The Report - North 24 Parganas

he does not belong to the party in power, he has to take the consequences ofwork not being available to him directly.Prasad is quite dynamic and proactive in his plans for future development butthe regular sabotage from party members is a major constraint in his life both isterms of expanding his earning opportunities and maintaining a peaceful life. Hethinks he can groom the land around the pond for some eucalyptus plantations.Other kinds of vegetation would easily be eaten away by the cows, he says. Healso states that fish rearing is a problem because in many cases the fishes havebeen poisoned by other people in the village although he admits that thesefears are kind of baseless.Of the two hundred people living in the villages looking for employment on adaily basis and having no alternative sources of income, work is grossly deficient.In effect, workers only find work for 5 to 6 months a year in the village.Prasad believes that the village had adequate infrastructure for well being if ithad not been for the problems related political differences. “I haven’t been ableto receive any benefits on account of my BPL card. If I apply for loans, I donotget loans although right now I donot have plans for borrowing money.”The village therefore has a very disturbed environment for work. The majorpolitical party workers try to subdue each other’s benefits at the cost oflivelihood opportunities of poor farmers like Prasad. In effect therefore, thereseems to be little hope for such people who donot wish to yield to local partypressures.