The Report - North 24 Parganas

15.RAICHARAN SARDARNREGA has assured economic and social security for the unskilled workers ofBispurRaicharan Sardar has five family members – two daughters, a son and the husband -wife. One of them is in B.A. third year in a college in Taki. He has been married fortwenty five years now and before him his father used to be the family head.He says that the main problem with the area is that there is no water supply forirrigation, for which most of the farmers are unable to sow seeds and get a properand good harvest. It is very difficult for them and expensive too, to get water frommany kilometres away through a pipe. People, who have ponds in their land, don’thave a constant supply as they can’t afford to clean it and the water dries upduring the dry seasons and after having used the water for irrigation. As Raicharanhas been in the place since his birth, he tells us that for a long time the undergroundwater was so salty that it could not be used even for washing hands and face, leavealone irrigation. Now the salt in the water has decreased and the water can beused for the crops.When asked where he had first heard about the NREGA Project, Sardar says that hefirst heard about it from the various advertisements given by the Panchayat. “I hadheard that the government was to give the villagers something called job cards andthat each card holder would get a hundred days of work but that’s about it. I didnot know any other details like how or what work was to be given or what the jobcards were like. For quite some time no cards were issued and nothing else wasdone about the NREGA. I became attached with the Project about a year or so agosince I am a Panchayat member.”Raicharan Sardar’s son is a job card holder and has worked under the project. Hehas had the job card issued to him about six or seven months ago. Raicharanhowever denies the fact that the family has seen any financial changes or otherwisesince the son started working. Raicharan recalls that his son had worked on theirown pond which was dug over ten kathas in the cultivable three bighas thatRaicharan owns. The son has also worked on roads. The pond is eight feet deep. “I’llhave to increase the depth about two or three feet more or else the water will notstay,” Raicharan says. “Unless it is about a twelve or thirteen feet deep pond thewater will disappear if I clean it up or use it to water my crops.” He says that if thenewly dug ponds are a feet or two deeper then the underground water would fill innaturally even if was emptied of all water. The new pond is being use to cultivateland and give a regular supply of water to the plants, especially rice. “I had startedsome fish breeding in that pond but the fish was all stolen!” he laughs. “Now I haveother plans. I shall build a small room near that pond so that I can keep a watch onwhat goes on there.”