Panchayat in MP proposes new Central Vista-like office; higher-ups say 'no'

The village of Hirankheda is determined to get its new panchayat office designed on its own terms. It plans to fight Zila Parishad's decision to not approve its Central Vista-inspired design.  Bhopal: The panchayat in the village of Hirankheda, Seoni Malwa block, in Madhya Pradesh's Hoshangabad district, has found itself at odds with the Janpad and Zila Panchayat offices after their revamped plan for the new Panchayat Bhawan in the village was ignored. With their current panchayat office too small, the gram sabha in Hirankheda decided to improve on it and had passed a resolution on June 15 to build their new panchayat office in the image of Central Vista, the new Parliament complex under construction in New Delhi. However, officials in the Panchayat and Rural Development Department in the state have refused to approve the design, citing a constraint of time. With the intent of providing more work during the pandemic at the village level, the department had ordered the construction of panchayat offices where needed. The department had shared a standard architectural plan, which the panchayat said doesn't meet their needs. The panchayat officials even tried to reach out to the Principal Secretary of the department, Umakant Umarao, but haven't received a response. 101Reporters too made repeated attempts to reach him but he did not respond to the phone calls and messages sent to him. Hirankhedi is the biggest village in the area with a population of 3,800. Sarpanch Mahesh Parihar said, "To pass any resolution at the gram sabha, a minimum quorum of 10% is required. So the panchayat office should have the capacity to accommodate at least 380 people in the meeting hall," he said. The government-sanction design is too small to accommodate that many people. Moreover, given the pandemic, there should be enough space to maintain social distancing norms during the meetings, Parihar added. The young panchayat, whose members are mostly in their early to mid-30s, is raring to change the face of the village, said Panch Ashutosh Litoria (28). Part of this effort is a modern and eye-catching panchayat bhawan with facilities that can cater to all the needs of the residents. Apart from being used a few times a year to hold gram sabha meetings, which is the primary function, they would also like the new building to serve as a community space that can host official and social events. Model for the new panchayat office, designed by a local architect (Picture sourced by Shahroz Afridi)They had consulted with an architect, Eng Abhishek Rajput, who is from the neighbouring village of Ratwada and a friend of Litoria's, to create a design inspired by Central Vista while also being able to support the better functioning of the gram panchayat. Eng Rajput said he was inspired by the Central Vista and wanted to design a building that will instil a feeling of pride among the villagers. "The official design has only one floor but I planned a mezzanine in order to increase the capacity of the building. So instead of 60 people, this building can accommodate 150. This is still not enough but we are limited by the area of the plot. I have also designed one room for the sarpanch, one for the sachiv (panchayat secretary), a computer room and two storerooms."  Though the Hirankhedi panchayat submitted this design to the Janpad Panchayat office four months ago and have since then been pursuing them to grant permission to go ahead, they haven’t received any word of approval. On the contrary, in order to get the construction started, some Janpad Panchayat officials had arrived in Hirankheda in the first week of July to demarcate the land in accordance with the original design. But they were prevented from doing so by the panchayat. The incident has left the villagers incensed that the higher-ups simply chose to ignore the resolution passed by the gram sabha a few days earlier and impose their own plans. (Top) The Gram Sabha meeting on June 15 that passed the resolution approving the Central Vista-inspired design for their new Panchayat Bhawan. (Below) Officials from the Janpad Panchayat office arrive a few days later to demarcate the plot according to the old, government-sanctioned plan (Pictures sourced by Shahroz Afridi) Durgesh Kumar Bhumarkar, CEO Janpad Panchayat, Seoni Malwa, said, “We have a design that is approved by the Zila Panchayat office and other higher authorities. However, the Sarpanch and Panchs submitted their drawings a few days ago which I have sent to the Zila Panchayat office.”  However, the CEO of the Hoshangabad Zila Panchayat, Manoj Sariyam, was unequivocal about the matter. He said that the people of Hirankhedi were indulging in ‘netagiri’ (political tactics). “If government funds are being used to construct the panchayat bhawan then it will be built according to the design given by the government and not of the gram sabha,” he said. “Let them build their panchayat bhawan with their own money if they want to go by their own design.”    But the village is determined to not allow the bureaucracy to force its design on the gram sabha. Activist and a resident of Hirankhedi, Rakesh Malviya defends it as the fundamental right given to the village panchayat. “The Gram Sabha is the basic unit of democracy. Any decision taken by the village panchayat is binding on all higher officials. In this case, the village panchayat has taken the decision unanimously. It is beyond comprehension as to why higher officials want to impose their plans on us. This is unconstitutional,” he told 101Reporters. He resented the Zila Panchayat CEO’s comment about ‘government money’. “It is our money. We will move to the court if they do not follow the resolution passed by our gram sabha,” Malviya added. The cost of the new panchayat bhawan has been estimated at Rs 22 lakh, two lakhs over the budget allocated by the department. Parihar said they will be able to meet this excess with the panchayat funds and, in any case, the officials of the panchayat department had unofficially told him that the department would be able to stretch the budget by this amount without much fuss. Eng Rajput too said that he had met with the Panchayat and Rural Development Minister, Mahendra Singh Sisodia, who admired the design and has assured to look into the matter.(From left) Sarpanch Mahesh Parihar, Panch Ashutosh Litoria, and activist and resident of Hirankhedi, Rakesh Malviya (Picture arranged by Shahroz Afridi) “The people of this village are quite aware of their rights,” said Amit Sadh, who is a member of Janpad Panchayat Seoni Malwa, and has been campaigning on behalf of the panchayat to get the plan approved. It’s worth noting that the panchayat received an award from the state government, a cash prize of Rs 6 lakhs, for electing all its 20 members unopposed. Many state governments incentivise panchayats that get elected unopposed because it is believed that this fosters unity and signals the ability of the gram sabha to work together to reach a consensus.

Messages in rhyme on vaccination 'drives'

Trucks plying the highways of Madhya Pradesh are now sporting shayaris that spread awareness on COVID-19 and vaccinations. Bhopal: They tickle your funny bone but they also send a message. Reading shero-shayari (couplets) written on passing trucks is a staple Indian highway experience. Besides sharing the humour and pain about life on the road, they often highlight matters of social relevance like family planning and liquor prohibition. To tap into this trucker tradition and channel it towards creating awareness about COVID-19 and vaccination drives, an initiative was launched by Bhopal-based NGO Search and Research Development Society, in association with the National Council for Science and Technology which is a government body under the Department of Science and Technology.  "Reading witty and humorous slogans on trucks and buses is a favourite time pass for many people. Moreover, messages on trucks travel around the state and others replicate it too," said Monika Jain, Chairperson of the society. This NGO conducted a two-day campaign in which slogans about vaccination drives were painted on or tied to about 200 trucks, carrier autos, milk supply vans and other loading vehicles. The teams camped out at toll plazas, enticing drivers to lend valuable mobile advertising space for these public health messages. Drivers were asked to select their favourite message from a chart having over two dozen choices.Many popular sayings were taken and given a Covid twist. ‘Teeka lagwaoge to baar baar milenge. Laparwahi karoge to Haridwar me milenge,' (If you get vaccinated, we will meet often; If you disregard it, we will meet in Haridwar) goes a catchy message. Mukul, a team member who was painting these slogans onto vehicles, replaced Haridwar with Narmada Ghat. "In Madhya Pradesh, people prefer to perform the last rites at the holy Narmada river than going to Haridwar," he said, with a twinkle. "Normally, shero-shayaris are merely for entertainment. But I am writing these to save the country, to save people from the pandemic," he said, seriously. "People will read it and the wise follow it too." Another improvisation was done on the popular and rousing rhyme, ‘Chalti hai gaadi udti hai dhool. Jalte hai dushman khilte hai phool' (The vehicle moves, raising dust. Competitors are envious but flowers bloom). The new second line now reminds people that not getting vaccinated is a big mistake (‘Vaccine lagwa lo warna hogi badi bhool').  Bhopal district's Assistant Nodal Officer for awareness against COVID-19, Akhilesh Chaturvedi, said, "We chose a toll plaza for this purpose and approached passing truck drivers. We were surprised to see that most of the drivers agreed gladly." Another cheeky line goes, ‘Hans mat pagli, pyar ho jayega, teeka lagwa le, corona haar jayega’  (Don't laugh, you crazy girl. I might fall in love. Get the vaccine and defeat the coronavirus).Sunil Patidar, a driver, said that this would be his contribution to the nation - encouraging people to participate in the vaccination drive. "As these vehicles keep moving in urban and rural areas, people can easily get to see these messages written on them," he said.A top favourite among the drivers was the saying ‘Buri nazar wale tera mooh kala’ which is now appended with 'Achha hota hai vaccine lagwane wala.’ (The message curses those with an evil eye and praises those who get vaccinated). ‘Dekho magar pyar se. Corona darta hai vaccine ki maar se’ (Look, but with love. The coronavirus is scared of the impact of vaccine) (Picture courtesy: Shahroz Afridi)‘Malik ka paisa, driver ka pasina. Corona ka teeka, bach gayi haseena’ (The owner's money and the driver's sweat. A vaccine with save the beautiful girl) (Picture courtesy: Shahroz Afridi)‘Mask aur vaccine se hai apni yaari. Kyonki apni sawari jaan se pyari’ (We love masks and vaccines. We love our vehicles more than our lives) (Picture courtesy: Shahroz Afridi)‘Chhodo afhayein, lagwao vaccine. Bhagega corona zindagi hogi haseen’ (Ignore rumours, take the vaccine. The coronavirus will run and life will be beautiful) (Picture courtesy: Shahroz Afridi)‘Corona se sawdhani hati, to samjho sabzi pudi bati’ (If you aren't careful about the coronavirus, prepare to distribute a funeral feast) (Picture courtesy: Shahroz Afridi)'Malik tho mahaan hai, chamchon see pareshaan hai. Corona see bacchne ka, teeka hi samdhaan hai' (The owner is great, he is troubled by his minions. Vaccines are the only way to save yourself from the coronavirus) (Picture courtesy: Shahroz Afridi)

How a tribal village in Damoh fought for its land and rejuvenated it

Phular rallied under the Forest Rights Act to secure over 200 hectares of land for its residents. And then, through shramdaan, they went about making it bountiful.  Damoh: Even a decade ago, the villagers of Phular in Damoh district of Madhya Pradesh had no claim on the lands that they had lived in for generations. They lived under the constant fear of government officials destroying their crops or asking them to vacate these lands. The aridity and limited prospects of agriculture further compounded their poverty. Chandravati Gaund, who lives in Phular said, “We had to borrow atta (wheat flour) from the neighbours to feed guests who would come by rarely.” Else, the nondescript village with 92 houses and 975 people — home to the Gond tribe — survived on kodo-kutki (a raw variety of rice) and barley.  Things changed drastically after 2006 when the people’s movement, Ekta Parishad, made inroads into the hamlet. They helped the residents understand their claim to the land. Parishad’s founding member and a proponent of Gandhian ideals, PV Rajagopal, started the stir to pressure the Union government to implement the Forest Rights Act (FRA). It was passed in 2006 to “recognise the forest rights and occupation in the forest land of the Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers…”  A march to rememberA year after FRA’s birth, Rajagopal helmed the Janadesh Yatra to better inform the people about the rights granted by the FRA. About 25,000 people participated in the Yatra, marching from Gwalior to Delhi to make a statement. This included 325 people from Phular and its neighbouring village, Jabera, whose residents had also long lived in fear. “Government officials asked us to vacate the lands on many occasions. We were helpless until members of the Ekta Parishad intervened. They told us that this land was ours,” said Ghanshyam Prasad, convener of Manav Jeevan Vikas Samiti and a resident of Jabera.  Prasad, along with Ekta Parishad, passed on this information to other villagers. The awareness sessions boosted their confidence, which was further bolstered by the Union government’s promise to implement the FRA with immediate effect.  The process of reclaiming land under FRA started in 2009 with 90 families submitting the required forms. Of these, 45 claims were rejected. The beginning of the reclamation process was marred with such incidents of rejection and general confusion over the paperwork. Most villagers did not know where to get the forms, which ones to fill and where to submit them, besides the other formalities they needed to go through to claim their land. Ghanshyam Prasad (top left) worked for eight years, helping families in the village file their claims under the FRA. Vimla Bahin (top right) is one of the leaders of the village who valiantly resisted government efforts to usurp lands and, later on, rallied the women to help chart and build the ponds (Pictures courtesy Shahroz Afridi) Prasad and his team stepped in to assist the people. They relentlessly trudged through the bureaucratic quagmire till 2017 and helped 128 families (out of the 162) claim their rights. As a result, 221.118 hectares of land have been claimed. And, the contrast to the situation from a decade ago is stark. “Before 2007, only 30-40 families owned agricultural fields,” said Gopal Kurmi, Panchayat Sachiv, a ground-level state employee responsible for implementing all the government schemes under the Panchayat and Rural Development Department.  Turning barren land fertileThe successful fight to reclaim their land raised the morale of villagers. There was an urge to do more with this land, utilise it more efficiently. The native landowners were only too aware of how Damoh’s acute water shortage was limiting their traditional means of agriculture. Thus, it was imperative to find solutions to improve these circumstances.  The residents of Phular had networked with water experts during the Janadesh Yatra of 2009 who had recounted the many benefits of creating small water structures and practising rainwater harvesting. Upon returning to their hamlet, the villagers levelled the fields, created small ponds, and constructed boundaries to catch rainwater.  Vimla Bahin, who has been the unsung guardian of Phular — for she had constantly resisted the government efforts to usurp their lands before FRA came into force — took the lead among the women in charting and creating these water bodies. “A member from each family would donate labour to develop small ponds in the low lying places,” said Amar Singh Gound who played a crucial role in identifying sites for making ponds and gathering the village folk for shramdaan. This slowly changed the face of Phular. By 2011, there were dozens of such structures, and farmers realised that their agricultural produce had increased, along with their groundwater table.Amar Singh Gound played a vital role in identifying sites for ponds and gathering villagers to donate their labour (Picture courtesy: Shahroz Afridi)Amar Singh Gound added that earlier, one farmer had an average production of 30-40 quintals of grains. It is now at least 70 quintals per farmer. “At present, every farmer has a reserve of 8-10 quintal of grains at his home,” said Sone Singh Gaund, a farmer. He has seen veritable growth on his land. His crop inventory now includes onion, brinjal (eggplant) and tomatoes. The kharif crops include wheat, channa (chickpeas), and masoor (lentils) and rabi crops include rice, makka (corn), jowar (sorghum), bajra (pearl millets), moong (pulses), arhar (yellow split pigeon peas) or urad (black gram).  The water catchment has created the scope for farming all year round. It has helped many of the villagers stay home, rather than go to places like Delhi, Punjab, Guna and Ashoknagar in search of labour opportunities. “This is a dry area. Agriculture was completely dependent on natural rains,” said Kurmi, the Panchayat Sachiv. The villagers, he added, used to migrate to bigger cities in September-October and return in June when the skies promised rains. But now, they stay and plant crops throughout the year.  Apart from the bustling agriculture at Phular, many people continue their traditional activities of collecting forest produce and maintaining livestock.This article is a part of 101Reporters' series on The Promise Of Commons. In this series, we explore how judicious management of shared public resources can help the ecosystem as well as the communities inhabiting it.