• by IPS Correspondents (natata, india)
• Monday, November 21, 1994
• Inter Press Service

NATATA, INDIA, Nov 21 (IPS) - THE WINDING VILLAGE ROAD DISAPPEARS INTO A SEA OF SANDY MUD AS A VISITOR NEARS THIS HAMLET, TUCKED AWAY IN THE ARID COUNTRYSIDE IN INDIA'S WESTERN, DESERT STATE OF RAJASTHAN.

IN THE VILLAGE SQUARE, THE OLD MAN WISTFULLY REMEMBERS THE GOOD DAYS OF HIS YOUTH. THERE WAS ENOUGH WATER IN THE GROUND TO PRODUCE A CROP OF COARSE CEREAL ON THEIR SMALL FARM PATCHES EVEN DURING THE DRY WINTER MONTHS.

THE FARMS AND VILLAGE GRASSLANDS OF NATATA ARE NOW PARCHED AND FALLOW NINE MONTHS A YEAR. WOMEN, SWAPPING GOSSIP AT THE WELLS HAVE GIVEN WAY TO SHORT-TEMPERED QUEUES AT THE TWO VILLAGE HANDPUMPS.

"OUR HOUSEHOLD USED TO KEEP 25 COWS," THE VILLAGE ELDER RECALLS. THE PEOPLE NO LONGER KEEP LIVESTOCK BECAUSE THERE IS NOT ENOUGH WATER FOR THEM, LEAVE ALONE FOR CATTLE AND GOATS.

TO WORSEN MATTERS, THERE IS A DROUGHT OF DEVELOPMENT WORKS. MORE AND MORE VILLAGERS ARE LEAVING THEIR BARREN FIELDS TO WORK AS DAILY WAGE EARNERS IN THE TOWNS. TIRED OF OFFICIAL PROMISES, THE VILLAGERS LONG FOR THEIR OWN GOVERNMENT WHICH CAN DELIVER.

THE HAMLET IS LOCATED IN ONE OF THE DRIEST PARTS OF INDIA WHICH GETS BETWEEN 20 TO 60 CM RAINFALL ANNUALLY, MOST OF IT DURING THE SOUTHWEST MONSOON SEASON.

NATATA, WITH ITS 5,000 PEOPLE AND LOCATED JUST 16 KM FROM THE STATE CAPITAL OF JAIPUR, IS NOT IN THE BACK OF BEYOND. BUT, DEVELOPMENT IS TAKING ITS TIME TO REACH THE PEOPLE.

THE STATE ADMINISTRATION HAS NOW PROMISED THEM SELF-RULE UNDER A TWO-YEAR-OLD RADICAL NATIONAL LAW WHICH MADE SELF-GOVERNMENT MANDATORY IN THE COUNTRY'S NEARLY HALF A MILLION HAMLETS.

"ELECTIONS TO THE GRAM PANCHAYATS (VILLAGE COUNCILS) WILL BE HELD BEFORE THE YEAR IS OUT," SAYS N.K. SETHI, DIRECTOR, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, IN THE RAJASTHAN GOVERNMENT HEADQUARTERS AT JAIPUR.

POLLS TO THE STATE'S 9,187 VILLAGE COUNCILS WERE LAST HELD IN 1988. EACH COUNCIL WAS CHOSEN BY THE ADULTS OF FIVE HAMLETS FOR A TERM OF THREE YEARS. THE PANCHAYATS LAPSED IN 1991 AND THEIR ROLE WAS TAKEN OVER BY DISTRICT OFFICIALS.

NATATA'S EIGHT-MEMBER VILLAGE COUNCIL HAD ONE WOMAN AND WAS ALSO ELECTED BY TWO NEIGHBOURING HAMLETS WHICH CAME UNDER ITS JURISDICTION.

© Inter Press Service (2014) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

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