A Sustainable Socio Economic, Enviromental Model for Rural Subcontinent Area - Case Studies, Ideas, Models and initiatives.

[Krishna with Flute]

Date Occurred: Oct 22, 2024

In India, there are many such initiatives by visionary people who have made his/her area like heaven from an area of crisis, drought and poverty. By their initiatives, they were successful in converting it to a model where people go for visit and Picnic. This can be a great thread to discuss many such cases of rejuvenation of villages and rural lives. I am sure that BD and Pakistan will also have such models. We can discuss them here. It will be a great discussion.

 

[Krishna with Flute]

I will begin with the case study of one Great Gandhian named Anna Hazare, Many of you may know him as an anti-corruption crusader. He is a great visionary and has done some great work to transform rural lives. Let us begin this discussion as a tribute to Anna Hazare.

Ralegan Sidhi Story: Inspirational Water Model for India​

Ralegan Siddhi: A Model of Environmental Conservation​

By Reva Jain -May 4 2021 3:28PM -21523 Read
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Ralegan Siddhi: A Model of Environmental Conservation
Ralegan Siddhi, a flourishing and self-sufficient village in the Ahmed district of Maharashtra, is recognized as a model of environmental conservation. You ask, “how?”

For that, we need to go back to the late 20th century where water in Ralegan Siddhi was no less than gold. As it is located in the semi-arid part of Maharashtra, annual rainfall was only 400-500 mm that made it extremely difficult to grow crops and to earn money.

History of Ralegan Siddhi Story​

Agriculture was the primary occupation in Ralegan Siddhi, but due to low rainfall and irrigation problems, the land wasn’t fertile enough to grow even basic crops. Because of such a situation, many people around the 1970s left Ralegan Siddhi to find local jobs elsewhere.

But their condition got worse as they didn’t find appropriate work for themselves and returned to their village empty-handed.

Unemployment and poverty arise, and consumption and production of alcohol became their new source of survival because they started producing alcohol as it needed less water and made them earn little money.

The arrival of Anna Hazare​

In 1975, Baburao Anna Hazare (a retired army officer) returned to Ralegan Siddhi and was disappointed to witness such misery in his village. People were addicted to alcoholism, and Anna decided to serve the rest of his life in the village’s prosperity and its citizens.

He tried helping the villagers by employing them in seasonal jobs but soon realized that only agriculture could end poverty and make them self-sufficient and happy.

To make that happen, he was obliged to resolve this water crisis so that they can grow crops and earn their livelihood

Strategies used in Ralegan Siddhi Story​

Anna was determined to find solutions for such a crisis and started communicating and spreading his ideas. He wanted to involve every citizen in water conservation and harvesting. He knew that if everyone, including the youth, will come forward and participate, the village could be revived and prosper. Anna commenced a youth society and village assembly to expand his ideas and to build a healthy environment.

Strategies and projects he initiated were:

• The first plan was initiated by building Nalla Bunds to reduce soil and water run-off, to retain the nutrients, to help water leach into the soil and to revive the local aquifer.
  Total 31 Nalla Bunds were built with a storage ability of more than 2 lakh cubic meters. After this, an ancient percolation tank was renovated, which operated the same way as the Nalla Bund, but it had a greater capacity of more than 3 lakh cubic meters of water.
• The permeated water was able to irrigate 700-800 acres of land throughout the year when wells were excavated near the renovated percolation tank. Villagers, as well as government funds, sustained expenses.
• After that, water was successfully lifted from the canal with the cooperation of officials of the Krishna Pani Purvatha Society, which was 3 km away from the village.
• Various projects like the utilization of solar power, the establishment of borewells for drinking water, planting more than 400,000 trees, the initiation of drip irrigation happened that caused Ralegan Siddhi to be a bit prosperous and economically stable.
• The motto of the reforms that were undertaken was Sustainable development. It was understood that any accomplishment where the environment is harmed would not be sustainable, and nature can rebel in any form.
• Grazing of animals was banned since it displaces the topsoil of land. But farmers were permitted to cut and carry grass for animals.

Further TransformationsWatershed management also helped other aspects such as:

• The milk production increased by four times.
• People became more literate as their basic problems were cleared, and they had more money, time and energy to invest in education
• There was a ban on the production and consumption of alcohol.
• The practice of sterilization was also banned; that was the measure to control the population growth.
• With the help of ‘sram-dan’ (labour donation) by people, schools, temples and other public places were constructed.

Current Situation
If you visit Ralegan Siddhi now, it has been changed entirely:

• 80% of village land is now being irrigated, and two crops are grown every year
• Water crisis is no more an issue even in years when rainfall is low;
• Even village schools have almost the same facilities and infrastructure as city schools, and therefore, government or a local school is not to be lightly taken.
• Every citizen has left consuming intoxicants like Cigarette, Bidi, Tobacco, Gutakha etc., and there are no shops in the village that sell these products.

As Anna Hazare once said, “By caring for a bigger family, a person can be happy. A small seed of wheat buries itself, only to create many more fresh grains. There should be some sacrifice in life that will make life complete and more fulfilling.”

The World Bank Group has concluded that the village of Ralegan Siddhi was transformed from a highly degraded village ecosystem in a semi-arid region of extreme poverty to one of the richest in the country.

This is a story of transformation and sacrifice. It shows that the dedication of a single person can change the lives of many. Mr Anna Hazare was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award, by the Government of India in 1992 to establish this village as a model for others.

Ralegan Sidhi Story: Inspirational Water Model for India

Ralegan Siddhi: A Model of Environmental Conservation

thedigitalyug.com

 

[Krishna with Flute]

@Saif

 

[Krishna with Flute]

The Story of Ralegan Siddhi: Bringing Water Back to Life​

HydrateLife November 14, 2013 Environment, Studies, Sustainable Practices, WASH 13 Comments
Today I want to share with you an inspiring story of success. It’s a sort of rags-to-riches story. But this story doesn’t have to do with money (specifically); it has to do with the power of water. This story starts in 1975 in the Indian village of Raleghan Siddhi.

Raleghan Siddhi is in a drought-prone and rain-shadowed area of India, receiving between 450-650mm (17.5-25.5 inches) of water annually in a place where temperatures can reach 44 degrees (111 degrees fahrenheit). In 1975 this was a place of poverty and hopelessness. The abuse of their natural resources coupled with water runoff and soil degradation meant that this village of about 2,500 people, mostly farmers, was un-farmable. Any well that was less than 400m deep ran dry, and those that were deeper had a very limited amount of water to supply. This led to 70% of the households living below the poverty level. It also led to people having to struggle to find drinking water during part of the year. Because fodder couldn’t be grown livestock could not be raised which added to their struggle. People borrowed money and food where they could, promising to pay it back, but most of the time not being able to. This unfortunate situation led to a number of secondary problems.

One was the people started leaving Raleghan Siddhi in search for work and a livelihood elsewhere, an understandable choice considering the situation they were facing. However, often they found that they would be working long hours for little pay, making their situation only marginally better. Back in the village things seemed to start spiraling out of control. Local alcohol production started, leading to marginal prosperity for the producers, but alcoholism and more poverty for everyone else. 40 alcohol dens were in business at one point. This led to vandalism, fighting, theft and a sharp rise in domestic violence. Society was breaking down. The little water they had was being used and re-used, leading to contamination and disease. Children weren’t being educated. Local government officials, as desperate as anyone, became corrupt; taking money that was meant to help alleviate the poverty for themselves. But, just as it seemed that there was no hope for Raleghan Siddhi, a bright light emerged.

That bright light was a man named Shri Baburao Hazare, or ‘Anna’, meaning elder brother. He had grown up in the area, and moved to Raleghan Siddhi when he was nine. However, he ended up moving to Mumbai in order to get an education. When he returned to Raleghan Siddhi in 1975 he was saddened by what it had become, and based on successful projects he had seen elsewhere decided to do something about it. He began talking with the community, spreading his ideas, and getting people involved in water conservation and harvesting. He knew that the only way that the village could be revived was with the participation of the entire community, especially the youth. Anna started a youth society and village assembly to spread ideas and organize the village. It is from these stages that he spoke out against, and eventually eliminated, one of the larger problems holding the community back: alcohol.

With the village sober and motivated he started taking concrete steps towards bringing back their livelihood. He helped some get seasonal jobs, but recognized that these jobs would not be enough. They needed to bring back what they knew: farming. Thus, to bring back water, and eventually farming he undertook a project with the villagers to construct nalla bunds, something similar to what is shown here (click for larger image):

The purpose of nalla bunds is to eliminate soil and water run-off, catching useful nutrients and allowing the water to percolate into the soil and recharge the local aquifer. Anna enlisted local labor and constructed six nalla bunds in this first stage. The village later constructed a further 31 nalla bunds throughout the village with a storage capacity of 282,183 cubic meters. Along with these nalla bunds they also constructed contour bunds and shaped the land to direct water and soil into the bunds.

The village’s next task was to renovate an old percolation tank that had been built in the past. The tank was built with good intentions, but because of technical faults failed to hold water for more than two months, letting it seep out of the sides and be wasted. A percolation tank acts much like a nalla bund, holding a large amount of water and allowing it to slowly percolate into the soil. Money was donated by those who could give, and government grants were also received to support the project. Further, to help keep the soil permeable and help with percolation trees were planted around the tank. Once the tank was renovated it could hold 323,378 cubic meters of water! They were now well on their way to recharging their groundwater.

Cont..............................

 

[Krishna with Flute]

The logical next step was to dig wells near the tank, however, digging wells takes money, and the villagers didn’t have very much. To deal with this problem Anna brought together 16 poor farmers that held continuous plots (plots adjacent to one another), and they dug a well that was to be shared among them. Half of the cost was offset by labor provided by the farmers, and Anna borrowed the other half for materials. This well provided a regular supply of water for 35 acres of land, and was the first of eight community wells constructed over the next two years. Once all of the wells were constructed (and there was a supply of water due to the water harvesting projects) they were able to irrigate 700-800 acres of land and had water year round! To bring even more water to the community gully plugs and contour trenches were built, and shrubs, trees and grass were planted along the hillsides all around the village.

One last project specifically related to bringing irrigation water to the Raleghan Siddhi was to lift water from a canal 3km away. There had been 100 other attempts to lift water from this canal by other people, and they all had failed, but Anna and the people of Raleghan Siddhi succeeded. How did they do what so many others couldn’t? Their success is attributed to the formation of the Krishna Pani Purvatha Society to oversee the project and to maintain it. The society provided leadership, an administration system and held people accountable for doing their jobs and following the rules. There are 260 members of the society, 11 of which are chosen to be part of a committee that meets regularly. They have rules and guidelines to decide how much each farmer is charged for electricity and water based on cropping patterns, and each farmer has to outline how much water they will require, and failing to give this information results in a rate increase. People are held accountable to do their jobs, and are disciplined for failing to do so. However, discipline is rarely required because everyone is working towards a common goal of a productive and healthy Raleghan Siddhi.

Other projects Anna organized the village include the installation of boreholes and handpumps to provide drinking water, the planting of 400,000 trees, the introduction of “social fencing” to keep cattle from grazing indiscriminately, and stall feeding of livestock with cultivated fodder from their 500 acres of grassland. Drip irrigation was also introduced and successfully implemented by a number of farmers in order to conserve their precious water.

It should be noted that all of this success came from simple, traditional technologies that have been around for centuries. In this day and age everyone’s looking for the newest technology to solve the world’s problems, but a lot of the time we should be looking to the past for the solutions we seek.

Because of the work Anna and the people of Raleghan Siddhi have done their village now has plentiful amounts of water and is no longer a place of despair. People are happy. They have time to talk to one another and enjoy their neighbors. Their village is self-sufficient and they can grow crops year round. People and their crops are more productive than they’ve ever been and they are able to grow a wider variety of crops. Milk production has increased by four times the amount villagers previously were able to get. They no longer have to worry about having drinking water year round, and the woman no longer have to walk long distances to fetch water. Children can now get an education. There are too many great things going on in this village for me to write about them all, but needless to say, the people of Raleghan Siddhi are much better off now than they were pre-1975. But why did it work out this way?

When Anna came back to Raleghan Siddhi he brought with him a strong value system based on sharing, compassion, and equality. He organized the community and convinced them to implement the practice of sterilization (I am assuming to help control the population), a ban on addiction, ban on felling trees, and a ban on grazing. In addition, it was expected that everyone in the village would participate. With each new task the village would decide on an amount of time for each person to spend providing labor. This made sure that everyone did their part, and that no one had to do more than their share. It was a fair system and was the cornerstone of Raleghan Siddhi’s success. Participation gave the people of the community a sense of ownership and pride, and improved monitoring of the projects once they were complete to ensure they lasted for years.

When people get involved it motivates them. All of the sudden you’re not sitting around all day thinking about your problems, you’re taking part in the solution. You’re making a real difference in your community, and one that could be seen. Raleghan Siddhi turned itself around in 10-15 years. Yes, that may sound like a long time, but some things were completed within one year, some within the next few years, and so on. Everything built upon the project that was completed prior until the entire village was what it is today (and it continues to be improved).

There are a lot of communities around the world that are living today in the conditions that Raleghan Siddhi was living in in 1975. The story of Raleghan Siddhi is a story of hope. It is there to show you that anything is possible even in the darkest of times. If you’re a normal reader of HydrateLife you know that I write a series called Water Heroes. I could have made this a Water Heroes article about Anna, but this story isn’t about one man. Yes, Anna was the motivation, but it took the entire community to make this change happen and to make it last. Hopefully this article can inspire others to motivate their community to make some real and positive changes, and bring happiness to their home.

Below you’ll find a video that talks about what has happened in Raleghan Siddhi. Thanks for reading.

 

[Krishna with Flute]

Can Anybody please transfer the thread to South Asia Forum?

 

[Mainerik]

Can Anybody please transfer the thread to South Asia Forum?

@Bilal9

 

[Krishna with Flute]

successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar, Maharastra, India*​

B. Mishra<em>**</em>

[<em>*</em> A case study originally titled as "People's Participation in Sustainable Use and Management of Agriculture Resources-A case Study of Ralegan Siddhi". sponsored by the PCSD/FARM, RAS/93/067 (ANGOC, Manila, Philippines). Reprinted with the permission of the PCSD/FARM and the author.
** Associate Secretary, Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD), New Delhi, India.]

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Abstract
An overview of people's participation in natural resource management in India
Recent prominent initiatives of people's participation in resource management
The case of people's participation in watershed management in Ralegan Siddhi

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Abstract​

In recent years the notion of sustainable development has emerged as a reaction to the highly technological and centralized processes that have governed thinking on development, the green revolution being a classic example. The process of sustainable development envisages that people should not merely participate, but be in charge of their own development. Some initiatives in India have grappled successfully with this complex process, and different models of people driven development have emerged. Perhaps the most notable of these is the remarkable work of Mr. Annasaheb Hazare in Ralegan Siddhi village. When he first returned to his village in 1975 it was a extremely degraded village. There was large scale migration, ill health, low productivity and a flourishing business in the illegal distilling of alcohol, resulting into violence especially against women. Today Ralegan is unrecognizable. Productivity has increased manifold. There is a sense of community and sharing among all the people, and complete self-sufficiency in foodgrains. Ralegan only demonstrates what village people can do when they take control of their own development. It serves as a testimony to community interest taking precedence over self-interest. This miracle was achieved by:

- The emergence of local leadership: Annasaheb Hazare is from the village and his intimate knowledge of the community, its culture and traditions and his exposure to the outside world enabled him to play the role of a catalyst and a bridge.

- Underpinning of moral sanctions: He recognized the conflict in development between old and new, traditional and modern, violent and peaceful. His intervention gave space to the traditional leadership to reassert their moral authority and lay the foundation for a moral just and human social order. The basis of Annasaheb Hazare 's intervention is a moral and voluntary code of conduct which has been adopted by the entire village community. This is a six point program that includes: ban on open grazing; ban on tree felling; ban on dowry; ban on consumption of liquor; family planning; and donation of labor (Shramdan).

- Involvement of all sections of society, especially the weak and vulnerable: Right from its inception, the Ralegan village participation process involved women and lower castes (Harijans) in all planning and implementation.

- Identification of People's Priorities: Annasaheb Hazare being a son of the soil, was able to identify water development us the primary need of the village, and that helped to mobilize popular opinion in his favour.

- The use of simple but effective technology: Annasaheb recognized that merely providing strong moral basis would be insufficient to motivate people towards constructive change. His intervention to manage rain-water run off through watershed development was cheap, local, and maximized their use of local resources especially labor.

- Holistic and sustained development: Having started with water management, Annasaheb Hazare went on to include community work to prevent erosion and to promote widespread afforestation. The holistic impact of these measures began to be felt within a decade. It is note worthy that the villagers have been working continuously on this process for the last 20 years by now. Thus, long term continuity is a vital ingredient in the strategy for sustainable development.

- The primacy of the village assembly (Gram Sabha): Although Annasaheb has taken the leadership in Ralegan, all major decisions are taken in the Gram Sabha, which has institutionalized a democratic style of functioning.

An overview of people's participation in natural resource management in India​

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Breakdown of traditional sustainable systems
Participation of resource poor farmers
Prejudice against women

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Breakdown of traditional sustainable systems​

People's participation is viewed as a dynamic group process in which all members of a group contribute to the attainment of common objectives, share the benefits accruing from group activities, exchange information and experience of common interest, and follow the rules, regulations and other decisions made by the group. Need for people's participation is articulated in terms of efficiency and/or cost-effectiveness, equity in distribution of benefits, sustainability and empowerment of the people.

The concept of sustainable natural resource management is essentially integration of three factors - first, human beings have a common destiny of interdependence with other living creatures on the earth; second, the main concern of development is not growth at all costs but to render the lives of majority of the people easier and more harmonious; and third, there are thresholds of irreversibility which traditional economics does not take into account. Besides, sustainable resource management is not only for environment management but also for poverty alleviation. FAO has defined it as the management and conservation of the natural resources base, and the orientation of technological and institutional change in such a manner as to ensure the attainment and continued satisfaction of human needs for present and future generations. Such sustainable development conserves land, water, plant and animal genetic resources, is environmentally non-degrading, technically appropriate, economically viable and socially acceptable.

In Indian context it may be further explained as a means to meet the basic nutritional requirements of present and future generations, providing employment with sufficient income and quality living conditions for rural people; maintaining the productive capacity of the natural resources while protecting the environment and reducing the vulnerability of the agricultural sector to adverse natural and socio-economic factors and other risks as well as strengthening self-reliance.

Natural resources-mainly land and water-under Indian condition are endowed with rich diversity and vast expanse so any kind of generalization about a country with a sub-continental character can only be half-truth and misleading. The three clear cut major geographical features- mountains, plains and plateau represent entirely differing ecosystems and are further subject to diverse agro-climatic and physical factors. However, all these varieties are well integrated as parts of one whole. Besides, the cultural thread binds them together to emerge as unity in diversity.

India has a history of civilization built on irrigated agriculture in the river basins and rain-fed cultivation combined with small scale irrigation works on the drier plains. For thousands of years rural people farmed in a sustainable manner that maintained the traditional agriculture systems and conserved soils and water resources. The farmers' local knowledge of their environment followed by healthy resource management practices continued to meet people's need without any significant threat to environment. In nutshell, the ancient Indian agricultural practices had in-built mechanism for sustainability of natural resources base at community level.

During the colonial period, the process of commercialization of agriculture started and people's involvement was often forced for selfish reasons without any concern for people's needs or future crisis. Such moves often served as a starting point to mobilize people against the colonial rule in pre-independence days.

After independence the eradication of mass poverty by over exploitation of natural resources became a major cause of degradation. Green Revolution brought in adoption of modern varieties of wheat in the mid 1960s and of rice in the 1970s and with its crop-specific focus based on excessive use of chemical fertilizers and insecticides, expansion and intensification of irrigation from surface as well as ground water, a shift to mono-cultures and multiple cropping witnessed spectacular progress in production and saved the country from mass starvation. But at the same time it gave rise to waterlogging and salinity. Large dams and centralized water resources management raised ecological vulnerability of the ancient river systems and destroyed the age old traditional systems of irrigation aligned along natural drainage features. The modern varieties decreased biomass for animals and soil fertility and lowered eco-system productivity. Considerable strain on ground water resources have led to emergence of new weeds and soil micro-nutrient deficiency. An Indian scientist/philosopher Ms. Vandana Shiva termed the scenario "Violence of Green Revolution: The Indian Tragedy".

Cont.........................

 

[Krishna with Flute]

Participation of resource poor farmers​

The agricultural land in the country is owned by individuals, where as large irrigation schemes are owned by the Government. Rich farmers have their own irrigation structures - tanks, lift devices or tube wells. The resource poor farmers can hardly afford to utilize costly inputs. Besides, only about 40% of the people have access to land which also suffers from skewed distribution pattern. 49% of the cultivated land belong to 10% of farmers with large holdings of 4 ha and more (1985-86). Only 13 % of the land belongs to 50 % of the farmers with marginal holdings of one ha or less. The common lands too are often encroached by rich farmers.

Unequal access to land, water and other resources is a major constraint to people's participation in true sense in many places. This is in two forms: First, extensively large cultivated farms. Secondly, due to hereditary rights, the best lands are usually held by old and influential families to the exclusion of poorer households. The remaining, ecologically more fragile land, is therefore under pressure from landless and socially vulnerable people.

Insecurity of tenure in case of share croppers keeps them off from improving and conserving the natural resource base. Besides, social insecurity gives rise to conflicting interests between different groups of farmers and farming and non-farming communities which only culminates in degradation of the natural resources.

Similarly, in case of water resources the participation of poor farmers is minimal. Rich farmers pump out and use most of the ground water reserves without any concern for others. India had well managed traditional community tank irrigation systems in the past with no problems of either sharing of water or its maintenance and repair. But that spirit of caring and sharing has disappeared today.

Prejudice against women​

Women are very closely associated with many activities relating to appropriation of natural/agricultural resources and/or their products. They are responsible for collection of fuel-wood, fodder, forest produce, collecting grasses from grazing lands (gaudier), fetching water for household use and sharing larger agricultural operations. But this participation by women is treated as invisible. Besides, in many cultures and castes, women are discouraged from participating in the meetings and training programs along with men hence their participation in resource development and conservation programs is negligible. However, many experiences show that when conscientised and given opportunities, rural women do participate actively in the meetings and training camps and are able to identify their problems and suggest solutions.

The growth in any kind of production involves social and ecological costs and there are signs that under the present agricultural development system these costs are approaching a level where they outweigh the benefits. Over exploitation of natural resources is clearly unsustainable in the long run. However, in most places it is not too late to devise more socially and ecologically cost-effective ways of achieving continued growth to meet the growing need of the present population while preserving its productive capacity for the future generations.

Recent prominent initiatives of people's participation in resource management​

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Naxalite movement
Chipko movement
Save Narmada movement (Andolan)
Bodh Gaya Andolan
Ganga liberation (Mukti) Andolan
AVARD'S irrigation schemes
Water council (Pani Panchayat)
Sukhomajri
Rope makers of saharanpur
Chakriya Vikas pranali (the cyclic system of development)
MYRADA's self-help groups
Rural labor association of Halpati Sava Sangh
Ralegan Siddhi
Self-Help groups by Taj Mahal gram Bikas Kendra
Mahila Vikas Sangh (women development federation)
Self employed women's association

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Some of the well known recent (over last 30 years) initiatives/movements are identified here.

Naxalite movement​

It was launched in early 1960s and named after the village of its origin, Naxalbari in West Bengal State of India. Its major plank is skewed land tenancy which is the major cause of degradation of natural resources. It facilitates access of poor to natural resources by organizing them and acts against exploitation of the poor by the rich. It believes in use of force to attain political power and in Maoist-Marxist-Leninist philosophy.

Chipko movement​

It is a Gandhian movement led by Mr. Sunder Lal Bahaguna whose genesis goes back to early 1970s in Garhwal Himalayan region of Uttar Pradesh. The movement has mobilized people against commercial felling of trees to safeguard the fragile Himalayan ecology in the larger interest of the people and wild life.

Save Narmada movement (Andolan)​

It is an all India strategic network of social activists and NGOs to mobilize people against the building of Sardar Sarovar (in Gujarat) and Indira Sagar (in Madhya Pradesh) dams. The main issues are displacement of local people without proper resettlement/compensation and demand for the rights of the communities to their own natural resources.

Bodh Gaya Andolan​

It started in 1970s to address the issue of redistribution of some 3,600 ha of ceiling surplus land held by Bodh Gaya Matt. It generated tremendous popular participation and peaceful action.

Ganga liberation (Mukti) Andolan​

The Ganga Liberation Movement started in early 1980s to abolish water lord system. Social activists and youth organizations organized the fisher folk and created pressure on Government to bring necessary legislation to change the exploitative system.

AVARD'S irrigation schemes​

The schemes started in 1968, created irrigation structures, introduced equitable water distribution/sharing and management systems through popular participation. The schemes also served as a rallying point for the people.

Water council (Pani Panchayat)​

Initiated by Gram Gaurav Pratisthan, Pune, Maharashtra, it is a community-based water council. The groups of people share water equitably on per capita basis under non-transferable water agreement. People contribute 20% of scheme's cost and even the landless partake in schemes who sell their water to needy farmers.

Sukhomajri​

It is a successful effort in community-based micro-watershed development by the construction of three small dams in Haryana State of India.

Rope makers of saharanpur​

It is an initiative of community-based action and social movement combined to empower the rope makers in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh to regain their traditional rights to use and sustain their natural resources.

Chakriya Vikas pranali (the cyclic system of development)​

The cyclic system of development is a community-based natural resource management system by bringing landless and land holders together through equitable system of sharing income and introducing technological innovations, multi-layered multi-cropping based on symbiosis between different species of plants and crops.

MYRADA's self-help groups​

The organization enjoys the distinction of organizing people for self-development through their known resources generated by small savings and collective efforts in Karnataka State of India.

Rural labor association of Halpati Sava Sangh​

The organization, a member of AVARD, has very successfully organized agricultural laborers in defence of their rights and minimum wages.

Ralegan Siddhi​

It is a unique example of participatory watershed management and all round development in Ralegan Siddhi village of Parner county (taluka) in Ahmadnagar district of Maharashtra. This is later presented here in detail.

Self-Help groups by Taj Mahal gram Bikas Kendra​

The organization, a member of AVARD, has successfully, organized rural poor women in a muslim dominated pockets of Howrah district, West Bangal. Over 4,000 women are members who generate resources through small savings and use it for the development of micro-enterprises.

Mahila Vikas Sangh (women development federation)​

It has organized women in a tribal pocket of Bihar through awareness generation, education and monitoring for income generation activities to ensure a better earning for improvement in quality of their lives.

Self employed women's association​

Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) has organized self-employed women's union through awareness generation, education and training for income generation activities.

The case of people's participation in watershed management in Ralegan Siddhi​

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Description
Approaches/methods used for people's participation
Reflections on the experience and insights gained
Lessons, achievements, weaknesses and constraints
Conclusion
Acknowledgement

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Development fundamentally refers to human beings. It should be a human experience to meet people's physical, mental and emotional aspirations and potentials, not just in economic terms but should also lead to a sense of self-sufficiency and fulfilment. Ralegan Siddhi, often termed as an oasis of greenery surrounded by dry and bare hilly tracts is a unique example of transformation from poverty to plenty and a living model of people's participation in natural resource management in a watershed.

Cont...................

 

[Krishna with Flute]

Description​

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The physical setting
Demographic features
Socio-economic structure
Base-line situation

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The physical setting​

Ralegan Siddhi is a small village with an area of 982 ha in Parner county (taluka) of Ahmadnagar district, Maharashtra, India. The location is shown in Fig. 1. It is situated on latitude 19° 22' N and longitude 74° 27' E at an altitude of about 755 m AMSL. It is 87 km of Pune city towards north-east, 5 km away from Pune -Ahmadnagar State Highway.

It is a drought-prone and resource poor area with annual rainfall ranging between 50-700 mm and temperature varying between 28°C and 44°C. The village is surrounded by small hillocks on the northeast and southern sides. The land is undulating and slopes vary from 3-15%. The soils are shallow. In lower areas, patches of black soils mixed with pebbles are seen but towards the higher areas the soils are inferior and unsuitable for cultivation. In about 70% of the area the soils are light to medium in structure.

Demographic features​

The 1991 Census enumerated a population of 1,982 living in 310 households (presently estimated to be around 325). The sex-ratio being 902 females per 1,000 males (1,029 in 1971; 1,013 in 1981). The continued decrease in the ratio is explained as the return of male folk to the village with improvement in the socio-economic conditions of the village. Backward classes (scheduled castes and scheduled tribes) constitute only 14.23% of the total population.

The level of literacy has gone up from 30.4% in 1971 to 39.65% in 1981, and further to 50.95% in 1991. As of now, according to the villagers, no one in the 15-35 year age group is illiterate. Today, the over all literacy rate is estimated to be around 65 % which is far above the national average of 52%.

Socio-economic structure​

Marathas of Khatri caste out-number other castes and constitute nearly two-third of the families. Among others are the backward castes including Mhar, Chamar, Bharhadi, Pardi, Sutar, Barber, Fishermen, Matang etc.

There are only five landless and 13 artisan households in the village. Most of the landholders are small. 51 % of the landholders own 1-3 ha land which is about half the total area as well as population of the village. There are only 12 farmers (about 3%) owning more than 6 ha, who own about 18% of the total area. Though the average size of landholding (2.5 ha), appears to be relatively large, considering the poor quality of soils and low productivity levels, the holdings are quite modest.

Occupation-wise cultivators are in majority, followed by agricultural labor. Agriculture is the mainstay for majority of the people. Others like grocers, drivers, cobblers, barbers, blacksmiths, broom makers, health workers, teachers, shopkeepers, flour mill operators, welder, and bank workers represent the services and rural artisans. Another interesting factor in the Maratha families is that most of them like to send at least one of their sons for military service. However, the occupational structure of the village has been under going change since 1976 in favour of agricultural sector.

Base-line situation​

By 1975, prior to intervention by Mr. Anna Hazare, the village had become quite notorious with all sorts of social evils, moral down fall and with badly shattered economic conditions. In general, the village presented the profile of a poverty-stricken and debt-ridden society. Scarcity of water was key to distress which limited the prospects of agriculture. The water table was below 20 m, most of the wells used to dry up during summer and the drinking water had to be fetched from the neighbouring villages. The high rate of surface run off, due to high degree of slope and lack of vegetative cover had washed away the top fertile layer of the soils. Barely 20 ha of the village area was under irrigation. As a consequence the agricultural production was too meagre to support and sustain the livelihoods of the people particularly the resource poor farmers. Not even 30% of the food grain requirements could be met from rain-fed mono-cropping practised in the village. About 45% of the villagers had a single meal/per day and about one-third of the households missed their meals every alternate day.

The poor farmers and agricultural laborers forced by their poor economic conditions had only two options - either to migrate to nearby cities of Pune and Bombay to find some manual mobs or join the army of laborers working under Employment Guarantee Scheme of the Government by commuting a distance of about 22 km daily. Any short fall in the earnings had to be met by borrowing from the money lenders (Sahukars), the Shylocks of the times. The inability to repay the loans often led to further indebtness and bondage. An enterprising villager being depressed by his impoverished condition went to the neighbouring village and mastered the technique of distilling liquor by using 'Shindi' grass which grew in abundance in the area. His success attracted many more in the trade and by 1975 as many as 40 illicit liquor distilling stills came up. Even school children fell in the den of drinking. The wide spread alcoholism brought many undesirable and anti-social elements and the village emerged prominently on the crime records of the police department who along with money lenders exploited every bit of opportunity for their selfish ends.

Fig. 1: Location map of case study village

The combination of poverty, unemployment, alcoholism, indebtness, mutual suspicion, use of money and muscle power for malpractices, not only shattered the village economy but also degraded the social/community life. Majority of children were denied access to education - hardly 10% children attended schools, drop out rates were high. It was difficult for girls to step out in village streets which were full of rogues and drunkards. Social strife and tension became routine, conflicts and crimes were common. The community was divided along the lines of caste, creed, political following and economic status. Thefts, arrests, extravagance on festivals and marriages, funeral rites, discrimination against lower castes (dalits) and atrocities on women were common. Women had to bear the brunt of drunk males in various forms. Children were denied of their basic rights to minimum needs, women were humiliated and all the old value systems and cultural norms of a civilized society had receded to the rock level.

The devastating drought of 1972 made the situation from bad to worse. The Government in its bid to help fight the drought, constructed a percolation tank but due to faulty design, lack of supervision, and high rate of percolation, it failed to serve the purpose. Another help came from Tata Relief Committee and Catholic Relief Society in the form of construction of check dams, deepening of wells and provisions for medical relief. Despite all these, much could not be achieved in any of these initiatives due to lack of people's participation.

Approaches/methods used for people's participation​

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Persuasion
Gandhian approach
Creation of a common platform
Moral cleansing
Selfless leadership
Identification of the most pressing common problem
Initiating the process of change at individual level
Socialization of costs and surpluses
Democratic decision making process
Social reform with strict discipline
Need-based planned socio-economic development
Cooperative management system
Special focus on women
Facilitating village organizations

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The base-line situation shows that the conditions in the village were rather hostile to any reconstructive initiative for an outside agent. In this critical situation, Mr. Kisan Baburao Anna Hazare, popularly regarded as 'Anna' (elder brother) appeared on the scene (life sketch and achievements in box). He was shocked to see the pitiable condition of the villagers, particularly the resource poor farmers' women and the children. The man, Anna Hazare, with a high level of confidence and with his life's sole aim of service to the people, resolved to intervene to bring about a change in the situation. His guiding factor was "it is better to light a candle than blaming the darkness". The approaches/methods used by him for the participation of farmers in natural resource management works are highlighted below.

Persuasion​

First of all, Anna went through a careful envisioning of the deteriorating situation in village life and decided to initiate through religion-moral undercurrent by persuading the people for reconstruction of Sant Yadava Baba temple. But he failed to impress and influence the people at large, primarily because the people were too busy with their own business and the worldly affairs.

Gandhian approach​

The second step was to set up examples by self-practising rather than mere preaching as Mahatma Gandhi used to do. Initially it went on unnoticed but in due course it gathered momentum. Particularly, he tried to organize the youths of the village under 'Tarun Mandal' (youth organization). Besides, participation from all the sections of society was ensured and encouraged. Thus, the construction of temple was completed by voluntary labor only.

Creation of a common platform​

Keeping all the differences and disparities aside, a common platform and meeting ground was created in the form of Sant Yadav Baba's temple. People started sitting in groups during evenings and discussing about the affairs of the village and common concern. Thus, the process of friendship, cooperation and communication started.

Moral cleansing​

Mr. Anna Hazare himself took this initiative. During informal chats he started quoting the sayings of great men like Swami Vivekanand, Mahatma Gandhi, Vinoba Bhave etc. He also used the ideals of Sant Yadav Baba whose memories were still alive in the minds of the people. Bhajans (hymns) and religious discourses etc., in the early hours of the day through public address system from the temples were used to enlighten the people. Thus, a change in the general attitude of the people was brought about by moral cleansing. This process facilitated the people of different castes and class to be at equal footings in mental/moral level and the differences among the people started sinking. Untouchable (dalits) were allowed to enter the temple and share their thoughts with others.

Selfless leadership​

Anna himself invested all the money he had (Rs. 20,000) for purchasing building materials for the temple before asking others to contribute. He started living in the temple with a resolve to remain a bachelor and broke all his family ties as a form of penance. He has not visited his parents, who live at a stone's throw distance from the Guest House, for the last 17 years. Villagers were impressed by his sense of sincerity, selflessness and sacrifice and he emerged as their undisputed leader by winning the hearts of the people.

Identification of the most pressing common problem​

The main reason of disintegration, division and distress of the village society was the lack of a sound livelihood support system. The economy of the village was agrarian and shortage of water for irrigation was the major constraint to its development. Thus, assured availability of water was collectively identified as the top priority in a meeting of villagers.

Initiating the process of change at individual level​

The Gandhian dictum is that change should begin at the level of individuals. If the individuals change, the village will change; and if the villages change, the country will change. This can be clearly observed in the approach followed in case of village Ralegan Siddhi. Stress on personal morality, abstaining from alcohol, cigarettes and from non-vegetarian foods are essential components of a voluntary personal code of conduct imposed by the community itself on the village. Besides, it has been linked with a broader vision of social morality encompassing social equality and egalitarian distribution of benefits of growth. The concept of personal morality has been chiefly drawn from Hindu religion. An oath for giving up drinking was taken up by the villagers at the temple. Personal and social morality have been interlinked nicely to serve as the foundation of the new social order. Untouchability and discrimination of dalits have been vanished.

Socialization of costs and surpluses​

In the implementation of resource management activities e.g. developing public utilities, tree planting, deepening of wells etc., voluntary labor (Shramdan) is an essential component. This has helped in socializing the costs and has helped develop a sense of belonging among the people, in addition to lowering labor costs of the activities. In addition, 25% of the surplus generated from community resources are set aside as village funds which is utilized for other community projects. Special attention is paid to the development of the deprived sections. This safety set has helped greatly in securing the participation of the resource poor farmers. Assistance to cultivation of harijan's land by better off farmers, provision of grain bank to make foodgrains available during slack periods at low cost, construction of masonry (pucca) houses for harijans with the support of community etc. have helped in reducing the disparities and strengthening the sense of togetherness.

​

Cont...................

 

[Krishna with Flute]

Democratic decision making process​

People in the village are not the blind followers of Anna. Every new initiative is thoroughly discussed in village meetings. Pros and cons of any new initiative are considered. Plans for implementation of a particular scheme and code of conduct are openly discussed and a select group of people carry out and supervise the works. Thus, at every stage the involvement of people in decision-making is very important.

Social reform with strict discipline​

Once the decision is taken by the villagers to eradicate a particular social evil, it is implemented with strict discipline in letter and spirit. As in case of drinking, any one found drunk in the village used to be tied up with the pillar of the temple and beaten by the military belt of 'Anna'. Since it used to be a collective decision nobody could dare oppose it. Similarly dowry and extravagance have been curbed.

Need-based planned socio-economic development​

Since all the decisions pertaining to launching of any scheme are taken in village assembly, the decisions reflect the needs and aspirations of the community. For example, the top priority was accorded to the rain water harvesting and management of the four village watersheds. Every drop of rain was trapped by developing a drainage system, trenches, check dams, drainage plugs, percolation tank etc. by developing and designing micro-watershed specific schemes. This initiative recharged the ground water and now enough water is available all year round at 6.5 m depth as compared to the ground water depth of 20 in earlier. This was followed by regeneration of plants, grasses, development of best locally suited farming systems, continuous watch and monitoring of water distributions to irrigate crops in a judicious manner, selection of crops according to soil moisture and needs of the people. Organic manure is prepared by the farmers by using human and animal wastes as well as crop residues.
Similarly, to meet basic minimum needs of the people solar street lights, community latrines, biogas plants for cooking and above all a well managed high school are installed and being satisfactorily run. Today, not only the children from the village but also from the cities like Bombay and Pune come to study in the village school. The preference is given to the so called "spoiled" children in admissions to encourage these children.

Cooperative management system​

Most of the villagers are farmers. Hence, it is beyond their repaying power to go for bank loans for irrigation wells individually. To overcome this problem, cooperative system of irrigation has been evolved. Two or more farmers develop the source collectively, share the water equitably and repay the bank loan in proportion to the land irrigated by that source. This system has enabled an access to irrigation even to the poorest of poor farmer on equal terms. To avoid any confusion or misuse of water, Water Ration Cards are maintained by farmers. Each farmer can use the water as per his/her allotment. A second turn to any farmer is allowed only when all the farmers have taken their first term.

Special focus on women​

The availability of drinking water, fodder, toilet facilities, bathroom etc. have reduced the drudgery of women. The moral upliftment of the village has improved the status of women at home and in society, due to change in attitudes of men towards women. Mahila Mandals (Women's Groups) manage the women-specific issues. Besides, all women's panchayat (assembly) is another step to encourage the participation of women: The village milk dairy is run by women. Atrocities on women are taken up very seriously and the culprit is dealt with strictly. Even husbands are not spared. However, it still needs more time for women to attain equality with man. A scheme of sewing, cloth cutting and tailoring has failed particularly due to low demand and lower returns. Lack of marketing strategy is the prime cause of failure. In general due to added development activities, the load on women in field and home activities has increased but they feel that they have regained their lost dignity and have equal participation in decision making process, today.

Facilitating village organizations​

To manage the affairs, village organization have been developed for smooth functioning of each and every activity. The broad administrative organization diagram is given in Fig. 2.
Each of these units are separately registered societies with fair degree of independence and are competent enough to take operational decisions. Thus, in all the above approaches people and moral values enjoy the centre stage, and common good is the sole aim.

[td]ANNA HAZARE
Big achievements of a small man
Kishan Baburao Hazare, popularly known as Anna Hazare, a slightly built, short statured soft-spoken person with small deep set eyes and clad in dhoti, kurta and Gandhi cap hardly looks the sort of person who can create a miracle in community-based sustainable -watershed management with people's participation.
He was born on 15 January, 1940, in a small village called Bhingar of Ahmadnagar District in Maharastra state of India where his grandfather served in army and his father worked as an unskilled worker in an Ayurveda Ashram Pharmacy.
In 1952, after the retirement of his grandfather his father resigned his job and returned to his native village Ralegan Siddhi in the same district where he owned 15 acres of degraded land. It was a real problem for his father to support a big family comprising half a dozen children. So Anna Hazare, on the request of his issueless aunt (father's sister) was sent with her to Bombay to continue his studies.
He passed 7th standard. By then his father had mortgaged part of his land and was badly debt-ridden. So Anna being the eldest son decided to support his father and started working on a flower shop for Rs. 401- a month. This was not enough. After gaming some experience he started his own shop and called two of his younger brothers also. He could earn Rs. 700-800 a month. But unfortunately he fell in bad company and in a scuffle he thrashed some one badly and was wanted by police. Fearing arrest he fled back to village where he came to know about military recruitment. He joined army as truck driver in 1960.
During Indo-Pak war in 1965 and again in Nagaland during insurgency he had miraculous escapes while all his colleagues were killed. Being far away from family and friends he was so deeply depressed that at one point of time he decided to commit suicide but for the marriage of his younger sister he changed his mind. While travelling via Delhi he noticed a book 'Call To The Youth For Nation Building' by Swami Vivekananda. He studied that book and many other works of Swami, Gandhiji and Vinoba Bhave and got a clear message and mission for life in the service of humanity. He took voluntary retirement and settled in his native village in 1975.
The situation of the village was at the peak of its deterioration. Poverty, illiteracy, degradation of natural resources, theft, corruption, alcoholism, infights, lawlessness and many other vices were common. He was shocked to see all this and was baffled, and did not know from where to start and how?
He started with the renovation of a temple, for which he spent all his money, snapped his ties with the family, decided not to marry, and started living in the temple. Initially nobody extended a helping hand but his sincerity influenced young and old alike. Since he was 35 years old, neither too young nor too old, he could communicate and link with both young and old effectively. He organised youths and with their support eradicated alcoholism, a root cause of many vices in his village. The village assembly collective decided to beat publicly any body found drunk. The temple served as commons platform for meetings for all, without any consideration of caste, creed or economic background.
He always stressed on consensus decision in village assembly, based on which he started with watershed management as the shortage of water was the most acute problem in his village. Five voluntary codes were decided. These were: ban on open grazing and felling of trees, control on population growth (family planning), dowry and alcoholism. Structures were created to conserve every drop of water by using simple but effective technology through 'shramdan' (voluntary labor). Five hundred thousand trees have been planted. Ground water is recharged. Irrigation potential increased from 0.5 % in 1975 to 70 % in 1985. Agriculture production increased by four times. Thus, now there is enough food, fodder, fruit, firewood etc. in the village, not only for own consumption but surplus for export also. In the 1995 only, onion worth Rs. 8,000,000 (aprox. US$ 230,000) has been sold by the village. Now there is an intermediate college, post office, bank, cooperative societies, solar street lights, low-cost latrines, bio-gas plants, training centre for watershed management etc. in the village.
His basic approach has been to change the individual through moral cleansing, collective effort, use of simple but effective technology, special focus on weak and women and above all participation of all in every program. Today he is leading this program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra on the request of the Government of India.
For his contributions, he has been very rightly honoured by the Government of India. His decorations include, Padma Bibhusan, Vriksh Mitra Puraskar, Krishi Bhushan etc.
This is in fact, a success story from poverty to prosperity by the efforts of a son of the soil.[/td]

Reflections on the experience and insights gained​

The insights gained from the experience of Ralegan Siddhi may be identified as below:

- Involvement and participation of the people is possible provided there is a committed and sincere leadership to educate, organize and motivate the people for the attainment of a common goal.

• Voluntary action either by an individual or people is an extremely vital factor to promote, facilitate and catalyze people's participation in sustainable village development.
• A mix of commitment with flexibility, sensitivity, innovativeness and autonomy are essential for success.
• Holistic approaches to people's participation in sustainable development are necessary for involving people whole heartedly. The approach being employed must have the potential to generate the spirit of cooperation, caring and sharing, adjustment, harmony, self-help, self-reliance and special emphasis on the resource poor farmers particularly women.
• Need-based planned initiatives and their proper priorization by the people themselves through democratic decisions with focus on the poorest and weakest and proper consideration for gender issues ensures better and fuller participation.
• If economic downfall is followed by moral downfall, than moral upliftment is also followed by economic upliftment. Assured economic benefits attract participation of the people.
• The first benefit must go to the poorest of the poor and first input must come from the richest of the rich to sustain the emotions and confidence of the poor. It is a successful method to bring people together. Once they come together they talk, discuss, plan and act collectively and share the costs and benefits in a just manner.
• Any process aiming at arousing people's participation must start with the individuals.
• Sustained efforts over considerable long period of time are required for the people to gain confidence for self-development.
• The basic components of environment, particularly land, water and vegetation are the vital links to bring rural people together as their livelihoods are closely dependent on these natural resources.

 

[Krishna with Flute]

Fig. 2: Organization diagram of village Ralegan Siddhi

​

Lessons, achievements, weaknesses and constraints​

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Lessons
Achievements at Ralegan Siddhi
Weaknesses
Constraints

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Lessons​

- Leadership in voluntary action does not need any formal degree of education. Anna Hazare is a 7th standard pass retired military truck driver. But it demands a high degree of selflessness, egalitarian attitude, foresight and humane virtues to win the trust of the people.

• Moral cleansing is a necessary step to remind people of their moral and social obligations as well as to sensibilize them for community/collective action.
• Rich and poor, high and low, men and women, can cooperate with each other if there is a sound reason and shared concern.
• Any effort to arouse people's participation must touch the basic day to day needs and must ease out people's hardships and help in their self-development.
• Voluntary codes with strict discipline approved by the people themselves do miracles.
• The efforts at participation must he total. No one in the community must be left out of the fold of the process.
• Strict formal rules and regulation are not necessary for encouraging people's participation in natural resource management in a watershed for sustainable development. People themselves can develop their moral codes for cooperation.
• Shramdan (voluntary labor) is a no cost method to bring people together for common good.
• People understand their environment much better than anybody else from outside. Hence, people's participation is an essential element and pre-requisite for, any development initiative to be successful. Hence, it needs to be designed into development programs from the beginning.
• The initiatives to mobilize people should be people/community and place specific. Any kind of generalization may be harmful.
• The weak, poor and women need special consideration and concessions for their fuller participation.
• The efforts for participatory watershed development must aim at the improvement in the quality of life of the people and should be designed for people first.

Achievements at Ralegan Siddhi​

- Successful abolition of social evils like alcoholism, dowry, corruption and the caste system. These changes paved the way for positive steps to development.

• Successful implementation of voluntary codes e.g. ban on grazing, protection of green cover, check on extravagance on marriages etc.
• Social acceptance of the use of public toilets for biogas.
• Successful implementation of development schemes through cooperatives with the support of Government and bank loans. No aid is taken either from national or foreign agencies.
• Regeneration of watershed resources through people's participation, a living example of watershed development and management.
• Successful involvement of the people in formation of development schemes in a democratic way through village meetings. It has also shown that participatory sustainable development is possible.
• Non-degrading and sustainable utilization of natural resources as well as generating alternative sources of income to enhance the economy at family and village levels.
• Development of agriculture and allied sectors by better farming practices and cropping patterns, judicious use of water by introducing drip irrigation system, yield enhancement etc. as a result the village where nearly three-fourth population was below poverty line, has become self sufficient and is surplus in food grains, today.
• The quality of life of women and people belonging to backward classes because of special attention and focus have improved appreciably.
• Strengthening of infrastructure life drinking water, sanitary facilities, biogas, postal, baking, roads, schools, health centres etc. with the participation of the community and by availing Government schemes.
• Development of managerial skills and capability among people with low level of education, exposure and training.
• Evolving social techniques to establish civil control over public spaces and creation of a civil society which is responsible to itself and its environment and responsive to the needs of its members.
• Enough scope for women for self development.
• An appreciable change in the attitude of the people with high degree of moral standards and ethics.
• Over all improvement in the quality of life of the people, and conservation and use of the natural resources in a very sustainable manner.

Weaknesses​

- Though there has been tremendous improvement in the status of women and much has been done yet more remains to be done to involve them fully in the process. This means that women development needs specialized and extra effort.

• There is no effort towards the development of agro-based rural/small scale industries to enhance the value of the products and keep the participation of the people intact.
• The managerial capability is weak and it is reflected in the failure of cloth cutting and tailoring scheme and thereby weakening the participating of women.

Constraints​

- It is not easy to find a devote and committed leader like Anna Hazare in the second generation to keep the process going. His effort to choose a leader so far remains unresponded.

• Moral cleansing at individual level in today's materialistic world where personal liberties and human rights come in the way is a very difficult proposition and may pose problems in other areas.
• Ralegan Siddhi village has more or less a homogeneous character having groups of people with not much economic disparity or diversity in caste/religion. The Neo-Buddhists are close to Hindus so there was no problem but in case of Muslims, Christians or Sikhs being part of the society it may be difficult to organize them along religious line.
• Anna has been the undisputed leader of the village and nobody objected to the initiatives floated by him. At the most there used to be only mild queries on the part of the villagers, in case of disagreement. It may not be so easy to generalize the dedicated leader driven approach.
• It is easier to transform a virgin and underdeveloped area like Ralegan but very difficult to develop semi-developed areas. Though Ralegan has made tremendous progress, its impact on the neighbouring villagers is minimal so far.

Conclusion​

The case study shows the success of Gandhian approach to people's participation in watershed management. Since 1975, this has resulted into participation of all the 325 village families, renovation of a temple, stopping illicit liquor distillation, water harvesting in 4 small watersheds, construction of many check dams, plantation of five hundred thousand forest trees, controlled grazing, raising of ground water level from 20 m depth to 6.5 m, sale of onions worth Rs. 80 million in 1995 alone (exchange rate in June 1995 1 US$ = Rs. 31.3), solar street lights, village toilets, biogas, organic farming, introduction of livestock, a full high school, institutionalization of decision making at village assembly level, local voluntary organizational capacity building, acceptance and application of voluntary code of conduct, formation of different action committees, etc.
The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr. Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra state.
The major elements responsible for the successful people's participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are: emergence of local leadership, underpinning of moral sanctions for all, voluntary moral codes e.g. ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc., GO/NGO partnership, involvement of all sections of society, holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years), use of simple, appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management, primacy of village assembly in decision making. The only weakness sighted with this model of people's participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development. It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties.

Acknowledgement​

It gives me immense pleasure in expressing my gratitude to ANGOC for assigning this interesting study to AVARD, the national focal point (NFP) for PCSD, and the management of AVARD for providing me this opportunity and expressing confidence in me to do this study.
May I take this opportunity to thank Shri Anna Hazare, his office Secretary Shri Raja Ramji of Ralegan Siddhi village and Shri Sanab of SACRED, Aurangabad, for facilitating the study in various ways during the field work. I also thank Shri Keshar Singh for his excellent secretarial support.
[td]FARM PROGRAM
The Farmer-centred Agriculture Resource Management (FARM) Program is an Asian Program of the UNDP/FAO/UNIDO for support to sustainable food security in China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. As a child of Earth Summit, FARM is designed to support the implementation of Agenda 21, with a focus on the major problems of agriculture resources degradation and poverty. The ultimate goal of FARM is improved conservation, management and utilization (for improved household food security and poverty alleviation) of agricultural resources by resource-poor communities and farm households in Asian rainfed areas.[/td]
List of Publications of PWMTA-FA

A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar, Maharastra, India*

 

[Saif]

@Saif

Mr Anna Hazare should have been awarded the highest civilian award by the Government of India for his dedication and patriotism. Kudos to him.

 

[Krishna with Flute]

Mr Anna Hazare should have been awarded the highest civilian award by the Government of India for his dedication and patriotism. Kudos to him.

I wish Ratan tata too should have been awarded Bharat Ratna. Whole India owes a lot to TATAs.

 

[Bilal9]

@Bilal9

Done

 

[Krishna with Flute]

The Couple Who Bought Barren Land In 1991 And Transformed It Into A 300 Acre Wildlife Sanctuary​

BY SHREYA PAREEK
Syndicated from thebetterindia.com, Apr 06, 2017
6 minute read

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Pamela and Anil Malhotra bought 55 acres of land 23 years ago, and today they have converted it into a beautiful forest of over 300 acres. Here’s how SAI Sanctuary, the only private wildlife sanctuary in India, came to host animals like Bengal Tiger, Sambhar and Asian Elephants.

Wouldn’t it be great to wake up to the sound of chirping birds, with fresh air and splendid scenery around? In the busy lives of our cities when even house sparrows are fast disappearing, this seems like a dream. But a couple has converted this dream into a reality by creating a wildlife sanctuary of their own.

The couple, passionate about wildlife and nature conservation, bought 55 acres of land to plant native trees and protect the environment. Today, they are responsible for creating over 300 acres of wild life sanctuary that hosts animals like Bengal Tigers, Asian Elephants, Hyena, Wild Boar, Leopards, Sambhar, etc.
Dr. A.K. Malhotra and Pamela Malhotra, the NRI duo behind this amazing SAI (Save Animals Initiative) Sanctuary Trust first went to the Himalayas, but as the laws in the Northern part of the country have a land ceiling of 12 acres, they came down South to give shape to their dreams of preservation and protection of nature and wildlife.


Anil and Pamela Malhotra are responsible for a beautiful wildlife sanctuary.

“The problem is, we expect the government to do everything. Like-minded people, NGOs and other agencies should purchase land and do their own bit to conserve the wildlife,” says Pamela.

They bought around 55 acres of unused and abandoned land from the farmers who were not using it due to excess of rainfall in Kodagu district of Karnataka. “We chose Kodagu because it is the micro hotspot of bio diversity in the entire planet,” Pamela says.

The passion to expand the green cover grew stronger and they kept buying lands from farmers who weren’t using them. This way the land was used and also farmers got money to repay their debts as the land was anyway lying idle. Gradually the 55 acre forest cover became larger and today covers 300 acres of the land.

There were a lot of native trees that already existed there. The couple decided to retain those and follow three important rules: no chopping down of any tree, no human interference and no poachers.

And with this thought, the efforts to make a wildlife sanctuary started in 1991.



The sanctuary also has a river flowing in the heart which meets the water needs of the animals.

After 23 years, their unmatched passion for wildlife and nature has helped them transform the 55 acres of barren land in 1991 into a one-of-its-kind wildlife sanctuary spread over 300 acres, probably the only private sanctuary in the country!

The sanctuary also has a beautiful river in the middle that is home to several aquatic species like fishes and snakes, including the King Cobra.

The huge trees and thick forest has also helped several birds like hornbill find their homes. There are over 305 species of birds that visit this sanctuary regularly.


The dense forest cover.

“We make sure that we don’t interfere with these animals. Elephants are very important for regeneration of the forests as they swallow the seed completely without breaking it, unlike other species. Around 30 species of trees totally depend upon elephants for regeneration,” says Pamela.

Several cameras are installed across the sanctuary to identify new animals and keep a track on poachers. “People think that animals need the forest. But the truth is, the forest needs the animals equally. While the forest helps animals in providing shelter and food, animals help forests in regeneration – they are both inter-dependent and we should make efforts to preserve both,” says Dr. Anil.

“A few days ago, I saw in the camera recording that a family of wild dogs and seven small puppies from that family were trying to attack a Sambhar just in front of my house gate. They were born a few days back and now had grown up. So, the fact that each puppy survived is commendable. That means the sanctuary is a good host to all these wild animals,” says Pamela.

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When the Malhotra couple purchased the land, there were already native species of cardamom and other trees that were planted. They decided not to disturb those and planted more native trees around the existing ones. As the green cover expanded, the animal and bird species increased too. The flora of this sanctuary includes hundreds of varieties of indigenous trees, many of which are of medicinal value.
“Our aim is to preserve the flora and fauna, especially the rainforests, for the future generation. We believe that when we die we should give back the same (if not better) Earth which we got from our ancestors to the next generation,” says Dr. Anil.


A family of elephants are frequent visitors of this sanctuary.

The duo makes sure that they do not interfere or disturb the existing eco-system. “Even the dead wood provides nutrition to the soil,” says Pamela.

The couple has grown 10-12 acres of coffee and around 15 acres of cardamom on the land. They are also involved in organic farming on the same land. The sanctuary, which offers a unique experience to the visitors, runs completely on solar and alternate energy. For days of heavy rainfall in the monsoon, the three small windmills meet the needs of providing enough electricity to the sanctuary.

“We also make sure that people who visit here are responsible tourists. We only take those people who are actually interested in exploring the beauty of nature. Smoking and drinking is not allowed as it disturbs the animals and the overall air which is so pure,” says Pamela.

When Malhotra couple started this sanctuary, they invested their own money. Now they are a registered not-for-profit trust which runs on donations which get tax exemptions.

Apart from funds, another challenge comes while patrolling the sanctuary. As the area is very large it is hard to keep track of the poachers. To counter this, they spread awareness about preserving wildlife and nature in schools and nearby villages.



The sanctuary also hosts animals like Hyena, Sambhar and Bengal Tigers.

“To avoid any mishap, we don’t allow people to walk alone here. There is always a guide or we accompany the visitors ourselves,” says Pamela.

The sanctuary also won the “Wildlife and Tourism Initiative Of The Year” award by Sanctuary Asia in conjunction with Tour Operators for Tigers in 2014.
In conclusion, Pamela has a thought she’d like to leave us with, “Overcome your fear and respect the animals’ power. The animal might not understand our words but they do understand our feelings.”

Pamela and Anil also advice people to be careful about the lifestyle they follow. Eating organic food, recycling things, using more energy-efficient devices are some of the basic things they advise everyone to follow.

“When I carried buckets of water in the Himalayas, I realized how precious it is. We should not waste it. It is only when we face problems we realize importance of things,” she says.

“For anyone who wants to bring a change, we advise them to set one single goal and believe that they can achieve it,” says the couple.
Watch the official trailer of a documentary on SAI Sanctuary being made by filmmaker Mellissa Lesh here:



This is an appeal that Pamela and Anil Malhotra have made to all wealthy Indians to save our forests, wildlife and fresh water sources. They are even willing to help anyone who is willing to try.


For more inspiration, join the upcoming Awakin Call with Alfred Tolle on Cultivating Conscious Leaders. RSVP and more details here.

The Couple Who Bought Barren Land In 1991 And Transformed It Into A 300 Acre Wildlife Sanctuary, By Shreya Pareek | DailyGood

Pamela and Anil Malhotra bought 55 acres of land 23 years ago, and today they have converted it into a beautiful forest of over 30...

www.dailygood.org

 

[Krishna with Flute]

Sai Sanctuary, Coorg: This couple Transformed 300 Acres Of Farmland Into A Private Sanctuary!​

By Gunjan Upreti

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"The wildlife and its habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will."
Adapting this quote by Theodore Roosevelt in all seriousness is a passionate couple down south, Pamela and Dr. Anil Malhotra, running SAI ( Save Animal Initiative ) Sanctuary, a 300 acre private rainforest in Kodagu bought up by this couple to protect and preserve the last remaining natural Wild Places on Earth—especially equatorial rainforests. Here’s how SAI Sanctuary, the only private wildlife sanctuary in India, came to host animals like Bengal Tiger, Sambhar and Asian Elephants.

SAI Sanctuary, Coorg​

In 1991, Pamela and Anil Malhotra bought 55 acres of land and today they have converted it into SAI Sanctuary, a beautiful forest of over 300 acres.

"When I came here with a friend who suggested I buy this land, it was a wasteland of 55 acres. The owner wanted to sell because he couldn't grow coffee or anything else here. For me and Pamela, this was what we were looking for all our life," informed Anil.
The couple first went to the Himalayas, but as the laws in the Northern part of the country have a land ceiling of 12 acres, they came down South to give shape to their dreams of preservation and protection of nature and wildlife – which led to SAI Sanctuary.

“We chose Kodagu for SAI Sanctuary because it is the micro hotspot of bio diversity in the entire planet,” Pamela says.

Their passion to expand SAI Sanctuary grew stronger and they kept buying lands from farmers who weren’t using them. This way the land was used and also farmers got money to repay their debts as the land was anyway lying idle. Gradually the 55 acre forest cover of SAI Sanctuary became larger and today covers 300 acres of the land.

“The problem is, we expect the government to do everything. Like-minded people, NGOs and other agencies should purchase land and do their own bit to conserve the wildlife,” says Pamela.

After 23 years, their unparalleled passion for wildlife and nature has helped them transform the 55 acres of barren land into a one-of-its-kind wildlife sanctuary spread over 300 acres, probably the only private sanctuary in the country – SAI Sanctuary!

“Our aim is to preserve the flora and fauna, especially the rainforests, for the future generation. We believe that when we die we should give back the same (if not better) Earth which we got from our ancestors to the next generation,” says Dr. Anil.

Kodagu​

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This couple Transformed 300 Acres Of Farmland Into India's First Private Wildlife Sanctuary

Changing the world, step by step.

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