Pithertoli is one of the village comes under Dahupani panchayat, Palkot block, Gumla district of
Jharkhand state. The village is surrounded by forest and mountains. The
mountain is like wall for the villagers. Due to the forest and mountain
inhabitants of the village feel morally secured from outside attacks. Since the
area is fully covered by forest the physical structure of land is not plain.
Everywhere village lands are up and down. There are several streams without
bridge. Villagers have to find their own way to reach their desired place.
However, with collective efforts with villagers and panchayat leaders
village got the scheme of bridge. The bridge is under construction. In order to complete the bridge the Monsi
(the supervisor) cut 500 hundred trees from the forest without the permission
of villagers. The villager knew about cutting of the 500 hundred trees.
Villagers directly enquired about the cutting of the 500 hundred trees but the
Monsi (supervisor) denied and said he had not cut any trees from the nearest
forest.
After few days the villagers summoned the Gram Sabha meeting to find
out the person who had cut the trees. In the meeting the supervisor said that he
was asked to do so by the contractor to cut down the trees. When the villagers
asked the contractor, the contractor also denied and said that he neither
ordered to cut the trees nor knew anything on the matter.
The Gram Sabha gave the responsibility to supervisor to protect the
500 hundred cut woods and when the villagers need woods the supervisor should
give to the villagers. After a month villagers needed some wood and requested
supervisor to present the wood to villagers.
But supervisor said that the woods had been stolen. But the reality was
that supervisor had hidden all the woods in the river under the sand. The
villager filed the case against the supervisor and handed over to the forest
department. Once the FIR was done, the
supervisor accepted that he had cut the 500 hundred trees without the
permission of any responsible groups or person. The case against supervisor is
still on the process.
If the villagers had not taken any action against the supervisor then
he would have sold all the woods and got benefited but the Gram Sabha did not
leave any space to miss use the community good for individual gain.
Rokedega is
one of the village comes under Dahupani
panchayat, Palkot block, Gumla district, Jharkhand. The women of the
village are limited to their own household and agriculture activities. The
active participation of women seen in both indoor and outdoor activities but all the decisions are taken by male head of
the family. Though women like to be associated with those activities where
money and status could be earned but due to men suppression women were left
behind. Likewise, in meetings women
cannot express their thoughts due to the lack of opportunities and ignorance.
There are some religious taboos which do not permit women to get them involved
actively. Above all it could be said that various circumstance force and
deprive women from their rights duties and practices in the society.
However, after the entry and
constant efforts of Naya Sawera Vikas Kendra villagers have been mobilized and
united. Women have formed SHG and
discussing on the several development issues. One of the women’s decision
making in the family has been seen and experienced.
Chindrika Devi is the wife of Shyam Sunder (Rokedega) and the animator
of Rokedega. She is the mother of three children.
Since 4 to 5 years the family was fully in disarray due to her
husband’s lack of proper cooperation. There was neither systematic function nor
peace in the family. There was misunderstanding and quarrels in the family.
Frequently husband used to come home after drinking and create dispute
atmosphere in the family. Head of the family had right to take decision in all
types of activities. He neither respected nor considered his wife’s ideas and
suggestion nor listened his children’s views. Husband never worried about
children education. Above all, the male dominated in family’s affair.
However, once she became the member of SHG groups and shared her
problems with members, the members of SHG group gave moral support. The moral
support helped her to be strong in the family despite of quarrel and dispute.
Within few meetings with SHG members she started to put the other village level
issues in the meeting and discuses taking the leading role in the SHG groups.
Looking at her performance in the SHG meetings, the members of SHG’s and
villagers proposed her to take the leading role in the village as village point
person and wrote an application to the project coordinator to give her an
opportunity to serve community as an animator of Rokedega.
The participation of both husband and wife at village and block level
gender training brought drastic changes in the family atmosphere. Husband
changed his drinking habits and started to go for work and earn money for the
family. Today the husband reduced drinking habits, respects her, and helps her
in indoor and outdoor activities. All the decisions are taken together and
children are sent to school for education. Moreover she is the one who took
decision to practice SRI method of cultivation. Today family live together
happily and peacefully.
