SOIL Report 2008 - ACCESS Development Services

The People: Their Livelihoods and Critical ChallengesBox 2.6: Loss of Common Property Resourcesand Loss of Livelihood Dukhi NaikDukhi Naik is a 50-year-old scheduled caste landless woman of village Hensmul. She was marriedat the age of 15 to Tihili Naik of Purnia village situated between Ananta and Jagannathcollieries. Her husband was an agricultural labourer. She used to earn Rs 250 to Rs 300 a monthby collecting and selling forest produce from the nearby forest. Her husband died of cholerawithin eight years of her wedding. By that time she had become the mother of a son and adaughter. After the death of her husband she went back to her old village Hensmul, but startedliving separately from her parents, depending on forest resources for a living. But for essentialneeds, she had to work hard. To fetch water for instance, she had to walk a long distance, sincethe mining authorities had not provided water to her village. Once, while carrying water, she felland broke her leg, as a result of which she was bedridden for two months without any medicalcare. But despite great odds, she sent her son to school, and from her meagre earnings she alsogot her daughter married. The son studied up to Class VI but could not continue because offinancial constraints. Dukhi’s financial problems started with the rapid clearing of the forest bythe authorities for mining operations. This affected her source of livelihood, and a stage camewhen her earnings came to an end. As she was landless, and therefore did not lose any land to themining authorities, Dukhi could not claim any compensation or rehabilitation assistance fromthem either. Her son, who is now 21 years old, rarely works for a living, since firstly, there is notmuch work available in the area, and secondly, he is not inclined towards taking initiatives on hisown to find gainful employment. As a result, today, Dukhi’s only support is her married daughterwho provides her with financial assistance, which she is accepting out of sheer necessity, butat the cost of her self-esteem and pride. Apart from depriving her of her source of livelihoodand affecting her mentally, the developments around her in the wake of the mining operationshave also ruined her physically. She is suffering from a respiratory disease (which could havebeen caused by the pollution in the environment), as well as swelling in her legs. There is verylittle possibility of her receiving any proper medical treatment, given her own meagre financialresources as well as the dearth of medical facilities in her area.Source: Pandey, B.(1998b) Displaced Development: Impact of Open Cast Mining on Women, Friedrich EbertStiftung, New Delhi.One of the primary concerns of those protesting such land acquisitions has been the question ofalternative livelihoods, home and land. As a result of various movements by civil society organisations(CSOs), a conscientious citizenry and some landmark judgments of the Supreme Court and high courts,the government is in the process of formulating a progressive rehabilitation and resettlement policy.Some state governments like Orissa have already done it. However, a mere policy without any legislativeback-up is unlikely to be tenable and sustainable. Probably, ‘rehabilitation of livelihoods’ will continueto pose the biggest challenge.Rehabilitationoflivelihoodswillcontinueto pose thebiggestchallenge.7. An estimated 25 million people are affected by natural disasters in Indiaevery yearTopographically, India has been vulnerable to various natural disasters like floods, droughts, cyclones,earthquakes and landslides. It is said that about 60 per cent of the land mass is prone to earthquakes ofvarious intensities; 13.5 per cent prone to floods; about 8 per cent to cyclone and 68 per cent is susceptibleto drought. 23 In fact, India has been one of the badly affected countries in the South Asian region withthe Tsunami of 2004 and the very recent Kosi floods in Bihar. It is estimated that around 25 millionpeople are affected by natural disasters every year in India. (See annex. Table A.2.10)23National Disaster Management Division (2004 - August), Disaster Management in India -A Status Report, New Delhi: Ministry of Home Affairs,Government of India53