Helping the tribals-my non violent and compassionate path The incident occurred 26 years ago but whenever I step in the tribal wards of Markaim the Gavade tribal people recognize and come forward to greet me with tremendous love and affection…this is the village where I had taken practical lessons of relief work…as leader of All Goa Students Union and a relief work volunteer!
Here I had met and interviewed the centenarian Tipu Gavade, who was active at the age of 101….he had an accidental fall and expired a few years back. He could remember the years of first world war (1914-18) vividly and was a repository of traditional knowledge. Markaim in Ponda taluka is a beautiful village partly located on Zuari river and Cumbarjua canal . During the monsoon very little barge traffic is seen in the river. But sometimes a barge is anchored in the channel. Markaim has a large Gavade ST population distributed compactly in two wards-Adan and Akhsan. The men are agricultural labourers. The women too do odd jobs. Every year they get work across the river in vast Khazan fields of Neura and Dongri. it is a dangerous crossing across the river during monsoon. As dusk falls the children eagerly await the return of their mothers, aunts, grand mothers. There are many young widows. But that that day was different--- It was raining heavily on June 13, 1984. About 40 women crowded a Vhodem -a passenger country craft without the balancing ulandi from Markaim to reach across to Neura. The canoe hit the underwater rope of a barge anchored in the river. There was a terrible commotion. It was one of biggest disaster in history of Goa. Within minutes 35 women drowned. Some bodies were never found. Search parties arrived late. Relief work was slow. But the vernacular press splashed the news next day and whole Goa was mourning the death of these poor and unfortunate souls. People have not forgotten this tragedy even today. Chowgule groups’s Marathi daily Gomantak gave a call to the readers to donate for the Markaim canoe tragedy victims relief fund. It was a firebrand journalist, the editor of Gomantak Mr. Athawale who approached me for undertaking door to door survey work. Gomantak had collected more than Rs. two lakhs from common people of Goa within a month. It was a relatively big amount in 1984. I was president of All Goa students union then and had a small team of student leaders with me who joined me in the day long survey -Mr. Vishnu Wagh, late Mr. Cyril Pacheco, Ms. Rashida Muzawar and Adv. Mahesh Sonak. As we visited the narrow lanes of the tribal hamlet and talked to the surviving family members the real dimension of the tragedy struck us. We had to counsel the women and the single parents-some had two or three minor kids to look after. The wards were congested. There were many TB cases. Alcoholism was rampant. This part had never seen real development. There were tears in my eyes as I began writing the report. It was immediately accepted. I proposed relief supply-rice, foodgrains, mattresses etc. This was given in a few days in a special function at Markaim. The long term plan was to build and repair houses and instead of paying relief in cash keep it in a safe deposit account on basis of the criteria which I worked out after ascertaining the needs of the survivors. We ensured that the beneficiaries would receive at least Rs. 100 per month from the accrued interest. Our long term proposals included free and safe transport across the river and insurance of the farm labourers, health camps etc. Many of these recommendations (school, health centre, new ramp) were implemented by the govt. and a few still remain without action. Then I suggested organization of a NSS ( National service Scheme) camp in the village and undertake repair and construction works of five houses. We prepared the estimates and obtained the NOC from land owners. Philanthropist and social worker Mr. Dadu Bharane was very helpful. The responsibility was accepted by the NSS Coordinator of Dhempe college of arts and science, Miramar and my former biology teacher Prof. Gajanan Kelkar. We personally transported the building materials from Panaji to Markaim on a hot afternoon in an open tempo. A health camp was also held. We camped in the village at night for a week. We shared our memories and food with the tribal friends. Three houses were repaired and two new ones were constructed. The camp was successful. Over 35 fixed deposit accounts had been opened at Markaim, Maharashtra bank. The editor of Gomantak daily was joint signatory and without his consent no money could be withdrawn. We inquired and found that every month the beneficiaries used to collect the monthly interest which was like a small pension for them. There was no other social security scheme in Goa. After seven years the issue of renewal of all the fixed deposit accounts came up. Amazingly, the beneficiaries came forward for renewal. “amka paishe dovrunk zai’ they said in unison. A few girls who got married in other villages also said that they would not dissolve the accounts. The system worked beautifully till 1991. Editor of Gomantak mr. athavale left Goa in 1991 and before his departure he called me and I was made joint signatory and the unofficial counselor of the tribal beneficiaries. This was absolutely voluntary work when I was at final stage of Ph.D. research. Tribal beneficiaries from Markaim used to visit me for guidance. Someone wanted to purchase a motorcycle taxi or put a small kiosk or buy a sewing machine. After ascertaining their needs I used to consent to withdraw the deposits. I made frequent tours to understand their problems. Kumar Kalanand Mani was a great help in these interactions. Marrying Melinda, a Roman Catholic changed the trajectory of my life in 1998. I was asked to leave the house. These were very vulnerable and testing years. In 1998-99, I requested eminent social worker Mrs. Bharati Bandodkar of peaceful society, Markaim, a well known Gandhian NGO to be joint signatory. By that time life was fully reestablished in both the wards. The orphaned minors had become self assured adults. Some got employment in Goa university. One of them Mr. Prashant who was very young at the time of the incident told the press –“that the relief scheme worked by us was reassuring for them. The funds collected were put to good use. They felt reassured and empowered“ Recently, Prashant requested me to solve their problem of getting farm machinery to plough the fields. Despite advance booking they were denied the tractors. Finally I spoke to Zonal agricultural officer (Ponda) Mr. Dhaimodkar-“ Please help this last generation of tribal farmers, I said. They are hard working and we must encourage them”. Dhaimodkar is a good officer. Next day Prashant informed me that the ploughing was done satisfactorily. I wish they get a bumper paddy harvest this year. The lesson which I learnt in life from this 26 years encounter was –practical, ground level relief work is far more important than promises of charity, inflammatory speeches or empty rhetoric’. Later I was also involved in planning the relief work for victims of Latur earthquake. The Markaim experience was useful at that time. On Sunday June 13, 2010, I would be visiting my tribal friends, at Adan wado and Aksan wado, Markaim to pay tributes to the memories of all those who died in that unfortunate accident. I am sure that it would be a memorable day for me, my son little Nachiketas and my wife Melinda. Our lives are committed to serve the tribals of Goa. I would like Nachiketas to mix and play with the tribal kids. He would be brought up like an ordinary kid. The Gavade tribals have given us so much love and affection. They deserve to see better days. They are the real architects of ecological assets of Goa. About my encounter with Goa's agropastoral Gouly/Dhangar tribals I would write soon….and in detail.... -- Dr. Nandkumar Kamat, GOA
