The Adivasi are deeply concerned for their future, as they are dispossessed of their socio-culture and socio-political autonomy and their community life is being broken up in the name of development.

By Dayamani Barla;

Freelance Journalist,

Convener-Adivasi Mulvasi Astitva Rakcha Manch

Jharkhand

The real problems of displaced persons in the Ranchi district of Jharkhand state have not been properly understood by the Heavy Engineering Corporation and the Govt. Officials. The victims of  HEC have been  struggling for their survival. They are fighting for their inalienable rights. They are demanding JUSTICE, because they have been forcibly and unjustly uprooted from their homeland. They are systematically and methodically being dispossessed of the ownership of their means of production and particularly of the very means of human existence. The Adivasi are deeply concerned for their future, as they are dispossessed of their socio-culture and socio-political autonomy and their community life is being broken up in the name of development. Their cultural values and their social values, their history, their identity is fully depend on Land, Water and forest. It is true that displaced lived in harmonious relationship with their environment. Their culture is closely related to nature. Land, Water and forest are the  basic natural resources of their means of livelihood. They have a symbiotic relationship with their resources. By tradition, they are agriculturists. They cannot survive without their lands and forests.

HEC-Secretariat Building.

According to report in 1956 HEC have been acquired 9,500 acres of 16 villages.  people displaced due to the establishment of HEC, the first industrial venture undertaken after independence for ‘development’ of Ranchi, Jharkhand, has not done the proper rehabilitation by either the State Government or the Central Government or by the HEC( Have Engineering Corporation).  More than 40,000 Population have been displaced. The displaced Population is not only the Adivasi but Mulvasi  like Kurmi Mahto, Rajput, Sahdev (Landlord family) and Muslim communities also displaced. Before acquiring the land, the Government had promised that the people of all the displaced families would be given jobs to generation by generation. To reconstruct their religious, saran-sasandiri, mashan, madir and masjid space would be allocated in each rehabilitated area. In addition, one of the conditions for resettlement was the provision of amenities like schools, hospitals, water and electricity. These conditions have not been fulfilled by the Government till today. Also, no land was given for the masana, hadagadee, sasandiri or churches. Therefore, each displaced family, given between 0.10 and 0.15 decimals  of land, has constructed their house. Displaced used one portion of the land  as a graveyard to bury their dead. The people have simply made their samana in their own houses, yards, and gardens. Since sarana and akhada have not been made available, the social, cultural, and economic spirit of the adivaasi (tribal) community in the displaced villages has drawn its last breath. The people are being compelled to forget their language, culture, traditional festival and celebrations, as well as customs and practices.

The HEC (Heavy Engineering Corporation) was set up in the Hatiya region in 1956 with collaboration from Russia and Germany. Land from 16 villages was appropriated for this project. The people living in these villages belonged to the Orano, Munda and Khadia adivaasi tribes as well as to communities such as sadan, turi, lohra, kumhar and ghaansi. After being uprooted from their farms, fields, forests, lands, homes and yards, the displaced were not resettled in a single region as they used to live before. People from a single village were ‘scattered’ haphazardly in several spots. The Government had no model policy for resettlement. That is why, to build the resettlement villages, some villages were given 0.10 decimals  of land, some, 0.20 decimals and others, 0.25 decimals All the displaced were not given the equal land for resettlement.

The people of the displaced villages Naya Latama, Choreya Toli, Satranji, Naya Saray, Kute, Bhusur, Ladeb, Tiril, Jagaranathpur, Aani, Modama, Nachiyatu, and Kachnartoli say that the Government had talked about giving jobs to each displaced family generation after generation. But the reality is just the opposite. Each displaced family did not receive employment. Let alone the matter of giving employment to the entire family goes, if in the beginning one member of a family was given a job at all, then a second member of the family was not given a job after that. The Government had also promised that young men or women of employable age from all families that would be given training at CTI and then employed in the Plant. The displaced people said that some young men and women were given a chance to avail this opportunity. But, they say that now the villages of the displaced are mired in fundamental problems of unemployment, poverty, illness, Drinking Water and lack of education. The stranglehold of unemployment had forced the displaced people to flee to other States. Mangtu Oraon and Champa Oran, Snatosh Mahto, pusha lakra told  that more than hundreds families have left the village many years ago in search of a livelihood.

Mahali Oran and Vishu Paahan told us that Latma was the first village to be displaced by HEC, and each family was given 0.20 decimals of land to establish the village of Naya (new) Latma. They informed us that since the settlement of this village was the first task undertaken, the village was provided with a hadagadee, sarana and masana. However, no arrangements were made for water, school, hospital, electricity and other amenities. Today90-95 displaced families live in Naya Latma. The population now would be around 900, of which 95% people make a living as manual labor or rickshaw puller . The displaced folk of Choreya Toli were given 0.10 decimals of land per family and resettled in Naya Choreya Toli. A total of 70 families now live here. Saroj Tamba and Ratani Oran tell us that in the terms of facilities of sarna, masana, hadagadee, akhada, water and wells, electricity, and hospital, the Government has not given them anything at all. According to them, since there is no cremation ground, the dead are cremated on the banks of the river though cremation is not a practice in adivasi culture. Most people have made masana in their yards and gardens itself and bury their dead in these ‘graveyards’. The people told us that a sarana spot has also not been established in this village. Due to this, they are unable to celebrate  the Sarhul pooja, people just worship and perform the pooja in their own homes itself though this used to be traditionally done in the sarana. (spiritual place, basically it is the part of  forest)

Only the Munda family remains in Choreya Toli. Budhva Munda, the Assistant Secretary of the Munda Regional Pahada Committee says “the sarana-sasandiri and akhada are the centers of the spiritual and cultural of society but the sarana-sasandiri has completely vanished since the displacement. Due to the unavailability of the masana-sasandiri, we are unable to worship and offer other services (ghar devati) to the souls of our ancestors”. For the record, historically, the identity of the Munda aadivaasis (Khontkatidaar) was based on the sarana-sasandiri. Birsa Munda said that the Government had talked about giving jobs to the displaced families, but the young men and women from the displaced families are scouring around for jobs. He said that some family ( not to all) only one person in a family was given a job, but that is just not enough to run a family. Not only this, when an employed person retired, another member from that family was not given a job. Consequently, once the employed person retired, his family once again became displaced from their livelihood. Today 99% of the people of Choreya Toli are manual laborers, scrap collectors, rickshaw puller, made servant, kully and raja.

 

This is the family of sukhlal Lohara, they have more four brothers , Atwa Lohra, Udit Lohra, sukhdev Lohara, Kartik Lohara, such a small house five members are living.(photo by me on 2 august 2010) Naya Sarai- Resettlement colony.

The displaced women do reja. Some women wash the dirty dishes at homes of the rich folk in the towns of Hatiya and Ranchi. Some women are callecting ghaans-pora and sell it market.  while some sell hadiya (rice beer ) on the roadside to run their families. Saroj Tamba says that now it has become very difficult to educate the children as the good schools have raised their fees enormously. Charva Munda of Naya Naachiyaatu said “Before the resettlement, the Government had promised arrangements of sarana, masana, akhada, schools, water, electricity and such amenities, but none of these have been provided”. The displaced folk tell us “There are 70-75 displaced families in Sataranji ,Naya Naachiyaatu. The Government has not provided sarana-masana. Due to a lack of sarana, the people are not able to celebrate the Sarhul festival that is associated with Nature. Since a designated masana burial place was not available, people started burying their dead in a piece of vacant government-owned land next to their settlement. But the Forest Department put a stop to this. Due to this, a dispute is currently underway between the displaced people and the Forest Department. The people of the region were give to 0,20 decimals for per Family to resettlement.

This is the Family of Chkeya kachap, they have for sons, Dhuna kachap, Narku Kachap, Matun Kachap and Sukra Kachap.  Total 18 members are living in this house.  they resettled by the HEC in Naya Satranji . (photo by me on 2 Ausgust 2010) Charawa informed us that very few people from the displaced community were given jobs. Not just that, once an employed person retired, another member from that family was not given a job. Charawa say “We have been evicted from our fields and land and converted directly into coolies and daily laborers”. The family of Somara Lohara has been displaced from Bhusur village and now lives in Naya he is a rickshaw pullar.  Somara said “We are four brothers. The eldest is Jagarnath, who was given a job in HEC in the place of my late father”. The other three– Somara, Shahdev and Bhanu – are pulling  rickshaws to support their families. Somara adds “The factories took away the lands and fields, and in exchange we got not enough land to live in Naya Sarai. The only life-support we have left to us now is pulling a rickshaw and manual labor or scrap dealing”. Worried about the children’s education Somara says “The children are being educated in Government Schools: classes there are held sometimes, and sometimes not”.

There were nearly 90 families in Jagarnath village; they have been displaced and resettled in Latma, Sataranji, Hinoo and Naya Saraay. Triloki Rajvar, who was appointed as a Security Guard in HEC in 1961 and retired in 1996, says “Before annexing the lands, the displaced people were assured that in exchange for their source of livelihood, they would be provided a job generation after generation. The officials had also promised us this that if our children were capable, they would be given jobs”. The 85-year old Rajvar says, “I got compensation for the land, I got a job also, but my son did not get anything”. The Rajvar family, settled in Naya Saray, told us that the Government gave each family 0.20 decimals of land for resettlement. Land was given for a masana burial or cremation ground, but some people have appropriated that land and are using it for farming. Land has been given for an akhada for Ramnavmi Zanda. On the other hand, no provisions were made for amenities such as water, electricity, schools and hospitals. At present, there are six or seven Rajvar families, of which only one family has an employed person.

Dhanenath Munda was employed as a Grade IV worker in HEC in 1962. He retired in 1994. Dhanenathji says, “We are three brothers – Dashrath (now deceased), Zhubra and Dhanenath. We received only 0.10 dismil of land to build a house. Today the late Dashrath has two sons, Dhanenath has three sons and Zhubra has three sons”. One of Dashrath’s sons is employed but all sons of Zhubra and Dhanenath are wandering around searching for jobs. Dhanenath has purchased 0.20 decimals of land for his sons where they live in a small room they have constructed. With an aching heart he says “Our lands have been taken by the HEC for the factory, and we were given 0.10 decimals of land. The family has grown. How can such a big family live on 0.10 decimals of land?. Therefore we had to purchase land to construct a house”. Hari Prasad and Lutka Baitha are brothers. Hari Prasad said, “HEC took away all the land of our family, which was more than five acres. As compensation, the two brothers were given jobs, and a sum of 70 thousand rupees and 0.10 decimals of land. Today Hari Prasad has two sons and Lutka has five sons. All sons of both brothers are unemployed at present. Hari Prasad said “Now the whole family has to live on this 0.10 decimals of land for their entire lives. Our grandchildren also have to live on this land”. When asked “How will you live, what will you eat?” he says, “What can we say, this is the biggest problem. In Mudma, land was taken from eight or ten Baitha families, they are also in the same situation”.

This is the resettlement colony in Naya Satranji . it is only 4 killi mitar distance from HEC Plant . but this colony has not provided till date, the power, drinking water, no school, no hospital, no road.

Lalbrajeshwar of Kute has three sons: the eldest son Arun has been working in HMBP as a laborer in the Supply Department for the past 14 years. Arun said that in the beginning, he was earning rupees 500 per month as salary, and today, in 2006, he gets 2,600-2,700 per month. In other words, he gets rupees 85 per day. Arun says that he has been working  away as temporary labor – there is no hope at all of getting a permanent post. His younger brother is a teacher in Senha, and the youngest brother is working in a pole factory in private factory  . Arun said that the Government had said that the sons of displaced fathers would be given jobs, but not one son was given a job by HEC. Prem Prakash Sahdev, also of Kute, has been working in the Supply Department of the HEC forge plant since 2005. He said that though he is technically qualified, HEC has not given him a permanent post and he is toiling away as daily labor, and earning a monthly salary at the rate of Rs. 104 per day. Five youth from Kute are working in the Supply Department. He told us that it did not matter that he was educated, because as he was in the labor force, he has to operate the trolleys and even wield the broom. He told us that all the people employed in Supply were employed by a contractor, not HEC directly.

As far as the matter of cash compensation is concerned, the displaced were given upto Rs. 60 thousand for five acres. Land was given to construct a house on which the displaced had to construct a house at their own cost, and make their own arrangements for water. Looking at the condition of the displaced, what one can say is this – “Whatever land was given to them in lieu of their land, whatever amount of money was given as compensation, it was given in exchange for destruction of their community, their financial and cultural existence and their entire livelihood. What the displaced people have received as the gift of compensation is homelessness, poverty,  unemployment, lack of education, illness, and forced migrants. Every resettlement   colonies story is same. There is big question the displaced family not got the legal ownership on that land, which has been given in the name of resettlement.   

How Can We Hope For Better INDIA?(photo by me) on 2 August 2010

During acquire the land by farmers HEC gave paid Rs. 3500 per acre as the cost. Total 8,500 acre land has been enquired.  Out of 8,500 acres HEC have used only 5,000 acres. Surplus land near about 3,500 acres. These surplus land have been illegally  enquired by outsider. As per the Company act, theses surplus land have been returned back to the original tenants or owner of Land. But State Gov. and HEC management now became the Broker of Land. They sold the land to private institution at the rate of 58 Lukas per acre. Other hand displaced peoples are fighting against the Management and Govt. to returned these land to the tenants since last 30 year.

The most important question today is this: 10 years have been completed since the establishment of Jharkhand as a separate State. State  have seen the seven CM and two times Governor’s rule.  The NDA and UPA Government of the State has made many policies for the wealthy and mighty capitalists to develop Jharkhand, but, it has not formulated the policy for the resettlement or improvement of the condition of the six million people displaced in the name of development since Independence of India. On the other hand, the  State  Government has signed MOU agreements with 101  big MNC’s to give them land, water, forest and hills for establishes the plant, minis, Dam act. If Govt. will allow all the company to invest their capital for Industrialization in Jharkhand, then Not a signal inches of Land, forest will be remain in Farmers, adivas’s  hand. Here want to that State has only 79,741 KM. here need to mention that, out of these 101 Companies, 98 Companies are Steel Makar.   And all the MOU’s Company is mining base company. All company need coal block, iron ore, river for dam, land for steel plant, land for power plant , land for road, land for urban and other facilities.  This will accelerate the displacement not only the population but will displaced the Environment, forest, agriculture, water bodies, and hall ecosystem.