Wall built in Mahuva village to battle salinity ingress

Vijaysinh Parmar/TNN 29 August 2009,/DUGERI (Bhavnagar district): This is a story of sweet success. To fight salinity ingress and save their crops, villagers of the 5,000-strong coastal village of Dugeri in Mahuva taluka of Bhavnagar district have constructed a wall to prevent rainwater from flowing into the sea.
This has led to formation of a rainwater reservoir across 172 hectares which will enable farmers grow three crops a year. What's most striking is that though the work was done under the Central government's rural employment guarantee scheme, more than 200 workers were living above the poverty line. As a result of the wall, groundwater is being converted from saline to sweet. The soil wall, 300 metre in length, 20 ft in width and 6 feet in height, was built in two months. With this effort, the villagers are showing the way in water conservation and preventing environmental degradation. The sarpanch and her husband also joint the effort to encourage others to follow suit. Says sarpanch Manju Shiyal, "It was to give dignity to the work and highlight the importance of water conservation to improve agricultural productivity in the village." "Farmers in the village have not been able to get good yields due to salinity ingress. It is an old problem. Land is fertile and if sweet groundwater is available, farmers can harvest three crops a year. We used the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) effectively in this effort," says Bharat Shiyal, husband of the sarpanch. According to a gram panchayat official, this year 326 job cards were issued. "Of this, 200 cardholders are living above the poverty line and worked under NREGA just to make their farmlands fertile. This was the spirit in which villagers worked,'' he elaborates. Farmers expect this water conservation effort to benefit nearly 1,400 acres of agricultural land. "It will help recharge groundwater as soon as the whole reservoir fills with water. Currently, around 200 people need to migrate for employment. This will soon stop as sweet groundwater will trigger agricultural activity throughout the year,'' says farmer Mavji Bhaliya. Getting fresh groundwater is more important than economic returns from employment under NREGA, says villager Sukha Bambhania. Villagers plan to build more walls and do not want a single drop of fresh water to slip into the sea.

No, thanks, we do not want mining, cement plant here: Dr. Kalsaria

Vijaysinh Parmar
Mahuva( Bhavnagar district): The farmers agitations against the proposed one million metric tones cement plant and lime stone mining in villages in Mahuva taluka is getting stronger roots among the agrarian communities here. Once, the spontaneous agitation of farmers is now shaping sharply under the leadership of Dr. Kanu Kalsaria, sitting BJP MLA from Mahuva. Dr. Kalsaria, practicing general surgeon, very low profile and highly regarded person among the people in the reason irrespective of caste, religion and political out fits. In these days, he spends most of his time either in operation theatre or in farmland to understand the farmers’ problem closely.
“Government has decided to give about 268 hectors, waste lands, gauchar to proposed cement plant near Padhiyarka, Doliya and Vangar village. Also, government has given land from water body in Samadhiyala Bandhara to the proposed plant. There are other lands are principally approved by government to be given for mining lease to the proposed cement plant. The government’s move to give land to cement plant and mining will make things worst in the area and badly impact on ecological system of the coastal village. Also, we have seen that mining has caused severe salinity ingress in costal area. So, government itself built four Bandharas to prevent salinity ingress. Now this proposed cement plant and mining will destroy the actual purpose of the Bandharas in the area’’ says Dr. Kanu Kalsarai.
According to Kalsaria, due to Bandharas (Large size check dams to store sweet water) the farmers’s wells are recharged and they are getting benefits of it.
“We were waiting to complete the Bandharas so that we would be able to harvest three crops in a year. Now time has come that we are getting its result in once barren land now becoming fertile’’said Oghad Makwana of Samdhiyala village.
“Farmers, who have seen their bright future through these Bandharas came to me to seek guidance in this regard because they initiated the agitation. I traveled number of villages and met several farmers who are going to benefit from it. I calculated benefits from cement plant and agricultural growth through this Bandharas and I found that farmers’s future lie if cement plant and mining do not take place here. It is expected that more than 10,000 hectors land will be irrigated through these Bandharas. I am not against industry but it is in wrong place. So, I decided to be with farmers until desire results do not come’’ says determined Kalsaria.
Interestingly, Kalsaria, even sitting MLA from ruling BJP government has been determined to fight to save farmers livelihood and coastal villages from mining.
Taking a serious not from the agitations, government appointed a committee to study and submit its report. Meanwhile work of the proposed cement plant has been stopped.
“I know that what political out come might be from the party but I do not care as I am people’s representative. So, I will be with them whatever coast it may be’’ said Kalsaria.
According to Kalsaria, “We are waiting for recommendations of state government’s appointed committee. But in our part, if expected results do not come from it, then the movement will continue. We only want: no cement plant and mining in this area, nothing less than that’’ Kalsaria said.

They drink water declared unfit in 2004

Vijaysinh Parmar TNN
Sadla (Surendranagar district): A drinking water crisis is staring this village in the face. People are suffering from kidney stones, joint pain and water-related diseases because water is not potable here. The poor are the worst affected as they can’t afford potable water, says retired government medical officer Dr KM Patel. It costs Rs 2 for 15 litres. This year, the rainfed village will have an even tougher time. Surendranagar district has received only 39 per cent of its annual rainfall so far. According to former sarpanch Sadashiv Vyas, the laboratory report on water quality declared it ‘unfit’ for consumption way back in 2004. The level of total dissolved salts (TDS) in water was 2,300, much above the limit. With depleting groundwater, this rises. “We have brought this to the notice of the government many a time but to no avail,” he says. Gauri Patel, resident of Sadla, is suffering from kidney stones for many years. She knows it’s due to fluoride content in water but is helpless. “Where do I get potable water from? It’s not easily available and is costly. There’s a well but it can’t meet needs of the entire village,” she says. Sadla has a population of 5,000, mostly farmers and pastoral communities. According to gram panchayat officials, there are around 250 families below the poverty line. “The situation is bad this year. We are giving saline water to our animals,” says villager Parma Rabari.

Discrepancies in drip irrigation scheme

Vijaysinh Parmar TNN Moviya (Rajkot district): 14 August/Pravin Thumar, a farmer in Moviya village of Gondal taluka, was surprised to see in the documents obtained under Right to Information Act that he has been given at 50 per cent subsidised rate under a state government scheme a set of drip irrigation equipment that included filter, main pipeline, sub main pipeline and a dripper. But in contrast, what he had actually received in 2002-03 were a few pipes from the scheme’s implementing agency. “Through the RTI application filed by a farmer we came to know that we have been shown as been given lateral, main pipeline, sub pipeline and dripper. In reality we were only given some pipes. There are a number of farmers in the village who have become a victim of the fraud like me,” Thumar said. The farmers have observed many discrepancies in the documents received under the Right to Information Act. “We assume the implementing agency to have fabricated the documents in the name of farmers to avail of government subsidies. Someone has made up my signature on the paper,” he alleged. “Under the government’s drip irrigation scheme, the farmers were required to pay 50 per cent of the cost of the equipment and the rest was subsidised by the state government. However, we have not been asked to pay a single rupee till now,” Dhirubhai Daduk, also a farmer, said. “The agency had collected the signatures of the farmers on the assurance that they will be given all the materials under the scheme,” said another farmer. “Three years ago an investigation was launched into the scam. The investigators were told that the farmers operated bank accounts in People’s Bank in Rajkot which was not true. The document reveal that the government had made the subsidy payment to the beneficiaries in various accounts with State Bank of Saurashtra,” said farmer Bhimji Rank of Moviya village.“Earlier, this drip irrigation scheme of integrated agriculture development scheme was handled by district agricultural department. Now it is handled by Green Revolution Company set up by the state government,’’ officials informed. Rasik Bhalala, a trustee of the NGO, Gagandhara Education and Charitable Trust, Gondal, the implementing agency of the scheme, said “These allegations are baseless and there is no truth in them. They may have either lost the equipment due to carelessness or sold them off."

Gandhi's Porbandar bars Leprosy- affected

Vijaysinh Parmar, TNN 9 August 2009, Rajkot/Mahatma Gandhi's concern for leprosy is well-known. He nursed lepers in his Wardha ashram and inspired the likes of Baba Amte to carry the work forward.
But in Porbandar, his birth place, officials have issued an order that persons with leprosy and other communicable diseases should stay away from the town for five days during its Janmashtami festivities in mid-August. A notification (dated 4/8/09) issued by additional district magistrate MH Joshi bans entry of victims of "leprosy-type diseases" within the periphery of eight km of Porbandar town between August 13 to 17. The Porbandar municipality organises a five-day Janmashtami fair every year at Chaupati grounds in the town, which is attended by about two lakh people coming down from neighbouring areas. The notification also suggests a slew of precautionary measures to be taken to check spread of any epidemic in the wake of swine flu scare. "The objective is not to offend anybody but to prevent spread of infectious diseases in public where a large number of people assemble. We have become more vigilant after the swine flu scare,'' said a senior official in Porbandar collectorate. However, Gandhians say the move stinks. "Such a notification would not help anyone prevent spread of communicable disease. It will only enhance the stigma attached to leprosy patients," said Suresh Soni, who runs Sahyog Kushtha Yagna Trust. Like many Gandhians, Soni has dedicated his life to the mission of leprosy eradication and care of victims. "Instead of making people aware that leprosy can be cured, the administration is issuing such orders," said an indignant Soni.

Pied Piper for rural girl students

Vijaysinh Parmar, TNN 5 August 2009, VALBHIPUR (Bhavnagar district): This is a first for this village. Mangla Solanki living in Mafatpara area here is among four girls from the Devi Pujak community who's studying beyond primary school. She is in class X, while her sister Rambha is in class VIII. This miracle has been brought about by Ajitsinh Solanki, principal of Manas Girls School, who put in special efforts to draw and retain girl students. Solanki, 56, has been a change agent through his innovative methods to ensure 100 per cent enrolment. He was honoured Best teacher' by the President in 2000. His experiences were even documented by Prof Vijay Sherry Chand of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) in a project called Teachers as Transformers: Innovations in Primary Education'. Mangla and Rambha work as casual labourers on weekends to help their family make ends meet. But, they're determined to continue their studies. Says their father Bupat Solanki, "It's Ajit saheb who encouraged my daughters a lot. Without his support, they would not have done what they have." "I want to bring about change among marginalized sections through education," says Solanki. A tragic incident prompted Solanki to establish a school in an area dominated by a socially and economically backward community. "One day, I saw an accident which killed a girl crossing the highway on her way to school. There was no school in her locality. I found out that 150 children in the six to 14 age group had never been to school," says Solanki. He started the school in a rented house with just 37 children in 1988. "People donated generously to my cause. After construction of a new school building, enrolment rose. Now, we have a separate girl's school on another campus. Today, 340 boys and 370 girls are studying in the schools," says the proud educator. Solanki's efforts inspired many other teachers to follow suit. He hired fresh PTI passed students to improve quality of education. "We give them an honorary sum of Rs 1,000. This government school has been hailed as best school in the area," he adds. He wants to work closely with the deprived community after retirement.

This sarpanch didn't succumb to bullying
Vijaysinh Parmar, TNN 3 August 2009,VANGADHRA (RAJKOT District): While the government is promoting water conservation by implementing various schemes, taluka development officer (TDO) in Jasdan taluka has ordered demolition of a check dam. On July 7, the officer ordered the Vangadhra village sarpanch to demolish the check dam within five days. He also mentioned that the village watershed development committee would not get the sanctioned amount. The reason: villager Samat Bhojia complained to the TDO that his land was submerged due to the check dam. Bhojia also went on a fast before the TDO's office. "It was our sarpanch who approached the higher authorities and fought effectively to save the check dam. What would have happened if he had surrendered to bullying by government officials," asks a villager. The TDO SY Gosawi says higher authorities had visited the village and would decide on the matter. Says sarpanch and RTI crusader Hanu Derwaliya, "The TDO didn't even visit the site to check the ground reality before ordering the demolition. How can a person own land in a river? I have filed an RTI application regarding this to find out the truth. If I go on fast to demolish government property would they allow it?" According to him, the check dam on Goma river was repaired before the monsoon under the government's watershed development programme. In this scheme, 10 per cent amount is given by beneficiaries in the village as community contribution and 90 per cent shelled out by government. Even if there's no rain, villagers don't face problems as the check dam recharges wells, says farmer and panchayat member Chandu Patel. Chips in another farmer Bhupat Gherajia, "We will be able to harvest two crops easily this year because of the dam." The coordinator of district watershed development programme BM Rabari visited the village after the row. "I've seen the full check dam and how farmers are benefiting from it. Also, the man who complained is an encroacher. So, there's no issue of demolition," he says.

Foreigner on 1,000-km padyatra

Vijaysinh Parmar/TNN/28 July 2009/RAJKOT: This will be a walk like no other. Jeff Knaebel, 70, former US citizen, is going to embark on a 1,000-km ‘Gandhi Swaraj Padyatra’ from Jaipur to spread Mahatma Gandhi's message of gram swaraj and self-reliance in villages.The walk is likely to begin around August 15 and the route is being finalized. Knaebel came to India permanently in 1995 to live a peaceful life the Gandhian way. He is currently staying with Rajkot businessman Velji Desai.During the padyatra, he will traverse Rajasthan, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. Knaebel feels Gujarat, being the land of Gandhi, is already aware of his beliefs. "I want to walk in rural India to spread Gandhi's idea of gram swaraj, organic farming and make people realize the fallout of the western development model," he says.Born in 1939 in California, he studied to become an engineer and spent four years in the US Navy in Vietnam. "I served as a commander near Da Nang and Chu Lai. After that, I worked in a mining business for nearly 22 years in US and Canada. I realized that nature and mankind were being destroyed by the system and decided to leave my native country and come to India," says the idealistic Knaebel.Interestingly, he is now a stateless person. On June 19, 2009 he destroyed his US passport at Gandhi samadhi at Rajghat in New Delhi. Police didn't arrest him, instead they allowed him to roam freely in the country."I chose Gandhi samadhi because it's a symbol of nonviolent resistance to corrupt and violent governments. The way out of this mess is the way of Mahatma Gandhi," says Knaebel.The ardent Gandhian has donated all his savings to organizations working for the underprivileged. He has assisted in school and library construction, village waterworks, farming technology projects, book distribution and adult literacy programmes. His book Experiments in moral sovereignty: Notes of an American Exile'' was published in 2006.Knaebel says his mission is to reclaim the human birthright to self-ownership and right to respect the lives of others. "For me, the great challenge has been to learn to direct anger at senseless destruction and killing into proactive work grounded in compassion. It has been difficult to understand that the problem is more of an evil system than evil people," he says.

Housing plan for salt pan workers a damp squib

Vijaysinh Parmar/TNN/22 May/RAJKOT: Namak Mazdoor Awas Yojna, the central government-sponsered scheme, floated four years ago to provide housing to hundreds of salt pan workers or agariyas, has offered little succor to them in Surendranagar district.
According to sources, the houses constructed by non-government organisations under the scheme are of poor quality. NGOs who were given contracts to build these houses have been served notices by deputy salt commissioner of Gujarat DL Meena. "We have told the NGOs concerned to make amends in their construction," said Meena. The plan that was started in 2004-05 has 90 per cent funding from the Central government while rest 10 per cent is given by the state. There are 33 houses in Zianabad, 48 in Patdi, 25 in Malvan, 70 in Degam 25 in Kidi among others in Surendranagar district. Many houses are still devoid of electricity connection, drinking water facility and road connectivity. "These kinds of houses are not going to benefit anymore to the salt workers. No one would be ready to live in these houses if they are not repaired properly," said sources. Moreover, most of these houses are yet to be allotted to those who are entitled to get it. Sourcs said that complaints about non-allotment and poor quality construction by contractors have been made by departments concerned to the higher authorities.

A big, fat harmony wedding in Gujarat.

Vijaysinh Parmar/TNN/ 29 February/BAVLA (AHMEDABAD DISTRICT): Now here is a Potelier from Maryland in USA, who is not planning to throw a lavish party to mark his 50th marriage anniversary on March 3. Instead, the NRI couple, Narendra and Nirmala Patel, who own a motel there, will be visiting their native town of Bavla to celebrate their marriage anniversary in a special way. The couple is going to splurge money on a 'samuh lagan' (mass marriage) on March 3 and residents are preparing for it as if there's no tomorrow. The function will also be a toast to harmony - couples, irrespective of caste, community or religion, will be tying the knot on the occasion.
"In the US, anniversaries are celebrated by throwing parties. We thought, instead of wasting money that way, why not put it to good use by helping those in our homeland? The idea was welcomed by our family members," says a beaming 68-year-old Patel.
The couple wants to perform 'kanyadaan' for at least 50 brides to mark their own golden jubilee.
They are thrilled that the number of couples has crossed 50, and includes eight Muslims.
Prosperous communities do organize mass marriages, but only for their own community members. The Patels are going a step further by including all castes, communities and religions, he says.
"Thakors, Rajputs, Kolis, Patels, Dalits and Muslims are all welcome to participate in the joyous occasion. We have even taken care to ensure that the customs of each community are respected. For instance, for a Muslim bride and groom, we have arranged for a Maulvi to perform the nikkah," says Patel.
All the expenses of the mass function will be borne by the Patel family. "Some of the couples are so poor that they will have to go to money lenders to foot the bill for their marriages and this will lead them into the debt spiral," adds the motel owner. His family members living in the US will be in Bavla to participate in the celebrations. And, it seems that Patel has another reason to smile.
Residents of Bavla have assured him that they will keep up the good work, and continue to organize similar mass marriages in the coming years.

Kabaddi brings girls to school

Vijaysinh Parmar, TNN 1 February 2009, BHESANA (BANASKANTHA): Kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi - the chant resounds on the playground of the primary school in Bhesana, a village in Gujarat's remote Banaskantha district. But hold your breath for, this isn't just any game. It is a sport that is bringing over 200 girls to school in this backward area of north Gujarat. Behind this innovative idea is 41-year-old teacher Jayesh Patel. "Around 17 years back, when I came to this village, I was shocked to see hardly any girls attended school. There were a mere 32 in a school of 200 students." Of these, only 12 to 15 girls were regular; the rest skipped school to do domestic chores, recalls Patel. He began a survey of 1,500 households and collected data on girls in the 6-14 age group. He found that the village was quite conservative and didn't encourage girls to go to school. But Patel was determined to change that. After much cajoling, the parents relented and started sending their daughters to school. Patel then had to figure out how to keep the girls motivated enough not to drop out. That's when he thought of using the lightning-fast team sport. The pressure of bookish learning might have proved too much for the girls. To his surprise, kabaddi proved to be a great draw. "It created such strong motivation that the girls became regular," says Patel, who now works as a block coordinator for 142 schools. Three students from the school went on to represent Gujarat in a national-level competition. Another point of pride for the village was Dalit, former school-dropout Sharda Parmar becoming captain of Gujarat's kabbadi team. The knock-on effect, Patel found, was that dropouts were enrolling again to become kabaddi players. Some even won competitions at block, district and state levels. "For girls who were rarely allowed to leave home, this was a huge step forward." The game has now become so popular in Bhesana that even girls engaged to be married are allowed to remove the thick silver anklet called 'kadla', which betokens their status as prospective brides, to play kabbadi. This would normally be considered sacrilege. "My parents were wary of us going out of the village alone but now, they allow us to participate in kabaddi competitions outside if teachers accompany us," says Varsha Nai, the only girl in her family to have studied to Class VII. The sport is now the reason for record change in Bhesana, which has recorded the 100% enrolment of girls. All 200 girls in the age-group 6-14, now go to school. It has also prompted villagers like Jethabhai to pray their daughters have a brighter future. "She is in Class III and I hope one day she becomes a great kabaddi player," he says

This sports teacher gives dreams to students

Vijaysinh Parmar, TNN 30 July 2009,SARA VILLAGE(Surendranagar district): This village, 60 km from Surendrangar, is now synonymous with sports. So is its one institution Sara Secondary and Higher Secondary School which has excelled in various games for the last 20 years, especially due to the untiring efforts of Hemu Sir, the sports teacher who has given his students the edge. Hemu Indrodia, now 53, has dedicated his life to prepare athletes and champions from his school and village. Students from the school have won three gold, three silver and four bronze medals at national level in different sports categories till now. As many as 50 students participated at national level games, of which 20 were girls. They took part in handball, kabaddi, kho-kho, archery, and javelin throw, volley ball and athletics. The feat is important as Sara is a semi-arid region and students who come to study at this school are from backward families. And, they are so poor that most are busy earning daily wages for the family and have little time for training. "My husband died when my daughter, Gita, was still in school and we lived in abject poverty. Gita was excellent at sports, but I did not have money to encourage her to participate in games. But, Hemubhai provided all the help to my daughter. Today, my daughter is working with the police department in Surendranagar," said Pemu Makwana of Sara. Excelling in sports help many students to get jobs in various government departments after participating in different games at various levels. According to an estimate, as many as 35 students of Hemubhai have got jobs in the Army, Border Security Force, police and as teachers. "Hemubhai has changed many lives by encouraging his students to take up sports. My mother died when I was very young and my father is mentally challenged. We often missed school as we worked as daily wagers. But, Hemubhai trained my brother, who went on to join the BSF," said Hari Morvadia. "I treat boys and girls equally and provide equal attention to both. Most of the students come from socially and economically poor backgrounds. But, many are physically strong. So, sports help them get jobs. I train them vigorously so that they can compete with their urban counterparts," said Ingrodia.