Nomadic Child |
Author: jaydevb
Let’s wish for a race where everyone wins…
Mittal Patel with the people of Shihori |
Shihori Water Management Site |
Lake Deepening work |
Mittal Patel meets the people of Shihori Village |
Contemplating to extend water conservation efforts to Surendranagar!!
Mittal Patel discusses WaterManagement |
Almost 10 years ago I happen to read a very pragmatic book on the water woes of Zalawad/Surendranagar region authored by my very dear Arvindbhai Acharya whom we all called Bhai.
Dudhai village’s Hadasar Lake |
I received an early morning message by Surendranagar District Collector Shri K Rajesh who had recently learnt that we work on the issues of water in Banaskantha, telling us to begin water conservation efforts in Surendranagar too, and that government is prepared to support the efforts.
Gadhda village’s Khara Lake |
VSSM has its own set of preconditions before commencing on any such work. As it is we call the efforts ‘Participatory Water Management Program’. The village leadership and community must contribute both in cash and kind. There has to be a corpus for maintaining the deepened lakes.
Mittal Patel visits WaterManagement site at Surendranagar |
VSSM also need support from its well-wishing donors to be able to carry out such mammoth efforts. I spoke to respected Rashminbhai Sanghvi about the same. He assured we will work hard. We comprehend the fact that Surendranagar too needs massive water conservation efforts. But to be dependent on the Government alone is not a sustainable solution. Community participation equals community responsibility.
The wonders of Vaghpura..
VSSM’s water conservation efforts recently took me to Vaghpura village near Gujarat-Rajasthan boarder. The villagers had requested for deepening of their community lake. As usual our condition of villagers contributing to lifting the excavated soil as well as small cash donation (to be used for water conservation works in the village) by each household while VSSM supported JCB expenses prevailed. The objective of the visit was to meet the community and leaders to discuss the telephonic conversations in person.
“Ben, this year we faced an onslaught locust on our crops which caused severe damage to our crops. The loss has been immense. Also because we are at the fringe of Gujarat, we have remained a deprived and backward area as most benefits do not reach us as well as they do in other villages. However, we shall do as you tell us too!!” Sarpanch Virabhai spoke on behalf of the leaders and the community.
It was a regular visit to meet the community and see the region, the lake etc but what was striking about this village was the place we were seated. Under the glorious and massive shade of a woodland created by 108 peepul trees, right at the centre of the village. It has taken them 10 years to raise these native trees. Peepul isn’t a tree humans Peepul is not a species that many prefer to plant, however, a saint visited the village and insisted that he will meditate under the canopy of 108 peepul trees, as a result, these trees were planted. And it was not just here they had planted trees at many other places too. This habit of planting trees speaks a lot about the sincerity of the community and its leadership. Our experience says that people show a lot of enthusiasm in planting trees but when it comes to raising them they don’t feel as encouraged but the villagers here had succeeded in showing their commitment towards both planting and raising the trees.
Their unity has been inspiring too. When we conveyed our intention to conduct tree plantation drive along with deepening of lakes, they immediately welcomed the idea and were ready to allot land for the same.
I was accompanied by respected Shri Rashminbhai Sanghvi who is like a father to me and someone who helped us initiate and shape the water conservation efforts, Shri Girishbhai Saive and Ms Shweta Dodeja.
We hope more and more villages are inspired to join this movement.
પાસો વિસ્તારેય પસાત. છતો તમે કો સો ઈમ થશે એટલો ફાળો ભેરો કરી આલશું. પાસુ અમારુ આ ગોમ બોર્ડર પરનું એટલે બીજા ગોમોન મળ એવા લાભથીયે અમે વંચિત રહી જઈએ. છતો કરીશું થાય એ’
It is high time we erase the taboos and stigma surrounding Menstruation…
Mittal Patel at a program organised at IIM-Ahmedabad |
The program had presence of Ms. Jyoti and Dr. Archana |
Menstruation, a natural physiological occurrence each woman undergoes every month, a cycle that is responsible for keeping her healthy. ‘Period’ is a simple and straight forward term to describe this cycle whereas Gujarati describes it called ‘Masik Dharm’ and there are all sorts of religious sanctions surrounding it. In India, we have a lot of stigma and taboo attached to this natural phenomenon. There is a long list of cannot/don’ts to be adhered to for women during her periods. Cannot go to the temple, touch anything auspicious, can’t go near the gas-stove, water pot or enter the kitchen, don’t touch a million things…it’s an exhaustive list
Mittal Patel with Milanbhai |
Mittal Patel had an opportunity to share rural beliefs and perspective sbout the menstrual cycle |