NGO helps Bhanwarpur Dalits to overcome bonded type conditions, struggle for sustainable livelihood

By Bharat Dogra

Bhanwarpur village located in Naraini block of Banda district, UP, has a dalit hamlet of about 100 households. Till about 25 years back the situation of the village was such that most of the workers here were toiling in bonded type conditions. While land pattas had been allotted in the name of most households, due to their weaker and vulnerable position they had not been able to gain occupation of this land and cultivate this land.

It was at this stage that Vidya Dham Samiti (VDS), a voluntary organization, established contact with the people here. After discussions it was decided that getting actual occupation of the land should get the highest priority. The VDS along with community members made various representations to the administration and maintained the continuity of their efforts and campaign. Around this time some officials were also sympathetic to their demands. So several meetings were organized and subsequently a team of revenue officials was constituted to identify, measure and hand over land to the allottees after getting rid of various encroachments. As the villagers here say, it was big achievement and by now about 90 per cent of the allottees have been able to occupy the land.

The journey from bonded workers to small farmers was a significant achievement, but as the land available was limited and there were other adverse conditions, some people still had to migrate to distant places to supplement their earnings and this dependence gradually grew to higher levels. During COVID times these migrant workers had to return without their earnings and their condition became precarious. At this stage VDS again proved very helpful with relief supplies which helped villagers to keep away starvation during the most difficult days.

Still as the overall situation was quite depressing, VDS coordinator Raja Bhaiya suggested that some constructive activities that can motivate the people should be taken up. A small river Gharar that used to flow near this village had been depleted over the years and gradually its flow was lost, making the livelihood situation in the village more difficult. The villagers decided to try to revive this river with voluntary work and 52 persons—women and men—volunteered to work for this. They achieved surprising success and for some time this helped to make available better irrigation. Unfortunately this was messed up badly by some indiscriminate construction work carried out by some officials without consulting or involving people. Hence the gains people had made with their voluntary work were lost and instead the village became more exposed to floods. Villagers now want some of this indiscriminate construction to be removed so that the threat from floods can go away.

In addition villagers are keen to embark on repair and renovation work of an important well in the village which has been a very important source for meeting the needs of this village. This is regarded as a very useful well but needs considerable cleaning and repair work and villagers want to take this up with some help from VDS.

In addition villagers are also holding consultations to reduce as much as possible the consumption of all intoxicants. It is hoped that these steps will also take the village community towards increasing unity and cooperation.

---

The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include "Man over Machine" and "Protecting Earth for Children"

Comments

When democracy becomes a performance: The Tibetan exile experience

By Tseten Lhundup* I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.

Study links sanctions to 500,000 deaths annually leading to rise in global backlash

By Bharat Dogra International opinion is increasingly turning against the expanding burden of sanctions imposed on a growing number of countries. These measures are contributing to humanitarian crises, intensifying domestic discord, and heightening international tensions, thereby increasing the risks of conflicts and wars.

Dhurandhar: The Revenge — Blurring the line between fiction and political narrative

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* "Dhurandhar: The Revenge" does not wait to be remembered; it arrives almost on the heels of its predecessor, released on March 19, 2026, just months after the first film’s December 2025 debut. The speed of its arrival feels less like creative urgency and more like calculated timing—cinema responding not to storytelling rhythm but to the emotional climate of its audience. Director Aditya Dhar, along with actor Yami Gautam, appears acutely aware of this moment and how to harness it.

BJP accounts for 99% of political donations in Gujarat: Corporate giants dominate

By Jag Jivan An analysis of the official data on donations received by national parties from Gujarat during the Financial Year 2024-25 reveals a staggering concentration of funding, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accounting for nearly the entirety of the contributions. The data, compiled in a document titled "National Parties donations received from Gujarat during FY-2024-25," lists thousands of transactions, painting a detailed picture of the financial backing for political parties from one of India’s most industrially significant states.

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

Alarming decline in India's repair culture threatens circular economy goals: Study

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Captains extraordinaire: Ranking cricket’s most influential skippers

By Harsh Thakor* Ranking the greatest cricket captains is a subjective exercise, often sparking passionate debate among fans. The following list is not merely a tally of wins and losses; it is an assessment of leadership’s deeper impact. My criteria fuse a captain’s playing record with their tactical skill, placing the highest consideration on their ability to reshape a team’s fortunes and inspire those around them. A captain who inherited a dominant empire is judged differently from one who resurrected a nation’s cricket from the doldrums. With that in mind, here is my perspective on the finest leaders the game has ever seen.

‘No merit’ in Chakraborty’s claims: Personal ethics talk sans details raises questions

By Jag Jivan A recent opinion piece published in The Quint by Subhash Chandra Garg has raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the resignation of Atanu Chakraborty from HDFC Bank , with Garg stating that the exit “raises doubts about his own ‘ethics’.” Garg, currently Chief Policy Advisor at Subhanjali and former Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India, writes that the Reserve Bank of India ( RBI ) appears to find no substance in Chakraborty’s claims, noting, “It is clear the RBI sees no merit in Atanu Chakraborty’s wild and vague assertions.”

Search This Blog