• by IPS Correspondents (banda, india)
• Wednesday, December 21, 1994
• Inter Press Service

BANDA, INDIA, Dic 21 (IPS) - AS DAWN BREAKS OVER AMACHER NERUVA VILLAGE IN NORTHERN INDIAN UTTAR PRADESH STATE, SUMITRA, 40, BEGINS A LONG TRUDGE INTO THE SURROUNDING FORESTS IN SEARCH OF FIREWOOD.

SHE IS BACK BY MIDDAY WITH A 20 KGS LOAD ON HER HEAD THAT SHE LEVELS AND TIES INTO A NEAT BUNDLE. THE NEXT DAYBREAK SEES HER ON THE ROAD AGAIN, THIS TIME ON A 20 KM WALK WITH THE 20 KG LOAD TO THE NEAREST TOWN, MANICKPUR, WHERE SHE INTENDS TO SELL HER WARES.

IT IS EVENING BY THE TIME HER FIREWOOD IS SOLD AND SHE HAS ONLY HALF A DOLLAR TO SHOW FOR TWO DAYS OF INTENSIVE LABOUR. THIS IS ALSO POSSIBLE ONLY WHEN SHE IS LUCKY.

OFTEN FOREST OFFICIALS OR POLICEMEN STOP HER FROM "ILLEGALLY" TAKING THE FIREWOOD FROM 'PROTECTED AREAS'. SHE EITHER LOSES HER LOAD OR GETS AWAY AFTER PAYING A HEFTY BRIBE.

SOMETIMES FOREST OFFICIALS MAKE HER AND HER FAMILY MEMBERS WORK FOR LESS THAN MINIMUM WAGES IN FIELDS AND PLANTATIONS IN RETURN FOR BEING ALLOWED TO TAKE AWAY FIREWOOD.

SUMITRA AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER WOMEN IN THE AREA EKE OUT A PRECARIOUS LIVING AS WHAT ARE CALLED "HEADLOADERS" -- AN EXTREMELY RISKY PROFESSION THAT IS BEING INCREASINGLY PURSUED BY WOMEN FROM THE DISTRICT.

APART FROM THE GENERAL CONDITIONS OF POVERTY AND DEPRIVATION THAT ARE WIDESPREAD IN THE VILLAGES, SKEWERED GOVERNMENT POLICIES ARE FORCING MORE AND MORE WOMEN TO TAKE TO CHOPPING DOWN TREES AND SELLING FIREWOOD FOR A LIVING.

A LARGE SECTION OF THE FORESTS IN THE DISTRICT HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED AS "SANCTUARIES" OR "PROTECTED AREAS" WHERE THE SEASONAL COLLECTION OF LEAVES, FRUITS AND FLOWERS IS BANNED.

THIS HAS HURT THE TRADITIONAL LIVELIHOOD OF THE VILLAGERS, SPECIALLY THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, WHO WERE USED TO DRAWING SUSTENANCE FROM THIS MINOR FOREST PRODUCE. THIS ACTIVITY, HARMLESS TO THE GREEN COVER, HAS NOW GIVEN WAY TO THE MORE DAMAGING DESTRUCTION OF TREES.

EVEN IN FORESTS OUTSIDE THE PROTECTED ZONES WHERE THE COLLECTION OF MINOR PRODUCE IS ALLOWED, CONTRACTORS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT INTO THE PICTURE TO ORGANISE THE WORK.

THE RESULT IS THAT THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE WHO COLLECT HONEY, GUM OR OTHER SUCH COMMODITIES HAVE TO SELL AT VERY LOW PRICES BECAUSE OF THE MONOPOLY BUYING POSITION OF THE CONTRACTORS.

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

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