01-25-2008, 06:40 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><span style='color:red'>Bundelkhand villagers fast to counter starvation </span>
Abhishek Bajpai | Lucknow
Away from the political hob-nobbing and limelight, the people of Bundelkhand region have evolved a unique method to counter starvation deaths -- they fast.
Being a voluntary exercise the fasting is not due to shortage of foodgrains or poverty, but it is for a bigger cause. People fast to help those who after five long years of drought have nothing left to feed on.
The concept is simple, <b>every day five families in each village of 10 districts of Bundelkhand region observe fast. The foodgrain thus saved is distributed among needy families.</b>
And while the governments and political parties are engaged in war of words over the plight of farmers in this region, the people are toiling hard to spread the message of self-relief and rescue further.
Nicknamed as <b>Chulha Bandi Satyagrah Andolan</b> the movement had gained ground in the tough terrains of Bundelkhand, in less than two years. The important fact which makes the movement unique is that it is not dependent on the aid -- government or otherwise or to press for a particular demand.
"<b>At present 30,000 plus families in hundreds of villages across 10 districts of Bundelkhand are part of the movement</b>," pointed out Pushpendra, spearheading the campaign. The main objective of the campaign is to make the people aware of the plight of their fellow beings in the region due to drought and to motivate them to shoulder the social responsibility and contribute towards the society they live in.
Like any other movement, Chulha Bandi Satyagrah had a small begining from Pandvi village in Banda district. According to Pushpendra in July 5, failing to bear poverty and debts a farmer Kishorilal committed suicide in Pandvi village.
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"Moved with the incident a fellow villager Rajendra Singh proposed to observe satyagrah which got support from local panchayat," recalls Pushpendra. It was decided that five families each would observe fast on rotation basis and the "savings" would be shared with the needy. On January 2008, Andauli village was the <b>157th village to join the movement</b>.
Though Rajendra Singh passed away last year, the campaign he started continues to provide major relief to thousands of needy families of Bundelkhand. In fact, the campaign started by a person had gradually become a movement of the people. "Today villages are coming forward voluntarily to be a part of the movement," he added.
"Major emphasis is to ensure that the help so arranged reach the real beneficiaries, specially those living in far flung areas, where relief was not reaching," explained DP Singh, working in the troubled areas of Bundelkhand from last two decades. "The biggest achievement is that it made people aware of the tough living conditions faced by people in remote areas," he added.
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Abhishek Bajpai | Lucknow
Away from the political hob-nobbing and limelight, the people of Bundelkhand region have evolved a unique method to counter starvation deaths -- they fast.
Being a voluntary exercise the fasting is not due to shortage of foodgrains or poverty, but it is for a bigger cause. People fast to help those who after five long years of drought have nothing left to feed on.
The concept is simple, <b>every day five families in each village of 10 districts of Bundelkhand region observe fast. The foodgrain thus saved is distributed among needy families.</b>
And while the governments and political parties are engaged in war of words over the plight of farmers in this region, the people are toiling hard to spread the message of self-relief and rescue further.
Nicknamed as <b>Chulha Bandi Satyagrah Andolan</b> the movement had gained ground in the tough terrains of Bundelkhand, in less than two years. The important fact which makes the movement unique is that it is not dependent on the aid -- government or otherwise or to press for a particular demand.
"<b>At present 30,000 plus families in hundreds of villages across 10 districts of Bundelkhand are part of the movement</b>," pointed out Pushpendra, spearheading the campaign. The main objective of the campaign is to make the people aware of the plight of their fellow beings in the region due to drought and to motivate them to shoulder the social responsibility and contribute towards the society they live in.
Like any other movement, Chulha Bandi Satyagrah had a small begining from Pandvi village in Banda district. According to Pushpendra in July 5, failing to bear poverty and debts a farmer Kishorilal committed suicide in Pandvi village.
Â
"Moved with the incident a fellow villager Rajendra Singh proposed to observe satyagrah which got support from local panchayat," recalls Pushpendra. It was decided that five families each would observe fast on rotation basis and the "savings" would be shared with the needy. On January 2008, Andauli village was the <b>157th village to join the movement</b>.
Though Rajendra Singh passed away last year, the campaign he started continues to provide major relief to thousands of needy families of Bundelkhand. In fact, the campaign started by a person had gradually become a movement of the people. "Today villages are coming forward voluntarily to be a part of the movement," he added.
"Major emphasis is to ensure that the help so arranged reach the real beneficiaries, specially those living in far flung areas, where relief was not reaching," explained DP Singh, working in the troubled areas of Bundelkhand from last two decades. "The biggest achievement is that it made people aware of the tough living conditions faced by people in remote areas," he added.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?m...t&counter_img=1
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