The Naxal-infested Dharhara Kol region
of Munger district in Bihar has found a saviour in Jaya Devi, a
crusader for green cause both in her native Munger and the neighbouring
district of Jamui. Belonging to an extremely backward community,
and having a formal education only till Class IV, hers is the vivid
story of triumph of strong determination and will power over miseries
and odds of life.
Her success story follows when she got National Youth
Award for Year 2008-09 in the field of Environment Protection &
Rainwater Conservation from the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Government
of India. She also undertook a training programme in South Korea as
also to share her experiences and initiatives for saving water as a
natural resource and other green initiatives from 3rd October 2010 to 26th October 2010 for 25 days.
Dharhara Kol is predominantly inhabited
by Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Castes.
Dharhara Kol is a hilly, forested and difficult terrain largely without
drinking water, irrigation and electricity. Though working with nuns of
the Jamalpur-based Notre Dame Health Centre and undertaking various
social development activities in the area, Jaya was largely ploughing a
lonely furrow till 2001. It was like a tryst with destiny when she came
across the Delhi-based Jawaharlal Nehru University scholar Kishore
Jaiswal in the autumn of 2001. Fondly called Kishore Daa by
villagers, he is credited to have revolutionised agricultural scenario
of the Ang region through agriculture diversification,
horticulture and efforts for financial inclusion besides other
socio-development activities in the area. If villagers are to be
believed, then Jaya has actually done wonders in the area and made a
difference to the region, especially through rainwater harvesting and
watershed management initiatives.
Sponsored by NABARD and several other stake-holders, facilitating
agencies/NGOs, Jaya championed the cause of this region. With shram daana
of four days by members of all families, villagers of Saradhi, Kareili
and Khopapar built their first watershed structure in Dharhara block.
NABARD and district administration also chipped in.
Presently, the block is home to six watershed projects with a
collective potential to cater to over 5,000 hectares of land. It is
important to note that Dharhara Kola agricultural landscape has
undergone a paradigm shift by laying emphasis on renovation and
restoration aspects of traditional water harvesting structures as well
as community ownership.
Naturally, Jaya success story
traveled from Munger to the adjoining districts. So much so that it
caught the fancy of Jamui rural population who imbibed and begun to work
on watershed management. Riding on the support wave of villagers and
community leaders, Jaya Devi has undertaken various initiatives towards
restoration and development of wastelands, plantations, promotion of
tree and cattle-based agriculture, pollution control, limiting open
grazing, farm bunding and saving trees.
A pioneer in the Self Help Group (SHG)
movement in the region, Jaya by her sheer grit mobilized the local
people to water conservation and tree plantation which in turn helped
convert more than 5,000 hectares of barren land into fertile, cultivable
terrain for various seasonal agriculture produce. As she exudes, “In
Dharhara Kol, over 12,000 fruit-bearing saplings and grass have been
planted, which will enhance soil-and-moisture conservation in the
region.
At a tender age of 10,she had to
abandon her schooling after Class IV due to threats from
criminals. Left with no option, she was married off a to a daily-wage
labourer in 1990 when she had just turned 12. With her husband not able
to sustain the family, Jaya ventured into household dairy with just two
cows. In 1998, she came in contact with nuns of Notre Dame Health
Centre, Jamalpur and started social development activities in the area
as a health worker. Her passion and zeal made her go from strength to
strength in forming Self Help Groups (SHGs). With unwavering enthusiasm,
she believes SHGs has helped her serve poorest of the poor, especially
women from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, mainly by freeing
them from the money lenders clutches.
Some call her Green Lady, a born leader,
Munger Massiah, some a self-less crusader, and others a social
activist, a savior. Jaya has various names in the area, it a
tribute to Jaya when eminent organizations like the Art of Living
Foundation and Red Cross roped her in distributing alms among the poor,
the downtrodden and the needy? Last month Art of living also announce to
work for the total development of a Jaaya village. Adding yet another
feather to her tireless contributions, the Jamsetji Tata National
Virtual Academy honoured her with a prestigious fellowship for her
invaluable service to the cause of spreading knowledge revolution in
rural India.
Jaya was specially invited to address
Youths on Water Conservation in National Integration Camp at Etawah,
Uttar Pradesh from 17th , 22nd March 2012. This
integration camp was organised by Nehru Yuva Kendra under Ministry of
Youth Affairs and Sports, GoI. In this camp youths from eight states
participated. Jaya remains a prominent figure in addressing the issues
of water conservation youth workers, rural development and women
empowerment etc. not only in Bihar but in other states too.
The fire in Jaya is such that has not
deterred her from working even in the Naxal-hit area. Dwelling on her
future plans, she says: envision to making my Ang region a
pollution free zone and ensure that all stakeholders work in tandem to
equip the area with all basic infrastructures such as schools, hospital,
roads, electricity and above all sustainable livelihood opportunities
for everyone.
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