Towards this end SSVK is:
- Creating awareness of the local environment
- Providing legal education on land and water related rights/entitlements
- Enhancing incomes of rural poor through ensuring access to land and water resources
- Campaigning for right to information on land and water related rights/entitlements
- Networking with all relevant stakeholders around a shared perspective, towards addressing the issue of Bihar floods at all the levels of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.
- Initiating advocacy centred initiatives geared towards addressing the root causes of the flooding problem, galvanizing state response on inclusion of the most marginalized in the relief and recovery operations initiated by the various stakeholders – most importantly the government.
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"It is indeed ironical that the Mallahs, the Mushars and others belonging to the poorer sections of society work as labourers in the ponds supposedly owned by them. We are challenging this, “says Deepak Bharti of the Lok Sakti Sangathan..."Frontline, July 16, 1999 |
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women fishing in pond (Income Generating Activity in SSVK’s targeted village) |
Cutting soil (Main traditional profession of Mushar community) |
Banking on tanks
Reclaiming traditional tanks may help tide over troubled waters
In Jhanjharpur, Bihar, the Samajik Shaikshanik Vikas Kendra (SSVK) a non-governmental organization founded by Deepak Bharti, a follower of Jaiprakash Narayan, is reclaiming traditional tanks to be used for fishery development. In these 525 villages spreading over the districts of Madhubani, Saharas, Darbhanga and Supaul, fishers has become the new idiom of sustainable natural resources use.These massive ponds were either used by the zamindaars or were derelict.So. why should people die when they have resources right in front of them?” says Bharti. The organization has already reclaimed 50 tanks. The process is simple: they have members in all these districts search for such structures. Tanks are reclaimed only after the local residents agree.
Once the tank is made suitable for fishery purposes, block level fishing cooperatives are formed to manage it. Members of the cooperative start a small saving scheme to fund the fisheries in the tank. The village’s residents share the earnings from the tank and a part is used for the development of the village. “The ponds can bring about a change to the distraught fisher folk of the state,” says Ranjeev, an environmental activist currently with Actioc Aid, Patna.
Down To Earth, Feb 15, 2002
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The contribution of gram kosh (Village bank) has been in no small measure in enabling the LSS members to successfully peaceful struggle for laying claim to 947 acres of land and 52 acres ponds of 197 acres have been distributed and claimed by the poor and marginal people in the Kamla & Kosi region.1215 acres of land is in the process of possetion. Thanks to Gram Kosh the peaceful struggle for laying claim to another 1215 acres of land and pond area continues.
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