village forest can be utilized only for the area under social forestry although this has not been clearly stated. The nature and content of the rule are so, evidently because the primary intension was not to provide a proper legal framework to voluntary efforts of the village communities in the area of forestry being done on a large scale. There are some major issues like larger participation of villagers in managing their affairs, downward accountability toward village, ownership of village over resources, recognition of customary and traditional practices, larger involvement of stakeholders in claim settlement process, resolution of disputes and conflicts and clearly defined role of forest and other government officials, which are not clearly stated or laid down in the rule but have their own significance in larger process of decentralization and management of forest.
Also, rule does not carry the real essence of the Orissa Forest Act; on which this rule was framed. Hence, there is a need to amend certain aspect of the rule by incorporating above mentioned larger issues to make it more rational, toward democratization of forest management, equitable and transparent & accountable towards them, for whom this rule is meant for. Further, we shall try to discuss which and why major amendments are proposed in the existing rule.
Role of Palli Sabha: The essence of Village forest in the act suggests that it is meant to benefit the interest of village Communities. But this essence doesn't reflect in the rule. The rule does not give any scope for villagers to decide or even participate in the affairs of management. Whole management of village forest lies in the hand of few individuals who are not downwardly accountable to village but to forester as he is the person who appoints them in the committee.
Further, Forester has all functioning power similar to JFM in the management of village forest. This gives space to vested interest to maneuver the whole process in their favor and get leverage of association with someone who matters.
Therefore, in the amendments, focus has been given to village assembly for larger participation and downward accountability for management of village forest. In context of Orissa, Palli Sabha is the actual village assembly as it covers only one village or in maximum two villages and also has statutory recognition by government. Therefore, the proposed amendments give important role to Palli Sabha in terms of resource ownership and management rights over village forest and its produce. Since Palli Sabha is not an elected body but a democratic entity by virtue of village residents being its suo-motto members, it is rational and justified to give it all rights over the forest under its jurisdiction.
Constitution of Forest Enquiry and Settlement Committee: In the existing rule no detail procedure were laid down for registering the claims and settling the existing rights. There is only one small provision in the rule where concerned Range Officer is supposed to register and verify the individual claims if any and give report to Tehsildar for settlement. But nothing were mentioned about procedure through which these claims are to be registered, verified and settled, which gives scope and leverage for the concerned person for manipulation.
In addition, nothing had been made with respect to communal rights of neighboring villages such as Nistar rights or circumstantial rights of such villages who are protecting or managing such forest for long and those families who are dependent on such forest for their survival and drawing their own bonafide livelihood. Claim and settlement process is a significant issue which needs to be taken up carefully so that minimum disputes and conflicts might arise out of notification of such forest as village forest and vesting of rights in one particular village.
Hence, in the proposed amendments, constitution of Forest Enquiry and Settlement Committee and power of registering, verifying and settling claims and rights to this committee instead of Range Officer and Tehsildar is mentioned. Such Committee shall be constituted with three government officials including revenue and forest; three ex-officio members nominated by Panchayat Samiti of forest area and one ecology expert from local university or other institutions. This committee shall be constituted at Sub-divisional level and one member each shall be nominated from local forest federation and civil society organizations. Verification and settlement of all claims shall be done in the open public meeting in the concerned village/s and Palli Sabha shall give its free informed written consent on every order passed by such committee. Provision for rights and privileges of other or neighboring villages and pastoral communities are also mentioned in the amendments.
Resolving disputes and conflicts arising before and after notification of Village Forest: In the present rule, no provision except appeal to sub-collector is mentioned about resolution of disputes and conflict arising out of settlement process and over management of such village forest. However, the disputes and conflicts are bound to arise given the complexity of forest conservation and management and spread of claims over one particular forest patch among many villages. If mechanism for dispute and conflict resolution is not included, creation of village forest shall become a curse for conservation rather than boon.
Henceforth, in the amendment, constitution of Dispute Resolution Committee with nine members at district level is proposed. Out of the nine members four are from Forest federations and civil society organization. One retired Judge served in the district and nominated by Zilla Parishad is also included. Proposed amendment gives authority to this committee to ask for reply from any concerned person or organization including revenue department and forest department in case of any dispute. After receiving reply from concerned parties, the committee shall settle the dispute in the open public meeting at the concerned village. Its order shall be final but subject to further appeal.
In case of conflict arising after notification over management of village forest, such committee shall intervene if asked but not before all other possibilities such as discussion in the Palli Sabha or in case of inter-village conflict, in joint Palli Sabha and any other traditional or customary institutions existing in the area. Such committee shall only intervene in the last and through open public meeting and its decision shall be final but subject to further appeal.
Framing its own rules and regulation: The present rule does not provide any scope to incorporate diversity of institutional functioning and try to impose a crafted institution over the village with no functioning power. However, experience suggest that villages through their own customary and traditional rules have ably managed and conserved forest and created remarkable impact over resource regeneration and empowerment of village communities.
Therefore, amendments proposed talked about inclusion of space for villages to devise their own rules and regulation in line of their customary practices and in accordance with forest governing laws so that conservation of forest and meeting local needs shall go vis-à-vis. The amendment gives power to Palli Sabha to devise their own rules and regulation in written form covering aspect of protection, management of resource, penal system, grazing and benefit sharing. All such rules are framed and approved in the open public meeting with two-third of quorum. Palli Sabha shall also have power to challenge if it feels any objection is raised by the govt. department over its rules are not technically sound or which may jeopardize the rights and welfare of villagers or not in accordance with the law.
Structure of Village Forest Management Committee: In the present rule, there is provision of Village Forest Committee under which all management rights over village forest are vested. However, in a close analysis, it suggests that these management rights are superficial with complete accountability towards Forest department, particularly with forester and Range Officer. The constitution and functioning of this committee also gives same impression where Forester has all power to appoint members to this committee. Also he/she has power to call meeting and maintain notice & proceeding book.
Therefore, the rule provides lot of space for maneuvering by forester while villagers are restricted in putting their view. The proposed amendments suggest overhauling of the present structure with changed name. The committee in the amendment called as Village Forest Management Committee. It has all management right and have right to implement the decision of Palli Sabha. The structure of committee in the amendment is such that all its members and office bearers shall be elected by Palli Sabha. The Chairperson shall have authority to call and preside over the meeting. The Secretary so elected has to maintain all proceeding and notice such issued for record. He/she also correspond with govt. department and other agencies for specific purpose. Village fund for purpose of this rule shall be operated by four account holders including Chairperson and Secretary. Forester or any outsiders without permission of the committee shall not sit in the meeting and in no case they are part of decision making.
Sharing of Produce: In the present rule, any villager can get forest produce from the village forest on payment of schedule rate of concerned forest division. This provision in no case is in line of natural justice and equality. Though the villagers put their efforts in form of protection and maintenance of boundary to regenerate the resource, still they have to pay same amount of rate which any outsider or contractor has to pay. Then where is the incentive for forest protection. They must be entitled to take necessary produce for domestic consumption and bonafide livelihood without paying any amount. This same notion has been proposed in the amendment. Other than this one part of amount generated from sale of forest produce gathered on communal basis shall be distributed among households on one share per kitchen basis. Apart from this, special provisions for sharing produce among economically weaker sections, Women headed family, widow, Old age persons, Physically challenged persons and landless person; rule such devised by Palli Sabha. For outsider, produce shall be sold on the schedule rate applicable in the concerned division.
Flow of Fund accountable to Village: Financial accountability in relation with village forest management in the present rule is upward with no mention of village. This allows the vested interest to crop up and dominate the process. On the other side, those who are really dependent on the forest get excluded from the process. This very aspect defeats the purpose and objective of village forest. Henceforth, there is a need to include certain provisions in the rule which shall ensure downward accountability towards village.
This will not only make system function properly with better participation but also ensure functional transparency in the management of village forest. Therefore in the proposed amendment, aspect of monitoring and review of all financial transaction of the committee by Palli Sabha is included. Further, any type of grant from government or panchayat or any private agencies to village fund for management of village forest shall be approved by Palli sabha in the open meeting. Palli sabha is also authorized for internal audit through its special committee. In addition village fund can be utilized for any purpose as deem fit by Palli Sabha and decided in the open meeting.
Apart from these major issues, there are number of issues which are included in the proposed amendments to ensure better participation, transparency and accountability, equitable distribution of resource among community members, enhancement of environmental services and social justice of forest protection and management. Henceforth, it is presumed that through these amendments, long standing issue of recognizing community efforts in regeneration of resource and democratization of forest governance shall be achieved.
[The author is co-ordinator, Working Group on Orissa Village Forests Rules Amendment Process. Please send your comments and suggestions at janatavikasmanch@gmail.com and visit www.janatavikasmanch.blogspot.com for more information.]
Odisha government had taken step towards decentralization of state forest through formulation of Orissa Village Forest Rule, 1985. In context of thousands of community groups protecting and managing nearby forests on their own, this rule holds significance and could have had remarkable impact over whole of forest governance in the state.
However, past twenty years of experience depicts a different scenario, contradicting the then made claims. A close analysis of the existing rules gives glimpses of what went wrong at the policy level which created hindrance and defeated the very objective of village forest and its rule.
It is learnt that the rules in Odisha are so framed that the provisions for village forest can be utilized only for the area under social forestry although this has not been clearly stated. The nature and content of the rule are so, evidently because the primary intension was not to provide a proper legal framework to voluntary efforts of the village communities in the area of forestry being done on a large scale. There are some major issues like larger participation of villagers in managing their affairs, downward accountability toward village, ownership of village over resources, recognition of customary and traditional practices, larger involvement of stakeholders in claim settlement process, resolution of disputes and conflicts and clearly defined role of forest and other government officials, which are not clearly stated or laid down in the rule but have their own significance in larger process of decentralization and management of forest.
Also, rule does not carry the real essence of the Orissa Forest Act; on which this rule was framed. Hence, there is a need to amend certain aspect of the rule by incorporating above mentioned larger issues to make it more rational, toward democratization of forest management, equitable and transparent & accountable towards them, for whom this rule is meant for. Further, we shall try to discuss which and why major amendments are proposed in the existing rule.
Role of Palli Sabha: The essence of Village forest in the act suggests that it is meant to benefit the interest of village Communities. But this essence doesn't reflect in the rule. The rule does not give any scope for villagers to decide or even participate in the affairs of management. Whole management of village forest lies in the hand of few individuals who are not downwardly accountable to village but to forester as he is the person who appoints them in the committee.
Further, Forester has all functioning power similar to JFM in the management of village forest. This gives space to vested interest to maneuver the whole process in their favor and get leverage of association with someone who matters.
Therefore, in the amendments, focus has been given to village assembly for larger participation and downward accountability for management of village forest. In context of Orissa, Palli Sabha is the actual village assembly as it covers only one village or in maximum two villages and also has statutory recognition by government. Therefore, the proposed amendments give important role to Palli Sabha in terms of resource ownership and management rights over village forest and its produce. Since Palli Sabha is not an elected body but a democratic entity by virtue of village residents being its suo-motto members, it is rational and justified to give it all rights over the forest under its jurisdiction.
Constitution of Forest Enquiry and Settlement Committee: In the existing rule no detail procedure were laid down for registering the claims and settling the existing rights. There is only one small provision in the rule where concerned Range Officer is supposed to register and verify the individual claims if any and give report to Tehsildar for settlement. But nothing were mentioned about procedure through which these claims are to be registered, verified and settled, which gives scope and leverage for the concerned person for manipulation.
In addition, nothing had been made with respect to communal rights of neighboring villages such as Nistar rights or circumstantial rights of such villages who are protecting or managing such forest for long and those families who are dependent on such forest for their survival and drawing their own bonafide livelihood. Claim and settlement process is a significant issue which needs to be taken up carefully so that minimum disputes and conflicts might arise out of notification of such forest as village forest and vesting of rights in one particular village.
Hence, in the proposed amendments, constitution of Forest Enquiry and Settlement Committee and power of registering, verifying and settling claims and rights to this committee instead of Range Officer and Tehsildar is mentioned. Such Committee shall be constituted with three government officials including revenue and forest; three ex-officio members nominated by Panchayat Samiti of forest area and one ecology expert from local university or other institutions. This committee shall be constituted at Sub-divisional level and one member each shall be nominated from local forest federation and civil society organizations. Verification and settlement of all claims shall be done in the open public meeting in the concerned village/s and Palli Sabha shall give its free informed written consent on every order passed by such committee. Provision for rights and privileges of other or neighboring villages and pastoral communities are also mentioned in the amendments.
Resolving disputes and conflicts arising before and after notification of Village Forest: In the present rule, no provision except appeal to sub-collector is mentioned about resolution of disputes and conflict arising out of settlement process and over management of such village forest. However, the disputes and conflicts are bound to arise given the complexity of forest conservation and management and spread of claims over one particular forest patch among many villages. If mechanism for dispute and conflict resolution is not included, creation of village forest shall become a curse for conservation rather than boon.
Henceforth, in the amendment, constitution of Dispute Resolution Committee with nine members at district level is proposed. Out of the nine members four are from Forest federations and civil society organization. One retired Judge served in the district and nominated by Zilla Parishad is also included. Proposed amendment gives authority to this committee to ask for reply from any concerned person or organization including revenue department and forest department in case of any dispute. After receiving reply from concerned parties, the committee shall settle the dispute in the open public meeting at the concerned village. Its order shall be final but subject to further appeal.
In case of conflict arising after notification over management of village forest, such committee shall intervene if asked but not before all other possibilities such as discussion in the Palli Sabha or in case of inter-village conflict, in joint Palli Sabha and any other traditional or customary institutions existing in the area. Such committee shall only intervene in the last and through open public meeting and its decision shall be final but subject to further appeal.
Framing its own rules and regulation: The present rule does not provide any scope to incorporate diversity of institutional functioning and try to impose a crafted institution over the village with no functioning power. However, experience suggest that villages through their own customary and traditional rules have ably managed and conserved forest and created remarkable impact over resource regeneration and empowerment of village communities.
Therefore, amendments proposed talked about inclusion of space for villages to devise their own rules and regulation in line of their customary practices and in accordance with forest governing laws so that conservation of forest and meeting local needs shall go vis-à-vis. The amendment gives power to Palli Sabha to devise their own rules and regulation in written form covering aspect of protection, management of resource, penal system, grazing and benefit sharing. All such rules are framed and approved in the open public meeting with two-third of quorum. Palli Sabha shall also have power to challenge if it feels any objection is raised by the govt. department over its rules are not technically sound or which may jeopardize the rights and welfare of villagers or not in accordance with the law.
Structure of Village Forest Management Committee: In the present rule, there is provision of Village Forest Committee under which all management rights over village forest are vested. However, in a close analysis, it suggests that these management rights are superficial with complete accountability towards Forest department, particularly with forester and Range Officer. The constitution and functioning of this committee also gives same impression where Forester has all power to appoint members to this committee. Also he/she has power to call meeting and maintain notice & proceeding book.
Therefore, the rule provides lot of space for maneuvering by forester while villagers are restricted in putting their view. The proposed amendments suggest overhauling of the present structure with changed name. The committee in the amendment called as Village Forest Management Committee. It has all management right and have right to implement the decision of Palli Sabha. The structure of committee in the amendment is such that all its members and office bearers shall be elected by Palli Sabha. The Chairperson shall have authority to call and preside over the meeting. The Secretary so elected has to maintain all proceeding and notice such issued for record. He/she also correspond with govt. department and other agencies for specific purpose. Village fund for purpose of this rule shall be operated by four account holders including Chairperson and Secretary. Forester or any outsiders without permission of the committee shall not sit in the meeting and in no case they are part of decision making.
Sharing of Produce: In the present rule, any villager can get forest produce from the village forest on payment of schedule rate of concerned forest division. This provision in no case is in line of natural justice and equality. Though the villagers put their efforts in form of protection and maintenance of boundary to regenerate the resource, still they have to pay same amount of rate which any outsider or contractor has to pay. Then where is the incentive for forest protection. They must be entitled to take necessary produce for domestic consumption and bonafide livelihood without paying any amount. This same notion has been proposed in the amendment. Other than this one part of amount generated from sale of forest produce gathered on communal basis shall be distributed among households on one share per kitchen basis. Apart from this, special provisions for sharing produce among economically weaker sections, Women headed family, widow, Old age persons, Physically challenged persons and landless person; rule such devised by Palli Sabha. For outsider, produce shall be sold on the schedule rate applicable in the concerned division.
Flow of Fund accountable to Village: Financial accountability in relation with village forest management in the present rule is upward with no mention of village. This allows the vested interest to crop up and dominate the process. On the other side, those who are really dependent on the forest get excluded from the process. This very aspect defeats the purpose and objective of village forest. Henceforth, there is a need to include certain provisions in the rule which shall ensure downward accountability towards village.
This will not only make system function properly with better participation but also ensure functional transparency in the management of village forest. Therefore in the proposed amendment, aspect of monitoring and review of all financial transaction of the committee by Palli Sabha is included. Further, any type of grant from government or panchayat or any private agencies to village fund for management of village forest shall be approved by Palli sabha in the open meeting. Palli sabha is also authorized for internal audit through its special committee. In addition village fund can be utilized for any purpose as deem fit by Palli Sabha and decided in the open meeting.
Apart from these major issues, there are number of issues which are included in the proposed amendments to ensure better participation, transparency and accountability, equitable distribution of resource among community members, enhancement of environmental services and social justice of forest protection and management. Henceforth, it is presumed that through these amendments, long standing issue of recognizing community efforts in regeneration of resource and democratization of forest governance shall be achieved.
[The author is co-ordinator, Working Group on Orissa Village Forests Rules Amendment Process. Please send your comments and suggestions at janatavikasmanch@gmail.com and visit www.janatavikasmanch.blogspot.com for more information.]
Friday, February 6, 2009
Politician Vs Poor family of KBK region
A member has send this cartoon to Janata Vikas Manch. The cartoon is relevant in the current political scenario.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Secular polity should be strengthened for the holistic development of Odisha
By Sudarsan Das
The 2008 was the black year for Odisha. Kandhamal violence has not only shaken the back bone of Odisha's society, but it has also tarnished the state's image before the national and global community.
The communal conflagration of Kandhamal has lasted for several months last year. It spread to new places in new forms and made people helpless and threatened. The situation has turned more complex. Both the sides used fire arms, ammunitions and explosives. It appeared as if Kadhamal is on a keg of explosives.
There are long range implications of the Kandhamal calamity. Not only it has undermined our national and international standing, it may also hamper the foreign aid and foreign help to Odisha. Likewise, it may undermine and jeopardize the long standing traditions of cultural amity, understanding & co-existence, between ethnic groups, castes and communities of the state. Truly, the happenings of Kandhamal are no longer a small mis-adventure but turned into a great disaster.
Kandhamal violence has moved the chief minister of Odisha too. While Naveen Patnaik was touring the torched villages, turned into graveyards, an affected old destitute woman reportedly approached him. She held his hand and cried disconsolately. The heart rending cry of that old woman and the tragic circumstances melted his heart and tears rolled down his cheeks.
The media head lines next day went hoarse "The Chief Minister, cried". On return to Bhubaneswar with a heavy heart he told the media: "The incidents of Kandhamal are the most unfortunate event during his administration" .
Not only the chief minister, but majority of the people of Odisha think in the similar manner. The incidents of Kandhamal have affected them deeply. The compassion in their hearts, as his, have rolled down as tears. The people of the State have been deeply saddened by the recent communal incidents in Kandhamal. The combined gash of their hearts and tears of their eyes has shaken one and all.
The history of Indian communal violence shows that the main reason of riots is: Government inaction. Of course, Gujarat is a rare exception where, official encouragement was behind the riots. But in most places, riots become uncontrollable when and where government fails to instill the fear of law in the minds of the rioters. When government fails to instill confidence in the mind of the affected public and fails take steps to create fear of Law in the mind of the rioters, it is self-evident that riots will spread. Strict Government action alone, impedes riots and rioters.
In this regard in September 1957, the then prime minister of India, late Mr Jawaharlal Nehru, had written a letter to the then chief ministers. Invoking them to resist people involved in communal violence and hate, he wrote, "The issue should be fronted with strong action, as early as possible. The violators of law should be arrested and enterned, asap. People should believe that Government has no soft corner for the rioters".
Unhappy at the administrative actions taken, Nehru further wrote, "We have slowed down in this regard. Thus, the problem has continued to escalate. The main promoters of poison of communal hatred, the mischief mongers and goons, are thus continuing their work, unhindered. Yet, when the issue comes to a boil, a few innocent are arrested, the master minds escape the persecution.”
We observe the deviations from these guide lines, in Nehru's own time in office. But relevance of that letter and invocation is still paramount, particularly in light of the recent communal violence in Kandhamal.
If one analyses the sequence of events from last December till today, one comes to the clear conclusion that the state government has not taken the measures necessary to prevent the spread of communal hatred and consequent violence. Rather, the government has remained a silent spectator, Naveen Patnaik being the Home minister of the state. The fire of communalism in Kandhamal had also spread to other states of India, like Karnataka & Kerala.
The majority of Odiyas are religious but are not communal. Even today they are free from communal hatred and malice. Communal amity still prevails in the state. But, the individuals and organizations, undermining this amity need to be brought to book with a strong hand. pronto.
The communal hate, crimes and disturbance, starting July 22, 2008 till today has dumbfounded all of us. The murder of Swami Laxmanananda and following counter attack, burning of thousands of houses of innocents, mass rioting and large scale disturbances have blackened the image of Odisha.
It is difficult to find words harsh enough, to appropriately condemn these dastardly acts. On the other hand, those who became the leaders of the post Swami Laxmananda murder acts, who burned alive innocents like Rajani, who burned thousands of homes, caused a state-wide
unrest and vandalism, sure are no friends of Hinduism.
Many intellectuals forewarned in 1950s about spread of communalism in Punjab, which was ignored. It surfaced in 1981 and in 1984 and became so vicious that it crossed all bounds of humanism. People saw how vicious can the communal violence be, in the post partition, India.
In the 90s, communal thoughts prevailed in creating a series of communal riots in which cities like Moradabad, Meerut, Bangalore, Bombay, Bhagalpur, Jaypore and Lucknow, endured. These riots, challenged the human conscience and values of Indians.
At the advent of the 21st century again the country got shocked at a conflagration of communal violence. In February-March, 2002, the Gujarat conflagration burned out of control. It was so vicious, venomous and wide spread that it threatened common man with fear and disgust. The ripping open with a sword of a human fetus out of the body of a pregnant women, in that riot, does not have any parallel in our history.
Gujrat riots are deemed a national shame. This riot was the most vicious since, 1947 and was unprecedented in the history of Gujarat and it's administration being actively involved in these riots. Gujarat Police took the role of rioters.
The Sangh Parivar has tried to make Odisha as their second laboratory of communalism to retain power in the state. Communal is a bane to the human society. It is anti-religious and anti-development. It is now the duty of all the citizens of the state specially the intelligentsia to thwart the communal mindset and to restore communal peace and harmony. The secular polity of Odisha should be strengthened for the overall development of the state.
The author is a political activist and columnist. Please send your comments at janatavikasmanch@gmail.com or sudarsan_d@yahoo.com and visit www.janatavikasmanch.blogspot.com for more information.
The 2008 was the black year for Odisha. Kandhamal violence has not only shaken the back bone of Odisha's society, but it has also tarnished the state's image before the national and global community.
The communal conflagration of Kandhamal has lasted for several months last year. It spread to new places in new forms and made people helpless and threatened. The situation has turned more complex. Both the sides used fire arms, ammunitions and explosives. It appeared as if Kadhamal is on a keg of explosives.
There are long range implications of the Kandhamal calamity. Not only it has undermined our national and international standing, it may also hamper the foreign aid and foreign help to Odisha. Likewise, it may undermine and jeopardize the long standing traditions of cultural amity, understanding & co-existence, between ethnic groups, castes and communities of the state. Truly, the happenings of Kandhamal are no longer a small mis-adventure but turned into a great disaster.
Kandhamal violence has moved the chief minister of Odisha too. While Naveen Patnaik was touring the torched villages, turned into graveyards, an affected old destitute woman reportedly approached him. She held his hand and cried disconsolately. The heart rending cry of that old woman and the tragic circumstances melted his heart and tears rolled down his cheeks.
The media head lines next day went hoarse "The Chief Minister, cried". On return to Bhubaneswar with a heavy heart he told the media: "The incidents of Kandhamal are the most unfortunate event during his administration" .
Not only the chief minister, but majority of the people of Odisha think in the similar manner. The incidents of Kandhamal have affected them deeply. The compassion in their hearts, as his, have rolled down as tears. The people of the State have been deeply saddened by the recent communal incidents in Kandhamal. The combined gash of their hearts and tears of their eyes has shaken one and all.
The history of Indian communal violence shows that the main reason of riots is: Government inaction. Of course, Gujarat is a rare exception where, official encouragement was behind the riots. But in most places, riots become uncontrollable when and where government fails to instill the fear of law in the minds of the rioters. When government fails to instill confidence in the mind of the affected public and fails take steps to create fear of Law in the mind of the rioters, it is self-evident that riots will spread. Strict Government action alone, impedes riots and rioters.
In this regard in September 1957, the then prime minister of India, late Mr Jawaharlal Nehru, had written a letter to the then chief ministers. Invoking them to resist people involved in communal violence and hate, he wrote, "The issue should be fronted with strong action, as early as possible. The violators of law should be arrested and enterned, asap. People should believe that Government has no soft corner for the rioters".
Unhappy at the administrative actions taken, Nehru further wrote, "We have slowed down in this regard. Thus, the problem has continued to escalate. The main promoters of poison of communal hatred, the mischief mongers and goons, are thus continuing their work, unhindered. Yet, when the issue comes to a boil, a few innocent are arrested, the master minds escape the persecution.”
We observe the deviations from these guide lines, in Nehru's own time in office. But relevance of that letter and invocation is still paramount, particularly in light of the recent communal violence in Kandhamal.
If one analyses the sequence of events from last December till today, one comes to the clear conclusion that the state government has not taken the measures necessary to prevent the spread of communal hatred and consequent violence. Rather, the government has remained a silent spectator, Naveen Patnaik being the Home minister of the state. The fire of communalism in Kandhamal had also spread to other states of India, like Karnataka & Kerala.
The majority of Odiyas are religious but are not communal. Even today they are free from communal hatred and malice. Communal amity still prevails in the state. But, the individuals and organizations, undermining this amity need to be brought to book with a strong hand. pronto.
The communal hate, crimes and disturbance, starting July 22, 2008 till today has dumbfounded all of us. The murder of Swami Laxmanananda and following counter attack, burning of thousands of houses of innocents, mass rioting and large scale disturbances have blackened the image of Odisha.
It is difficult to find words harsh enough, to appropriately condemn these dastardly acts. On the other hand, those who became the leaders of the post Swami Laxmananda murder acts, who burned alive innocents like Rajani, who burned thousands of homes, caused a state-wide
unrest and vandalism, sure are no friends of Hinduism.
Many intellectuals forewarned in 1950s about spread of communalism in Punjab, which was ignored. It surfaced in 1981 and in 1984 and became so vicious that it crossed all bounds of humanism. People saw how vicious can the communal violence be, in the post partition, India.
In the 90s, communal thoughts prevailed in creating a series of communal riots in which cities like Moradabad, Meerut, Bangalore, Bombay, Bhagalpur, Jaypore and Lucknow, endured. These riots, challenged the human conscience and values of Indians.
At the advent of the 21st century again the country got shocked at a conflagration of communal violence. In February-March, 2002, the Gujarat conflagration burned out of control. It was so vicious, venomous and wide spread that it threatened common man with fear and disgust. The ripping open with a sword of a human fetus out of the body of a pregnant women, in that riot, does not have any parallel in our history.
Gujrat riots are deemed a national shame. This riot was the most vicious since, 1947 and was unprecedented in the history of Gujarat and it's administration being actively involved in these riots. Gujarat Police took the role of rioters.
The Sangh Parivar has tried to make Odisha as their second laboratory of communalism to retain power in the state. Communal is a bane to the human society. It is anti-religious and anti-development. It is now the duty of all the citizens of the state specially the intelligentsia to thwart the communal mindset and to restore communal peace and harmony. The secular polity of Odisha should be strengthened for the overall development of the state.
The author is a political activist and columnist. Please send your comments at janatavikasmanch@gmail.com or sudarsan_d@yahoo.com and visit www.janatavikasmanch.blogspot.com for more information.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Kendu-Leave collection makes state rich and tribals poorer
Panchayati Raj governance and Forest Rights Act can help the tribals to revive their economic status, writes Pravin Patel, director, Tribal Welfare Society and Public Eye Swiss Award 2008 nominee
More than 10 lakh (1 Million) tribals and other forest dwellers are engaged in the Kendu Leaves (KL) collection in the state of Odisha. Kendu leaves trade in Odisha was done by few private contractors who made huge money in this lucrative trade. Those private contractors were so powerful that they successfully managed to interfere in state politics but also got the ministers of their choice. The interferences were tolerated in exchange of huge donations to political parties to buy favours. The instability of the Odisha governments during 1960s is largely attributed to the powerful Kendu Leaves lobby.
Immediately on coming of the late Indira Gandhi to the centre stage of National Politics; through the then chief minister late Nandini Satpathy nationalized the trade in the year 1973 to get rid of the private contractors. Big claims were made that KL contractors are exploiting poor tribals, as such to save them from being exploited, the trade will be conducted by the state Forest department which was assigned the duty to collect KL from the tribals and process the same and hand over to the Odisha State Forest Development Corporation for marketing.
With change in the players, Private traders' monopoly has been replaced by the Forest Department monopoly. Since 1973, a long period of thirty five years has passed. It can be safely assumed that the plight of the tribals must have changed within this period in the KL trade that generates annually about Rs 500 crore (INR 50 million) from average production of five lakh quintals. We were shocked to see that the plight of the tribals has on the contrary worsened. Poor tribals have become pauper. The very fact that almost half of the population of Odisha lives Below Poverty Line (BPL), which must be 80% or more amongst the KL pluckers. Besides acute poverty, lack of quality education, corruption in Public Distribution System (PDS) and lack of health care has resulted in malnutrition that has pushed them to their premature death.
Despite change in policy that promised them to bail out of exploitation, despite spending huge money on several developmental heads, if this is the reality, Questions are raised why? Whom to blame? What can be done? To find answers we need to look at reasons one by one.
The first reason is the dictatorial attitude of the forest officials who have replaced private traders. KL activities have been a milking cow particularly for field staff like for rangers and forest guards. Fictitious purchases; under counting of leaves and various tricks played in quality gradation of the processed leaves are some of the sources of eating away the money.
The other reason is the overall neglect of the tribals by the state in practicing anti-tribal policies for the comforts of Biri manufacturers, Industrial and Mining Corporations. It is shocking to know that while Iron Ore, Bauxite and other natural mineral wealth are allowed to be virtually looted at laughably low rate of royalty, for example Iron ore, it is only Rs. 4/- at the lowest and Rs. 27/- per MT (International market rate is about Rs. 10,000/-)
Bamboo is another example. Under management of OFDC, Bamboos were supplied at a highly subsidized rate to paper mills. When the paper mills can be supplied bamboo at only 49 Paise each piece, why tribals needs are ignored? Why tribals are harassed on false cases despite those tribals need Bamboos to weave baskets and make other products for livelihood. Even the artisans' needs are ignored.
Games played in Kendu Leaves
State share of earnings in shape of royalty and taxes is more than 40%, where as 10 lakh pluckers gets only about 25%. Forest department with a staff of 12,000 spends about 15% towards establishment cost, research and in the name of other over heads. What research they have done at the cost of spending crores of rupees is any body's guess.
The above facts makes it amply clear that the state policies are drafted to help those who can buy favours where as the poor tribals are denied their legitimate rights. State must accept the fact that its wrongly cultivated policies have failed to save tribals from being exploited or improve their economic and social conditions. The result of thirty five years of failed policy has pushed them to absolute poverty.
Newspapers have reported of selling children and wives at Bolangir district, where KL of best quality is collected that fetches highest rates in the country. Exporters compete with each other to buy those leaves at the highest rate in the country, those who collect the leaves are extremely poor.
The story is not limited to Bolangir only. We find in newspapers reports about protesting tribals from many areas of the state that even after months payments to the KL pluckers are not made. KL pluckers mortgage their cards to the money lenders, who collect the money on behalf of the pluckers. Delay causes further losses of high rate of interest charged by the money lenders.
It is painful to note that the Kendu Leaves Coordination Committee chaired by Chief Secretary, finds it difficult to even increase a paisa or two per bundle of 20 Kendu leaves by stating that any increase in purchase price will make the KL business less lucrative. Even when the decisions are taken with great difficulty, it is publicized as if great favours done on KL pluckers. This exposes the mentality of the state who exploit tribals as a tool to earn Rs 500 crore but even a token increase in KL purchase prices, their eyebrows are raised. From the air conditioned comforts they expect tribals to defy scorching summer sun with mercury touching 48 degree to collect KL.
From the above facts, we can conclude that monopoly of the state, dictatorial attitude of the forest officials at the field level, inept police to crack on illegally operating money lenders and lack of accountability at all level by the concerned officials is the root cause of misery to the tribals. The very purpose to save the tribals from being exploited at the hands of private contractors for which the trade was nationalized stands defeated.
The present policy practiced from last 35 years has failed. When there is a need to completely change the policy, tribals are lured by playing cheap vote bank politics by promising to give them shoes / chappals for free. Nationalization of Kendu Leaves is a glaring example to demonstrate how blindly a failed policy can be pursued so long for political games and satisfying Biri industries. Where the tribals should go?
After a long struggle to get justice by the tribals and civil society organization, it took 60 years to the Indian parliament to admit the 'historic injustice' done to the Scheduled Tribes and forest dwellers to get rid of the corrupt forest and revenue department officials. "The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006" finally recognized their rights, but the rules were framed much later i.e. w.e.f. January 1. 2008. The delay in implementation of the act is largely due to the strong opposition by a certain group of people who desperately tried their best to see that the tribals are not given their rights.
Forest rights act besides recognizing ownership of occupied land in the forests and provides rightful access to collect 'minor forest produce', including Kendu leaves, Bamboo, Honey besides other minor forest produces. FRA provides unrestricted collection of minor forest produces by tribals and other forest dwelling communities. It also allows one time processing and sales to whomsoever they wish. However, in absence of clear rules, some confusion remains on how to transport the material from the forest to the customer's destination.
Forest officials and traders who exploit tribals are under fear to get out of business if the tribals use their rights. Few retired Forest Department officials of Odisha have filed a Public Interest Litigation before the Hon'ble High Court of Odisha demanding to stay the implementation of the act by labeling tribals as "Encroachers" and feared that they will destroy the remaining forests. On the contrary, in many areas tribals themselves have come forward to protect forests. The fact remains that without forests tribals can not survive and without tribals forests can not be safe.
As per a report, Odisha has lost more than 25% of its forest cover during the period 1972 to 1999, which is much before the Forest Rights Act has come in to force. This further exposes the hollow charges of the officials who have not only failed in their duties to protect the forests. Is it a secret that timber and forest mafias have eaten away most of the forests including the Simlipal reserve forest! The so called plantations done by the forest department has largely remained on paper only. Money is spent but trees are not seen in itself; complains of corruption in the department. Where has the money gone that has been spent in the name of plantations?
Government policies and institutions have failed to raise the economic condition of the tribals all these years. Panchayati Raj governance and Forest Rights Act are two legal provisions that empower tribals to shape their future and improve socio economic conditions. A beginning has been made but lot more needs to be done. There is an urgent need to spread awareness amongst tribals about their rights on forest produces including Kendu Leaves; Bamboo; Sal Seed and other forest produces so that they can demand justice and start using those rights for their speedy economic recovery.
Please send your comments and suggestions at janatavikasmanch@gmail.com. And, visit www.janatavikasmanch.blogspot.com for more information.
More than 10 lakh (1 Million) tribals and other forest dwellers are engaged in the Kendu Leaves (KL) collection in the state of Odisha. Kendu leaves trade in Odisha was done by few private contractors who made huge money in this lucrative trade. Those private contractors were so powerful that they successfully managed to interfere in state politics but also got the ministers of their choice. The interferences were tolerated in exchange of huge donations to political parties to buy favours. The instability of the Odisha governments during 1960s is largely attributed to the powerful Kendu Leaves lobby.
Immediately on coming of the late Indira Gandhi to the centre stage of National Politics; through the then chief minister late Nandini Satpathy nationalized the trade in the year 1973 to get rid of the private contractors. Big claims were made that KL contractors are exploiting poor tribals, as such to save them from being exploited, the trade will be conducted by the state Forest department which was assigned the duty to collect KL from the tribals and process the same and hand over to the Odisha State Forest Development Corporation for marketing.
With change in the players, Private traders' monopoly has been replaced by the Forest Department monopoly. Since 1973, a long period of thirty five years has passed. It can be safely assumed that the plight of the tribals must have changed within this period in the KL trade that generates annually about Rs 500 crore (INR 50 million) from average production of five lakh quintals. We were shocked to see that the plight of the tribals has on the contrary worsened. Poor tribals have become pauper. The very fact that almost half of the population of Odisha lives Below Poverty Line (BPL), which must be 80% or more amongst the KL pluckers. Besides acute poverty, lack of quality education, corruption in Public Distribution System (PDS) and lack of health care has resulted in malnutrition that has pushed them to their premature death.
Despite change in policy that promised them to bail out of exploitation, despite spending huge money on several developmental heads, if this is the reality, Questions are raised why? Whom to blame? What can be done? To find answers we need to look at reasons one by one.
The first reason is the dictatorial attitude of the forest officials who have replaced private traders. KL activities have been a milking cow particularly for field staff like for rangers and forest guards. Fictitious purchases; under counting of leaves and various tricks played in quality gradation of the processed leaves are some of the sources of eating away the money.
The other reason is the overall neglect of the tribals by the state in practicing anti-tribal policies for the comforts of Biri manufacturers, Industrial and Mining Corporations. It is shocking to know that while Iron Ore, Bauxite and other natural mineral wealth are allowed to be virtually looted at laughably low rate of royalty, for example Iron ore, it is only Rs. 4/- at the lowest and Rs. 27/- per MT (International market rate is about Rs. 10,000/-)
Bamboo is another example. Under management of OFDC, Bamboos were supplied at a highly subsidized rate to paper mills. When the paper mills can be supplied bamboo at only 49 Paise each piece, why tribals needs are ignored? Why tribals are harassed on false cases despite those tribals need Bamboos to weave baskets and make other products for livelihood. Even the artisans' needs are ignored.
Games played in Kendu Leaves
State share of earnings in shape of royalty and taxes is more than 40%, where as 10 lakh pluckers gets only about 25%. Forest department with a staff of 12,000 spends about 15% towards establishment cost, research and in the name of other over heads. What research they have done at the cost of spending crores of rupees is any body's guess.
The above facts makes it amply clear that the state policies are drafted to help those who can buy favours where as the poor tribals are denied their legitimate rights. State must accept the fact that its wrongly cultivated policies have failed to save tribals from being exploited or improve their economic and social conditions. The result of thirty five years of failed policy has pushed them to absolute poverty.
Newspapers have reported of selling children and wives at Bolangir district, where KL of best quality is collected that fetches highest rates in the country. Exporters compete with each other to buy those leaves at the highest rate in the country, those who collect the leaves are extremely poor.
The story is not limited to Bolangir only. We find in newspapers reports about protesting tribals from many areas of the state that even after months payments to the KL pluckers are not made. KL pluckers mortgage their cards to the money lenders, who collect the money on behalf of the pluckers. Delay causes further losses of high rate of interest charged by the money lenders.
It is painful to note that the Kendu Leaves Coordination Committee chaired by Chief Secretary, finds it difficult to even increase a paisa or two per bundle of 20 Kendu leaves by stating that any increase in purchase price will make the KL business less lucrative. Even when the decisions are taken with great difficulty, it is publicized as if great favours done on KL pluckers. This exposes the mentality of the state who exploit tribals as a tool to earn Rs 500 crore but even a token increase in KL purchase prices, their eyebrows are raised. From the air conditioned comforts they expect tribals to defy scorching summer sun with mercury touching 48 degree to collect KL.
From the above facts, we can conclude that monopoly of the state, dictatorial attitude of the forest officials at the field level, inept police to crack on illegally operating money lenders and lack of accountability at all level by the concerned officials is the root cause of misery to the tribals. The very purpose to save the tribals from being exploited at the hands of private contractors for which the trade was nationalized stands defeated.
The present policy practiced from last 35 years has failed. When there is a need to completely change the policy, tribals are lured by playing cheap vote bank politics by promising to give them shoes / chappals for free. Nationalization of Kendu Leaves is a glaring example to demonstrate how blindly a failed policy can be pursued so long for political games and satisfying Biri industries. Where the tribals should go?
After a long struggle to get justice by the tribals and civil society organization, it took 60 years to the Indian parliament to admit the 'historic injustice' done to the Scheduled Tribes and forest dwellers to get rid of the corrupt forest and revenue department officials. "The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006" finally recognized their rights, but the rules were framed much later i.e. w.e.f. January 1. 2008. The delay in implementation of the act is largely due to the strong opposition by a certain group of people who desperately tried their best to see that the tribals are not given their rights.
Forest rights act besides recognizing ownership of occupied land in the forests and provides rightful access to collect 'minor forest produce', including Kendu leaves, Bamboo, Honey besides other minor forest produces. FRA provides unrestricted collection of minor forest produces by tribals and other forest dwelling communities. It also allows one time processing and sales to whomsoever they wish. However, in absence of clear rules, some confusion remains on how to transport the material from the forest to the customer's destination.
Forest officials and traders who exploit tribals are under fear to get out of business if the tribals use their rights. Few retired Forest Department officials of Odisha have filed a Public Interest Litigation before the Hon'ble High Court of Odisha demanding to stay the implementation of the act by labeling tribals as "Encroachers" and feared that they will destroy the remaining forests. On the contrary, in many areas tribals themselves have come forward to protect forests. The fact remains that without forests tribals can not survive and without tribals forests can not be safe.
As per a report, Odisha has lost more than 25% of its forest cover during the period 1972 to 1999, which is much before the Forest Rights Act has come in to force. This further exposes the hollow charges of the officials who have not only failed in their duties to protect the forests. Is it a secret that timber and forest mafias have eaten away most of the forests including the Simlipal reserve forest! The so called plantations done by the forest department has largely remained on paper only. Money is spent but trees are not seen in itself; complains of corruption in the department. Where has the money gone that has been spent in the name of plantations?
Government policies and institutions have failed to raise the economic condition of the tribals all these years. Panchayati Raj governance and Forest Rights Act are two legal provisions that empower tribals to shape their future and improve socio economic conditions. A beginning has been made but lot more needs to be done. There is an urgent need to spread awareness amongst tribals about their rights on forest produces including Kendu Leaves; Bamboo; Sal Seed and other forest produces so that they can demand justice and start using those rights for their speedy economic recovery.
Please send your comments and suggestions at janatavikasmanch@gmail.com. And, visit www.janatavikasmanch.blogspot.com for more information.
Seafood-cum-beach tourism can help in employment generation in Odisha
By Umashankar Das
The global meltdown has impacted the Odisha's industry and finances. All the mega projects are facing challenges on several fronts due to the liquidity strain in the global market.
This global meltdown is expected to continue for another one or two years. In this kind of situation, Odisha needs to explore newer opportunities of employment generation and development. The state has a wealth of tourism resources. Some of the most important features would be tourist monuments, pristine beaches, diverse flora and fauna, and unique tribal culture.
Odisha government does try to promote tourism in it's own efforts. But, it has taken a beating due to the lack of diversified brand image. Today, Odisha is popular for it's religious tourism in Puri and getting the Konark Sun temple as a package..
The state government should focus on the potential of aqua-based products as a major driver to create a brand image. Just to cite an example, the following can be a show-case towards this direction.
a) A resort at a pristine beach.
b) Specialisation in sea-food related cuisine
c) A by-product would be focus on Odia cusine.
The plan needs following things:
1) Provide a small piece of land (less than say 2 acres or approx. 80,000 sq. ft).
2)Government provides a loan to a private entrepreneur (Local).
3) In return, the government has a stake in the project.
4) Creation of an expert team which can guide the local entreprenuer in setting up and managing the project.
5) A tie-up with a management institute for guidance
This would develop local entreprenuership as opposed to looking only for big investors in terms of mega projects like Posco or Vedanta. Local entreprenuership will always create more jobs. Also, big investments take a long time to fructify.
The Idea behind a beach-cum-seafood resort is that, it provides a chance to create a brand image which can be used to develop the brand image of Odisha. The marketing potential for such an enterprise is huge and cheap. Internet could be a medium. There will be no need to spend money to buy media space in expensive TV channels. Today, the travel industry is looking for new and innovative ideas. Also, most of the travel Industry depends on Internet for it's marketing and revenues.
A chain of such resorts along the coastline will act as a feather in Odisha's cap. And, has the potential to generate employment as well as build Odisha's brand image in the global world.
The author is an IT professional and actively participates in the development debate on Odisha.
Make police force accountable to the people of Odisha
By Pravin Patel
India has celebrated 60th Republic Day on January 26, 2009. The people are getting aware of their constitutional rights as the democratic process is getting mature day by day. However, the life has not changed much for the majority of the tribals across the country.
Instead, it has become difficult for the tribals to maintain their livelihood as their land is being snatched by the establishment due to the rapid industrialization. The story is not different with the tribals of Odisha too as they are loosing their land due to the industrialization.
Odisha has huge natural wealth but its people are poor and most of these poor are tribals in whose habitats that wealth is stored. It is this wealth that has become curse on them above and over their economic and social exploitation. In the process of rapid industrialization, tribals are also facing threat of being forcibly displaced, resulting in law and order problem in their areas. Tribals feel neglected and cheated as the administration appears to work in favour of powerful industrial and mining corporations.
Under this circumstances, Police has an important role to play to ensure that the faith of the poor tribals on our constitution remains in tact, but the behavior of the Odisha police is not satisfactory and mostly negative while dealing with the tribals.
As if the communal riots in shape of Kandhmal are not enough, expanding presence of naxalites to newer areas and increasing threat of terror attacks from across the border has expanded their role. It is not only the constitutional duty of the state to maintain law and order but also to ensure that lives and properties of the people are protected. As such, it is expected that the state government makes enough arrangement to keep efficient police force that works at its best to live up to the expectations of the people of the state without coming under any pressure with full honesty and sincerity. Registering complains of rich or poor alike, without any discrimination and conduct timely investigation to ensure delivery of justice.
However the ground reality is otherwise. Except some exceptions, Odisha police is not only arrogant but also have different yard sticks to measure crimes depending on the person with whom they deal with. Rich and politically powerful persons manage to go scot free despite committing serious crimes, poor innocent persons are made to suffer for no fault and end up in running from pillar to post, spending their precious little hard earned money in legal matters.
Odisha Police has lived far below the expectations of the people. The general opinion of the people on police will be that as a corrupt, inefficient and biased. This is the truth; why people try to keep away from police, raise their eyebrows even at the visit of police in the neighborhood. Transparency International, a worldwide organization that fights corruption has ranked Indian Police Department as the most corrupt department of the country. The situation in Odisha is not different.
Beginning with traffic related offences to the local gangs of criminals, dons, kidnapers, thieves, pocket picketers and also economic offenders and white collared criminals no body can survive without the help of the police force. The very fact that such gangs are operating freely without any fear of being caught and punished have made Odisha their favorite hunting ground. Mafias operating in Mining, Timber and other forest products; Killer doctors conspiring with Medical labs owners who have mercilessly killed thousands of female babies in the womb of their mother; Fake medicine racketeers operating freely in nexus with officials of the drug department pushing them to death; Illicit liquor manufacturers operating with chain of retailers causing repeated poisonous hooch tragedies that takes premature lives are enough to expose the reality that exists. Besides there are gangs of Gamblers, Cheaters, Thieves, Extortionists and other petty criminals almost all over the state. Naxalites expanding wings to newer areas is another proof of the poor state of policing in Orissa.
Lack of vigilance has resulted in thousands of Bangladeshi making Odisha their permanent home illegally. Two Bangladeshi fish trawlers acting heavier on local fishermen on the Odisha coast is a very recent experience that increases the job of the state police with the experience of Mumbai terror attacks from the sea route. When facts are known to the men on the street, how can it escape the notice of the state police? But the irony is that when such illegal immigrants should be behind the bars, they have managed to enter in to the voters list of the country. But there is no political will to crack down on those staying illegally.
With the increased industrial and mining activities, police have additional task to deal with the situation of unrest of the farmers and others who use their democratic rights to protest against the injustices caused to them, be it in the matter of displacement, increasing pollution or even try to protect their constitutional rights. When the need is to bring in drastic changes in the faulty mining policy, Relief and Resettlement policy to make pro people and ensure that pollution norms are strictly complied with. However, authorities ignore the same in the name of pursuing rapid industrialization, but police has either cracked on people who protest at the illegalities or remained a silent spectator. There are enough examples to exhibit anti people face of the Odisha Police.
Registering complain as First Information Report (FIR) is mandatory on the part of the police. Take Sundergarh district to exposes the truth. Despite hundreds of cases in which tribals have fallen victims to the atrocities committed by rich and politically powerful non tribals, most of their complains are not registered whereas on the contrary false complains are registered against the poor tribals who are pushed to jails on false charges. All this happens despite tribals have legal protection available to them in shape of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on their side.
Recently, the tantrum shown by the owner, a non-tribal, of a metal firm has become the matter of discussion in Sundargarh district. They have established a 100 TPD sponge iron plant at Khairban village, Latikata Block of Sundergarh District. By filing false information, they not only managed the mandatory environmental clearances but also managed to crush the democratic rights of the villagers with the help of Brahamni Tarang Police. Govt. primary school located within 500 meters is shown as located beyond 1.5 KM from the plant.
Christina and few other tribal women who protested plying of heavily loaded truck on the narrow village road is pushed by the car driven by the owner of the metal company himself. As if this is not enough, he gets out of the car and pulls the lady by hair and clothes to push her out of the road, tearing her blouse in the process. Christina's complain is not registered but on the contrary she is picked up in the middle of night by the police.
On May day, drunken supervisor of drives the truck in to the house of Mahesh Mahali who was to marry few days and damages the house that is located at the entrance of the same narrow road, house is damaged, villagers protests. Nor the truck is seized nor the unlicensed driver is arrested but innocent villagers are rounded up.
Seventy year old Sukra Mahali denies to sale away his farm land but the land is forcibly grabbed. All his efforts to register even the FIR have failed. D.O. Letter of Minister of State for Home, Government of India, written to the Hon'ble Chief Minster also failed. Instead police calls Sukra Mahali to the police station forcing him to sale away his land to the plant owners.
Patras Ekka is severely assaulted for his only fault that he denied to pay Rs.2/- to the illegally run cycle stand owner but 17 tribal youth who sat in the Kinjirkela PS demanding registering the complain are seriously assaulted with iron rods, stones, sticks and what not within the police station premises by the cycle stand owner and his musclemen in presence of police. Ajit Kujur who received 70 stitches on his head is labeled as absconder. Where as illicit liquor vendors, dacoits etc are termed as saviors of police. The result is a false case against the victims that they attacked the police station. The height of the wrong is practiced by SP, Sundergarh who in the official communiqué to the National Commission of Schedule Tribe, stated that Tirkey, Kerketta, Ekka, Toppo, Kujur are all people belonging to Schedule Caste.
In another case, the Tribals at village Budakata under Kutra PS have fallen victims of a sponge iron company at Balanda also under Brahmani Tarang PS, under the influence of another Sponge Iron Factory, 111 tribals were booked under different cases. Lanjiberna, Lamlai, Kansbahal, Bilaigarh, Kuarmunda, Birmitrapur, Rajgangpur story is same every where. The most recent is the matter of Tutu Kishan who was called at Rajgaganpur PS and forced to sign three blank papers believed to get his forcible consent to give consent to sale his land to a Orissa based Cement company. Hundreds of false cases are filed on the victims so as to save the skin of real culprits who are the wealthy plant owners who have money and reach to buy favours.
Twelve Kilometer long overhead conveyor belt to transport lime stone over few villages is being constructed on land acquired from tribals without obtaining positive resolve at the mandatory village council meeting under Panchayat Extension of Schedule Area Act, 1996.(PESA) Villagers protests is crushed with heavy hand. Sushil Lakra has been killed in a recent incident by the security staff of the Cement company at Lanjiberna. Within the closed door under lock and key so called village council meeting is held at Kutunia grossly in violation to PESA, police remains a silent spectator to the misdeeds. 12 year old tribal boy is tortured third degree including pouring petrol to his anus by Ragunathpalli PS, forcing him to confess a crime he never committed or the custodial few months before at Brahmani tarang PS; Assault by a petty BJD leader on tribals at Vedvyas few days back, dumping of solid waste on the farm lands and unbearable pollution by a series of sponge iron plants are some of the matters that are mentioned here. The list is long. If this is the story of one district only, it is any body's imagination what could be the story of the entire state.
The dual face of the police stands well exposed at Kalinga Nagar where nine contingents of armed police swung in to actions; unleashed brutalities killing 13 tribals and injuring many in January, 2006 but no case is registered against Tata Steel on whose soil light intensity land mines injured few tribals.
The need is for complete transformation of the police department to make it efficient and accountable force; restrict duty hours from 24 x 7 to 8 to 10 hours on 6 days a week; create an environment that enables them to discharge their duties honestly and with full sincerity without coming under any political interference and also substantial increase in the budgetary support.
The author is director, Tribal Welfare Society. He is reachable at tribalwelfare@gmail.com
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