I was pained to see the sub human conditions these tribal’s are staying and the luxury in comparison to that the refugees from Bangladesh have set up colony with state patronage. Further there were plenty of refugee influxes from the neighboring state of Nepal. As a result their existence has come to a threat.
In addition to this the animal population of elephant, Rhino and Bison has shown steady growth due to proper effort of the forest administration.
Arranged by the society I had held discussion with cross section of the people staying there. I was taken to the spot where these people are staying . The roads have broken down approach roads have collected pot holes. As there is no proper drainage system people are forced to get the waste water accumulated in their own back yard. Result there is mosquito breeding. However the colony of Bengali’s are much better off than those areas tribal’s are staying.
By the grace of some good force parents of these tribal children are sending them to schools and colleges. More and more educated unemployed youth are gathering among the community having no where to go. I was shocked to know that an MA English Tribal girl has not got a proper weighted employment and is working in ICDS scheme where all her collogues are only Plus II. It is a tragedy.
The elder community members met me and expressed their intention to form a
An autonomous district as was formed in Darjeeling. On a question why they have refused to join Gorkha land the answer was purely linguistic, culture and habits. They are ready to embrace Hindi as a vernacular than accepting either Gorkha or Bengali as a medium of instruction. Unfortunately Hindi is not a vernacular subject option in schools run by board.
The ladies met me and complained about the high food cost, health and hygiene. Although educated sufficiently they are treated as servant class by the other community. All loans for self employment either for individual or group by the tribal’s are being with held in one pretext or other while similar applications by the Bengali’s are processed fast and sanctioned. Result ladies self help group are not able to earn a living forcing them to migrate to other towns to work as domestic help. So also goes the story of Indira Awas Yojana cases.
The society has started running tuition centre for tribal children. Some motivated tribal girls are giving honorary tuition as society has no money to pay them. They were forced to do this work as tribal children do not get proper attention in regular schools where teachers are not from their community. All moves by the society to get some grant from the government has been turned down by the officials of education department.
The local panchayat whose responsibility is to take care of these tribal’s has left them in the lurch as majority of the members are not form the tribal’s.
Few years back the members of the Tribal’s sent in a petition to the then West Bengal Government pointing out their grievances. This was replied by sending a strong police force almost similar to Chinese government principle where instead of listening to peoples woes they tame by using brute force.
Finally I the story of PWD and Forest department. Here they are telling a complete different story citing their helplessness. PWD’s power to build roads and maintaining them has been taken over by panchayat. PWD is answerable to the government and are subjected to CAG audit. As such their inefficiency is properly measured and they had to work. Now Engineers have been appointed on temporary basis that looks after their work. The national highway authority has taken over a part of their work. So they have no work other than seeing files and keeping them but receives abuses from the tribal’s for no fault of theirs.
Forest department officials needs more space to arrange food for elephant, Rhino and Bison due to their increase number. Unless food is available plenty these innocent animals will enter human habitat. A continuous friction is on with the tribal’s who wants land for their living.
There are plenty of scopes to create self employment from the available resources in and around forests. Bamboo based items are being made and used locally. These products can be successfully marketed in different cities and in export market. The ladies are equipped with good art work. If they are taught stitching and provided sewing machines ready made garments can be sold and they can earn. Milk from a particular sheep grown in the higher regions has some medical value. This can be commercially tapped. Terrace cultivation like mushroom cultivation and certain other ayurvedic plants can be grown to give them the breathing. There are lots of medicinal plants which are grown on the Himalayas. These items grow in the wild which can be grown commercially. Finally honey has a chance to grow there also. Although I disagreed due to weather conditions the tribal ladies insists that it is possible. Since no one has told them earlier they did not think its possibilities. The grass which the forest department is growing is actually mountain variety. Mats made from this grass or board from these grass can be used as cheap building material. However these cannot be spared due to obvious reason. Finally poultry line of business can be encouraged among the ladies to substitute their income.
The town Chalsa has become a tourist spot now days because of its serene atmosphere. People are visiting throughout the year barring the period when forest officials closes their gate due to the breeding season of the animals. Plenty of hotels and lodges have crept up bringing in more non tribal people. A perfect plan could have been drawn up using these tribal people and introduce eco tourism. The tribal’s could have been provided with tents which they can put up in their vacant lands and rented out to tourist. On an average if they charge 100 per person per day with each tent capable of accommodating 3 person they would have earned a good fortune. The tourist needs a bath room for which a septic tank would have served the purpose. Food they can cook and serve the guest will fetch them an additional income. Panchayat can collect revenue per tourist and increase their income which can be invested on building of roads public latrines and a proper drainage system. The permission to construct large hotels should be stopped immediately due to the fragile nature of the Himalayas. Instead these small cottages made out of local bamboos can be made and tribal’s be given to run them.
Young and energetic MLA has a big plan with crores of investment, schools colleges etc. Although the idea is good but I feel it cannot be implemented as environmentalists will oppose and the private investors will have to think in proper terms keeping an eye on return on investment. Any way implementation of these ideas will take quite some time which will take away the steam from the engine.
A quick and effective plan is required to quell the anger of these youth else another Lalgarh is on the offing. With this column I sending a warning message to the Government and their popular didi that she keep a watchful eye on the duars least it turns out to be another volcano.
On my part with my limited means and capacity I will try to beg funds for this society so that these hapless people are provided with the basic needs. If this article creates any good feelings I request the reader to get in touch with the Adivasi Students and youth Development Society, Chalsa and their young chairman Mr Raymond Ronald Robertson Tamba thro face book and try to defuse the fire before it is too late.
This writing is a short understanding of my stupid brain. I may be wrong at some points. Therefore I request more points from the local resident and a person who visits the place where tribal’s stay so that we can form a good picture of the problem brewing in that area enabling government to be aware of the ground reality.
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