tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-103464082024-03-06T07:57:17.226+05:30Grassroots work, advocacy and decoding the rhetoric Musings on my work, current events etc. as I continue to re-educate myself and (hopefully) contribute to changing our unequal worldN. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-54105724505725311592019-09-11T12:35:00.000+05:302019-09-11T12:35:49.076+05:30Time flies, thankfully with some publications<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's been more than two years since I last posted here! Can't believe how bad I have been about this. Well, before I start blogging again (after yet another hiatus), let me record some publications (yay!) over the last couple of years. It's a small list, but will hopefully grow:<br />
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1. Citizen Matters republished my open letter on mob violence: http://bengaluru.citizenmatters.in/lawyers-human-rights-bangalore-20029<br />
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2. I finally managed to write an article on how the ban on cow slaughter is playing out in UP, thanks to nudging by Richa K:<br />
https://thewire.in/agriculture/gau-raksha-bovine-economy-agricultural-produce<br />
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3. We finally (!) published a paper on our research in Bangalore on referrals of women for obstetric care. Many of these referrals happened after the onset of labour - imagine traveling through Bangalore in an auto rickshaw at such a time! And yet it has been experienced by many women. The paper can be found here:<br />
http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2019;volume=8;issue=7;spage=2378;epage=2383;aulast=Nagavarapu<br />
Thanks to Varsha for making this happen!<br />
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I am going to re-start blogging - hopefully with some readers!</div>
N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-59537939446106347052017-07-17T10:56:00.001+05:302017-07-17T11:04:02.268+05:30In the Age of Indiscriminate Violence - an Open Letter <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>This past Saturday, I was on my way to a workshop 'In My Name - Open Letters in the Park' organized by the Fearless Collective, when I became a witness to an incident of violence and joined others in resisting it. Unlikely coincidence or a sign of our times? I feel that this incident can best be described through the Open Letter I wrote later at the workshop.</i></div>
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15th July, 2017<br />
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<b>Open letter to the lawyers who thrashed a motorist at Cubbon Park this morning</b><br />
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Dear Advocates, <br />
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I don't know you and you don't know me. Our paths crossed coincidentally this morning when I entered Cubbon Park at the Hudson Circle gate (near the High Court) on my way to a meetup. A policeman was arguing with a motorist who had left his car in a wrong spot. You were outraged at the motorist's language and yelled at him – he yelled back. The argument quickly escalated into violence and you started raining blows on him. One of you kept hitting the motorist on his head with your helmet. The ladies in his car got out screaming and begged you to stop. Bystanders, the policeman and park security guards tried to intervene. I also stepped in when you refused to back down. </div>
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The motorist, now roughed up, was terrified and tried to get into his car but you stopped him, even reaching into the car when he had turned on the ignition and shaking him. But somehow we were able to get you to back off and let him and his family leave.</div>
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Then, you turned on a fellow advocate who might have filmed the incident. “You are casteist - why are you being casteist?” you screamed. One of you added “How could you support a Muslim?”. The motorist was visibly Muslim.</div>
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Was that your excuse for being so brutal? If you hadn't been stopped, the motorist would have ended up in hospital or worse. He shouldn't have left his car where he did, but is that now a crime that warrants mob justice? You are the lawyers, you should know. Or do you think that you are so above the law that you can get away with anything? The policeman at the park later told me that he hated this posting – many lawyers don't wear helmets, violate traffic laws with abandon and worse. And he is helpless. He reminded me of the lawyers who had rioted last year, right here.</div>
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Your colleagues in misdeeds beat up Kanhaiya Kumar in court premises, attacked activists in Bastar and elsewhere and have rioted with impunity. Today the word 'goonda' is as much associated with bad lawyers as the words 'greedy' and 'inhuman'. Can anyone take you on?</div>
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But we will have to challenge you and others who are ready to instigate violence at the drop of a hat (or a robe). I am also thankful - I had wondered how such incident would play out in Bangalore and if I could be brave when alone, in the absence of my friends and comrades. On both counts I am satisfied, at least a little.<br />
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Of course, wouldn't it be great if you and your ilk could just behave like decent human beings???<br />
<br />
A concerned citizen. </div>
N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-26454934899052401422017-07-17T10:28:00.003+05:302017-07-17T10:33:00.444+05:30A shameful national policy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>A post from Facebook dated June 20th. I had posted this after a man was beaten to death in Rajasthan for protesting photos being taken of the women in his family defecating in public. Jan Swasthya Abhiyan's press release on the incident can be found <a href="http://phmindia.org/2017/06/19/press-release-jsa-demands-an-end-to-vigilantism-in-the-name-of-the-swachh-bharat-abhiyan/" target="_blank">here</a> .</i> <br />
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The 'naming and shaming' tactics being used in Swatch Bharat Abhiyan (SBA) are taking Indian polity to a new low. Whistling at defecating women is now common. Recently, when activists went to meet the District Magistrate in Sitapur to ask her to help protect their village from submergence (by the Sharada river) this monsoon, she asked them what they were doing to help SBA. Any and all tactics, including murder, are being used to bring down open defecation.<br />
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For those who might say - 'Well, what else can be done? The only way left to make people use toilets is to shame them' I ask, who is getting shamed? Again, it is the women. Most men couldn't care less if you photograph them peeing in public - maybe they'll even pose for you. And let's not forget Ravinder, who was beaten to death for objecting to this right in the nation's capital.<br />
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I don't think any woman would object to having a convenient toilet to use - poor women spend their lifetime trying to manage their urination, defecation and menstruation in horrific conditions. But do they own space to build a toilet and have sufficient water to maintain it? Who is going to clean it? And how do they convince their menfolk that it is necessary? I know women who have fought battles with their families and are doing whatever it takes to keep their toilets working - not every woman can do that. There are solutions, but very few governments have been able to make them work at a large scale. Instead, they are choosing vigilantism, a cheap and expedient method for them but one that is having a devastating impact on society at large.</div>
N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-57908851872451667632017-03-28T12:35:00.000+05:302017-07-17T10:32:42.132+05:30On cattle protection and protein deprivation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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While preparing for a larger survey this February in Sitapur, we were recording background information as well as the weights of all members of 20 families in Madhubana, an active sangathan village. Prakash, a senior Saathi, was in charge of this task. He came by later looking a bit upset – 'कोई मेहरूआ ४० किलो से ऊपर हो तो बताना' translating roughly to 'Do let me know if you find any woman weighing more than 40 kg?'. <br />
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We all know – anyone in this country who is willing to look into it knows - that the nutrition status of our people is grim. For those wading into nutrition research, the questions and debates are mind-boggling. Are people eating less today than 40 years ago because they have less or because they don't need as much (due to less physical activity)? Are the new demands on the food budget the cause for lower consumption? And what are these ideas and constructs of nutrition and height-weight charts anyway – aren't they just the legacy of colonial mindsets? And then are the lovers of technical solutions – wheat fortification is needed to reduce iron deficiencies, ready-to-use therapeutic foods are the answer and so on. One point almost everyone agrees with – the population as a whole is not getting enough proteins or micronutrients. More recent research is looking at diet diversity as a necessary factor for good nutrition - that is, the more types of foods you eat in each food group, the better your body can absorb essential nutrients. Another point that a small, but growing, group emphasizes is food security – there is a better chance of consuming certain foods if people grow rather than purchase them. <br />
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I have been hearing about the various grains, pulses, oilseeds and uncultivated greens that people used to eat in this region from elders ever since we started our millet-based mixed cropping initiative. In recent discussions, I realized that the landless labourers and marginal landholders had rarely eaten wheat or potatoes 40 years ago, and they were better off for it. Because most people practiced rainfed farming, there were a lot more pulses available – I heard about urad ki roti, moth ka sattu etc. <br />
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We are promoting pulses in our millet-based mixed cropping initiative, but the challenges of growing them are daunting. With the big farmers switching mostly to sugarcane, any grain or pulse is a magnet for animals. 3-4 years ago, we'd hear about the menace of nilgai (a wild deer) – how hordes of them would converge and reduce a standing crop to nothing in under an hour. We still do but in the last couple of years, an equal threat are अजर्रा (hordes of) or छुट्टा (loose) cattle. Last season, one of our farmers Tejram had a bumper crop of barnyard and foxtail millet in his three bigha (0.6 acres) plot. Early on, his crop had been raided by nilgai but the plants had recovered, and now he was guarding them day and night. But, one day in late September, he was not able to go look after his land. In a few hours, a horde of cattle had consumed the grain (which had been estimated at around 3 quintal) and stalks, leaving him with just 10 kg to harvest. He was in tears when I met him – 'मैं अगला साल ब्लेड वाला तार लगाऊँगा' - 'I will fence my field with blade wire next year,' he stated. <br />
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Blade wire is just that – wire with a sharp, blade-like edge. It is worse than barbed wire. There is a risk that it will hurt passersby or children. Around that time, we heard of an incident in another village where a cow had been cut by blade wire and died. The farmer who had used the wire was picked up by the police and later released, possibly after paying a bribe. <br />
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Fodder is expensive, the 2015 drought exacerbated the situation and common grazing lands are almost completely encroached. And of course, the near-disappearance of cattle traders in these parts means that cows past their milk producing stage are a liability. Now, with the crackdown on buffalo meat, even the buffalo trade will be wiped out. And perhaps buffaloes will join the roving hordes. <br />
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Many reports and articles are pointing out the protein squeeze people are facing with cheap buffalo meat no longer available, other meats too expensive and pulses also out of the reach of an average family. Growing pulses for home consumption was already fraught with difficulties and has been made worse due to abandoned cattle. But of course, gau mata and her cousin bhais mata will be saved from human cruelty. <br />
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I don't want to end this post on a bitter note. People on the margins, like our sangathan Saathis, are resilient and their cheer in the face of one adverse situation after another amazes me. Tejram will be planting millets and pulses again in the coming kharif season and has roped in two other sangathan Saathis to collectively farm with him. Other farmers are planning to grow moth and other pulses, and we have intensified our discussions about nutrition and its impact on health. It would be nice, however, if some government policy or programme would actually benefit these communities rather than become yet another adversity they have to weather. </div>
N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-22901817709999994402017-03-24T09:56:00.000+05:302017-07-17T10:32:13.979+05:30Dreams and pragmatism in rural UP<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I've been wondering what I can say about the Uttar Pradesh elections and YA's ascension. Given the amount of time I have spent there recently (almost 2 months during the election and results period), I should have some insights to share, right? Maybe I should just recount my experiences on one day in late February...<br />
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A colleague and I were at the bus stand, bound for a village about 40 km from Sitapur city. With the SP-introduced Lohia buses, services to villages had improved but there were very few buses available during the election period. So we were relieved to see a rickety bus headed to Mishrikh, an intermediate point. The bus was almost full when we were asked to step out so that it could be cleaned. Grumbling, we did. A man standing nearby started off - “When Modi comes to power in UP, such things won't happen. He will kick all the workers into shape – they will not be able to get away with this indiscipline.” The people around him nodded their heads or made sounds of agreement.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Later, in Pipri village, I saw another form of the boundless faith people seem to vest in their leaders. An old lady, who has been active in the sangathan, began chatting with me about the study we were conducting in her village. I explained that we were trying to understand what people were eating, whether it was connected to what they grew in their fields, whether it was sufficient for good health etc. “So you will come out with a report?” she verified. “What will you do with it?”. I said that we would share it with all concerned officials, politicians, activists, media. “If Behenji (Mayawati) comes to power, she will do something about it,” she said. “Will you report about the 32 people with pattas?”<br />
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Pipri is a predominantly Dalit village and most of its residents were landless. Some of them received land titles in the 70s during Indira's reign and were able to take control of the land. In another round of redistribution, 32 people received land titles in the 90s. Most of this land belonged to a powerful family which has controlled the Pradhani of the panchayat for a very long time, and the land was never relinquished. The family was able to get a stay order against the transfer, and the 32 families tried to fight the case in court but lost.<br />
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“This matter should also go into the report, and Behenji will take it up,” the old lady said. I wondered how she could still have so much faith in Mayawati. Other friends that I had talked to had become more pragmatic about the BSP – they still voted for the elephant, but mostly because they were respected here and didn't have a place in other parties. Or maybe some had switched to the lotus, though they wouldn't admit to it. <br />
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In the evening, I was chatting with another older couple. The husband quietly brings us tea every time we have a meeting in Pipri. After a recent discussion about plastic, he has begun bringing us 'kulhads' (earthen cups). I realized that he was a beneficiary of land redistribution in the 70s and had received 5 bighas (one acre) of land. He mortgaged it, he told me, to pay for his son's wedding expenses. They need Rs. 20,000 to get it back but after a few months in Dehradun his sons had only been able to save Rs. 5,000. "बडा लडका पढा-लिखा है और गांव में उसके लिये कुछ नही है - the older boy is educated and there is nothing for him in the village”. So he and his younger brother had gone to Dehradun to work in a herbal medicine factory. By the way, 'educated' meant 8th standard pass, I later found out, but that is another story.<br />
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I struggled to not sound harsh in my reply. It is sad, I told him, that the precious land he had been given was mortgaged. It further reduces the connection with land. After a few minutes of silence, he told me that his sons were attached to the land. They didn't want to leave, but last year they had leased some land to grow wheat and had incurred a huge loss. Their pumpset had failed and they weren't able to irrigate properly. His younger son had stayed up many nights, he said, trying to irrigate from a neighbour when there was electricity but it was of no use. <br />
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Last year's wheat harvest was anyway below average, I knew, due to the 2015 drought and unseasonally warm winter that followed. In fact, after the 2014 rabi crop, there hasn't been a uniformly good agricultural season here. Few people would migrate from these parts, the upper Gangetic plains, a decade ago. Or if they did, it was for a few weeks to Lucknow or Kanpur. But now every family has a member in Haryana, Delhi or even Andhra and further away... <br />
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We like our elections, in this country and elsewhere. In the absence of robust local governments or fora for citizen engagement, elections become the do-all and end-all. But the marginalised, those who truly need government support to improve their lives, have given up hoping for it (except for a few dreamers). They are finding new ways to survive, further detaching themselves from the land, struggles and local issues. Maybe, like the NRIs who have funded the Sangh Parivar, these migrants now care more about the abstract, so-called cultural issues. Or maybe they just could not or chose not to return to vote... </div>
N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-88846020471557356472016-08-29T12:03:00.001+05:302016-08-29T12:03:50.664+05:30'Left Out' - a short film on denial of health rights in Karnataka<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Over the past few years, I've helped organize meetings and
consultations, produced reports and participated in research studies
which documented various forms of denial of health rights in India,
mainly Karnataka. Recently, while documenting cases for a planned public
hearing with the National Human Rights Commission (which was later
cancelled), I had the opportunity to collaborate in a project to
video-document some testimonies. Thanks to Dipti Desai's persistence, these testimonies have been compiled into a short film 'Left out', which is available on YouTube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DMByhmagl4" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
The stories are from across Karnataka and reveal how
hard it continues to be to access health care and to pay for it...</div>
</div>
N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-89823678522218640912016-03-14T16:02:00.002+05:302016-08-29T12:08:27.488+05:30The Universal Health Coverage Numbers Game<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Some years ago, during a sojourn in Sitapur, we began discussing Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), the National Health Insurance Scheme which provides 'cashless care' for hospitalisation at 'empanelled' private hospitals. The RSBY coverage limit is Rs. 30,000 per year for a family of five. I was already involved in the research of government-supported insurance schemes in Karnataka, and knew that while they gave poor families 'access' to private hospitals (there are denials as well), the devil was in the out-of-pocket expenditure that followed.</div>
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Here the tale was different: <br />
"हमने उनको भगा दिया", "किन को ?” "अरे, कार्ड छापने वालों को!"<br />
which roughly translates to: “We chased them away”, “Who?”, “The card printers!”</div>
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Every year, the RSBY card has to be re-issued, so Third Party Administrators (TPAs) go to these villages to enrol people in the scheme at a cost of Rs. 30. But my friends in SKMS (Sangtin Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan) were fed up of getting a useless card - “We go to Sitapur city with this card to all the private hospitals, but no one gives us free treatment”. So they refused to get enrolled and asked the TPA to leave. One year, the District Collector got involved – he went to some villages and requested the villagers to cooperate! But as far as I know, some are still holdouts.<br />
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And they should continue to hold out and encourage more to do the same. Why? Because the concerted efforts to equate 'health insurance' with 'access to health care' are beginning to impact how we measure the latter. In the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Target 3.8 is to “achieve universal health coverage (UHC), including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health care services, and access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all”. The indicators to measure this target are under discussion, and a sudden move has been made to change Indicator 27 from:<br />
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<i>“Fraction of the population protected against catastrophic/impoverishing out-of-pocket health expenditure”</i><br />
to<br />
<i>“Number of people covered by health insurance or a public health system per 1000 population” </i></div>
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<i> </i> <br />
A detailed analysis of what this means can be found <a href="http://www.globalhealthcheck.org/?p=1854" target="_blank">here</a> but to put it very simply – 'Here's your card. Now you have health care – good luck!'</div>
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The state of health care in our country is disgraceful. In the public sector, there is a shortage of staff, medicines and services coupled with abuse and corruption; in the private sector there are irrational and unnecessary treatments and huge medical bills. Private hospitals have kept patients in ICUs when there was no hope of survival, refused to hand over their body until bills are paid, even held on to babies until they received payment for the delivery. They are hiring bouncers (to protect their staff) and bill collectors (to hound their 'debtors'). There are definitely good doctors and providers, but they are hard to find. </div>
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And the insurance system impacts even good hospitals negatively. Recently, I was at a meeting where doctors from some hospitals that provide quality, low cost care in remote areas were talking about their claims rejection ratio. About 25% of their claims submitted to RSBY are rejected, and they said that this was true across the board and with private insurance as well (unless they have good contacts with the Insurance company). These hospitals are socially motivated and do not turn away patients – others either don't care or cannot afford to treat patients free of cost. </div>
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So while we are protesting cuts in health budgets, gathering evidence on the problems with insurance schemes, documenting denials of health care and advocating for a comprehensive health system, the rules are being changed. People across the world will one day wake up to discover that they had Universal Health Coverage after all – they just didn't know it!</div>
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N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-70698491227423518812016-03-08T10:34:00.001+05:302016-08-29T12:07:17.810+05:30 Addressing health inequities through community-led advocacy in Bangalore – experiences, successes and challenges<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For some reason, I have not written much about my work in Bangalore. Maybe because it was 'paid' work and I spent so much time writing reports, updates etc. in the style that the organization and funders required. Well, now that the project has wound up, here goes... Below is a paper I submitted for the Medico Friends Circle (MFC) annual meet in February - I modified it slightly for this post. It is a long write-up (almost 2500 words) and a bit technical. But I think there are interesting stories in there...<br />
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A few years ago, during an 'interface meeting' of community members and the staff at a BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) Referral Hospital, one woman stood up to tell the story of her daughter Fatima* who had recently had a normal delivery in the hospital. She had complained of discomfort, but the nurse said that this was normal and discharged her. A week later, the discomfort had not abated, fever had set in and her family noticed a bad smell. Fatima's husband, who was against the decision of going to a government hospital, now took her to a private nursing home. There, the doctor pulled out cotton from her cervix and discovered an infection. Fatima was admitted in the nursing home for a number of days and her family incurred expenses of about Rs. 10,000. On hearing this from her family, the Superintendent of the Referral Hospital promised an investigation. When activists met her a couple of weeks later, she said that the hospital's practice was to insert tampons to protect the women's episiotomy stitches from blood. The nurse had forgotten to remove the tampon before discharge!<br />
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In response to this incident (and 2 similar ones reported at the interface meeting), the Superintendent stated that she had called a special meeting and changed the discharge procedure, with a doctor now examining each woman before discharge. But the story does not end here. While no new cases have been reported at this hospital, field activists working with SPAD (Society for People's Action for Development, who had organized the meeting) recently heard of another such case in a BBMP Maternity Home some 15 km away. Unfortunately, they were not able to trace the woman as she had moved away from that locality. There is no functioning grievance redressal system in hospitals, plus the BBMP Health Department has become hostile to the SPAD activists and is unlikely to investigate the matter further. In this impasse and other such situations, activists have asked 'Should we be trying so hard to convince women to go to government hospitals?'<br />
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SPAD began working with Dalit and Muslim women in 27 slums in south west Bangalore in 2010 to improve their access to government health services. While no community monitoring programme exists in Bangalore's government hospitals, the community women have formed their own monitoring committees which regularly visit various hospitals run by BBMP and the State Health Department. Their reception by hospital staff ranges from tolerance to indifference to hostility. But they have been able to achieve some results - abuse of Dalit and Muslim women has reduced, as have demands for bribes, and some services have improved. The structural issues (such as supply of medicines) and disputes over appropriateness of care, referrals etc. have proved harder to tackle. <br />
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At the local (slum) level, solidarity groups set up by SPAD have organized to improve their water supply, drainage, access to welfare schemes etc. One group managed to get their entire drainage system re-laid. In general, though, groups have found it easier to get financial payouts, such as loans for savings groups and cash compensation for flood damage than, say, better services at the local anganwadi (centre for supporting early childhood development, run by the Women and Child Welfare Department). Another area of some success has been domestic violence and family disputes – the increased confidence of the women allows them to negotiate for (and sometimes demand) their rights now. <br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>The urban health care scenario</b></h3>
Like other cities, Bangalore suffers from fragmentation of government health services, with institutions and outreach services run by BBMP, the State Health Department, the State Medical Education department (through Bangalore Medical College and autonomous institutions), ESI and national institutes such as NIMHANS. Within BBMP itself, services are fragmented – for example, a woman delivers at a Maternity Home or Referral Hospital, but has to collect some of her maternity benefits from the Urban Family Welfare Centre (UFWC) which initially registers her through its outreach programme. Fragmentation is present in other social-sector and essential programmes – for example, the zones for services through BBMP (wards) are different than those for water and drainage (provided by BWSSB, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board), which are further different from the school zones of the Department of Education. For any person, but especially one from a marginalized group, negotiating these various jurisdictions and getting one's work done is not easy.<br />
<br />
The outer, newly expanding areas of the city are poorly covered, with some wards lacking any government health facilities. Further, many existing primary facilities are poorly staffed or underequipped. As a result, secondary and tertiary hospitals in the city have a huge primary care load. A survey conducted by SPAD at Vani Vilas Hospital, a tertiary-level institute for gynaecological and obstetric care managed by Bangalore Medical College, revealed that more than half of the 320 women interviewed had normal deliveries (with most being uncomplicated). Ironically, 96.6% of them had visited another facility before coming to Vani Vilas. They either found them closed, lacking staff/facilities, or were referred out for reasons like having high BP, anaemia, or need for a C-section. One woman was referred because the BBMP Maternity Home didn't have the 'injection to increase labour pain' (most likely oxytocin).<br />
In addition to all this, the out-of-pocket expenditure for patients accessing government health services is striking – some examples:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Pregnant women spend thousands to pay for diagnostic tests and scans as well as medicines from private labs as government facilties don't provide these services – various surveys by SPAD have revealed median costs of Rs. 2000-5000 for antenatal care per pregnancy.</li>
<li>The treatment for dengue, chikungunya etc. has been missing in most government hospitals. Those that do have services have sometimes refused to admit patients. In one slum, SPAD activists found many families who had 2-4 members admitted in private hospitals for these diseases and had taken crippling loans to cover the costs.</li>
<li>Very few government hospitals provide medicines for chronic diseases, which cost at least hundreds of rupees each month. </li>
<li>Some poor patients are able to get free or discounted tertiary care through government-supported insurance schemes, CM relief fund etc. but incur routine post-operative expenses. Some cases examined recently by JAAK (Janaarogya Andolana Karnataka) were of patients who had heart surgery at Jayadeva Hospital, a government autonomous institution, and were paying about a thousand rupees every month for medicines thereafter.</li>
<li>At hospitals managed by Bangalore Medical College (an autonomous government institution), BPL patients receive a discount of 50% for diagnostic tests. Given the volume of tests prescribed, even this amount can add up – a wastepicker recently operated in one of these hospitals incurred almost Rs. 40,000 for tests, scans, blood and travel even though her bed and surgical charges were waived.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>City-level advocacy on health issues</b></h3>
City-level health issues in Bangalore have been taken up by informal and formal networks such as Janaarogya Andolana Bangalore Urban (JAABU). From 2011-2013, JAABU's advocacy ranged the spectrum from reports and consultations to protests. Many important issues were raised and discussed, but no real progress was achieved on any of them. In late 2012, JAABU representatives were informed that the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) was to be launched with Bangalore and Bhuvaneshwar as pilot cities. There was an opportunity to participate in a series of roundtables organized by the Karnataka Health Systems Resource Centre (KSHSRC) with the support of the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI). This led to deep divisions within JAABU on whether to participate or not in these deliberations, with some considering the process co-option and others looking at it as an opportunity.<br />
<br />
Eventually some members participated in the roundtables, including myself. There was strong participation from 'civil society' and medical and social issues, communitisation, convergence and governance were discussed. The draft approach paper developed by KSHSRC reflected this (though, with inputs from all stakeholders, it turned into a confusing document!). But the subsequent Programme Implementation Plan (PIP), drafted based on specifications from the Ministry of Health, GoI, was disappointing. The focus was on building new Primary Health Centres (PHCs), upgrading old ones and on communitisation through Mahila Arogya Samitis (MASs) and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) to 'generate demand'. There was little focus on referral systems, comprehensive care, convergence and other issues highlighted in the roundtables. Later, the plans for NUHM changed to a nationwide launch and the promised funds were reduced significantly.<br />
<br />
Another opportunity came up when the Technical Resource Group, chaired by Harsh Mander, visited Bangalore in late 2013. This time SPAD and other organizations presented very specific recommendations at the primary level to highlight what we saw as the gap in the NUHM Framework. We focused on linkages between MASs and with Ward Committees of the city government as a way to address convergence issues. We also asked why ASHAs were needed – our community groups felt that they could easily become a tool of the Department rather than a community activist.<br />
<br />
Our recommendations were discussed and similar concerns have been raised by NUHM staff and consultants later, but none of them have resulted in any concrete changes as of yet. NUHM was 'launched' in Bangalore in January 2014, but implementation in the field began more than a year later. So far, some MASs have been formed and ASHAs selected with the help of SPAD and other field organizations. But the fragmentation continues – recently, a newly-minted ASHA (who is also a SPAD field activist) escorted a woman in labour to the nearby Maternity Home, where the doctor refused to admit her because she had moved to Tamilnadu after marriage. When the ASHA protested, the doctor responded that ASHAs report to the nearby UFWC and Maternity Homes have nothing to do with them! Ultimately, the ASHA had to take the woman to Vani Vilas Hospital for delivery.<br />
<br />
There is some energy and an influx of funds into the cash-strapped BBMP after NUHM activities commenced – health camps are being organized regularly in slums and there is improved outreach. But there are some puzzling developments as well – when asked about medicines for non-communicable diseases, officials stated that these would be provided in facilities based on demand and that ANMs/ASHAs would conduct field surveys to estimate the burden of disease. Aren't there enough published studies on NCDs to use as reference – why is a fresh survey required? However, it is early days yet for NUHM-redux. <br />
<br />
In the meantime, the divisions within JAAK led to a split and JAABU went into hibernation. Individual groups continued their work and advocacy to differing levels of success. In the past year, though, organizations have started coming together again.<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>'Are you the doctor or am I?' Experiences at the local level</b></h3>
While mobilizing communities for health rights in Bangalore has had some successes, there have been many setbacks as well. In March 2014, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) attended an interface meeting organized by SPAD and was shocked at the evidence presented. Some Medical Officers and staff were hauled over the coals for poor attendance, corruption and high numbers of referrals. The CMO promised to overhaul the BBMP health system. But subsequent developments indicate that political pressure was brought on her to reverse her stand. She refused permission for SPAD to conduct further interface meetings, and since then not a single one could be organized.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, the activists and solidarity groups members have become more confident and, in some cases, politically active. There is regular interaction with elected representatives, and this bore fruit recently when one sympathetic Corporator became the Chairperson of the Standing Committee for Health, BBMP. He invited SPAD representatives to raise the problems faced in one particular hospital in a public meeting with media presence. He identified with and agreed to tackle issues of corruption, though it is not clear how much he connected with the other issues. In fact, political 'interference' may be detrimental in increasing the number of deliveries at the hospitals – BBMP doctors have become extremely risk-averse and have said that they do not want to deal with the fallout from a death in the hospital. The result is that BBMP hospitals, even Referral Hospitals which have specialists, rarely go above 3-4 deliveries a day, while Vani Vilas conducts 40-60 deliveries every day and deals with almost all the maternal and infant deaths.<br />
<br />
Some doctors do appreciate the community's involvement – a newly upgraded CHC near Kengeri (formerly a satellite town, now part of Bangalore) has specialists and the requisite nursing staff, but lacks furniture and equipment. Their OT has been poorly constructed (with windows!). The Health Department has asked the doctors to use ARS (Arogya Raksha Samiti) funds or user fees to get the OT repaired! The solidarity group in the area approached the elected representatives and was able to get some necessary equipment for the CHC. They are still trying to address the OT problem – elections have delayed a public meeting with the local MLA.<br />
<br />
At the organizational level, there are also challenges in building capacity on health issues and in overcoming the adversarial relationship between the community and hospital, . An activist recently shared the story of a woman who said she was told by her doctor that her infant had died in utero. She then rushed to another hospital where she delivered a live baby normally. But after the case was documented, it was found that the doctor had given a referral slip and called for an ambulance. How this reflects on her skills is a different question, but she cannot be accused of callousness. Unfortunately, some genuine cases get missed or buried in this atmosphere of suspicion. <br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Conclusion</h3>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Community-led advocacy, with the requisite capacity-building and support, can play a crucial role in improving access to health services and thus address health inequities. But the challenges of the urban space, along with information and education asymetry as well the unwillingness of the health system to cooperate, can limit the effectiveness of this advocacy. The challenge is to create effective partnerships between health systems, political structures, health experts and the community to effectively address community health needs. <br />
</div>
<div align="justify" class="western" lang="en-IN" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.1cm; margin-top: 0.1cm;">
</div>
</div>
N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-1689298336254216612016-02-29T18:21:00.000+05:302016-03-14T17:30:25.505+05:30The return of Mayawati...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.25cm; line-height: 120%; }</style>
<br />
After the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections in 2012, it seemed like the era of Mayawati was over. All the scams in her government, plus the massive statues in the parks she built - these are routinely tolerated from other leaders, but for a Dalit woman at the head of a Dalit party to do so! Her upper caste support evaporated... <br />
<br />
Now her star is on the rise again. Which is good. As a health activist, I am dismayed at what happened to the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) under her. Almost all the funds were siphoned off during her tenure - though some accused are behind bars and others committed suicide, crucial time and money were lost. Since the Samajvadi Party (SP) government took over, health services have improved slightly, as has rural transportation among other things.<br />
<br />
But, at the heart of it, the SP is a Yadav party in a society that is relentlessly casteist. A few days after it came to power, a Yadav farmer in Pisawan block, Sitapur dt. fired at a neighbouring farmer (who happened to be Dalit) because apparently the latter's cow had entered the former's field. There may be a back-story to this, but the general feeling was that the Yadav farmer would not have dared to take up a gun when the BSP was in power. Later, Sangtin Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan (SKMS) activists were beaten up by police in Qutubnagar when they had just gone to the chowki to give their side of a village dispute. The policemen asked which caste they were before thrashing them. To get an FIR filed in this matter, SKMS had to agitate for more than a month.<br />
<br />
I don't think I need to state what the BJP stands for in its 'karmabhoomi' UP. <br />
<br />
Coming back to Mayawati, maybe most of what she did when in power was symbolic, but symbolism matters in a society that is so unjust and unequal. Security and respect are pre-conditions for any social improvements. So here's hoping that if BSP comes back to power in the 2017 elections (and there is now at least a chance for it), that they will not squander this opportunity. Because, like it or not, unless the challenges of our most populous state can be tackled, our nation's progress will always be incomplete.<br />
<br />
<i>Note: After I posted this on Facebook, my nephew (Vishesh) remarked that what remains of the Congress UP state unit could fit into a Nano! Strangely, I didn't even think about the Congress when writing this :) </i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-26569763301919116522015-12-16T12:33:00.004+05:302016-03-14T17:22:40.419+05:30Empathy begins at home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>Another original post on Facebook, September 5th:</i><br />
<i> </i> <br />
Teacher's Day has got me reminiscing...<br />
<br />
My mother passed away 5 years ago this month. While she formally trained as a teacher (for kindergarten and then middle school Maths and Science) and worked for some time, she did not enjoy the test-driven, regimented curriculum of most traditional schools. For her, sharing the joy of learning was most important. She enjoyed babysitting and tutoring and, with patience, was able to help 'difficult' children improve their performance and enjoy learning. When I was unable to grasp some concepts, she would ask questions and lead me to clarity even though she was not familiar with the subject/topic herself.<br />
<br />
And she taught me empathy. I don't remember specific incidents from my childhood, but I can clearly recall one from about 7 years ago. By then, she was already ill and increasingly turning inward. I was telling her about the deepening communal and religious divides in India and how the 'other' is being dehumanized. Generally, when I have talked to my relatives about such issues, they either say 'oh, how great that you work on this' (again making me the 'other') or ask me why I'm wasting my time and not working in IT. <br />
<br />
My mother, instead, related to me her conversation with a maid who worked for us in the 80s: When this young woman came to meet my mother the first time, she set her terms and then said 'I should let you know, I am a Muslim. Please decide if you want me to work for you'. My mother said that it was fine and Saira went on to work for us for many years. Recounting this incident, my mother said, "I felt so very bad - why was it even necessary for her to have to say this, to anticipate rejection?"<br />
<br />
My mother wasn't a scholar or a radical. She wasn't as brave as her dreams and aspirations needed her to be, and so was dissatisfied with her life. But she gave the best of herself to guide others, as any good teacher does. And today, in the midst of so much indifference to human suffering, I wish more people could have her basic decency...</div>
N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-69127779573142927872015-12-16T12:30:00.001+05:302016-03-14T17:23:53.653+05:30On rational thought in India...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>I have been writing more than usual in the past few months - problem is, it's mostly on Facebook! In the interests of better archiving, I'm posting a couple of original writings from there. The following was posted on August 31st, soon after I heard of the shooting of Prof. M. M. Kalburgi, a rationalist and scholar:</i><br />
<br />
My mother's brother is visiting today - my astrologer cum Vaasthu-consultant uncle who has magical abilities. He can influence people to tear down newly built houses/offices because the way they were built has caused marital strife, business losses, deaths... He advises people to perform all kinds of rituals to ward off their impending 'bad times'. He even re-writes history - yesterday he told me that my late mother became a veena virtuoso in a few months (and after that, never touched a veena again because she didn't have one after marriage - WTF?). And he claims that he never told me the world was ending in 1999 - the gravitas with which he laid out the destruction from tidal waves, earthquakes etc. had scared the sh** out of the childhood me for years. Now he says that half of India's population will die in 2037 and a messiah will come forth to lead them to a better future...<br />
<br />
Oh wait, he does admit his mistakes occasionally. We had had a raging fight 12 years ago because I said that chillies came to India in the 15th century and he claimed that they were mentioned in the Vedas. A few months ago, he came back and told me I was right - wow!<br />
<br />
I do care for my uncle, but I think it outrageous that he earns lakhs of rupees for a few days' work, is revered by many and considered a great man. And what happens to people who point out the flaws in such beliefs, who try to get our blind-ritual following, mob-mentality type people to think on their own for a change? Bang Bang! The truth hurts, so let's destroy the truth tellers..</div>
N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-67078682263694616312015-07-06T16:46:00.000+05:302016-03-14T17:28:09.671+05:30Health care in India - making the poor pay<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A few days ago, I visited a government hospital in Bangalore. The staff we talked to were unusually open and frank - possibly because some are new hires! I will give no specifics about this facility to protect them, but also because the problems they face are not unique. <br />
<br />
The building has been recently renovated using crores of rupees, but there is barely any furniture, even for the staff. The operation theatre is not functional because of poor planning and construction, so while specialists are on staff, even minor operations cannot be conducted. For these expenses, the doctors were waiting for the release of Arogya Raksha Samiti (ARS) funds - these are untied funds that are to be used for repairs, emergency medicine purchases etc. We said that these were construction-related issues, so why should ARS funds be used for them? They said that they had asked the MLA and corporator, but hadn't received any support as yet, so this was their only recourse.<br />
<br />
The hospital has a functional lab and lab technician, but only pregnancy and HIV tests are being conducted. For other tests such as thyroid and haemoglobin tests, reagents are required which have to be purchased. The hospital started collecting user fees recently and these will be used subsequently for such purchases. The one fund that they do have in abundance is the one for maternity benefits, which amount to Rs. 2000 per BPL (Below Poverty Line) woman, paid out in 3 instalments. The on-duty doctor mentioned that she had been generous in handing out these cheques earlier, disregarding some documentation requirements if the woman seemed genuinely poor. Also, she was allowing the woman's relatives to collect the final cheque (which had to be collected after delivery within a month). After all, the cheque is in the woman's name. But an audit of the hospital had generated multiple objections. The auditor had said that the documentation was incomplete and the signatures in the register did not match! The doctor said she would have to be more strict in the future.<br />
<br />
<br />
The latest round (71st) of NSS data collected in 2014 shows that rural families spent, on an average ₹1587 for childbirth in a government hospital and urban families ₹2117. Major expenses include ultrasound scans (3 are required during pregnancy) and diagnostic tests, which are done in private labs. Neo-liberal economists and policy-makers might argue that these expenses are reimbursed for BPL families through maternity benefits, but as shown above the requirements get tougher and tougher for beneficiaries. Further, are only BPL card holders poor or vulnerable? Wouldn't it be cheaper and simpler to provide all these diagnostics under one roof? And user fees, among the most regressive forms of taxation (this
actually discourages people from seeking essential health care, further
impoverishing them) are being used to buy essential products!<br />
<br />
I also realized how staff, especially the dedicated (of fresh!) ones, interpret the expenses of the hospital and its sources of revenue. They have little to no control over the funding from above. All they have are the user fees. One example - the fee for a rabies injection is ₹ 100 - apparently half goes to the department and half stays with them. Along with patients, front-line staff are also made responsible for funding health care! </div>
N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-24356373900750889162015-06-30T23:00:00.000+05:302016-03-14T17:26:02.342+05:30How do we talk about Universal Health Coverage?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Where health provisioning is concerned, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) has been the defining term for the past few years. WHO has taken it up with enthusiasm and the Indian government likes the word a lot too. In fact, recently Karnataka <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/karnataka-first-in-country-to-give-universal-health-coverage/article6806724.ece">announced that it had achieved UHC</a>!</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I was at a meeting organized by WHO earlier this month, where a film was screened that talked about what UHC 'was' and 'was not'. But there were few specifics and all the visuals focused on antenatal and postnatal care. It is true that we, especially in India, have not yet achieved these basic targets. An example - the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Pisawan, where Sangtin Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan (SKMS) is active, does not have access to running water and its sole hand pump stopped functioning 2 years ago. Recently, a woman in labour left the CHC to find a place to urinate (the toilets there are always locked). She ended up delivering there.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But can UHC remain limited to ante- and post-natal care, deliveries, immunizations and some communicable diseases? When people have to go elsewhere for their other health needs, they will not necessarily return to government services for these. Barely half a kilometre from the Pisawan CHC is a private practitioner that even the poor in these parts rely on. He most likely does not have an MBBS degree (those who do display the information proudly!). A few years ago, he sat in a small shop-front clinic. Now he has an immaculate waiting room, a ward of sorts with a few beds and an examination room. Once as we waited to speak to him, he examined patients with all kinds of symptoms with the attention and 'human touch' that they do not get in the CHC. He wrote up long lists of medicines for most of them. This is the health care most Indians rely on. </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
To move from what we have to a system that promises true UHC (many health activists instead use the term Universal Access to Health Care), we have to better explain what we envision. I hope to work more on this in the coming months...</div>
<br />
<b> </b> <b> </b></div>
N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-72680595199388273002013-05-05T00:47:00.002+05:302013-05-05T00:54:53.840+05:30Back again!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Bookman Old Style, serif;">Dear
Friends,</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Bookman Old Style, serif;">It's
been four years since I've updated my blog. Four eventful years on
the personal front with a birth, a death, moves and multiple changes
in plans for the future. I thought of starting a new blog, but since
I'm still grappling with fundamentally similar issues and concerns, decided to
continue here. So here's to phase 2 of slipping and sliding,
hopefully featuring better, more improved posts! </span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Bookman Old Style, serif;">On
the professional / social front, I have been working in Bangalore for
the past 2 years with multiple organizations with the goal of
building a strong network to campaign for health rights. I also
continue to work with Sangtin Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan (SKMS) in Sitapur dt., UP from a distance,
augmented by occasional visits.</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Bookman Old Style, serif;">I
am restarting my blog on the eve of assembly elections in Karnataka.
I was away for most of April, so missed a lot of the campaigning and
politicking. Yet, one can't miss it completely, so here are some
questions and observations: </span>
</div>
<ul>
<li><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Bookman Old Style, serif;">What
does one do with one's vote and does it matter? Some communities
facing dire situations and fed up with the status quo have decided
to boycott the elections. The Aam Aadmi party suggests we vote for
'none of the above'. In a community meeting I attended recently,
attendees were advised that they could enter the voting booth and
not press any button. But they would still get their finger marked
and need not fear any backlash from the goondas etc. A woman stood
up and replied that a group from her slum had gone to visit their
MLA with some urgent requests – he responded asking why he should
help them when no one in their area voted for him. In the
marketplace of electoral politics, principled stands have to be
chosen by a significant number of people to have any chance of being
taken seriously.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Bookman Old Style, serif;">Are
the so-called alternative parties and candidates serious enough
about winning? Observing some of these candidates, I am reminded of
an incident from about 4 years ago. In the last Lok Sabha elections,
a coalition of 'progressive' groups decided to field a few
candidates across the country. One of those candidates' constituency
included parts of Sitapur district. He came to an SKMS meeting to
canvass for votes, with an insoucant manner and a bewildering
conviction in his 'rightness'. The sangathan saathis listened
patiently to his speech and asked him some insightful questions,
which he could not answer satisfactorily. For example, for the
questions – 'How are you different from any other candidate who
comes and promises everything under the sun? How can we be sure that you will remain
honest once you come to power?' - he had no answer beyond 'I work
for so-and-so, the greatest organization blah-blah-blah and have an
amazing man as my guru'! Here, in Bangalore, one candidate from a
party claiming to be different visited our area for the first time 2
days ago. Hardly an improvement over the status quo! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Bookman Old Style, serif;"> </span>
</div>
</li>
<li><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Bookman Old Style, serif;">Have
advocacy groups, NGOs etc. had any effect during the campaign phase?
From what I can see, very little. Many have not worked on a
consistent basis and are focusing on awareness sessions, petitions,
press meets etc. Others have decided to organize rallies and other shows
of strength after the new government takes over – after all, the
major parties are very similar. So why not use resources wisely and
focus on the party in power?!</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Bookman Old Style, serif;">
Well, seems that
the elections are inspiring enough to resume blogging! Wish me luck in
the coming days and months as I try to articulate the challenges,
insights, frustrations and hope in my current endeavours.<br />
<br />
Regards,<br />
Sudha </span></div>
N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-71733567466644222882009-07-01T10:25:00.000+05:302009-07-16T15:35:11.049+05:30In search of relevance...<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My fellowship with CHC came to a close in March. The rest of the fellows wound up in February, but because of my month in US/Canada, I had requested an extension. My report was due at the end of March and I spent a lot of time on it from December onwards. In retrospect, I'm glad I did and am thankful to CHC. Because of the report and my blogging, I have a much better record of what I did during my first year back in India.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><p>The report can be found <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/17403250/CHLP-Report-Sudha-200809">here</a>.<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> It's 77 pages long, but I think it is an easy read. I will start blogging again, so there should be more to read out here as well. </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></p></span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/17403250/CHLP-Report-Sudha-200809"></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div>N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-22466878818360714782009-02-28T10:13:00.003+05:302009-07-16T10:25:24.133+05:30From victory to celebration... to reflection<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify">After the achievements of the dharna, plans were made to organize a sammelan, a gathering in Sitapur city. The goals of this sammelan were many: to mobilize other villages in Mishrikh and Pisawa blocks as well as other blocks throughout Sitapur dt., to show the people of Sitapur city, media etc. that the Sangathan did more than organize protests, to discuss the problems of the rural poor etc.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify"> In the meantime, some progress had occured after the dharna vis a vis issual of job cards. Further, work had been started in most of the Sangathan villages. After almost a year of almost no work being provided, ponds were being dug, fields were being leveled and labourers were being employed under NREGA for this work.</p> <br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLtu6_z2J8BwoARk747UCSj5plPrF5ax5DP6lF_Fx7bPWCXSxFrYUEjZPmpPsX4nxcSIJz951BjXvrmooT7Ph6gMf8ZQ0z15Hk1GvLyXpdI2deMtOxLrTG-STbCs3DjdtAcw3/s1600-h/100_0479.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLtu6_z2J8BwoARk747UCSj5plPrF5ax5DP6lF_Fx7bPWCXSxFrYUEjZPmpPsX4nxcSIJz951BjXvrmooT7Ph6gMf8ZQ0z15Hk1GvLyXpdI2deMtOxLrTG-STbCs3DjdtAcw3/s320/100_0479.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358916462964723906" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">For me, most of February was spent planning for the sammelan, from discussions at the village level on the reasons for holding a sangathan to the nitty-gritty of the venue, equipment etc. The expected turnout was 2000-2500, so this was a bigger event than any I had worked on in the past. My role was small – mainly helping out with posters and a small photoexhibit, helping out in meetings etc. Dwiji had a bigger responsibility – he was in the logistics team.</span> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify"> The sammelan was held on the 24<sup>th</sup> and 25<sup>th</sup> of February. Attendees were expected to arrive by noon, but as usual, it was 2:30 pm before the venue began filling up. The sammelan was inaugurated by the lighting of torches held by 5 women and 5 men of the Sangathan. It was followed by slogans, speeches and songs. Activists and supporters who had arrived from MP, Lucknow, Delhi etc. spoke, congratulating the Sangathan and exhorting the audience to continue the struggle. I found the speeches given by the Sangathan Saathis Bitoli and Prakash as inspiring, if not more. Maybe more because I had seen them practicing and had given feedback. To see all their hard work pay off was immensely satisfying. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify"> After the inaugural, we took a break for three hours to relax and have dinner. Incidentally, meals during the sammelan were being cooked using the rice and wheat flour that had been collected during the dharna. At 9 pm, we re-convened to discuss problems with implementation of NREGA, changes necessary to the Act itself and the problems faced by the poor in general. This session continued till midnight after which entertainment commenced in the form of songs. I guess a gathering this size never sleeps! Some singer performed the traditonal 'alhas' while others sangs songs from movements, ghazals and filmi songs. Some performers bagged a good sum of money through requests!</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify"> Over in the food tent, events were progressing less smoothly. About 1500 packets of poori-sabzi were to be distributed in the morning (the turnout was less than expected), but by 4 am only 400 had been made! The team hired for cooking may not have ever cooked for this many people and had clearly not anticipated the effort required. Tea was served early, but by the time there were enough packets to distribute, it was almost 11 am. After distribution, a few people started saying that the sabzi was rotten (it did smell a little off, maybe because it was packed tight and because tomoatoes were used). Anyway, that started a commotion and the next hour was not pleasant! </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify"> The sammelan was to end in a rally, but first, word was received that the CDO and PD (Program Director) would show up. They did, and spoke as well. The CDO assured the assembled people that overdue payments for work done would be made before Holi and that work would be started in all villages. He said that the government had enough funds to ensure that every family worked for 100 days in a year. There were just a few problems in the system that needed to be fixed, for which he asked the Sangathan to continue working!</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify"> Of course, our friends did not let him get away with that! They thanked him for attending the sammelan but also reminded him of the many things that were still wrong. They took on the issue of overdue wages and he assured the assembled crowd of payment before Holi.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify"> Like with other Sangathan events, the sammelan ended with a rally. The resolution that had been approved in the morning was presented to the DM. With a little bit more of slogan chanting, the sammelan was completed.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify"> The sammelan had its highs and lows, but it was clear that this event marked a new phase in the Sangathan's journey. Sitapur had sat up and taken notice of SKMS. And while all the stated goals of the sammelan were not met, such as mobilizing in other blocks, the seeds have been sown. It was a satisfied lot of people brimming with ideas that returned to their villages on 25<sup>th</sup> February. </p>N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-10961031277469100392009-02-04T17:01:00.001+05:302009-02-04T17:03:24.138+05:30Two steps forward, half a step... forward?<div style="text-align: justify; font-family: trebuchet ms;">Immediately following the SKMS dharna, I was down with diarrhoea for 2 days. I had been fine during the summer and monsoon in Sitapur, so to be brought low in the winter was surprising. Thankfully, the dharna was over, so I could concentrate on rehydration and rest.<br /><br />Things were better on the Sangathan front – account numbers were being collected for payment of the unemployment benefits and work had started in many villages. Of course, there are problems. In Mishrikh and Pisawa, the 3-day camp for job cards started off badly with the Block office asking for just the list of people who needed job cards. No application forms were available and no photographer was present. After a little wrangling, the process improved in Mishrikh over the next 2 days.<br /><br />On another front, there were rumours that the BDOs who were to receive suspension orders had gone to court. And soon the news came out that they had indeed filed a writ petition in the Lucknow High Court, claiming conflict-of-interest by committee members, labourers incorrectly deemed eligible for benefits etc. The bench mainly ruled on whether the Commissioner at the Ministry of Rural Affairs was the responsible authority with powers to overrule decisions at the district level. They deemed that he was and asked him to review the additional documentation presented by the BDOs within 10 days. They also asked him to ensure that eligible families received the unemployment benefit as they were entitled to. This was a better outcome than many in the Sangathan and among its supporters had expected and the mood was upbeat.<br /><br />At the village level, there are still problems with work not being made available, applications not being received etc. But some people, at least, have learnt to demand their rights. In one Gram Sabha, a few hundred people went to the Pradhan's house and demanded job cards. He was forced to bring out cards that had been in his keeping since 2006!<br /><br />Finally, fights in villages continue. In some cases, they seem to be power plays between Sangathan members and those close to the Pradhan or older powerful families. Nerves are also a little frayed and people are reacting to every little thing that seems out of the ordinary. Until the unemployment allowance reaches the accounts of the beneficiaries, this state of affairs will most likely persist.<br /><br />On another front, planning has started for a sammelan to be held on the 24th and 25th. Farmer-labourers from across Sitapur district and other areas will be invited to share their experiences, learn from SKMS' journey and plan for collective action to ensure a better life. There is talk of about 1500-2000 people attending from Mishrikh and Pisawa and ~500 from other blocks in the district. I think the numbers will be higher. At any rate, Sitapur city will witness a bigger gathering of the rural poor, without any party backing, than it has been accustomed to!<br /></div>N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-52686580324550679752009-01-23T13:47:00.006+05:302009-01-23T13:56:30.615+05:30End on a high note!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kT4o4-a5qKofXdzgoeTFjtZbWpcVNb02ulDdwSptauN71iOAHYeiYjFHkzrAuGG4U6pfYUpFFM-71sMGjHlkZ2Nzh3n5iArz54N9AK5hZv3nKNaFkVVpbcg5WTGSnUEaiexv/s1600-h/Day4-1-MessageOnTheFloor.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kT4o4-a5qKofXdzgoeTFjtZbWpcVNb02ulDdwSptauN71iOAHYeiYjFHkzrAuGG4U6pfYUpFFM-71sMGjHlkZ2Nzh3n5iArz54N9AK5hZv3nKNaFkVVpbcg5WTGSnUEaiexv/s320/Day4-1-MessageOnTheFloor.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294401039670064978" border="0" /></a><br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify"> <b>January 19</b><sup><b>th </b></sup><b>- 20</b><sup><b>th</b></sup><b> </b> </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify"> When we returned to Vikas Bhavan on Monday morning, it was to find messages in limestone written at the gate. Some friends sent me off to read the slogans and messages written at the entrance to the Collectorate building. All 9 demands of the Sangathan had been written out in huge bold script. 'Sangtin Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan Zindabad' was written on the vertical portion of the steps, clearly visible to all who walked up them.<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify">My first action, after congratulating those who made this happen, was to find out who had done the writing. I had found the scribe for the next edition of Sangtin Samachar!<br /></p><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPSajGa0_87czvUsSb8BQNMzRvUtL_-bu8oYnxYH2o4vWmDFUEhc9l2XLxMGaic22dC6s70eq7EfmC9L5gcPDQwyQ37PLg2PjuLpKfCQ7qjpPyt9NawQ2yyBN23ijxlabXK84/s1600-h/Day5-2-AcartoonInSangtinSamachar.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPSajGa0_87czvUsSb8BQNMzRvUtL_-bu8oYnxYH2o4vWmDFUEhc9l2XLxMGaic22dC6s70eq7EfmC9L5gcPDQwyQ37PLg2PjuLpKfCQ7qjpPyt9NawQ2yyBN23ijxlabXK84/s320/Day5-2-AcartoonInSangtinSamachar.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294401361814183170" border="0" /></a><br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify">Today, it was a little easier to get some articles, though I still had to work with a few of the writers to improve their work. Some were responsive – others, especially the more educated among the lot were not. But the best part of the day's effort, for me atleast, was finding two teenagers, Akhilesh and Pramod, who were willing to be budding cartoonists. I told them the story we wanted to depict – villagers going to ask their Pradhan and Secretary for work, while the latter were busy preparing forged muster rolls. The two worked together and came with a very good depiction. I had realized the previous day that people here had a unique way of drawing figures. They learnt to adapt that to tell the story, which was great!<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify">Towards evening, everyone was getting impatient with the lack of response from the officials and talk started about gheraoing some officials. We then received the message, via Sharmaji, that the CDO had returned to Vikas Bhavan (he was out all day) and wanted to talk with the Sangathan. There was a brief discussion on whether the negotiation team should go to meet the CDO and the issues that were non-negotiable. The team then set off. The rest of us began a program of songs and slogans. The Sangathan has got this process down pat. As Mukesh bhayya put it, while the CDO is talking to the negotiation team, he should be able to hear our voices and know we are there. It was a good session. We had all eaten and there was a cold wind blowing, so everyone came together inside the canopy rather than spreading out. Some old friends finally made their appearance and entertained us with their songs. </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify">Finally, the negotiation team came out. The CDO had agreed with all of their demands and a notice was being sent out to the BDOs! Camps would be set up to issue new job cards. Work would be started in the Sangathan villages soon and go on till March 31<sup>st</sup> so that labourers could do as much work as possible this financial year. Where wages hadn't been paid for work done, the payments would be made immediately and responsible officials punished. And so on. These were the commitments the Sangathan was looking for. The struggle was not over – these changes would have to be implemented at the block and village level. But the purpose of coming to Sitapur was fulfilled. Plans began to be made to organize a sammelan in late February to celebrate the victory and galvanize more people in Mishrikh and Pisawa as well as other blocks in the district.<br /></p><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgToaaxTjzM3-A5-FViXFJ-DqeB4Ev0dyeJPSpHp7ndbiUPxyvixH3FZIi1-y1-4BlkPBk2NwSMgP8Pz-O4jg06ZxZffzftIFhxlD_y-hHnmUQbxVwY_hWowNssV4QAt7jZBVwE/s1600-h/Day5-11-VijayJaloos8.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgToaaxTjzM3-A5-FViXFJ-DqeB4Ev0dyeJPSpHp7ndbiUPxyvixH3FZIi1-y1-4BlkPBk2NwSMgP8Pz-O4jg06ZxZffzftIFhxlD_y-hHnmUQbxVwY_hWowNssV4QAt7jZBVwE/s320/Day5-11-VijayJaloos8.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294401924955057746" border="0" /></a><br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify">We decided to end the dharna the next day with another small rally – this one towards the place where jeeps and tempos would be available to ferry people back to their homes. This one was less organized than the earlier rally, but no less enthusiastic. The happiness was visible on people's faces and communicated by their voices. </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify">The road ahead for the Sangathan is new and uncharted. This is the first time it has directly brought money into the villages (if one does not count the work obtained through NREGA and payments for the same). And 15 lakhs worth of it! Sadly, many of the less active people and villages are getting a larger payment. This is largely because the more active villages managed to get work. But this is a potential point of conflict. Further, a lot more people will want to join the Sangathan because of the perceived benefits. So the work will expand dramatically. But these are good problems, I think, and with the renewed energy after this victory, the Sangathan should be able to meet these challenges.</p>N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-82873431693596186732009-01-23T13:41:00.004+05:302009-01-23T13:47:11.110+05:30Getting our message across<span style="font-family:Bitstream Vera Serif,serif;"><b>January 18<sup>th</sup> </b></span><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify"> </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify"> The third day of the protest was on Sunday, when the officials would be away. Therefore, plans were made to get some work done, especially recording the account numbers of all the recipients of unemployment benefits. Messages had been sent to the listed villages to send passbooks so that the numbers could be accurately recorded. Further, meetings were held with each of the Sangathan villages to record their individual problems.</p> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2kGJMYt1-0GuXShaSdJGwlqJif_aQYcEIlAaHbnnTtPlMJ70b80VS5robiZbKiLrck4lHfbXws7POCRV5pYHzmG2RG37q2WOvfCNZj0xUcfgTm6FPpDCfUnjZ7jadjFXyrNKW/s1600-h/SudhaCartoon.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 204px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2kGJMYt1-0GuXShaSdJGwlqJif_aQYcEIlAaHbnnTtPlMJ70b80VS5robiZbKiLrck4lHfbXws7POCRV5pYHzmG2RG37q2WOvfCNZj0xUcfgTm6FPpDCfUnjZ7jadjFXyrNKW/s320/SudhaCartoon.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294399362186721282" border="0" /></a><br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify">While this was going on, I was busy trying to get 'Sangtin Samachar' going. The previous day, we had written out some news items on chart paper and posted it on some boards facing outward so that passersby could read them. We received the feedback to paste a number of chart papers together and make a consolidated newspaper. I started going around the venue asking people to contribute articles and discovered the challenges with a group of mainly illiterate folk. In many cases, I asked people to get someone to write down their opinions, but that didn't always happen. I also tried to get some people to draw – my idea was to make cartoons. But most people had no concept of cartoons and even that was challenging. I ended up drawing my first cartoon ever! Overall, we managed to get a decent paper together.</p><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63h5BDvosR7vN_jeMOZdiaKuFF_P_o8phDxHsDikT6ypb3AyF4xpkyjH5OuwOdAJTqTv1BA-0swvYeaxgOzmmueBIdz_iAfZXdm0WP29LP0RozP8ZZf9SCGeH_324RsAbPQZM/s1600-h/Day3-7-RotiPileAfterOneHour.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63h5BDvosR7vN_jeMOZdiaKuFF_P_o8phDxHsDikT6ypb3AyF4xpkyjH5OuwOdAJTqTv1BA-0swvYeaxgOzmmueBIdz_iAfZXdm0WP29LP0RozP8ZZf9SCGeH_324RsAbPQZM/s320/Day3-7-RotiPileAfterOneHour.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294399991076121266" border="0" /></a><br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify">Dwiji was busy presiding over the cooking (surprise, surprise!). A number of women kept asking me throughout the day whether we were married or brother and sister, whether we had children, who cooked at home etc. etc. I also got a lot of ribbing from Bitoli and her enthusiastic group for 'allowing' Dwiji to grow a beard!</p>N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-17166680098838495492009-01-22T13:41:00.002+05:302009-01-23T13:21:09.630+05:30Starting with a victory!<div style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">January 16th</span><br /><br />While we were preparing for the dharna in Sitapur, efforts were underway in Lucknow, mainly through Arundhati Dhuru, to get the order for payment of unemployment benefits issued. And these were successful - on the morning of the 16th, Hindustan Hindi reported that the Commisioner at the Ministry for Rural Affairs had signed the order to release almost Rs. 15 lakh in unemployment benefits and it had been sent to the District Administration. My first reaction to this news was that we could call off the dharna. But during further discussions, it dawned on me that the struggles of workers at the village and block level to get work, get new job cards, be paid for work already done etc. did need resolution.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgd8G0uruKuhua2IWmBoyIJDTfIDr4KE9DfZPggZ1xd48awBVdD1nsXmvV4p8FInGbHjWATpwj-frP2wbkIjIHApqHSD7e1moXzw-Uz6pKpod9ZvrYKQJaiRde_0x0-E_CiSCF/s1600-h/Day1-2-HearingSurbala.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgd8G0uruKuhua2IWmBoyIJDTfIDr4KE9DfZPggZ1xd48awBVdD1nsXmvV4p8FInGbHjWATpwj-frP2wbkIjIHApqHSD7e1moXzw-Uz6pKpod9ZvrYKQJaiRde_0x0-E_CiSCF/s320/Day1-2-HearingSurbala.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294392911019437394" border="0" /></a>We set off to the dharna site to find the shamiana up and a few villagers already there. Action picked up around 2 pm, with speeches, slogans and songs. Richa talked about the order issued in Lucknow. The Sangathan hadn't received a copy yet. Further, there were 9 more demands that had to be met. Should the dharna be called off? The answer was a resounding no!<br /><br />At some point, I took a break to have a snack – the villagers had brought food from home, but we hadn't cooked anything. When I came back, it was to find that the P.D. (Program Director) had read out the order on unemployment benefits with the list of recipient villages and the amount to be paid out! Officials at the Collectorate have finally learnt that all such announcements need to be made in public, in front of the Sangathan, rather than privately with one or two representatives...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">January 17th</span><br /><br />The victory over unemployment benefits is not a small one – this is the first time such a payment has been announced in Uttar Pradesh and perhaps the only place where a committee with equal representation from the aggrieved parties was set up. To celebrate, a victory rally was planned at noon. But first, the negotiation team went to parlay with the CDO. They came back with disappointing news – the CDO had promised to look into the issue and had not offered any concrete proposals.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGKLzM48Mrs53hSv8E4GA4VUT3aNSrgIGg9iIETipBkD-JqE89veRltBUIlrjM1VXOOvKZfn-b1821t2UfnNxhMs2X_7z-iBCR5gVEGWNACHfA3pwuxSlCZKRxZna5852jemD/s1600-h/Day2-7-VijayJaloos2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGKLzM48Mrs53hSv8E4GA4VUT3aNSrgIGg9iIETipBkD-JqE89veRltBUIlrjM1VXOOvKZfn-b1821t2UfnNxhMs2X_7z-iBCR5gVEGWNACHfA3pwuxSlCZKRxZna5852jemD/s320/Day2-7-VijayJaloos2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294393262831857090" border="0" /></a><br />Anyway, the rally set out with all of us standing in 2 lines and streaming out onto the road. The two lines spread out and effectively blocked traffic. We first went to the nearby Gandhi statue to offer our prayers and commemorate the Father of the Nation. We then headed to the market area, chanting slogans and distributing pamphlets about the issue. In the market, the head of the Merchant's Guild, who has been supporting the Sangathan, showered flowers on all the marchers.<br /><br />I was at the rear of the procession, helping to keep the line in place and prevent any vehicle from entering between the marchers. We didn't have a mike due to a last-minute snafu, so all slogans were chanted with sheer lung power. Different Sangathan saathis took up the lead in chanting slogans and others enthusiastically joined in. The way in which people struggling for their daily existence have taken ownership of the Sangathan is truly heartening.</div>N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-80616341811279254132009-01-22T12:51:00.002+05:302009-01-22T13:04:39.817+05:30Preparations for the heart, mind and stomach<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify"> On 11<sup>th</sup> and 12<sup>th</sup> January, I attended the regional meetings in Qutubnagar and Pisawa. Here, plans for the dharna were again discussed – the wheat flour, rice, potatoes etc. each village would be contributing, dos and don'ts during the dharna etc. A good amount of time was also spent on other issues such as compensation for collapsed houses. A number of people still haven't received the Rs. 1500 that was promised for houses that collapsed during the severe monsoon from June to September. Plans were made to submit these lists on the 13<sup>th</sup> at the tehsil in Mishrikh. </p><br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify">Another major point of contention was the manner in which work was being conducted at worksites. As a number of people put it, those who had not filed applications for work were still getting it because they are close to the Pradhan. Surbala tried to explain (and I joined in) that we had no way of making this case. If we complained, work applications could be made up on the spot. We need to pick our battles and this one wasn't worth engaging in. Further, if other people were getting work, what is the harm in that? Didn't they need the extra income as well? This point of dissent highlights the divisions along caste and/or party lines that exist in villages and that prevent mass mobilization at the village level. On the bright side, some older Sangathan saathis seem to have understood this and are promoting the message.</p><br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify">One poignant moment occurred in the Qutubnagar meeting when an active Saathi, Prakash, talked about how a group in his village challenged their Pradhan and wrested back the 'commission' he had taken to get old-age pensions and the like done. This group then got the work done legally, without any extortion. Prakash got a pension for his mother as well. One day, when he was away from home, the Pradhan came to his house and demanded Rs. 500 as commission from her. She gave it to him without a murmur! How hard it is to reverse decades of subservience!! </p><br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none; font-family: trebuchet ms;" align="justify">At any rate, the preparations for the dharna were proceeding at full strength. On the evening of the 15<sup>th</sup>, a tractor deposited all the collected provisions at the Sangathan office. A whopping 20 quintals (2000 kg.) of wheat flour and rice had been collected, as well as potatoes, salt, oil and other supplies and about Rs. 3000 in cash. What a thrill to start a dharna knowing that you have food supplies for atleast 20 days at hand! </p>N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-57269068007903077542009-01-22T12:45:00.001+05:302009-01-22T12:47:15.177+05:30NREGA at work<div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">10th Jan 2009</span><br /><br />Saturday found us accompanying Richa and Sharmaji to a village where a serious dispute had broken out over measurement of work at an NREGA work site. A pond is being dug in a village in Mishrikh and ~150 labourers turned up to work here. As we've seen and heard in many places, the Pradhan's 'chamchas' and cronies were doing less work and getting paid more. This was frustrating the rest of the workers, especially those who are SKMS members. A serious disagreement had broken out and a full-blown fight had been narrowly averted. A few of the Pradhan's 'gang' had used extremely foul language against some women and this had become more of an emotional issue.<br /><br />At the village, people quickly assembled – work had been shut for the day – and began recounting their versions of the incident. The Pradhan Pati (his wife is the puppet Pradhan), his son and cronies were nowhere to be found, even though they had promised to be there.<br /><br />A major point of contention was the measurement of work done – the government assessment is that an average worker can dig and remove 70 cubic feet of earth per day and will receive the minimum wage – Rs. 100. If a worker digs less or more than that, he/she will be paid accordingly. Now earlier, the average volume of earth was set at 100 cubic feet. With the downward revision, most workers would be eligible to receive more, but at this worksite, 100 cubic feet was still being used as a reference. Further, the measurement of work done is supposed to be recorded daily in the Measurement Book. Instead, it was recorded only after 6 days. And the calculations showed that most people would be paid Rs. 25-40/day, a number that seems absurdly low.<br /><br />Sharmaji stepped into the half-dug pond to demonstrate how to measure the volume of the pits each worker or team had dug. This is a simple process – most pits are cuboids, so the volume measure is length x width x depth. But I realized that for semi-literate/illiterate workers with low self-confidence, even this level of math is a challenge. I am sure that they can compute more difficult sums, such as interest on their loans etc. So how to get them to figure out this relatively simple equation? As Dwiji remarked, workshops on muster roll records, measurement of work etc. are in order and a good time and place for them will be the dharna!<br /><br />Richa and Sharmaji persevered in locating the Pradhan Pati and his son – we finally got them to meet us in Mishrikh in the presence of the Block Pramukh. After some amount of arguing and negotiation, a compromise was arrived at. The main mischief monger would apologize for the foul language he used and would be removed from the worksite. The Junior Engineer for the region would come and independently measure the pits and calculate the wages to be paid out. This process is planned for the 15th – till then, it's wait and see and continue preparations for the dharna... </div>N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-52989855673445265712009-01-22T12:17:00.002+05:302009-01-22T12:32:58.015+05:30The road to Sitapur<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >6th - 7th Jan 2009</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >We returned to Sitapur on New Years Eve after an absence of 4 months. Most of this period was spent in traveling – in the US and Canada, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, MP, Karnataka, Tamilnadu... Dwiji even spent a few weeks in Kerala while I was busy at CHC. So I was ready for a change to mere local journeys – after all, travel within Mishrikh and Pisawa blocks in Sitapur dt. feels comparable to commutes within Bangalore city, maybe better. Though the distances are greater, one is not stuck in traffic jams, breathing in diesel fumes! </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >The first few days of our return were mainly occupied in acclimatizing to the cold and setting up supplies in the kitchen and one room of the new SKMS premises – we are staying here until we can find a place of our own. I did accompany Reena, Surbala and others to a couple of villages near Mishrikh. The year-and-a-half long campaign for unemployment allowance that SKMS has been involved in is stuck in what should be its penultimate phase. The DM-appointed committee, set up after the December 2007 dharna, came out with its final report on Oct 10th establishing the eligibility of 800+ families for roughly Rs. 15 lakh worth of dues. But, since then, the district administration has been pursuing the usual beaurocratic delaying tactics. Therefore, SKMS is planning an indefinite dharna to demand action on this matter, viz the release of funds to the families as laid out in the report. The current round of village meetings was to drum up support for this dharna in villages in the two blocks.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >A committee of 3-5 people from each village were also invited for a 2-day meeting to coordinate and plan for the dharna. The meeting was held at the Mishrikh dharamsala. It was to run from the noon of 6th January to noon of the next day, with as little time spent sleeping as possible! Usually about 60-80 people have turned up at such meetings – this time there were almost 150 people! This did create a few problems with logistics, such as sleeping arrangements, and seating when we had to move inside from the terrace. Also, the even mix of newbies and older hands made it harder to organize the meeting and the agenda. But overall, it was an entertaining mix of songs and slogans (with a lot of people being trained for the same), coordination for the dharna, discussions of other issues and problems and even some scoldings and exhortations. During the past dharna in December 2007, a lot of help and support was requested and given by people in Sitapur. This time, there were more efforts to raise donations in cash and kind (wheat flour, potatoes) from the villages itself. Enough foodstock was pledged to provide food for the protestors for 15 days – hopefully, that will suffice!</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >While I have spent a reasonable amount of time with the members of SKMS, this workshop provided a lot of new perspectives. Some were quite simple, and given my previous experiences here, logical. After initial problems with people dirtying the toilets, it was quite easy to find an empty and clean one, though there were just 3 available. Villagers here are used to answering nature's call in the open, and they seem to answer it less frequently than us city-bred folks! </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >A tougher issue, and one that will very likely be a problem during the dharna, is getting folks to cooperate while distributing food, blankets etc. The sad truth is that the members of SKMS are deprived in many ways. When food is being distributed, they think about the children or other family members back home and try to squirrel away some for later. This sometimes results in other people not getting a serving at all, as during the workshop with samosas. At night, the distribution of quilts was similarly problematic. Maybe people just have to develop confidence in the sangathan and in each other. Or perhaps that will always be a challenge. </span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Anyway, I was sadly reminded of how much food is wasted in marriages, parties and all the other events hosted by the better-off among us. In contrast, during the dharna, due to logistical and economic issues, a simple meal of rotis and 'alu ki sabzi' will be prepared in the evening and just chai in the morning. Some people mentioned how tough it would be to not have anything to eat in the morning and it was suggested that they keep aside some rotis from the evening before. Thankfully, it is winter, with less chances of food spoiling.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >The dharna has been finalized for January 16th. My primary responsibility at the time will be with the 'khabar' or news team. We are planning to come out with a daily 'akhbaar' – here's hoping we'll be able to come together as an effective news team! </span><br /></div>N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-44533490889358246532009-01-11T18:40:00.002+05:302009-01-11T19:12:08.501+05:30A balloonist's view of agriculture<div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >For the past month and a half, I have been hard at work trying to put together a report of all I have seen and learnt in the past 6 months. This was a requirement from CHC - a good one, because it forced me to put down on paper a lot of thoughts that were randomly floating through my brain!</span><br /><br /><p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Below is the chapter on agriculture. The context to the 'balloonist' is from a question posed to us at CHC: 'Do you want to be a balloonist or a molecular biologist' referring to two approaches of looking at an issue. I consider the past 6-9 months of hectic travel to be in the balloonist mode of learning!</span><br /><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Since 2004, I have been building my understanding and perspective on agricultural issues in India and throughout the world. In the last few months, I have met a number of groups and individuals working on this issue and have had extensive discussions with them. Following is a brief description of each of these visits:</span><br /><br /></p></div><ul style="font-weight: bold; font-family: trebuchet ms; text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><li>LEISA project – connecting the dots</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In December 2005, Dwiji and I had visited Motaganahalli, a village in Bangalore rural dt., where Prasanna Saligram and others were working as part of AID India with locals on a LEISA (Low External Inputs Sustainable Agriculture) intervention. Back then, their focus was more technical – they were looking at how much biomass was required, what crops to grow together etc. Now, with the implementation of NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) in all districts of the country, the social aspect of this program has increased to getting Panchayats involved and using NREGA funds to pay for some of the off-farm activities such as composting and preparing biosolutions. A new field area: Dhanametapalli in Kolar dt. has been added.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The basic model is as follows: a group of 4-6 landless women are selected to work on leased land to improve its fertility and organic content. In the process, they receive a share of the produce and valuable training that can allow them to become resource-persons or workers on organic farms. The philosophy of work is inspired by Dabholkar's ideas and practitioners like Mr. Renke. The current conceptualization with the social components was done by Mr Datye, an expert who passed away recently. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The challenges in this work are immense, the extremely low levels of the water table, shortage of biomass, good quality seeds etc., dependence on the goodwill of the leasing farmer and now cooperation of the Panchayat and so on. But there has been progress – local leaders have been created at the village level and the project has continued due to their commitment. The women of Dhanametapalli, in particular, were enthusiastic and enterprising. At a point when the work was delayed due to non-availability of seeds, they took the initiative to find out who farmed organically in the area. They visited these farms, learnt some farming approaches and procured seeds themselves! Because of the proximity to Bangalore, selling their produce has been relatively easy as well.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In conclusion, this initiative is worth supporting and learning from. It has pitfalls and inconsistencies, but it has also provided valuable capacity-building. Also, from the beginning, importance has been given to replicability and the larger picture, something that is lacking in many agricultural interventions.</span><br /><br /></div><ul style="font-weight: bold; font-family: trebuchet ms; text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><li>Revathi and TOFARM - where there is no alternative</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I first met Revathi in early 2005 in Tamilnadu, while helping her draft a proposal for rejuvenating agricultural land damaged by the tsunami. At that time, agricultural unversity professors were saying that it would take 3-7 years for the land to return to full productivity. Revathi, along with Nammalvar and other people involved in organic farming, wanted to prove them wrong and they did. Of course, whether the farmers involved are continuing these practices is another matter...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Since then, Revathi has continued to work on training trainers and on setting up a model farm near Thiruvarur. More recently, her group has worked with Oxfam in Ampara province in Sri Lanka. The entire province has turned organic, in large part due to the difficulties of supplying fertilizers, pesticides and seeds in this conflict-torn region. A huge challenge from an organic farming standpoint was the lack of domestic animals, again due to conflict. But by using techniques such as green manuring with 15-20 seed varieties, they have been able to make land productive again.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The model farm that Revathi is setting up near Thiruvarur is only a year old, therefore it was an excellent point in time to observe her planning. The land she and her husband purchased is low-lying and often gets waterlogged, therefore it was sold at a cheap rate. Revathi and her team are trying out many innovative techniques to compensate for this. A number of ponds have been dug and the mud from them was used to elevate certain fields. In another place, a zigzag system of trenches has been created with the dug-out soil elevating the space in between them and creepers planted to reduce evaporation in summer. Fish have been introduced into the trenches and ponds – their sale provides income as well.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Revathi's mentor is Nammalvar, one of the pioneers in the Tamilnadu organic movement. He once very beautifully explained to us how it is essential to tailor farming practices to the local conditions. Seeing Revathi's work underscores those principles and provides inspiration for coming up with such approaches wherever we are.</span><br /><br /></div><ul style="font-weight: bold; font-family: trebuchet ms; text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><li>Farming in Auroville</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Around the time we were to visit Auroville, we found that some friends from ReStore, a Chennai collective fostering consumer-producer links, were attending a 10-day workshop at Solitude Farm. We decided to attend part of the workshop while visiting other groups at Auroville. The parts we attended included discussions on Fukuoka's methods, digging a soak pit with banana saplings and other seeds and processing of traditional grains. I also briefly participated in making seeds pellets – encasing them in clay to prevent being eaten by birds and insects when broadcasting (no-tilling sowing).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Solitude farm fits seamlessly into the Auroville ethos of living in harmony with the earth. Also, since Auroville markets and consumes a huge amount of organic produce, the market does not seem to be a problem. The farm, like everything in Auroville, seems quite disconnected from the surrounding population. The cook, who comes in from a nearby village, told us: 'What is the point of going through all this trouble to pound, clean and then cook these grains?' Perhaps, because the farming and food practices are so rooted in spirituality, the residents of Solitude Farm and Auroville are willing to work harder, and pay more, for this lifestyle.</span><br /><br /></div><ul style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:trebuchet ms;"><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">BAIF Karnataka – tree-based dryland cultivation</span></li></ul><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">BAIF is one of the oldest NGOs in the country, set up during Gandhiji's lifetime by Manibhai Desai. It works in a number of states across the country. BAIF Karnataka works on a number of issues, but we were primarily interested in the agricultural aspects of their work. They have been promoting tree-based farming as the best solution for dryland areas. We saw two types of interventions. One was with individual farmers, where over a 3 year period, they introduced organic practices such as trenches filled with organic matter, biosolutions etc. A lot of their work has been with mulberry growing in this silk-producing area. Through use of biomass, they have cut down on water consumption significantly.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Another effort has been to rejuvenate huge tracts of land, such as a 100 acre barren area that was distributed among landless families. BAIF provided training, support and funding for 3 years, at the end of which the land is productive and covered with trees. This is quite an achievement, given that many such projects are not successfully implemented. The BAIF staff told us that they paid people to water saplings in the summer and extensively monitored to ensure that they were doing so. In the words of their director, 'such work requires commitment over long periods of time'.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The work that BAIF does requires a lot of funding. They have even signed MoUs with the government in order to implement some of this work, and advocate similar styles of functioning for other NGOs. They do not have faith in local government functioning in an honest manner without inspection by NGOs, but NGO can be as susceptible to corruption as a local official, in my opinion. </span><br /><br /></div><ul style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:trebuchet ms;"><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bhaskar Save – the voice of natural farming</span></li></ul><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In 2007, Bhaskar Save, a famer who has grown using natural methods for decades, wrote an open letter to M.S. Swaminathan about the agricultural crisis in the nation. That letter was an inspiration and we were keen on meeting Bhaskarbhai. We met him a couple of days after Diwali at his farm near Umargaon. A number of pilgrims seem to have found their way here and he now has developed a 2 hour session for visitors! He talked about realizing that he was losing money rather than making a profit through chemical farming because he was spending so much on seeds, fertilizers etc. The understanding that he needed to bring down costs led him to Fukuoka and natural farming. Since then, he has not looked back. His son, Nareshbhai, is also farming organically – the premium these products fetch in the market is also attractive.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sadly, the area around Umargaon is rapidly getting industrialized. Land prices are shooting up and pollution has shot up. It will be sad if the land that was nurtured carefully for all these decades will be impacted by these new developments.</span><br /><br /></div><ul style="font-weight: bold; font-family: trebuchet ms; text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><li>Becoming the change – individual experiments in farming</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A significant path for people aiming to lead more meaningful lives has been agriculture. I have heard of and met people both in India and the US who have given up professional careers, bought land and begun growing their own food. It is an option we have considered too. In early November, we met Smitaben and Dhirendrabhai, a couple who were professors in Baroda. Through a process of reading, discussions and reflection, they decided to live a more sustainable life and moved to Sakvi, a village near Rajpipla. They learnt traditional farming methods from their Adivasi neighbours, who have now ironically moved to chemical farming.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The couple educated their children at home, allowing them to learn what they were interested in. They grow all they need on one acre of their land. The other acre is devoted to trees and is almost like a forest. They provide mentorship and guidance to others interested in taking up farming. If there is regret, it is that they have not been able to do more work with the villagers. But they feel that such efforts would lead them to neglect the land for which they came here in the first place. It was really nice meeting them and their older son. However, I think I would need a lot more patience and humility than I have to live life as simply and steadily as they have! </span><br /><br /></div><ul style="font-weight: bold; font-family: trebuchet ms; text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><li>The farmer-labourer connection</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In more than one place, we have heard farmers talking about how hard it is to find farm labourers. 'People don't want to work hard','Men are addicted to drink' etc. are some of the comments I have heard. On the other hand, we know that many in rural areas are poor and underemployed. So why does this situation persist? Visiting Subhash Sharma's farm near Yavatmal might provide some of the answers.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The first thing he has done, which is simple yet profound, is provide employment for his labourers all year round. Conventionally, agricultural work has been seasonal, with a lot of demand during the sowing and harvesting times, but little in between. Subhashji has planned his farm so that there is somthing or the other to do. He provides food and accomodation to his employees and even takes them on early vacations! These systems have allowed him to not only farm successfully on his own land, but also lease others' and make them productive and profitable.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Subhashji mainly grows greens, vegetables and pulses. He sells almost all his produce in Yavatmal, with oly a few items bought by dealers in Nagpur. He firmly believes in selling in the open market as close to the farm as possible. I agree with him on this – food that is labeled organic and sold in the export market defeats the goal of sustainability. Subhashji has been able to make good profits by timing the arrival of his produce in the market, for example, the first methi in the market always fetches a good price, so he plants an early crop even though the yield is low. By incorporating natural farming techniques, Subhashji has been able to reduce his costs and his water usage. The tree cover on his land provided a haven for birds, which naturally control pests. He leaves some land fallow every year to let it 'rest'.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">After touring Subhashji's farm, I was stuck with the uncomfortable thought that this kind of planning and practices would be possible only on a large landholding. One would need atleast a few acres to allow some of it to remain fallow, to plant trees etc. Would the labourers on this farm follow these practices if they owned the land? I talked to some of them who have land back in their native village – one said that his son, who farms the family land, grows cotton using chemical methods. I was left wondering how to incorporate some of Subhashji's approaches in a collective of marginal farmers. </span><br /><br /></div><ul style="font-weight: bold; font-family: trebuchet ms; text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><li>10-gunta farming, rooftop gardening – a model for Indian farmers and cities?</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I have been reading 'Plenty for all', a book on how everyone can enjoy a good quality of life with juat half an acre of land. The author, Dabholkar's description of Prayog Parivar, a network of people who learn from and teach each other and collaboratively build on existing knowledge. Dabholkar passed away recently, but many people inspired by him continue to work and refine on the techniques he propounded. Even the aforementioned LEISA project draws on some of these techniques, though one problem with them that the group found was the huge biomass requirements in the first year or two.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Anyway, we heard of a rooftop garden experiment by the manager of a Bombay Port Trust canteen, Preeti Patil. The approach taken by her is inspired by the Prayog Parivar. She has been able to convert all the organic waste produced by her canteen into compost and her team grows a number of vegetables using them. While nowhere near producing the vegetables needed daily in the canteen, this effort effectively manages waste and is a green oasis in the dreary Port area.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We also visited Deepak Suchade in Bajwada, MP. Deepakji is Dabholkar's protege and is working on documenting many of these approaches and providing training and workshops. His farm is on the banks of the Narmada and is a beautiful place. Over the past two years, he has transformed his land and has laid out a model of a 10-gunta (quarter acre) farm that will provide for all the food a family needs. Another model that is called the Gangamaa mandala uses all the household wastewater and provides enough fruits and vegetables for a family.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">While these techniques are worth learning, the earlier mentioned drawback of huge amounts of required biomass still exists. Further, the principles that Dabholkarji laid out and which Deepakji advocates seem a bit unrealistic. For example, they say that the Gangamaa mandala would yield atleast 2 kg of vegetables every day. One kg. Can be used for domestic purposes and another kg. can be sold. In my opinion, one cannot sell 1 kg. of vegetables unless one belongs to a cooperative that can take small quantities from a lot of people and sell them collectively. To set up such a cooperative is not a trivial task and may not make business sense, but the Dabholkar school of thought does not seem to give much importance to this problem. From a personal nutrition point of view, this approach is very useful, but I am not convinced that this can provide a livelihood for a marginal farmer, let alone a middle class lifestyle.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">All these visits, combined with my learnings in the past have now given me the confidence to begin some work on agriculture in Sitapur dt. The farmer-members of SKMS hold small tracts of land, many under an acre. Most have access to irrigation and therefore grow 3 crops a year. The rabi crop is usually wheat, followed by lentils or vegetables etc. In the monsoon, some grow paddy, others corn, groundnuts etc. A lot of sugarcane is grown, though receiving prompt payment from the sugar mill is a challenge. Monocropping is prevalent and soil erosion is extensive. On the nutrition front, there are high levels of malnutrition and anaemia.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">There are many fronts on which I could proceed and I plan to explore them in the future months. </span></div>N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10346408.post-32809687727796356862008-11-22T20:16:00.000+05:302008-11-22T20:25:32.706+05:30Beyond lectures: new ways of learning<p style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:85%;">All of us who have gone through the institution of formal education know how easy it is to sit through a lecture, look attentive and not absorb anything! Even with a desire to learn, there is a limit to what can be absorbed and retained in the standard lecture format. In recent years, many innovative methods of learning have been experimented with and implemented in schools and non-formal learning centres, among village-level activists etc. During the orientation and mid-term review at CHC Bangalore, we experienced firsthand the benefits of such approaches.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:85%;">During the 6+ weeks of sessions in June, July and September 2008, we sang, danced, acted, drew, presented and debated. For me, these interactive sessions often crystallized the content of lectures into valuable insights. One game, in particular, challenged our perceptions of the world we live in and ourselves. This was the monsoon game, led by Ravi Narayan, which we played on the 3<sup>rd</sup> day of our orientation. It is a role-play which simulates life in a village. Most participants were divided into 8 upper caste, OBC and Dalit families with varying amounts of land. The huge landholders were all upper or the dominant caste, as is common, while the Dalits were marginal landholders. Other participants were moneylenders, government officials, journalists etc.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:85%;">The game took us through 7 years of planning what to 'plant' and then 'reaping the harvest' in a good, average or bad monsoon. Those who did not have enough to eat 'starved' and a family that went through 3 years of starvation 'died'. While all this was going on, the moneylender was lending money at exorbitant rates; government officials were announcing relief schemes, very few of which the most needy were eligible for and the journalist was documenting the abuses. Finally, at the end of the game, 3 families were dead and the moneylender had acquired a lot of land! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:85%;">In the post-game discussion, we realized how easily each of us had fallen into our roles, becoming complacent and often selfish as an upper-caste family and feeling powerless as a Dalit family. We appreciated the difficulty of mobilizing communities that are living a hand-to-mouth existance. We also realized that we had forgotten the activist part of our psyche! We hadn't protested, refused to obey the rules or 'organized'. The game was a powerful tool to make us appreciate the lives of the rural poor.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:85%;">Dwiji and I traveled through the US in September-October visiting chapters of the Association for India's Development (AID), an organization both of us have volunteered with. While planning sessions on topics as varied as Sustainable Agriculture and Group Dynamics, the games and other activities at CHC provided plenty of inspiration and ideas. We wanted to have more discussions and debates and found that these methods were very effective in getting inputs from participants in these sessions.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:85%;">While we did not have the time to play something as elaborate as the monsoon game, we tried to come up with a shorter role-play to illustrate group dynamics in the presence of an 'outsider'. </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:85%;">The role-play is quite simple – most participants are villagers, while two are the 'change agents', representatives of an NGO. Each person is given a chit that assigns them their role and provides further information that they can choose to share or not share. The background is that the change agents are at the final stage of selecting the village as the site for a new high school which their NGO will manage, but they feel there is something the village is not sharing with them that could impact the success of the project. Their goal is to find out what this 'secret' is. On the other hand, the villagers are vested in seeing the school set up in their village and the resulting benefits. At the beginning, both the change agents and the villagers are allowed time by themselves to strategize – then comes the interaction between the two groups.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:85%;">We played this game with the volunteers of two chapters and found it was even more successful in illustrating group dynamics and negotiations between groups<span style=""> </span>than we had expected. Hierarchies were formed within the village group and the change agents in both chapters took different approaches – confrontational and friendly - while engaging with the village. We analyzed these interactions later and discussed their pros and cons, comparing them to modes of engagement in the field. Further, a number of issues were raised that were not covered in our initial briefing but are, in reality, important for a school's success. We discussed child and adult education, child labour, migration to cities, public land in a village, mid-day meal schemes and more. <o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Whether these interactive approaches are more effective than traditional methods remains to be seen. I think they are and we certainly enjoyed planning and participating in them! I hope to benefit from more such games and interactive sessions in the future, whether as just a participant or a co-ordinator and planner as well. In such an interactive process, we all learn and what could be better than that!</span></span><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>N. Sudhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929471713892941357noreply@blogger.com0