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hindol writes...
My Experiment with Green Democracy
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My experience as a journalist, taught me to understand that to be democratic is to be liberal. Liberty of individual, which is a shrinking balloon in today’s complex world, is in risk. Democratic right now means mere suffrage. Existing civil societies in India howl for common people, though, there are lobbies and hidden pages written by market leaders. In this context, I, as a person tried to move something upright.
Since 2002, I am working for Green Democracy. To do this I initiated Dhee Society for Human Resources, a social welfare organisation, apolitical, neutral and out of the partisan politics, the prime intention was to eradicate illiteracy from locality. Voyage started from Sodepur, a small town near Kolkata. From illiteracy eradication, DSHR adopted program for sustainable developments. Challenges were many like unemployment, alcoholisms, pseudo prostitutions and negligence about health and hygiene. The worst challenge was to make people understand the vitality of environment. I took initiative to plant 10000 trees in and around Sodepur involving more than two hundred youth of the locality.
Through working with these people, I have seen that illiteracy and ignorance about democratic and social rights have captivated them in a faulty politics, to them Democracy is meant for election only. Getting seats in parliament or in legislative assemblies or in municipalities are, unfortunately, the prime concerns for politicians. To be more specific, in West Bengal, which is known as the most stable state in the country ruled by communist front for more than last thirty years, the so-called three tire system of Panchayeti Raj could not assure development in villages, rather the malign politics delayed developments. Central Government’s efforts are not reaching in the remote villages of West Bengal, due to political differences between two, so the scene is, there is neither provision of proper education nor job security, and people are dying without foods and medicines. Human right violations are common scene in general. Nothing is reaching to the poorest of the poor, not even pure and safe drinking water.
Former prime minister Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee agreed and said that, in India about 260 million people are still in below poverty line. It is said that one quarter of the world's poor, is living in this country. About 30 % of this huge democracy’s population is living on less than one Euro per day. About 300 million people are living on less than 50 pence per day. 150 million people living in slums. Being Mumbai the industrial capital and the wealthiest (because of Bollywood) metropolitan in India, is shockingly narrating a morbid story, more than 50% of its population living in shantytowns, open spaces, or on pavements. The World's largest slum, on 432 acres of land, is Dharavi, located in Mumbai. In addition, in the political Capital of the country there are almost 150,000 street children getting no education and moral and ethical values. However all political moves, affiliated by political parties, are populist.
In this dire crisis my effort, I know, is not enough, though, at least, moving a pebble to console my soul.
My emphasis is on three projects,
1. Dharitree, Free education for poor children, especially educating children about their democratic rights and the social responsibilities. Nurturing their creative impulses and inspiring them to be proactive for social cause especially on environmental issues. Ninety-seven children get involved; they started writing for wall magazine ‘Nolen’. The practical democracy experimentally implemented and inspired them to form Young Parliament. I always tried to teach them to take their own decisions through a democratic procedure. Interestingly we noticed that some leaders among those children popped up who lead others, set agenda, and oppose adverse decisions. We name them Didhiti, the beam of hope. This is how; my experiment with green democracy started and went on.
2. Sambal, the project for unemployed youth, which I try to make viable. Unemployment is a curse, in countries like India. Without initiative of small-scale industry it is next to impossible to cope with, I thought. For setting up industry, they need fund, which for me, now, to provide is hardly possible. So started thinking from ground zero level and bridge the gap with knowledge. I started informing youth about several government schemes, in addition to this started helping them out to prepare projects. I personally inspired them to produce Mushroom for marketing purpose. Because the weather condition is ideal for oyster and button mushroom cultivation and it involves low budget to start with. Therefore, in 2003 we started free teaching on how to cultivate mushroom. In the first batch, 25 young men came in and get involved in the cultivation, now those 25 people involved 150 families in this agro based small scale business.
3. Sri is the most vital but half implemented project on the front of women empowerment. We started educating mothers of those children of our Dharitree about the use of nutrition, health and hygiene, the pluralistic social values and the constitutional rights. However, lot more things are there in blueprint to implement.
I think, how I started and how it ran is important, because, neither government grant nor corporate funds sponsored my task. I never looked for these too. My point is always clear, if anything to do, that must be freely done, and must be done by own, however, I know nothing is free in capital-moved world. This dichotomy propelled us to raise fund, right from the pocket. With the help of some other friends and inspired youth our voyage started. We painted greeting cards and hawk for development, organised art exhibitions, published magazines, conducted article writing competitions for school children to get initial fuel to run the engine. Fortunately, this move gave us prominence in locality. We move forward. The effort, which I kicked off, gradually got more legs to tackle. Now DSHR is a community of more than thousand enthusiasts who subscribe Bhuma, a weekly Email Magazine and write for this. The journey, I realise, is not smooth. Political heads try to stop us, but my team never let it lie down.

September 13, 2008 | 9:46 AM Comments  0 comments

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