INDIA-AGRICULTURE: WOMEN LEAD BATTLE FOR LAND RIGHTS AN INTER PRESS SERVICE FEATURE
BANDA (NORTHERN INDIA), Nov 09 (IPS) - TRIBAL SACHILAL KOL WAS OVERJOYED WHEN HE LEARNT A SMALL DAM WAS BEING CONSTRUCTED IN CHERIYA KHURD VILLAGE IN BANDA DISTRICT OF UTTAR PRADESH STATE WHERE HIS EXTENDED FAMILY OWNED 7.5 HECTARES ACRES OF LAND.
THINKING THE TROUBLES OF HIS FAMILY WOULD SOON BE OVER WITH AN ASSURED WATER SUPPLY IN THIS CHRONICALLY DROUGHT-PRONE AREA, HE GAVE THANKS TO THE GODS AND BEGAN PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE.
BUT HIS JOY WAS SHORT LIVED. THE INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY OF THE LAND SOON ATTRACTED THE ATTENTION OF RICH LANDOWNERS IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD WHO LOANED MONEY TO SACHILAL FOR SEEDS AND OTHER INPUTS AT ASTRONOMICAL INTEREST RATES.
ONCE THEY ENSURED HE WAS HIGHLY INDEBTED, THEY ALSO BRIBED OFFICIALS TO MAKE FALSE ENTRIES IN LAND RECORDS. "WE NOW HARDLY OWN ANY LAND AND ALL OUR YOUNG MEN HAVE GONE TO DELHI TO EARN THEIR LIVING," SAYS A SORROWFUL SACHILAL.
THE STORY HAS BEEN THE SAME FOR ALL THE KOL TRIBALS IN THE VILLAGE WHO HAVE SEEN THEIR LANDS PASS INTO THE HANDS OF AVARICIOUS LANDLORDS OVER THREE DECADES SINCE THE DAM WAS MADE. THEY HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO WORKING AS SHARE-CROPPERS OR WAGE LABOURERS IN THEIR ERSTWHILE FIELDS AND, THAT TOO, ON EXPLOITATIVE TERMS
"TWO OF THE BIGGEST LANDLORDS DO NOT EVEN LIVE IN THE VILLAGE. ONE OF THEM LIVES SIX KMS AWAY IN ANOTHER VILLAGE WHILE THE OTHER LIVES IN A TOWN 15 KMS AWAY," SAYS SACHILAL.
IN NEARBY DODI MARFI VILLAGE WHERE THE GOVERNMENT DISTRIBUTED FREE PLOTS OF LAND TO THE RURAL POOR, THE RICHER IRRIGATED TRACTS HAVE BEEN USURPED BY WEALTHY LANDLORDS IN CONNIVANCE WITH CORRUPT OFFICIALS, LEAVING BARREN, NON-PRODUCTIVE LAND FOR THE TRIBALS.
SAYS SUKHA KOL, "I HAVE TO LEAVE MY NATIVE VILLAGE NOW TO SEARCH FOR A LIVING BECAUSE MY LAND HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY BY A TRADER-CUM-LANDLORD."
"GIVEN THE REALITIES OF THE AREA AND THE DOMINATION OF THE POOR BY THE RICH, SUCH EFFORTS TO GRAB THE IRRIGATED LAND OF THE POOR SHOULD HAVE BEEN ANTICIPATED BEFORE LAUNCHING IRRIGATION SCHEMES AND PROVISIONS TO PROTECT THEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE.
"UNFORTUNATELY THIS WAS NOT DONE AND THE RESULTS ARE THERE FOR ALL TO SEE," SAYS GAYA PRASAD GOPAL OF THE 'SAMAJ SEVA SANSTHAN' A VOLUNTARY ORGANISATION WORKING FOR THE RIGHTS OF THE RURAL POOR.
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