Note: forwarded message attached.
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Yesterday, November 15, 2008, the day Jharkhand was born, was the most
satisfying and happy day of my life since on this day our organisation,
Jharkhand Alternative Development Forum, with the active help and guidance of
Dr. Mithilesh Dangi of Azadi Bachao Andolan, installed and put in operation a
micro-thermal power plant in a remote village inside the jungle in Jharkhand,
68 kilometres from Hazaribagh. The village, Kekoria Tand in Keradari Block of
Hazaribagh district, is quite inaccessible and perhaps has not been visited by
any poitician or bureaucrat since the independence of the country. Yet the
people have survived, are more happy than us and the community spirit is alive
and kicking. Main occupation is farming and we have never been welcomed in a
more memorable manner in our memory.
The plant that was installed runs on coal and water only through a steam engine
coupled with an alternator and was of 4KW capacity, enough to light up the
entire village and its lanes. When the micro-thermal plant started and the
bulbs got lighted, one had to be there to see the wonder and happiness on the
faces of the neglected tribal population to whom Jharkhand really belongs. We
will be running this plant on trial for the next 2-3 months to iron out any
problems and the entire plant will be operated and maintained by the people of
the village who have been trained in the methodology and will have ownership of
the equipment. For the first time the control of generation and distribution of
electricity will be in the hands of the villagers without any governmental
support or interference and this is true development and empowerment of the
people which Gandhiji dreamt of and which we have conveniently forgotten in our
web of selfishness. India
will shine only through this methodology when people power will prevail.
The next step in the village which we have adopted will be to improve their
farming and make it a sustainable and attractive occupation contrary to the
popular believe that farming is a non-profitable activity. We will train the
farmers and implement ecological and organic farming methods using multi-crop
farming so that yield per acre is increased and bio-diversity is protected. The
migration from village to city must be stopped and back-to-farm movement
initiated.
The task is immense and we require all your blessings and support in this
endeavour.
Prem P. Verma
Jharkhand Alternative Development Forum
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