Coarse grain scheme in Madhya Pradesh remains on paper

The 80% seed subsidy promised under Madhya Pradesh Millet Mission has not taken off, pushing farmers into the vicious cycle of high seed cost, poor grain pricing and perennial debtBhopal, Madhya Pradesh: Last December, Badriprasad Meena (54) from Makhan Nagar in Narmadapuram sold a total of 112.50 quintals of sorghum at the government procurement centre in Seoni Malwa tehsil. He spent Rs 21,000 just to transport the coarse grains to the centre in Banapura, located 75 km from his village.Although there is a rule to make full payment for the grains sold at government centres within three to seven days of procurement, he received only partial payment citing poor quality of sorghum. Badriprasad, however, claims that centre in-charge Rajendra Lovanshi had declared his sorghum to be of good quality, and had given him an invoice of Rs 3.57 lakh after accepting the purchase. He had to wait until March 15 to get the payment, but what he got was only Rs 1.78 lakh.Woman sieving the grain in front of the house (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)Badriprasad’s son Sanjay Meena (28) describes the whole incident. “After 15 days of making the purchase, Lovanshi started saying that sorghum was not of good quality, so he cannot pay much. ‘Take it away,’ he used to tell me. Nevertheless, the reality is that we had transported the produce only after the sample was passed by Lovanshi,” he says.  Badriprasad and Sanjay allege that the sorghum was spoilt after being kept in the open at the procurement centre for 15 days. “There was no proper maintenance. The produce was so damaged that it could not be sold even in the open market,” they say.Due to non-payment of a private loan of Rs 1.50 lakh that they had taken for farming, the family’s financial burden is increasing day by day. “We had no option but to approach the district Collector to get the money. We had taken the loan at 6% monthly interest,” they add. Subsequently, Narmadapuram Collector Sonia Meena intervened in the matter and issued a letter to Lovanshi instructing that the farmer be paid the full amount. Despite this, Badriprasad did not get the full payment. On seeking his response, Lovanshi tells 101Reporters that efforts are being made to pay the remaining amount to the farmer soon. Alleging that farmers producing coarse grains were being harassed, Surendra Rajput, zilla sangathan mantri, Bharatiya Kisan Union, says arrangements for marketing have not been made. “If full payment is not made, we will protest,” he warns.Sanjay Meena asking the committee in-charge for payment (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)Aimless mission  To boost millet production, the state government launched the Madhya Pradesh State Millet Mission Scheme on April 11 last year. Being implemented in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 fiscals, the scheme has an outlay of Rs 23.25 crore. All districts are part of the scheme, under which advanced certified seeds of coarse grains will be provided to farmers at a subsidy of 80% from cooperative/government institutions.Training for farmers, fairs, workshops, seminars, food festivals and road shows will be organised at the district and state levels to promote production, processing and marketing of millets. However, the reality is that millet farmers in Madhya Pradesh are not even aware of the scheme.  In Mandla district, the tribal community consumes coarse grains mainly sorghum, kodo, kutki and bajra. Naval Singh Maravi (51) from Rampuri says that in the last kharif (June-July 2023) season, he sowed kodo and kutki seeds that he had stored in his home on one acre each to get 23 quintals of kodo millet and 12 quintals of kutki millet. Maravi has no information about the millet scheme and its benefits. Other villagers also do not have any information in this regard. If they had got the benefits under the scheme, they could have done farming more vigorously to earn better profits. At present, kodo rice is sold at Rs 25 per kg and kutki rice at Rs 38 to 40 per kg in the open market.  Farmer Shankar Tadwal cleaning coarse grains and maize at home (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)Shankar Tadwal (51) of Barda village of Sondwa tehsil of Barwani district cultivates coarse grains, maize and sorghum, in three acres. He conserves the required amount of seeds for sowing at his home because the seeds are expensive when bought from the market. He says he has not received subsidised seeds from the government to date. He always keeps visiting agricultural offices in the area, but is not aware of any scheme related to coarse grains.   Tadwal says the problem is not in producing coarse grains, but in selling. The procurement centres are very far away. It costs more to transport grains there. Also, 90% of the farmers in his village do not own a tractor-trolley. “If the grains are not sold quickly due to reasons like faulty weigh scale, network issues that stall online purchase portal or absence of quality checkers at the procurement centre, the rented tractor-trolley will have to stay at the centre for more than a day. In such cases, the rent increases day by day, and eats into the profit,” Tadwal explains.Man Singh Gurjar (52) from Narmadapuram preserves around 600 types of seeds —  of wheat, soybean, paddy, gram, lentil, fruits and vegetables —  and gives lectures to farmers and students of agricultural colleges on seed conservation. Even he is not aware of the millet mission, because the government has not made any effort to disseminate information among farmers.Ravi Dutt Singh, National Organization Secretary of Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Mahasangh, who came out to make the farmers aware, walking in the front (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)Farmers say they have been growing coarse grains for generations. Earlier, there was no cultivation of wheat, paddy, soybean and pulses. There used to be only coarse grains, but neither was it given any attention earlier nor is it being given any attention now. Many have stopped growing coarse grains.Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Mahasangh general secretary Ravi Dutt Singh (58) says that the millet mission might be running on paper. “I have met the government officials on many occasions as a representative of farmers, yet I have no information regarding this scheme.” Despite the emphasis on training programmes and study tours outside the state for farmers under the millet mission, such activities have not taken off.However, Narmadapuram District Deputy Director (Agriculture) JR Hedau tells 101Reporters that they have been informing the farmers about the scheme by organising kisan melas. He claims such a fair was organised in the district on March 4, which saw the presence of a large number of farmers.Edited by Rekha PulinnoliCover Photo - Farmer Badriprasad Meena's millet farm (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)

Madhya Pradesh farmers want Kisan Rail back, but with better facilities

The service neither had cold storage facility nor a fixed running schedule, but farmers are ready to give it a second chance provided these issues are sorted out  Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh: When the Kisan Rail service ran for the first and only time on Chhindwara-Howrah route on October 28, 2020, Om Raghuvanshi (48) did not take the potatoes from his three-acre farm in Chhindwara to the Nagpur market in Maharashtra, even for sheer curiosity. “Nagpur mandi is just about three hours from Chhindwara by road. If I send my potatoes by train, it will take another one hour. Also, the train will not come inside our fields. We have to load it onto the trucks and bring to the station, from where it should be unloaded from trucks and loaded into the train. This cycle does not end here. Again, there is unloading at the destination station and boarding in another truck to take it to the market,” reasoned Raghuvanshi, hailing from Kurlai in Sankh village panchayat of Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh.Like him, most of the farmers along this route did not entertain the experimental run, which they thought would bring losses only as the produce has to be loaded and unloaded two times more compared to the hassle-free truck journey. Besides the extra labour and related costs, the chances of spoilage of fresh fruits and vegetables increased manifold due to the constant handling. No wonder, the train never ran on this route again.To use Kisan trains, farmers were to pay a fixed fare decided according to the weight of the produce they transport and the distance covered. The trains had a minimum of 12 coaches and a maximum of 24 coaches. “It costs me around Rs 4,500 [Rs 111 per quintal] to take a potato-laden truck to Nagpur. If I had used Kisan Rail, train fare would have been Rs 3,200 [Rs 80 per quintal after Railways subsidy]. But it is the labour charges related to multiple loading and unloading that really make the difference.”Eight labourers are needed to harvest 40 quintals of potato from the field in a day. “Labourers are not easily available when work availability is high. Moreover, they demand up to Rs 400 per day against the usual Rs 250. Wages will soar further if plucking and loading coincide with a local festival,” said Raghuvanshi. As the problems were not specific to Chhindwara route, the demand-driven Kisan trains stopped services across the country by January last year. Inauguration of the Kisan Rail (Photo sourced by Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)Blowing hot and cold  The first Kisan Rail service was flagged off on August 7, 2020, from Devlali in Maharashtra to Danapur in Bihar. Up to January 31 last year, Railways operated 2,359 Kisan Rail services, transporting 7.9 lakh tonnes of perishables. Maharashtra had the highest number of outward services at 1,838, while Madhya Pradesh had 74.In the 2020-21 Union Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that to “build a seamless national cold supply chain for perishables, inclusive of milk, meat and fish, the Indian Railways will set up a Kisan Rail through PPP [public private partnership] arrangements”. This means the project was clearly envisaged with refrigerated coaches. However, like in all other states, the Kisan service in Madhya Pradesh did not have a cold storage facility. On one end was the possibility of damage to fruits and vegetables due to repeated loading and unloading, and on the other was the risk of spoilage due to heat. If the trains ran late, nothing could prevent rotting of perishables.Local farmers do not pluck green vegetables and fruits until the evening before to ensure that they stay fresh. They are packed in the fields and loaded onto trucks there itself. "Damaged fruits and vegetables do not fetch much money in the market, so heavy losses are bound to happen if the farmer is not careful...Forget cold storage, even the date and time of when the train would reach its final destination was not fixed. That was why the patronage was very low,” said Mithun Bhalawi (24) from Pachgaon in Chhindwara.“In my farm, we begin potato harvesting eight days in advance. I start around 3 am and reach Nagpur early in the morning, right in time for the bidding. This would not have been possible if Kisan Rail service was utilised,” Raghuvanshi said.The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) was the nodal ministry for implementing the Operation Greens (TOP to TOTAL) Scheme, under which Kisan Rail service operated. Up to March 31, 2022, MoFPI had allocated Rs 50 crore to cover the subsidy at the rate of 50% in freight to farmers. As it was not continued in 2022-23 fiscal, the Railways had been continuing the subsidy at a rate of 45%. The Centre has claimed to have distributed Rs 4 crore as subsidy to farmers who transport their produce using Kisan Rail services till January 31 last year. It was Rs 27.79 crore in the 2020-21 and Rs 121.86 crore in 2021-22 fiscal. According to a newsreport, when the operational costs of Kisan Rail increased beyond the MoFPI-allocated Rs 50 crore, the Railways in August 2021 wrote to the MoFPI seeking an allocation of at least Rs 150 crore. However, the MoFPI did not approve the proposal. As a result, the Railways was forced to write off Rs 71.86 crore it spent as excess subsidy on Kisan Rail services in 2021-22.Santosh Patware, provincial vice president, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU)-Madhya Pradesh, said the intentions of the Central government were good, but the trains were not planned and run as per farmers’ needs. “There is still a need for these trains,” he asserted. To run or not to run Farmers are of the view that Kisan Rail service should be revived, but it should be run on time after preparing a suitable timetable. It should not be run in such a manner that a train reaches its destination after the market in that place is closed. This problem can be solved once the time is fixed on the lines of passenger trains, so that in case of a halt on tracks, it is cleared before other goods trains. They also want cold storage facilities to keep their produce fresh. However, the Railways’ point of view is quite different. Railway Board Additional Director General (Public Relations) Yogesh Baweja told 101Reporters that Kisan Rail service was run for the benefit of farmers, but was stopped due to lack of demand. “If farmers demand for their operation again, they will be run again,” he assures. He, however, did not give a clear answer on whether the service was properly planned or not. When 101Reporters contacted Harshit Srivastava, Chief Public Relation Officer, West Central Railway Jabalpur Zone, he said Kisan Rail service was a special facility. “Running passenger trains is the first priority. Hence, the Railways can stop any special train if it wants. The decision to run these trains are taken by the Railway Board itself. The West Central Railway does not run any Kisan Rail at present.”  Patware said BKU-Madhya Pradesh unit will write a letter to the Railway Board about the demands raised by farmers. Arun Awasthi, vice president, Madhya Pradesh unit of the Railway Up Downers Progressive Welfare Association, said he had earlier demanded that the Kisan Rail service be run in a timely manner, and will repeat that demand again.Meanwhile, local railway officials wishing anonymity said that since freight trains are not run as per a fixed timetable, it is not possible at present to run Kisan trains on time. As dedicated freight corridors have been announced in the recent interim Budget, they hope goods will be transported more swiftly when the corridors come into existence. The catch is it will take many years before these lines are built and opened.Edited by Rekha PulinnoliCover Photo - Young farmer Mithun Bhalawi working in the field (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)

Displaced by Karam Dam, residents of 9 villages isolated on a hillock in Dhar district

There is no power or water supply in the forested area, but people have settled here as the compensation they got is not enough to buy new plotsDhar, Madhya Pradesh: Surrounded by water on three sides is a nondescript hillock where 3,500 people live. There is no potable water, electricity, or even a proper footpath in this forested area in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. Yet, these people, mostly from tribes like Bhilala, have been putting up with the problems and living here since 2018.They originally belonged to Utawali, Chauki, Kothida, Patelpura, Bhainsakho Khurd, Bhainsakho Buzurg, Jamanda Sarai, Devjhiri and Kundiya villages. Their lives changed drastically when the work on Karam dam, built on River Karam in Dharampuri tehsil, began in 2018.All the nine villages fell in the area acquired by the government for construction and were at the risk of inundation once the dam was built on the Narmada's tributary. Hence, they had no option but to leave.“Slowly, our villages began to submerge. Some shifted to nearby villages and to the relatives' houses, but those who had no place to go chose this spot to settle down,” says Dharmendra Badukiya (42), who has made this unnamed hillock his place of stay after the dam snatched away his home in Utawali.“If someone is sick, we have to carry him/her on our shoulders for three km to reach the main road, from where a four-wheeler can be taken to reach the nearest hospital,” he says.Kala Bai Dawar (65) also lived in her house in Utawali with her family comprising her husband, son, daughter-in-law and grandson. They had 1.25 bighas of land, where they used to cultivate paddy and maize in the rainy season and grew wheat in the kharif season. The family received Rs 2.28 lakh as compensation for the land lost. “Now, to make ends meet, my husband works as a labourer. When needed, I also contribute by working as a farmhand,” she says.Detailing about the difficulties the women face, Bai says they have to walk to Sarai, a village located 3 km, to get water in summers. There is some relief during the monsoons as they can collect water from a natural spring in the forest area. Luckily, they do not have to go that far for their ration supplies. When the villagers were displaced, the ration shops were also relocated to places they moved. So, they can access their Public Distribution System (PDS) shop located within a km distance on foot or by bicycle.People who are not able to climb hills, go to nearby villages 2 to 3 kilometers away to collect water on foot, bicycle or bike (Photo sourced by Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)Income snatchedThese people have come a long way — from being farmers working in their own land to becoming agricultural labourers after displacement. On average, each family had two to five acres of land. Those who did not have any, lived on leased land. After displacement, about 90% of the families now get their income through daily wage labour. People go to surrounding villages or Pithampur industrial area for work. Some have goats and poultry. Some grow paddy and maize in leftover portions of their land in their original villages. The area remained submerged until August last year, when a leakage in the main wall of the dam resulted in the emptying of water through a bypass channel. People have taken up cultivation in these plots now.  Suresh Badukiya (41) of Bhainsakho Khurd had 14 goats and two cows before displacement. He and his wife did farm work in other people's land. Suresh also used to take up harvesting of crops in bulk. His annual income ranged between Rs 60,000 and Rs 85,000. When there was a need for money, he would sell a goat for Rs 5,000 to 6,000. Mostly, three to five goats are sold in a year to cover the expenses.The Rs 5 lakh he received was not enough to buy land, so the family now live in a hut in Palasamal Tola, a part of the village which is in the forest and comes under Kothida panchayat. Currently, he has five goats and two cows. Sadly, in the last one-and-a-half years, four goats have been eaten by jackals, wild boars and tigers. He makes the same money as before, but attack from wild animals is an issue. His son and daughter study outside and stay in a hostel.Gulab Singh (30) lived in Patelpura Mohalla of Kothida panchayat before displacement. He did not have ancestral property and hence received an incentive of Rs 5 lakh. He used to work at a thread company for a monthly pay of Rs 16,000 for 10 months in a year. However, after displacement, the family lives in a hut on the hillock."I cannot leave them alone because of the looming threat from wild animals. There is no electricity or water facility, so I have to fetch water. I do farm work in nearby villages to earn Rs 250 a day for 20 to 25 days a month. So, my monthly earnings fluctuate between Rs 5,000 and Rs 6,250. My father has cleared half an acre of land on the hillock, after getting it on lease from the forest department. We grow rain-fed maize and paddy there. We do not cultivate wheat due to lack of water and electricity," Gulab says.Meagre reliefUnder the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, a compensation of Rs 5 lakh per hectare was provided for irrigated land and Rs 4 lakh per hectare for non-irrigated land. An incentive of Rs 5 lakh was given to land owning farmers in lieu of rehabilitation, besides the compensation for their acquired land. For the heads of landless families, an incentive amount of Rs 5 lakh was given for rehabilitation.According to Narmada Bachao Andolan member Mukesh Bhagoriya, 1,500 families in nine villages were resettled under the Act. “The 2013 Act has a provision for compensating leased land, which has not been fulfilled here. Of the displaced, 100 people did not get compensation for their own land. Also, landless sons of 120 farmers did not get the incentive,” he claimed.According to Bhagoriya, 350 of the total 1,500 live on the hillock. “Those who are well-off bought land in other villages and built houses there. Some families migrated, while others occupied government land in nearby villages,” he says, while informing that he has written to the State Revenue Department, Madhya Pradesh Narmada Valley Development Authority and the Minister of Water Resources Department on the issue.Kala’s husband, Mangilal Dawar (67) tells 101Reporters that the government provided him a compensation of Rs 5 lakh , but it was not enough to purchase a new property elsewhere. “I sent my son and daughter-in-law to Indore, so that they can at least earn a living for themselves. They work as labourers,” he says.Being landless, Amar Singh (42) of Utawali got only Rs 5 lakh for relocation. His father received Rs 13 lakh for the land he owned, and he divided this compensation among his three sons and himself. “The land we were living on had a borewell and over 50 fruit trees. No money can ever compensate for that loss. Basically, the government left us to fend for ourselves. They had promised a step by step rehabilitation, but we had been actually misled. The money I got was insufficient to relocate,” he says.  Repeated attempts by 101Reporters to contact Collector Priyank Mishra on the issue went in vain. Efforts to reach out to Dharampuri MLA Panchilal Meda also proved futile. However, BJP MP from Dhar, Chhatar Singh Darbar, tells 101Reporters that all the available government provisions and facilities have been duly implemented for them. He further assured that any existing shortcomings would be addressed.Rahul Yadav, who had earlier fought for the people displaced in Madhya Pradesh due to the Sardar Sarovar Project built across the Narmada in Gujarat, says the assessment of trees, borewells, wells and other constructions on the land was not done, due to which the displaced people did not benefit fully. “The government should have built new settlements and provided them with facilities such as electricity, water supply, roads, shops, markets, schools and anganwadis,” he says. Power supply, proper education distant dreams Dharmendra has to go to someone else’s house in a nearby village when the battery charge in his mobile phone is low. “Some people have an emergency lighting system, which they charge in nearby villages so that they can have some source of lighting at night,” he says.In 2019, the inhabitants of the hillock collectively pooled their resources to draw an electricity line from Sarai. However, wild animals damaged them (the area has the presence of wild boar, jackal and tiger) and caused disruptions. So now, they do not get power supply at all.Utawali panchayat sarpanch Radha Bhai Gawad says she submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister on the issues faced by the displaced when she went to Bhopal in January last year, but nothing happened. Panchayat secretary Chainsingh Bundela says he also raised the demand that electricity be provided, and roads and drains be built.Kothida sarpanch Sewanta Vasunia says the panchayat faced budget constraints in establishing permanent infrastructure for roads, water supply and electricity. “Yet, we supply water to the families on the hillock by employing water tankers. We also consistently communicate the needs with the government officials,’ she informs.Education system has collapsed in the affected villages. Bhagoriya says the building in Utawali housing government primary middle school and an anganwadi centre has submerged. So was the case of Prempura primary school in Kotida. “The government has not constructed new school buildings to date. Utawali school and anganwadi centre run from a house on Dhar Road. Similarly, Prempura school functions from a house in New Prempura,” Bhagoriya says.  A teacher tells 101Reporters on condition of anonymity that the government was not even paying rent to the landowners. “When they get irritated about this, we are forced to explain things to them,” the teacher says.   Meanwhile, villagers are trying to make things better for their children. “The lives of our children have been affected. I have sent my son to his maternal uncle’s house, located 30 km away in Kakadda of Khargone district, to ensure that he is educated well,” Amar concludes.Edited by Tanya ShrivastavaCover Photo - People from the displaced tribal community climb the hill while carrying water in pots on their heads (Photo sourced by Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)

Crores go down the drain, yet villages near Ujjain suffer from Kshipra pollution

The water has become so unsafe that people cannot touch it without the fear of skin diseases or use it for drinking purposes or irrigationBhopal, Madhya Pradesh: It does not take much for water to change its course — from a life-giver to a life taker. Residents in over 250 villages along the banks of River Kshipra know this from experience. The rising pollution from industrial effluents has made the river water unfit even for all tasks.“There was a time when villagers depended on the river for everything. Now, we cannot touch the water,” said Rahul Anjana, the deputy sarpanch of Sikandari panchayat located on the banks of the Kshipra near Ujjain.  Washing clothes here means more harm than good. Cattle do not drink the water now, thanks to the strange smell. “The labourers who take water from the Kshipra for irrigating rabi crops suffer from skin diseases and are not available for work,” he adds.However, wheat farmers have no option other than using this contaminated water, as borewells cannot satisfy the water needs of wheat crop cultivated in large areas. They stay away from the Kshipra when it comes to onion and garlic. If not, the crops will simply rot. Only those with wells, borewells or stepwells cultivate onion and garlic now. Others, despite having land, buy them.“On average, wheat output per acre using the Kshipra water is only 10 to 11 quintals normally and 15 quintals in case of a good harvest, whereas generally one acre land can provide 20 to 25 quintals of wheat. Even farmers admit that the land is losing its fertility due to the polluted water,” said Anjana. Rameshwar Chauhan, the panchayat secretary of Dendiya that has a population of around 3,500, told 101Reporters that farmers could not grow vegetables here. “Even the land gives out a different smell when the Kshipra water is used for irrigation. Animals become sick after contacting the water. For us, it is itching,” he detailed.Study says it allDedicated to Lord Shiva, Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga in Ujjain is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines in the country. It is on the banks of the Kshipra, where Maha Kumbh Mela is held every 12 years. But even its holy status has not helped improve the Kshipra’s water quality.Acting on a petition filed by environmentalist Sachin Dave in February, the National Green Tribunal (NGT)  formed a nodal agency in April to look into the issue of pollution due to discharge of industrial waste and other human activities in the Kshipra. A report presented by Dave at the NGT, Bhopal, claimed that the main reason for the murky Kshipra water was its connection with River Khan.Originating from Indore, the Khan receives polluted water from big industries in the city. Later, it joins the Kshipra near Shani Temple in Ujjain. According to the study report, the colour of the water here has turned black. Although the civic managements of the cities situated on the banks claim that the polluted water is being released only after treatment, this is not completely true. Sewage treatment plants are installed for the drains in these cities, but nothing can be said about how well they work. Praveen Patel, whose village is located on the border of Indore-Dewas district, said the Kshipra flows half-a-km from his village and goes towards Ujjain. Here the water is clean, but it becomes polluted on reaching Ujjain.The study conducted by Dave and 20 students from March to June and November to December last year observed that the polluted water from both the Khan and several industries based in Dewas entered the Kshipra. From its origin up to Arnia Kund, the river is more like a drain.  Water is not available at many places, and the water that goes into the Kshipra through Narmada link is not released properly into it.The study found that sand and stone mining was happening in some spots in the river. Tree cover was minimal on its banks. Chemical fertilisers used for agriculture washed into the river and destroyed aquatic life during the rains. In some villages, polluted water was being used in some form or the other, due to which the people concerned were suffering from pain in hands and legs, burning sensation in eyes and skin rashes. There were complaints of frequent colds and coughs. Dave told 101Reporters that his team conducted a 280-km study tour, interacted with 1,200 people and took water samples from the riverbanks. After testing, 90% of the water in the banks was assessed as not fit for drinking.Polluted water of Kshipra river (Photo - Representative image from Canva)Projects fail to deliverFrom 2004 to 2022, the Madhya Pradesh government spent Rs 648 crore on various works to enhance the flow and rid the Kshipra of pollution. In 2004, the big drains of Ujjain were connected to pipelines and pumping stations to take the polluted water to a sewage treatment plant. A total of Rs 6 crore was spent, but the pumps often malfunctioned and led to the entry of polluted water into the river. All this when Ujjain Municipal Corporation was spending Rs 1 crore on electricity bills annually!Later, a separate pipeline was put to release the dirty water far away, at a cost of Rs 4 crore. However, the high inflow of polluted water from the Khan, especially during the rainy season, made it impossible to pump and take the entire volume of water to faraway places. A stop dam was built on the Khan at Raghau Piplia in 2016, but the dirty water continued to overflow and enter the Kshipra. The same year, an underground pipeline was also laid from Raghau Piplia to Kaliadeh for Rs 80 crore.The work on the Narmada-Kshipra Link Project, which provides irrigation water to Ujjain and Shajapur districts, began on November 29, 2012. It was completed in 14 months, with the Narmada water reaching the Kshipra near Indore city for the first time on February 25, 2014. However, the project has not brought any substantial change to water flow in the Kshipra and its quality. Notwithstanding, the government will spend Rs 625 crore on another set of constructions. A 16 km drain will be built parallel to the river from Gothra near Triveni to Kaliyadeh Mahal. This duct will remain open for 100 m at its mouth and end. The rest will be underground. Around eight hectares will be acquired permanently for the project. The rest will be temporary acquisition, which means they will be returned to owners after the completion of work. The work on closed ducts in Ujjain has already begun.Edited by Rekha PulinnoliCover Photo - Polluted Kshipra river, a breeding ground for diseases (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)

The tree that never dies losing out in race for survival

Religious customs played a significant role in conservation of banyans, but population pressure and rising infrastructural needs are harming them in a big wayBetul, Madhya Pradesh: Ramnath Yadav (98) has lost his vision and can no longer walk without support. However, he still remembers his wedding with Mangli Bai Yadav of Harnya village in Betul district of Madhya Pradesh. “My marriage procession travelled to the bride’s place on 10 bullock carts. Our accommodation was arranged under a huge banyan tree standing near her house. Even the bullocks were fed there,” reminisced Ramnath of Lakkadjam panchayat in Betul district.“At that time, transport facilities were not available. Bicycles were the prized possession of a few rich people,” he adds.Banyan [Ficus benghalensis] and sacred fig or peepal [Ficus religiosa] play a significant role in marriage rituals in the state. “My wife passed away 21 years ago. When she was alive, I used to visit Harnya quite often. After a point, that banyan cannot be seen there. Her relatives told me that it had to be removed as the family size grew, and division of land happened. People needed every bit for farming, including the land that was once considered barren,” said Yadav, who now recognises people only by their voice.Ramnath Yadav, who is looking after cows and calves in the house (Photo - Gajendra Yadav, sourced by Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)The religious, ecological and medicinal significance of banyan —India’s national tree — is not lost on the people and government. Nevertheless, it is losing out to population pressure and infrastructural development.Yadav animatedly described the banyans of Lakkadjam. “The humongous Matamai banyan tree in Pandu Yadav’s field was a sight to behold. Performing religious ceremonies and hosting marriage parties under it were common then. In summer, cattle found shelter there. People would make dung cakes there and take them home to light their stoves or sell to brick kilns,” he reminisced. The Matamai banyan temple has a platform on which stones considered auspicious are kept. Women worship the place and offer a prasad of coconut and halwa. Now, a mango tree has replaced the banyan tree once present there. Yadav recalled another banyan tree in nearby Gawlijhira village. “That tree in Amari Yadav’s field was very old and near a river. A fire destroyed it. Where are the big trees now? I am not sure if the present generation will ever be able to see such large trees,” said Yadav. The miracle treeBanyan is one of the 750 species of fig trees that are pollinated only by its own species of wasps that breed inside the figs of their partner trees. It reaches a height up to 30 m and spreads laterally. Aerial roots that develop from its branches descend and entrench in the soil to become new trunks. A single banyan tree may assume the appearance of a dense thicket due to the tangle of roots and trunks over the years. They are the world’s biggest trees in terms of the area they cover. Thanks to their extensive growth, banyan trees sustain many species of birds, fruit bats and other creatures, which in turn disperse the seeds further.Banyan and peepal produce more oxygen than other trees, says RK Dixit, retired sub-divisional forest officer in Madhya Pradesh. “The banyan has thick and wide leaves rich in chlorophyll, due to which it releases larger quantities of oxygen,” Dixit told 101Reporters. Dixit talked about the huge banyan of Kalu Amkheda in Vidisha district that is also a famous religious site. “I have gone there several times. Bhagavad Gita sermons, mass marriages and community feasts are organised under this tree. The branches of this banyan are spread over 800 m, capable of sheltering 5,000 people,” he said, adding that banyans have a lifespan of thousands of years.Dixit also cites its health benefits. “Its wood, leaves, roots and milky latex are used in ayurvedic medicines to treat vata, pitta and kapha disorders. In villages, the latex is applied on wounds and is used to clean eyes,” he said. Banyan is also used to treat diarrhoea, dysentery, leucorrhoea, piles, gum and teeth disorders, lower back and rheumatic pain, female infertility, ear problems, skin and hair woes, nasal troubles, nausea and diabetes.In Madhya Pradesh, which has banyan as its state tree, its leaves are used to dry homemade papads. Wood from these trees is used for religious ceremonies. “In our village, people make disposable plates out of banyan leaves for serving food during community feasts. Traditionally, barbers did this job and when there was a demand, they sold the plates in exchange for grains,” said Ashok Rawat (64), a resident of Basari village in Chhatarpur district.“There is a devi sthan (temple) under the banyan, right at the entrance of our village, but the two large trees inside the village, where people rested and socialised during hot afternoons, are now gone,” said Poojari Yadav of Pat Raiyyat panchayat in Betul district. Poojari reminisced about children playing on the sturdy banyan roots and listening to stories from elders under its shade, all things from the past.Entrance to a park in Madhya Pradesh housing one of the largest Banyan trees in Asia (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)Why are big trees not wanted?"Not only banyan and peepal, but many species like mango, jamun, harra, behera, haldu and mahua are also gradually disappearing from the fields," AK Baronia, a retired state conservator of forests, told 101Reporters. Recalling an instance from 1955, when he accompanied a marriage party to Hoshangabad (Narmadapuram now) that was lodged under a banyan tree, he said the danger to these trees has increased like never before.“Earlier, farming happened as per need and not for sale. But now, with increase in families and division of land, no land can be spared from cultivation. The sprawling lateral branches and roots of the banyan take up precious space as nothing grows under them. The ecological need of these trees is valid, but so is the point of people in whose fields they stand,” Baronia added.Shyamu Singh* of Lakkadjam said there was a banyan tree in his field and a mahua tree next to it. “When mahua fruits dropped, they would get stuck in the broad branches of the banyan. As a result, I had difficulties in collecting it and suffered losses. Though the banyan was on the edge of the field, its branches spread far and wide, due to which no crop grew there. So I set fire under its trunk, and it was gone in two or three attempts. I really had no other option,” he said.To cut any large tree in rural areas, permission has to be taken from the gram panchayat, informed Rajkumar Sinha, an expert in forest laws. “On information from the respective panchayat regarding tree felling without permission, the tehsildar can take action under Section 240 and 241 of the Land Revenue Code. But the majority of the panchayats are still not thinking in the direction of environmental protection,” said Sinha.“There is an age-old belief that deities reside below banyan and peepal trees. I have not seen anyone in the village outrightly cutting down a banyan tree, but definitely seen how it is destroyed slowly. Sometimes the branches are chopped off, sometimes the stems,” said Amarsingh Dhurve, a resident of Lakkadjam.The forest department does not have any data on the number of banyan and peepal trees in the state, but has launched an initiative to plant big trees in new plantations. “Since last year only, we have decided that wherever we take up new plantations, we will plant banyan and peepal saplings. We encourage our field staff to grow these saplings. Our target is to have at least one or two banyan trees in one hectare. There is a plan to increase banyan plantations in city forests as well, as it attracts birds,” Ramesh Kumar Gupta, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Forest Force Chief of Madhya Pradesh, told 101Reporters. “However, people themselves will have to step forward to save the trees on private land or in rural areas. Public awareness is needed to save banyan and peepal and I will raise the issue with higher authorities,” he said. *Name changed to protect identityEdited by Ravleen KaurCover Photo - A huge banyan tree located in village Kalu Amkheda of Vidisha district in Madhya Pradesh (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)

Forest fires threaten the livelihoods of dona-pattal makers in Betul

Once always accessible, the mahur leaves are getting difficult to find in Madhya Pradesh's forests and residents blame forest firesBetul, Madhya Pradesh: Khandu Suhane (56) a resident of Basner Kalan village of Betul district in Madhya Pradesh, inherited from his father the art of making dona-pattal, and he worries that this art is the only thing that he will be able to leave behind for his future generations.“I have spent my life making pattals. Now, my wife, son and daughter-in-law are also involved in this work. We not only sell our products locally but also to some areas in Maharashtra…” he tells 101Reporters.“You hear people saying that dona-pattal is eco-friendly and it is a great alternative to plastic but you never see anyone do anything to promote it or even try to find out the hard work that goes into making it. The orders that we get are also infrequent and when we get them we have to work through the day and night to fulfil it,” he adds.Dona pattal is made from the leaves of all-weather creepers mahur or Bauhinia Vahlii, which thrive in the forests of Madhya Pradesh.“We have to wake up early in the morning to go to the forest to pluck them by hand to ensure that they do not break. In the forest, we are alone, traversing tricky terrain amid fear of wild animals. Crossing through shrubs we often wound ourselves. If the creeper has reached a height with the aid of the tree there is fear of falling and slipping. All of this we have to do no matter what the weather is,” he says.No leaves for this artAccording to Suhane, his family of four can together make 1,000 pattals or 1,000 donas in a day. “The number varies on the availability of leaves. Four to seven leaves are used for the small pattal or dona and six to eight for the big pattal. For 1,000 pattals, I get Rs 1,200 and for 1,000 dona it is somewhere between Rs 400 to 800,” he says. “If the cost of transport and packaging is included we manage to make a profit of Rs 800 on every 1,000 dona-pattal,” he says.Suhane is worried that his marginal profits are also at risk due to increasing difficulty in procuring Bauhinia Vahlii leaves. “The forests are shrinking and the existing ones see frequent fires in the summer due to which leaves are not easily available,” he adds.Mulla Singh Kakodia, from Baghwad says that earlier the leaves were available easily. “You could get ample leaves, even for big orders, nearby,” he says.Bandoli Bai Kakodia along with a young boy (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters) “If the leaves are exhausted in surrounding forests, one has to go to nearby forests like Sawalmendha forest, Jaridhama near Khedisaoligarh, Tahali, Kumhali, Bhimpur forest, Badgaon near Bhainsdehi, Kaneri, Koylari — all about 50-70km away. The cost of travel is not included in our profit,” Suhane adds.According to environment expert Rashid Noor Khan, a resident of Bhopal, forest fires are prevalent in this area during the summer season. After harvesting rabi crops, farmers usually set fire to their fields which ends up spreading in the forest area…”Betul Chief Conservator of Forests Praful Fuljhele explains that instances of forest fires tend to occur during the summer months, prompting efforts by forest department ground staff to contain them. “Given the expansive forested area and challenges associated with round-the-clock monitoring, we also depend on forest committees and social information systems. These tools, while not pre-emptively prevent fires, aid in post-fire reporting and facilitate prompt local responses to control the blaze if you see in comparison  to other districts, Betul has experienced relatively fewer fire incidents.”Regarding the decline in mahur trees — an environmental concern in the area — Fuljhele highlights that their reduction stems not solely from fires but also from the impact of climate change. Talking about the assistance extended to families engaged in eco-friendly pattal-dona production, he says that forest access has never been restricted and will continue to remain unrestricted to the village residents.Need government support“The real work starts once we get the leaves. Sometimes we start working at 5 am and only get up to eat lunch and dinner. There are times when we have worked till 2 to fulfil the orders. I remember stopping only when I could not keep my eyes open and the back pain was getting unbearable. We are not machines, but we work like one…” Suhane tells 101Reporters, adding that they already operate in difficult circumstances and get little support from the government.Baghwad Gram Panchayat consists of Baghwad, Bodi and Pahawadi villages. The population of the panchayat is around 2,500 and the voters are 1,700. Earlier, 50 families used to make pattal dona here. Now only 18 families are engaged in this work.Gram Panchayat Baghwad (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)Mulla Singh Kakodia (65) of Baghwad says, “I learnt this from my father. He used to fetch leaves from the jungles. Later, we started going together. We would pluck leaves and carry them back home on our heads. Then we would sew it to form dona and pattal and that is how I learnt. This is a part of my life now. When the demand comes, I do this work from morning till night. If there are enough leaves, I can make 500 plates from 10 am to 2 pm."“In one year, from 50,000-1 lakh dona pattals are made here,” says Bhadoli Bai Kakodiya (62). “Villagers come to the village and buy and take the products from us. Sometimes we get Rs 500 for 1,000 plates and sometimes we get Rs 700. If we had access to the market, we would have got Rs 1,000 for 1,000 plates, because that is the market rate. But we do not have time to go there. There is also the added cost of going to the market and we don’t know whether we will be able to sell 1,000 in one go.”“Demand has increased in the last year, but we are still earning the same amount as before. If the government is promoting and encouraging then why don’t we get a good price?" Turri Kasdekar of Baghwad along with other villagers have the same question.Manai Kasdekar, a young villager living in Baghwad says, "Making pattal-dona is our ancestral work. We do not get any government help or formal training. Maybe some government help will do us good."“The government has said that single-use plastic is harmful for water, forest and land then why is it not helping us as our product is a good alternative, says Khandu Suhane a resident of Basner Kalan village of Bhaisdehi tehsil of Betul.“If the government wanted to encourage us they would have also provided the leaves to us at low cost like it provides bamboo to the Basor community,” he says. Basor community of Madhya Pradesh area is eligible to procure bamboo from the forest department depot at nominal rates for which cards have been issued by the government. The Basor community is engaged in selling handmade bamboo baskets, winnowing fans, and baskets among others.  Kamla Pandram, Sarpanch of Gram Panchayat Bhagwad says, "Such good work is being done in my panchayat and it is not happening today, but for years. I or the Gram Panchayat never thought in detail about the future of these Pattal-dona makers. I will work in this direction in future. Will talk to senior officers of Betul district. If needed, the collector of the district will be contacted. We will make a proposal regarding the welfare of the villagers who make eco-friendly pattal-dona, and they will get whatever support they can get from the government.Edited by Tanya ShrivastavaCover photo - Mulla Singh Kakodia presenting the Pattal after being stitched (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)

Pushed to the limits, villagers in Betul carve their own road

'Kaccha' carriageway made, people of Chira village now wait for monsoons to get over for the administration to construct a paved road over itBetul, Madhya Pradesh: On the night of July 19, Ramkali Vadive (45) became dizzy with high fever. As her situation worsened, her husband Surajlal Vadive sought help from acquaintances for a vehicle to take her to a nearby hospital. “None could arrive as there is no road for a four-wheeler to reach our house,” recalled Surajlal who stays in Dhobandhana locality of Chira village in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul district. The next day, a friend from nearby Bairagarh village brought a car. Ramkali was carried on a cot to reach the vehicle from where she was taken to the nearby hospital for treatment. “My wife is alright now but this is the situation every time somebody falls sick,” said Surajlal.Gayatri Kavde (10) has to walk two kilometres from Dhobandhana to her school in Chira every day. She had to cross a nullah to reach school. “Sometimes I walk through knee-deep water. When it rains heavily, there was no option but to miss school,” said Kavde. Shivraj Markam (11) goes to a school in Jhirna Batki since the school in Chira is only up to the primary level. “There was no road so I walked through the fields,” he said.Chira is 80 kms from the district headquarters in Betul. Along with Khurda and Bhatki villages, it is part of the Batki Panchayat. Bhatki has a population of 2,500 people who predominantly belong to the Gond tribe. The area falls within the District Panchayat of Bhimpur in Betul.Around 30 families live in Dhobandhana, a population of about 250. Till now, they are not connected to the main road in Chira and that is the main cause of their woes. On June 5 this year, on the occasion of World Environment Day, the Gram Sabha members of Dhobandhana passed a resolution to carve a path for themselves, literally. “People voluntarily decided to give a part of their land for the carriageway,” said Lavkesh Morse (36), who works as a Gram Sabha money mobiliser with Batki Panchayat, under which Chira village falls. While a concrete road will come up only when the district administration officially sanctions it, for now the villagers are happy that there is at least a dedicated carriageway. "It is still a mud path. No vehicles can ply on it. After rainfall, in fact, it is in bad condition but it is still better than nothing. We are all set to officially donate our land. We just want the government to start work on it as soon as possible," said Chagan Marskole, a resident of Dhobandhana.All villagers together after the Gram Sabha meeting held on 5th June (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)The need for a road from Chira to Dobandhana has been felt for 40 years when houses started coming up in this part of the village. “There would be conflicts when people and cattle crossed through the fields. Many a time, police had to be called to resolve it. Ambulances are not able to reach houses in case of illness. Since childhood, I have been seeing people suffering due to the lack of a proper road here,” said Morse."The only way to go to and fro from Chira was through the nullah or the fields. It is especially difficult to bring pregnant women to the Bhimpur Community Health Centre for child delivery. Extra distance had to be covered to bring vehicles through the good roads. It took a lot of time and was risky as well,” said Kalu Marskole (55), Chagan's uncle.People of Chira depend on subsistence farming of maize and paddy during Kharif and collect tendu leaves, mahua and other minor forest produce. Nothing is grown during Rabi as no irrigation facility is available in the village, Chandravati Syamalal Marskole, Sarpanch of Bhatki told 101Reporters. People take up work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme like digging ponds, road construction and making check dams. During summer, they migrate to cities like Indore, Bhopal, Nagpur, Amravati, Pune and Mumbai for manual labour. Despite minimal financial backup, the people of Chira collected Rs 30,000 to hire an earth mower and contributed voluntary labour to level the path. The total length of the final road till Chira would be two kms. Since there are concrete roads in all other localities of the village, the people of Dhobandhana assumed that road construction and land acquisition are the government’s responsibility, said Dhanu Markam (52). “No one explained the process clearly to us till now,” said Markam from whose house the carriageway begins. “Morse explained to us that the government does not acquire land for the construction of village roads, but only national and state highways. He said since this road is for the use of villagers only, only we have to get together and find a solution,” said Babulal Marskole, also a resident. Eight people, including Markam, Chagan Marskole, Kalu Marskole and Babulal Marskole, have agreed to donate a part of their lands for the road, though the total amount of land in question can only be finalised once the road is sanctioned and measured. “A village road is only slightly wider than the footpath. I explained to people that if only so much land is needed, what is the use of relying on the administration? It is only in the last six months that people came on the same page. Talking to people helped strengthen the social fabric of the village,” said Morse. Villagers discussing that the road will pass through the fields of different villagers (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)As of now, people have donated 3-5 feet on either side and we have a 12 feet wide carriageway now that is actively being used by people,” he added. In December 2020, the Panchayat State Directorate of Madhya Pradesh introduced the position of a 'mobiliser' for which Morse is hired with a view to help resolve conflicts and strengthen the Gram Sabha in 89 villages administered under the Panchayat (Extension to Schedule Areas) Act."Now that people have agreed to donate land for the road, this is our priority. As soon as the monsoon ends, we will ask the Revenue Department to measure the exact amount of land needed. The farmers contributing the land will have to give a formal letter confirming the donation of land for the purpose of the road. After which we will send a proposal to the Bhimpur District Panchayat along with relevant documents and begin work as soon as the proposal is approved. The trouble faced by people is genuine. Higher authorities are already aware of the resolution passed by Gram Sabha and we are sure to get the approval soon," said Sarpanch Chandravati Marskole.Edited by Ravleen KaurCover Photo - Villagers discussing after agreeing to give land under the trees in Dhobandhana of Gram Panchayat Batki (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)

Lesson learnt, Madhya Pradesh village shuns stubble burning

After a massive fire triggered by stubble leads to loss of life and property in 2019, Panjara Kalan village adopts early ploughing to prepare the field for the next crop cycle   Narmadapuram, Madhya Pradesh: As the wheat harvest season (March-April) ends, small fires billowing black smoke become a common sight across farmlands in north and central India. The concern of rising particulate matter draws everyone’s attention and the administration sounds alerts and issues orders discouraging stubble burning, but in vain.First Information Reports (FIRs) are registered and forgotten and the same cycle repeats everywhere, except in Panjara Kalan village where farmers have jointly decided to not burn stubble to get the farm ready for the next sowing season.Located in Narmadapuram district of Madhya Pradesh, wisdom dawned on Panjara Kalan by accident. In April 2019, a massive fire triggered by stubble burning engulfed thousands of acres of farmland spread over 30 villages. Four persons, including three from Panjara Kalan, died and 25 others suffered injuries. The fire destroyed crops ready for harvest, motor pumps and agricultural equipment. Farm animals were charred to death. The intensity of the blaze was such that even 50 fire tenders could not extinguish it. Soon after the incident, the village residents decided to never set farm residue on fire. It has been four years and the farmers have kept their promise.“Milch animals chew on stubble. The leftovers get mixed with soil when we plough the fields. This practice enhances the fertility of topsoil as decomposing stubble increases nutrient value,” says Jaiprakash Patel, a farmer and former member of Krishi Upaj Mandi.He says farmers were aware of the ill effects of stubble burning before as well, but did not pay much attention since it helped prepare the land for the next planting season without any extensive manual labour or expensive machinery.While the Green Revolution led to significant increase in crop yields and food production, it also led to the introduction of new crop varieties with shorter growing cycles. That meant farmers had less time to clear and prepare the fields for the next crop. Thus, stubble burning emerged as a quick and cost-effective method to dispose of crop residue.Moong crop in the farms of Panjara Kalan (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)Knowing this well, the district administration always tried to deter farmers by reminding them about the FIRs. But nobody bothered about it. According to farmers, proof of stubble burning is needed to present the challan before court. The government in Punjab uses satellite imaging to track farm fires, but there is no such mechanism in Madhya Pradesh, so there is no accurate system to monitor it in the state. This can be gauged from the fact that the number of FIRs registered for stubble burning is negligible.Farmers are the real force behind Panjara Kalan’s decision to stop the practice. Neither the gram panchayat nor any private organisation played a role in it. The fields anyway have to be ploughed before the next crop is launched, hence no extra cost is involved. The only difference is they do it early now and it will require a little more effort to plough than when it was done after burning the stubble.According to a report of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, 21,157 incidents of stubble burning were reported from January to June this year. April recorded the highest at 16,101, as this is the month when farmers harvest wheat crop and clean their fields for sowing moong crop.According to figures from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute and Madhya Pradesh Farmer Welfare and Agriculture Development Department, 49,482 cases were reported in 2020, with 28,855 reported from January to May alone. In the first five months of 2021, as many as 26,515 cases were reported. From July 2022 to June 2023, 33,122 cases were reported.Under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and as per the instructions of the National Green Tribunal, burning of residues in the fields after harvesting crops, especially paddy and wheat, has been banned in the state. If a farmer burns stubble, it is considered to be a violation of Section 19(1) of the Act.The violator will have to pay environmental compensation or fine amount as per the notification provision for burning weeds or crop residue. Small farmers with less than two acres of land will have to pay a fine of Rs 2,500 per incident. Those with two to five acres will have to pay Rs 5,000 per violation. Farmers having more than five acres will have to pay a fine of Rs 15,000 per incident.RN Sikarwar, Sub-Divisional Agricultural Extension Officer, Narmadapuram block, is happy with the way farmers have raised awareness among themselves. “There was a time when farmers needed to be told repeatedly to not set stubble afire. Even then such incidents did not stop. This effort made in Panjara Kalan will bring more positive results in the coming days,” he says.What Vinod Parsai, Rural Agricultural Extension Officer of Narmadapuram block, found most inspiring was that nearby villages have adopted the Panjara Kala model. “Barodya Khurd, Nimsadiya, Jasalpur, Raipur, Bandrabhan, Raisalpur, Jomwada, Rajodia, Horiyapipar, Kulamdi, Pathodi and Pawarkheda have followed suit. The agriculture department has also been motivating farmers not to set the fields on fire. We conducted kisan khet pathshalas at the panchayat level by involving farmers.”Sanjeev Verma, Senior Agricultural Scientist, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Pawarkheda tells 101Reporters that farmers have worked collectively to prevent fire, and it is time they stepped up their efforts to produce manure from stubble. “The straw mixed with soil from deep ploughing will be converted into manure when it rains. If farmers could use biodigester, stubble will turn into manure within a month's time. In any case, fire should not be lit as it not only affects our health but also reduces production during the next crop cycle,” he says.Panjara Kalan youth Abhishek Barele says the no-fire decision has saved the trees in the village, too. "The trees on the edge of the fields caught fire or their leaves wilted when stubble burning was prevalent here," he says. Sanjay Dewan, a farmer leader of the area, highlights the gains made. Stubble burning releases a significant amount of smoke, particulate matter, and gases such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide and other volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere. These pollutants lead to poor air quality and respiratory health issues.“The release of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide and methane, contributes to global warming and climate change. Stubble burning also removes organic matter from the fields. It can cause soil erosion and reduce its ability to retain moisture, thus influencing agricultural productivity and long-term soil health. It also destroys habitats of beneficial insects, birds and small mammals,” Dewan explains.Besides keeping the promise of not burning stubble, the villagers also have equipped themselves to firefight in case of a calamity. Farmers complain that electric sparks from overhead power lines sometimes trigger fire when it falls on dry husk during the post-harvest season. “We have decided to approach the Madhya Pradesh Madhya Kshetra Vidyut Vitaran Company to find a solution,” says Dilip Kumar, a farmer.“We have a desi fire brigade in place. We installed a motor on a public tank to pump water and can spray it to a certain distance. It kind of works like a fire tender,” says Jaiprakash.In case of a fire, it is controlled with the help of this tanker and pressure pump (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)“The villagers collected around Rs 40,000 to set up a desi fire unit. All farmers have the mobile numbers of sarpanch and secretary, who can be contacted in case of a fire,” says farmer Neelendra Patel.Panjara Kalan sarpanch Raju Choure says if the panchayat’s financial condition is good, it will try to buy a low-cost fire brigade in future.  Edited by Tanya ShrivastavaCover photo - A farmer extinguishing the fire with water pump (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)  

Extreme weather, perpetual migration: The disquieting lives of Gulab Bhaiyas we all know

Climate-induced crop loss makes Gulab Bhaiya, a farmer from Mandla in Madhya Pradesh, to move to cities in search of employment, and he is not the only oneMandla, Madhya Pradesh: Gulab Singh Kurveti (42) alias Gulab Bhaiya is always worried. His daughters are of marriageable age, but he needs money to invest in their future. To make money, he needs a job, which does not exist in his hometown Rampuri. This leaves him with only one option — to migrate to a nearby city and live away from his family so that he can earn enough to save for a rainy day.Ironically, rainy days make it difficult for Gulab Bhaiya to stay in his village in Mohgaon block of tribal-dominated Mandla district. A Scheduled Tribe (ST) member, he has five acres of land at his disposal. “But what is the use? When it should rain, it does not. And when it should not, it pours,” he says.Even otherwise, Gulab Bhaiya manages to produce very little as most of his land is rocky and unsuitable for cultivation. His five-member family consumes the wheat he harvests. View of village Rampuri; It is a village in Gram Panchayat Dhangaon of Mohgaon district in Mandla district with 161 houses and a population of about 700 people. This is where Gulab Bhaiya lives (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)His wheat crop was ready when hailstorms destroyed it in April. Farmers with small plots were particularly affected as they took fertilisers and seeds on loan. With unseasonal rains washing away all the hard work, they were unable to pay back the loan amount.Earlier, Gulab Bhaiya's family considered mahua as its main source of income. Every year, they would go together to gather mahua flowers from the forest floor. Last year, they managed to collect 500 kg of flowers. But this year, they got only 150 kg, all thanks to the climate vagaries.Gulab Bhaiya remembers mahua was priced at Rs 5 per kg in 1995-2000. Now, he can earn Rs 30 per kg, provided the weather cooperates. “Back then, inflation was low and the family small. I could work for a while outside and then come home by the time kharif crops ripened. We used to extract oil from mahua gulli (seed) for our cooking needs and sell the rest in the market… In summer, we would pick tendu pattas and medicinal herbs. We harvested harr (inknut) in May and June. From forest produce alone, we could make anywhere between Rs 35,000 and 50,000,” he says.All that has changed. “We do not bank on mahua gulli or tendu patta anymore. Unseasonal rains have spoiled everything. Mahua trees do not bloom in erratic weather. If flowers do not come out well, then gulli is also not good. This year, mahua trees did not bloom well. In April, hail spoiled tendu patta also,” he adds.Mahua season begins in April and ends by mid-May. If the collection is not good during this limited window, people lose a source of income.  Leaving hearth and home  Gulab Bhaiya’s problems are compounded by the fact that even farm labour is not available in the village, which has 161 households. “There is no work here… We have to leave the village again and again,” he laments.Gulab Bhaiya alias Gulab Singh Kurveti, a resident of village Rampuri in Gram Panchayat Dhangaon of Mohgaon district of Mandla district, has an unfinished paved house (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)So, he heads out every year to Nagpur, Narsinghpur and Jabalpur, leaving behind his two daughters. His wife Hirondi Bai and son Govind also work in different cities over the course of the year.  “If I had an option, I would never leave. Who does not like his home? I also want to live in my village, be a part of the culture and traditions, family events, and marriages or other celebrations in the houses of friends. But it seems that life is not for me,” he exclaims.Right now, Gulab Bhaiya is in Pipariya village of Jabalpur, located 125 km from Rampuri. His wife and daughter Jamna have accompanied him this time. “We are harvesting mung (green gram). The sun is so harsh here… If we had a choice, we would not have worked in these conditions,” he rues.“We are never in our village. It is difficult to travel back and forth as there is no proper connectivity. That apart, we do not earn enough to afford frequent visits. If we take a bus, we will reach Rampuri in four to five hours. The day we travel we lose the earnings too.”  One of his daughters quit school after class 8 and the other after class 10. They both find work in and around the village. “If we had more money, I would have made my daughters study further. Now, they only have the option of becoming labourers… So if they wish, I take them along. This time, Jamna has accompanied me. Ganga is at home with her grandparents and they will look after our home,” Gulab Bhaiya says.Gulab's daughter Ganga cleaning the house (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)Govind, who is about to turn 20, has been home since last month as he is in the process of switching jobs. “I worked in a factory manufacturing electric poles in Nanded, Maharashtra. The contractor used to provide food and accommodation. I was paid Rs 10,000 a month, but it was hard to survive on that income. I am looking for a job elsewhere. As soon as I get it, I will leave the village,” says Govind.Gulab Bhaiya also sees work in cities or towns as an opportunity to make extra cash. His eyes are always set on that extra savings, which could help fund his daughters’ marriages.“In cities, you can find work day and night. Working extra means extra money. The rate is Rs 400 to Rs 500 a day and you will get it on time. In villages, the maximum is Rs 300 a day. Despite being familiar with the people, there is no option of getting money in advance too. All these things make one opt for a city or town,” he explains. Future impactMandla district has 1,203 villages. The ST households with income below the poverty line is a whopping 93.5%. The work participation rate of women among STs is 54.7%. Like in Mandla, most families in other tribal dominated districts such as Chhindwara, Betul, Seoni and Dindori migrate for work. It was prevalent earlier also due to lack of proper resources and opportunities in villages. "However, climate change has accelerated it, forcing more family members to leave," Dr Subhash C Pandey, an environmentalist and former executive vice-chairperson of the Haryana Pond and Waste Water Management Authority, tells 101Reporters."This has an adverse impact on other social indicators as well. For example, many people take their children to cities, where they mostly live in shanties and construction sites. The children are at risk of getting involved in anti-social activities there. The situation is similar if they are left behind in villages as there is nobody to keep a check on their emotional, nutritional and educational requirements," explains Rajkumar Sinha, the convenor of the struggle committee on the proposed Chutka nuclear power plant project and activist working for the tribals of Mandla, Jabalpur and Dindori districts.The children neither go to school regularly nor study at home. Taking note of the issue, the state education department issued an order in April, directing teachers to enrol dropouts by conducting house visits, among other measures.“Climate change is disrupting the traditional monsoon patterns in India, leading to irregular and unpredictable rainfall. This affects the timing of planting and harvesting. Water availability for irrigation has reduced, while risk of droughts and floods has increased. Farmers also face issues in deciding when to sow, and often experience crop failures due to inadequate or excessive rainfall,” explains Pandey.He says rising temperatures associated with climate change have adverse effects on crop growth and productivity. High temperatures during the growing season can lead to heat stress in plants, reduce photosynthesis and impair crop development. This can lower crop yields and quality, affecting the income and food security of farming communities. Higher temperatures also lead to increased evaporation rates, drying up of water sources and reduced availability of water for irrigation.  Gulab Bhaiya has faced all these and more, but does not know what to do other than going all out in search of employment. “If someone wishes to go outside for work, it is their choice. But for us, there is no choice over when to leave, where to go or when to come back. By the way, no one wants to leave the village. I do not want to go either.”Edited by Tanya ShrivastavaCover Photo - Old dilapidated house of Gulab Bhaiya alias Gulab Singh Kurveti, a resident of village Rampuri in Gram Panchayat Dhangaon of Mohgaon district of Mandla district (Photo - Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)

Women switch back to cloth use as Project Udita fades out

Poor government patronage and the increased price of sanitary pads following COVID-19 lockdown put Madhya Pradesh scheme to ensure menstrual hygiene on the back burner  Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh: Chanda* of Chimka Tola in Mandla skips school for four days in a month citing one reason or the other. A student of class 11, she is restless when she menstruates. The cloth piece that she uses these days adds to the irritability. When the state government’s Project Udita was up and running, things were much easier for adolescents like her.   “Walking to school is a problem. The constant rubbing of the cloth piece with the skin can cause rashes, followed by itching and burning sensation. It should be changed frequently, but is also difficult to wash and dry. I do not feel like studying. In fact, the first two days are mostly spent sleeping,” said Chanda.Launched by the Women and Child Development Department in 2016, Project Udita offered a pack of six sanitary pads through anganwadi centres. It also sensitised women on the need to maintain menstrual hygiene, which made Chanda and others switch to sanitary pads.Some centres sold the pack for Rs 12, while others priced it at Rs 15. As there was no government-fixed price, the vendors took the liberty to tweak prices after considering the cost of travel to a given village from the district headquarters. Yet, the low rates of sanitary pads were helpful for village women and adolescents who mostly depend on the nominal income of their husbands or fathers. Sanitary pads are priced upward from Rs 35 per pack in shops, whereas good quality products cost anywhere between Rs 60 and 100.Initially, the department helped coordinate the supply from pad-making agencies to anganwadi centres at the lowest possible price. Later, the agencies and anganwadis started dealing directly with each other. Vendors sell pads to distributors, who then get it to the centres through a commission-based channel. Anganwadi workers made the payments before or after the sales, as per the agreement they made with the vendor. However, this system did not work well in all centres. In a tweet in April 2016, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had claimed that special corners were set up in 22,000 anganwadis under Project Udita. In reality, only banners and posters provided by the government for the scheme’s publicity adorn such corners. Forget villages, even anganwadis in cities do not have fully functional corners.  There was no government allocation to buy pads or install pad vending machines. The scheme envisaged installation of vending machines by the Women and Child Development Department, after taking help from private companies, NGOs and donors. But that too did not take off. Only very few centres got the machines under Corporate Social Responsibility activities of some companies.An empty sanitary pad vending machine at an Anganwadi center in Bhopal. It is too expensive now to restock, a worker there says (Photo sourced by Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters) As a result, Project Udita came to an abrupt end in the early days of the COVID-19 spread, thereby forcing women and girls to return to cloth use. “There is no risk of leakage or no issue in moving around when using sanitary pads. Moreover, it lasts for more time than the cloth piece, which has to be changed twice or thrice a day. We are not allowed to wash the cloth in the area where men take baths. Washing in the open is another problem. Sun drying of the cloth is also difficult as male members of the family should not see it,” said Chanda.Poor recordAccording to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4), 2015-16, rural Madhya Pradesh ranks worst in the country in menstrual health management, with only 26.4% women between the ages of 15 and 24 adopting hygienic practices.A survey conducted in 2018 by Bhagidari Foundation on the menstrual behaviour of adolescent girls and women found that 88% women use cloth pieces during menstruation, while the rest use sanitary pads. As much as 42% of the surveyed women use the same cloth many times, while 29% use dirty cloth.According to Bhopal-based Dr RK Badve, women who do not use sanitary napkins during menstruation are at 70% higher risk of contracting reproductive tract infection. White discharge, itching, burning sensation, swelling in the uterus and frequent urge to urinate can be other fallouts. If not taken care of, the infection can reach vagina and enter the umbilical cord. The possibility of bacteria reaching the vagina or urinary tract increases through defecation.Rachna Dhingra, women's rights activist and member of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action, said there was a need to create awareness in rural areas about menstrual hygiene. “Village women and girls use the same cloth for a long time and do not wash and dry it properly, which can lead to many diseases.”Maya Vishwakarma, along with other teachers of a Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Narsinghpur, provide information related to menstruation and hygiene (Photo sourced by Pooja Yadav, 101Reporters)Nobody has an answerIf handling sanitary pads were much easier, why was its supply stopped? Ask anyone, and the standard reply is “they stopped coming”. An Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) supervisor from Betul district told 101Reporters that sometimes the demand was so high that they had to make calls for distribution of more pads. “Even in rural areas, most adolescent girls and women started using pads after Project Udita was launched. Now, it is back to square one.”An anganwadi worker from Narmadapuram district confirmed that the pads costing Rs 12 were much sought-after. Another from Narayanganj in Mandla said she used to order as many pads as she thought would be necessary after gauging the demand. “We were told to buy for Rs 60 the sanitary pads that were earlier available at Rs 12. As women cannot afford it, we stopped giving orders,” said another worker.Along with lack of demand for sanitary pads, an anganwadi worker in Kilol Park area of Bhopal had to deal with the problem of rats. “The special corner has proved to be very popular here. In January last year, we had to close it down for two months as rats gnawed the pads stored there. As there was no scope of government help, I had to bear the cost of these unsold pads and pay the price to the vendor,” she told 101Reporters on condition of anonymity.  She usually bought sanitary pads by keeping aside a part of her honorarium of Rs 10,000 and adjusted the amount later when buyers gave money. That had to be stopped as her honorarium was not paid for a few months. She has again started receiving the monthly pay on time now, but has no plans to buy pads as keeping them safe from rats is a big task. The pad-making units do not manufacture dispensing units.Sukarma Foundation chairperson Maya Vishwakarma, better known as ‘Padwoman of India’, told 101Reporters that Project Udita has remained only on paper. “In anganwadi centres, women did not get pads free of cost. Only a few centres, that too mostly in cities, had special corners. The pads can be cheaper, but 18% Goods and Services Tax (GST) is charged on the raw material. In such a situation, how can anyone supply pads at low rates? If anyone still manages to sell cheap, its quality may not be good,” she said.Emphasising the need to provide concession, she added, “No government can distribute sanitary pads free of cost, it should not either. Rather, it should reduce the production cost by giving a GST exemption.”Despite repeated attempts, officials in the Women and Child Development Department were not ready to divulge any information regarding Project Udita. On condition of anonymity, one of them told 101Reporters that not a single rupee was allocated for the scheme.“The government says sanitary pads should be made available to women. From where and how will anganwadis get it done? We do not have an answer when anganwadi workers put forth these questions. Earlier, it could be made available at low rates. Now, the cost of raw materials and production charges have increased. How can any vendor make it available for Rs 12 or 15?”Meanwhile, Shashi Shyam Uike, Joint Director, Women and Child Development Department, Jabalpur Division, told 101Reporters that pads were being made available in the anganwadi centres in his division. “We will take necessary steps if they are not available in any anganwadi.” Irony is that Mandla falls under Jabalpur division and girls like Chanda are yet to see a renewed supply of sanitary pads. * Name changed to protect privacyEdited by Rekha PulinnoliCover photo - For representational purposes only (Photo - Flickr/picturesbypriyesh)