MACRO LEVEL - STATE LEVEL SITUATION

We begin this chapter with the macro level - State level drought situation in Gujarat during 1999-2000. Gujarat as a State is facing an unprecedented drought situation, particularly, at water front. In the living memory, Gujarat has not witnessed such an acute water situation. Every one has heard and read the first ever police firing on a mob becoming violent on water sharing issue between the villagers of Falla and the nearby town in the first week of December 1999. This was the incident in the first week of December 1999, while the water situation has been deteriorating day after day and month after month and will continue worsening till the onset of monsoons. Open any newspaper in Gujarat on any day, and you find the water situation becoming more and more alarming with every new day. No surprise in the newspaper reports that majority of the District Collectors in Gujarat have forewarned the Government apprehending law and order problems on water issues in their Districts. Fire can be extinguished instantly, but water cannot be made available instantly. It requires long term and timely measures to either prevent such situation or to mitigate the seriousness of the situation to the extent possible. When the calamity like water shortage occurs due to monsoon failure, the Government and people can only talk and plan, but can hardly bring the water everywhere, as water source cannot be created overnight, nor there is scope to harvest water during such calamity period. Each and every affected village cannot be served by water tankers or water trains. Whatever may be the claim or plan of the Government to effectively manage the situation, it would not be possible to deliver water every where for the fact that there has to be water available nearby the affected villages. A simple logic has to be understood that the drought situation is the result of non-availability of water, therefore, normally new water bodies cannot be created during drought situation. At most of the places water cannot be brought to the people, but people would shift nearby to the water or maybe people may learn to live with whatever water is available or not available, alike the desert people who have developed both skill and tolerance to face the acute water shortage. The desert dwellers have learnt to live with the perpetual acute water shortage for centuries and developed time tested coping mechanisms. But, those who have enjoyed luxury of adequate water during their life can not be expected to develop such mechanisms overnight.

In the present day grave situation, the media in Gujarat has to play a very positive and balanced role. While the media can certainly highlight the failures of the Governments after Governments during last 50 years for not taking adequate long term measures in water sector, it has to, at the same time, educate people on misuse of water and also to prepare people to face the crisis with fortitude, forbearance and full understanding, rather than people acting irrationally in panic. Just as we face war situation with courage and understanding, this water crisis has to be faced in the similar manner with all coolness. It is media, which can prevent or spread ‘fire’ on ‘water’. Gujarat media has to keep this in mind while dealing with water situation.

OUR PROJECT VILLAGES

Back to our project villages, the monsoon of 1999 failed miserably in our project area, alike in most parts of Gujarat. What was typical of this monsoon 1999 in our project area, was its most unfavourable pattern. Throughout the monsoon season of 3 - 4 months it just drizzled, without any heavy showers which may result in sufficient runoff. First time in the 27 years history of Sadguru we found that there was no fresh water in the rivers and rivulets during monsoon 1999. Old people in the age group of 80 - 90, whom we met to recall their memory, told us that in their memory they have not seen such situation in which the rivers and rivulets had no fresh water even once during the entire monsoon. The region which does not have enough ground water and which depends largely on surface water, stored on account of runoff, cannot imagine a worse water situation than the current one.

Often people and the planners talk on full drought proofing. As an experienced NGO, working in the field of water for nearly three decades, we would like to tell that full drought proofing under the above situation is well nigh impossible. If the monsoon fails in the manner and extent as it did in 1999, the full proofing against drought is ruled out. No one has a power and ability to prevent a drought. Its Nature’s domain not yet mastered by the brilliance of men. What could, however, be achieved is that if appropriate long term measures are taken, the adverse effect of such drought could be mitigated, sometimes to some extent and sometimes to a great extent, depending on the long term measures adopted in the region, much before such calamity.

Back to our project villages, it is not that the full drought proofing has been achieved in our project villages, and that the situation is normal despite the drought. It is not that everything is fine in our project villages. The fact is that our project villages are also facing all kind of problems resulting from the above abnormal situation. But, the major difference between the project villages and non-project villages, is that Sadguru village partners are not in the hopeless situation, alike non-Sadguru villages. Though, to repeat, the situation is not normal, but it is much better in terms of availability of water, availability of food grain, availability of fuel and fodder, etc. In other words, our project villages are much less affected and thereby much more comfortable than the other villages in the region.

In almost all our project villages there is sufficient availability of drinking water, which has been ensured due to the large number of check dams and large number of wells recharged sufficiently under our technically sound watershed programme. The information collected methodically and reliably from all villages through series of workshops, village meetings, talking with the village leaders, some rapid studies, all reveal that Sadguru’s village partners are much better off in this worst drought year. The information collected speaks that most of the families have enough food grain saved from the last good yields. To our surprise quite a good number of lift irrigation functioned, even partially during the Rabi 1999-2000. Almost all our check dams have had enough water till the end of March 2000. The migration rate is also much less even during such severe year. We may recall our past reports that in Sadguru villages, migration rate of population came down from about 70 % to 10 % after interventions. This year inspite of severe drought, the migration rate never went up to the extent it was before interventions. Ofcourse, in several Sadguru villages the rate has been noticed as about 30 % of the population, clearly indicating that inspite of drought year, the situation is much better than the pre-intervention period. What is more important is that the children and women have not migrated and only able-bodied young male have migrated for half the duration than earlier pattern. This is a sharp change to the earlier migration pattern, when entire household, lock, stock and barrel with men, women and children were migrating, for about 8 months in a year, in pre-intervention phase.

What is most important in our villages is that, psychologically they are neither panicky nor unduly perturbed in the drought situation. They are confident to face the severe situation. Besides enough food grains to last few months with most of the families, all have enough tree wealth, which is very handy to the people to encash and meet their requirements of food and other commodities. It is water and trees in combination, which has been very helpful to the project people to meet this kind of exigency.

Another, one of the important aspects is that on account of dry land converted to irrigated land and possession of large number of trees, have significantly enhanced the creditworthiness of our village partners. Anyone can get necessary amount from any source on account of such assets. In our chapter on “Environment and Forestry”, we have mentioned that our village partners have tree wealth of about Rs. 300 crores. This asset makes the lives of our village partners fully secured against any calamity.

The entire present report describes at several places the impact of our programmes vis-à-vis the condition of our village partners in this drought year.

GUJARAT NEEDS LONG TERM MEASURES

This chapter will be incomplete, if we do not share our views on the long-term measures imperative to solve the water problem in Gujarat (also in western India). It is not half knowledge that we are talking from. Being an NGO of national level, with rich and intensive field experience of nearly three decades in the water sector, we speak from our experience. Through our intensive and effective work, we have been involved in the economic rehabilitation of nearly one lac (1,00,000) tribal families and about six lacs (6,00,000) tribal people around the land and water resources. The process continues, reaching additional 5,000 – 10,000 tribal families and 30,000 – 60,000 people every year.

On the long-term prospects of Gujarat in resolving its water problems, we have a feeling that it is not easy to resolve the water problem in Gujarat. Gujarat has some dubious distinction. In some parts of Gujarat (entire North Gujarat and Saurashtra), the ground water, which is a major source, is over exploited at an alarming scale. Some economists have showered all praises on the development of private water companies in North Gujarat. What is perhaps, not adequately highlighted is the fact that these private water companies and tube well owners (often under the disguise of cooperatives), have exploited precious water as well as cheap electricity to meet their profit motives. The situation is compounded by highly polluted water sources around all our towns, cities and industrial belts, mainly by ‘typical industrial development’. The coastal regions have high level of salinity ingress.

In this otherwise gloomy scenario, the silver lining is the potential of water resources development that offers good scope for our future, provided we plan and execute appropriate and timely water resources development programmes, ensuring speed and quality.

All our water sources big, medium and small have got to be harnessed and harvested at the earliest, giving this programme much higher priority and prominence to that of any other programme.

We believe, and believe very strongly with all our conviction, that there is no place for any bias, antagonism or rigidity in the development fields, including the water sector, as a prime sector for the very survival of our society and civilization. Just as no one should have blind fold opposition to big industries, there cannot be outright opposition to big dams. In a country like India, with our typically notorious, unreliable and erratic monsoon, we need to have all types of water harvesting structures – dams, big, medium and small, just as we need to have big, medium and small industries.

All these years, we have worked on the small-scale water resources development, and yet, we strongly feel that ‘small’ alone is not enough, though it is an important concept, to be preferred in most of the cases, but, not in all cases. When you have a big river, it has to be harnessed and harvested in big way. Yes, the height of such big dam could be debated, but, not the very concept. Depending on the source and its potential, the size is to be decided. At the same time, much more weightage needs to be given to small structures on the same source, so that the entire run of river could be harvested, bringing life in the entire river, offering in the process equity among all who have rights on the common resource. Imagine a situation when entire river, big or small, has atleast 3 - 4 meters depth water lasting atleast up to March through the series of small structures, which could be even recharged after March from a big system in the upstream of such small structures. Sadguru approach has squarely practiced this concept in more than 40 rivers and rivulets.

Arguing in favour of big dams, it is not as if we are not aware of various serious problems associated with big dams. Proper rehabilitation of the project-affected people (PAsaving the water which could be diverted to other regions seasonally and on other side the water logging and salinity problem could be substantially taken care of. Also such surplus water could be used for drinking purposes during the peak summer.

Another important programme should be the technically appropriate watershed development programme in the entire State. This approach, implemented appropriately would help in raising and recharging the ground water. This has been amply demonstrated in Sadguru and in many other successful watershed development projects all over the country.

While talking about ground water recharge, one basic fact need not be ignored that it is the optimum surface water harvesting, which would help substantially in improving the ground water situation. The watershed programme also has to be intensive, integrating all other components, which may expand and sustain the natural resources. The compartmental approach, implementing few components will not make the desired impact of watershed programme. Along with the emphasis on participatory approach, it is imperative to ensure technically sound interventions, integrating all the components, which are necessary in the specific micro watershed. Water resources development, surface as well as ground water, has to be an important integral part of watershed development.

The golden line in Gujarat prospects, are its people. Infact, Gujarat’s major hope revolves around its people who are among the most enterprising, public minded, and capable of turning the table in any field that they decide to enter into. Any constructive movement on any serious public issue has full scope of success in Gujarat. Having worked in many states, we feel, perhaps, Gujarat is the only State, where people and their institutes dominate in all fields. The legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel runs very deep in most of the public causes and public institutes in Gujarat. Gujarat has not one, two or three, but, several very good NGOs, known for their proven commitments, dedication and long standing history of successful public work. Gujarat’s bureaucracy is by and large very much people oriented and responsive to the development issues. These unique strengths of Gujarat are to be capitalized to the fullest in water front, as with the best of intentions and resources, the Government will find itself inadequately equipped to meet the challenge. Only people, their initiatives and their institutes can do the trick, in saving Gujarat from catastrophe. The Government has to play a supportive and facilitating role.

In conclusion, we would like to tell all sections of Gujarat, particularly, to the Government, that the State’s claim to be progressive would hold no water if its masses do not get water. Its achievements in Information Technology and Industrial Development will be nullified if water is not ensured to its people. This concluding remark should not be read as negative or pessimistic as the intention is to wakeup Gujarat, its people and the Government to give highest priority to water.

This wake up call is based on historical facts that whether it is industrial society or agrarian, whether it is urban society or rural, whether it is modern society or ancient, they cannot flourish without water. If Gujarat does not offer enough water, its enterprising people will establish their business and trades elsewhere just like Rajasthan (Marwaris) businessmen, leaving the region, primarily due to water problem.

ISRAEL’s EXAMPLE

At the end, Israel’s example may be pertinent and inspiring. We in India, particularly in Gujarat, often talk to emulate Israel in water sector. We need to remember certain facts about Israel’s achievements in water sector. Israel uses almost 100 % rain water. No other country is anywhere near to this achievement. We in India use around 15 % of rain water in most of the regions. Secondly and more importantly, Israel not only gave highest priority, but, concentrated exclusively on water and agriculture during first three decades of its existence, before it became industrial and urbanized country. Israel started with great disadvantages, being made to struggle against all odds, particularly against two major odds, the Nature and Neighbours, both being hostile, for the very existence of this country. It was the spirit and determsaving the water which could be diverted to other regions seasonally and on other side the water logging and salinity problem could be substantially taken care of. Also such surplus water could be used for drinking purposes during the peak summer.

Another important programme should be the technically appropriate watershed development programme in the entire State. This approach, implemented appropriately would help in raising and recharging the ground water. This has been amply demonstrated in Sadguru and in many other successful watershed development projects all over the country.

While talking about ground water recharge, one basic fact need not be ignored that it is the optimum surface water harvesting, which would help substantially in improving the ground water situation. The watershed programme also has to be intensive, integrating all other components, which may expand and sustain the natural resources. The compartmental approach, implementing few components will not make the desired impact of watershed programme. Along with the emphasis on participatory approach, it is imperative to ensure technically sound interventions, integrating all the components, which are necessary in the specific micro watershed. Water resources development, surface as well as ground water, has to be an important integral part of watershed development.

The golden line in Gujarat prospects, are its people. Infact, Gujarat’s major hope revolves around its people who are among the most enterprising, public minded, and capable of turning the table in any field that they decide to enter into. Any constructive movement on any serious public issue has full scope of success in Gujarat. Having worked in many states, we feel, perhaps, Gujarat is the only State, where people and their institutes dominate in all fields. The legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel runs very deep in most of the public causes and public institutes in Gujarat. Gujarat has not one, two or three, but, several very good NGOs, known for their proven commitments, dedication and long standing history of successful public work. Gujarat’s bureaucracy is by and large very much people oriented and responsive to the development issues. These unique strengths of Gujarat are to be capitalized to the fullest in water front, as with the best of intentions and resources, the Government will find itself inadequately equipped to meet the challenge. Only people, their initiatives and their institutes can do the trick, in saving Gujarat from catastrophe. The Government has to play a supportive and facilitating role.

In conclusion, we would like to tell all sections of Gujarat, particularly, to the Government, that the State’s claim to be progressive would hold no water if its masses do not get water. Its achievements in Information Technology and Industrial Development will be nullified if water is not ensured to its people. This concluding remark should not be read as negative or pessimistic as the intention is to wakeup Gujarat, its people and the Government to give highest priority to water.

This wake up call is based on historical facts that whether it is industrial society or agrarian, whether it is urban society or rural, whether it is modern society or ancient, they cannot flourish without water. If Gujarat does not offer enough water, its enterprising people will establish their business and trades elsewhere just like Rajasthan (Marwaris) businessmen, leaving the region, primarily due to water problem.

ISRAEL’s EXAMPLE

At the end, Israel’s example may be pertinent and inspiring. We in India, particularly in Gujarat, often talk to emulate Israel in water sector. We need to remember certain facts about Israel’s achievements in water sector. Israel uses almost 100 % rain water. No other country is anywhere near to this achievement. We in India use around 15 % of rain water in most of the regions. Secondly and more importantly, Israel not only gave highest priority, but, concentrated exclusively on water and agriculture during first three decades of its existence, before it became industrial and urbanized country. Israel started with great disadvantages, being made to struggle against all odds, particularly against two major odds, the Nature and Neighbours, both being hostile, for the very existence of this country. It was the spirit and determination of its people, which turned the table in their favour. The first generation of Israel people (they call them pioneers) from all perceivable sections, the doctors, engineers, lawyers, teachers, traders, everyone of them toiled hard in the actual fields, working on agriculture and water and achieved what no other country has achieved. In contrast, we started with advantage in terms of rainfall and water resources, but, could not utilize them, even half that of Israel. Our country proud of its 5,000 years civilization and boasting of its techniques in water harvesting, water conservation and water management for centuries is now looking towards other country (countries) to learn. What a fall of a great country ? Can we make up now ? We can certainly, if people with their initiatives, spirit and determination, supported by the Government, concentrate on natural resource management, particularly, in this case on water, we can ensure our future, even if we may not regain our past glory in water harvesting and water conservation.

Let us convert the present crisis into an opportunity. We can no longer afford to miss this opportunity. Water being a renewal source, we can always make up the past lapses to a great extent.

DROUGHT, EARTHQUAKE AND THE TRIBALS:

DROUGHT IN OUR PROJECT AREA

The failure of the monsoon in the year 2000 has resulted in the second consecutive year of drought in our project areas. The drought has engulfed three neighbouring and adjacent States of, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh for second consecutive year.

The overall rainfall was so low and the pattern was so unfavourable that there was hardly any fresh water seen in most of our rivers and rivulets. According to the Secretary, Water Resources, Gujarat, the water in various reservoirs in the State was 2 % - 12 % of the usual capacity at the end of monsoon 2000 (September 2000). It’s a terrible situation not faced by people in last half a century and according to many, not even in last one century. So grave was the water situation immediately after monsoon that the agitation, morchas, conflicts between villages and towns and among the villages around water issue, started from the month of November - December 2000. In any previous drought year, the grave situation on water front was witnessed in the month of April – May, whereas this year it was witnessed in November - December. The difference glaringly reminds us of seriousness of the situation. In our district town Dahod, drinking water was given once a week during December 2000 and January 2001 and once in a fortnight, that too with uncertainty from the month of February 2001.

The impact of drought in the tribal regions is magnified by the fact that even in a normal monsoon year the condition of the tribals remains pathetic due to various factors such as: poor land, meager holdings, negligible irrigation, massive areas of unproductive wastelands and vast forest lands, most of which without tree cover, in the possession of the Forest Department. These factors are hardly benefiting to the community. In this scenario when drought occurs or recurs, the condition of the tribals worsens. No community suffers more than the tribals as their existing state of deprivation, compounds in the drought year.

DROUGHT PROOFING : A MYTH AND REALITY

In our last year’s Annual Report we dealt with the topic of drought proofing. We would like to repeat our views that 100 % drought proofing is just not possible. Logically, unless the shortfall of rain is substituted by the same amount of water through artificial storage and delivered to all the people to meet their various needs, there cannot be 100 % drought proofing. There are regions where drought recurs regularly for centuries. Never has, any part of such a region had during any drought year, 100 % drought proofing, unless that area had irrigation available to all or substantial portion of the land. It is a different matter when some chronically drought prone areas develop effective mechanisms to cope with the drought situation. Our programmes like DPAP and DDP should not aim at 100 % drought proofing, which is a myth. But, such programmes should aim at partial or substantial mitigation of a drought condition, by providing enough buffers to the affected people so that they can cope with the drought situation effectively. However, with scientific planning and water harvesting techniques, almost 100 % proofing could be achieved with respect to drinking water requirement. Yet, if the drought recurs for two or three years successively, even in this respect there would be a problem. Perhaps, a region with plenty of ground water potential stands to fare better in comparison to a region with surface water potential. This is because in the event of a severe shortfall of rain, as happened in 2000, there may not be scope for surface water harvesting, whereas there could be some ground water in the similar condition in the region with enough ground water potential. Of course, this theory does not work in regions where ground water has been over exploited, like the Mehsana and Saurashtra regions of Gujarat, which were known for their ample ground water, and are now facing acute problem of water due to over exploitation.

COPING WITH DROUGHT IN OUR PROJECT AREAS

Due to the monsoon failure, and the resulting drought condition, our project area has not been spared from the adverse effects of the second successive drought year. Being a tribal region, as stated in the beginning of this chapter, the situation is very bad. However, the situation has been diffused, it is not as alarming in our project villages due to several reasons. One reason is the buffer, in the form of savings of food grains from the previous year or enhanced creditworthiness to raise the necessary finance to cope with the drought condition. Those with irrigation face the drought situation more confidently as they are certain of an economic recovery next year. Another reason is half of our total beneficiaries possess a large number of trees. This asset gives them enough security to face the drought. It is like someone who has a comfortable level of savings during temporary period of unemployment situation. Time and again, in our regular and repeated conversations with our villagers, we never find them unduly perturbed or panic stricken even in this second successive drought year. Regarding drinking water availability, most of our villages have some water for this purpose. However, in our region most of the wells have not been deepened up to a proper depth. Most of them were dug to only 20 - 30 feet. Obviously in the drought year, there may not be water in such shallow wells. Studies and observations suggest that for an adequate water supply, a proper depth for open dug wells should be around 40 - 50 feet in our region. Therefore, there is a scope for deepening the wells to get water. We do not consider it necessary to dig beyond 50 feet. After 50 feet, our policy is to use a recharging technique, rather than deepening the wells. We plan to deepen at least 1,500 wells in the summer of 2001 which would ensure drinking water in all our villages and also in nearby non-project villages.

This year, we are experimenting with a few wells in the river bed immediately below a check dam. If this experiment succeeds in accessing enough water, respective villages with such wells will have no drinking water problems during any year of drought or no drought. Depending on the success of this experiment, we will expand this programme to various other sites in the future.

WHEN GREEN IS NOT GREENERY

There is a proverb. “All that glitters is not gold”. We may coin another proverb, “All that appears green is not greenery”.

We remember one incident appeared in the News Paper. Late Rajeev Gandhi, during his Prime Ministership visited one tribal district in Rajasthan to assess the drought situation. It was the beginning of September, when rains had failed and the Kharif crops had also failed. When Prime Minister’s helicopter landed in a village, he saw everything green, with green grass cover on all the hill tops that he looked around. He exclaimed, ‘its all green, where is drought ?’ It must have been a tough time for a nearby bureaucrat to educate our late Prime Minister, that in monsoon months everything appears green everywhere in our country, irrespective of drought year. The real impact of drought could be seen in summer months. Similarly, greenery is to be seen in summer months and not in monsoon months. We write this because, in some districts the ‘experts’ are taken to the fields in monsoon and they find everything green. Sometimes, the urban born, urban educated and urban placed experts (not all) fail to realise that monsoon greenery is a deceptive one, not necessarily indicating the permanent greenery.

THE GUJARAT EARTHQUAKE AND THE TRIBALS

On 26th January 2001 when the Nation was celebrating its Republic Day, massive earthquake struck in many parts of Gujarat, causing unprecedented and devastating damage to the people and property. Thousands of people died and lakhs of people rendered homeless as their houses totally collapsed. Many parts of Gujarat will require total rebuilding.

One important dimension of the impact of recent Gujarat earthquake on tribals of the most backward tribal districts like Dahod of Gujarat, Jhabua of Madhya Pradesh and Banswara of Rajasthan has not been noticed or highlighted by the media and Government. Lakhs of (hundreds of thousands) tribals of these districts earn their livelihood by migrating to other places in main land Gujarat, Saurashtra and Kutch. Our tribal people provide most of the manual labour for almost all the construction activities in all the cities and towns of Gujarat. The construction of roads and bridges are done by our tribals in the entire state of Gujarat. They provide farm labour in all the agriculturally prosperous districts of Gujarat. Most affected Kandla Port itself and near by biggest town of Kutch, Gandhidham employ thousands of tribal labourers.

The severe earthquake in the main land of Gujarat, Saurashtra and Kutch has created very bad situation for our tribals. Many of them have been directly affected by injuries or deaths of family members and all of them understandable by the panic situation. All our tribal people, who had migrated to any parts of Gujarat’s heartland, Saurashtra and Kutch at the time of earthquake, attempted a panic dash back to their homes by any available mode of transportation. A few of them even walking back 100 or more kilometers due to the non-availability of transportation.

The real crux of the impact is that lakhs of tribal people have been rendered workless, and therefore, without any livelihood support on account of the earthquake. Back home in their own respective district, there is second consecutive year of severe drought. The Government’s planning and resources under the drought relief programs in these districts, with all probability, will not be enough to provide relief works. Over the years the Government is accustomed to plan relief programmes for the people who have not migrated, and thereby, not considering vast number of tribal people migrated elsewhere. In absence of work and livelihood, some of them would resort to the criminal activities. The first signal of such situation has started coming in the month of February 2001 by the increase in highway robbery and looting. As the time passes, the situation will deteriorate in the summer months of April onwards. Many of the tribal villages in above districts will be unsafe, threatened by criminal activities

This may be compounded by law and order problems around water issues. The agitation, morchas, strikes, etc. on the water issue has been resorted in the tribal area of Dahod as early as from January 2000 onwards. The summer months will exacerbate this situation.

For peace in the tribal regions, it is imperative that reconstruction in the earthquake-hit areas starts immediately and at a massive scale. The reconstruction activities will give lakhs of our tribal people their livelihood, as these tribals being the hardest and toughest people will be in demand everywhere. While other sections of people will contribute their money and other resources, the tribals, mainly from above tribal regions, will contribute their hard labour and profuse sweat in the reconstruction of Gujarat. This will be the contribution of the poorest people.

REBUILDING GUJARAT AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE

On the prospects of rebuilding Gujarat after the massive and unprecedented earthquake, from the perspective of one of the senior most NGOs in Rural Development in Gujarat, we can confidently predict that the reconstruction of Gujarat will be much faster than anyone’s expectations. Though the Government’s role will be very important and crucial, most definitely, it will be the Gujarati people with the support from world over, who will rebuild Gujarat. Money will not be a problem. The Gujaratis, world over, have enough money, financial power, and they have capacity to raise funds from others. Look at the galaxy of the most enterprising mercantile communities of Gujarat in the form of the Patels, Banias (all sects of Banias including Jains), Lohanas, Bhatias, Bohras, Ismailis, Parsis, etc. This is a rare concord of extra ordinarily enterprising communities to be found in a single state in our country. Not only are they wealthy communities, they are also very generous with their help whenever occasion demands. This is not to undermine the capacity and contribution of other communities. This is the list of most enterprising communities known for their entrepreneurship. Any omission in this list is inadvertent and regretted. If channelised and motivated, the Kutchhis and Kathiawadis (people originally from Kutch and Saurashtra) can easily take care of at least half of the reconstruction work. Mumbai’s Gujaratis and other sections of its cosmopolitan population known for their generosity can take care of atleast 25 % of the need. Known for their self-respect, resourcefulness and strong supportive caste system, it is a possibility that large number of affected people (about 20 - 25 %) in Kutch and Saurasthra may not opt for Government assistance for their housing construction. Due to delay in the Government assistance and such other reasons, they may construct their houses without waiting for the Government support. This is an assumption. However, if needed, they must be given all assistance.

Matched with this enormous wealth in the hands of the Gujaratis and their spirit, there are a large number of exceptionally reliable NGOs in Gujarat, known for their unquestionable integrity and public work performance. It reminds us that few years back, the CAPART, Government of India, had blacklisted the hundreds of NGOs of our country for various “alleged” irregularities and mal-practices. Not a single NGO from Gujarat figured in that list, though large numbers of NGOs from Gujarat were the recipients of CAPART funds. Fortunately, Large numbers of NGOs in Gujarat have still the ethos of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel well entrenched in their functioning. Many of the Gujarat NGOs have extra ordinary legacy inherited from the work and principles of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel. These NGOs will be greatly useful in the reconstruction of Gujarat.

The Government should repose more faith in their NGOs than the Government machinery. Although there are some good officers in the Government, by and large the Government departments carry a stigma of being very corrupt and inefficient even in relief and rehabilitation programmes. Many funding agencies and individuals are reluctant to give funds to the Government for the above reasons. Even the Gujarat High Court has endorsed these views by ordering the District Judges to keep watch over the relief and rehabilitation programmes as a district Lokayukt. It is a pity that people have no faith in whatever Government does in our country. Whatever may be the ultimate truth and outcome of the recent TEHELKA video tape exposure, it has certainly eroded further the credibility of the Government, our political system and entire system of governance. In the aftermath of TEHELKA, many agencies / individuals could be de-motivated to give funds to the Government for the reconstruction of Gujarat.

On the part of NGOs, instead of competing with each other or working in isolation, they should group themselves in the field of their expertise and offer collective help in the relief and rehabilitation programme. This is the challenge of the century for Gujarat NGOs. They are capable of rising to the occasion. All that is needed is a will and spirit to work collectively and efficiently. NGOs should also realize their limitations and competency in such massive and unusual task, for which very few have good experience.

The silver lining in this challenging work is that, Gujarat is the only State, where people’s initiatives and efforts in all walks of life are greater and better than that of the Government. Many people say Gujarat has progressed because of its people, not the Government. Some articulate it better by saying that Gujarat has progressed, inspite of the Government. This is the real and unique strength of Gujarat and this strength will quickly lift Gujarat from the present predicament, and the State will not only reconstruct itself, but, will rejoin with vigour the path of progress and development.

The real problem will be the proper and speedy implementation of rehabilitation programmes and cooperation among various agencies. It will require coordination of the highest order by using information technology and bringing in high quality professional management skills and systems. The challenge is so great that if utmost care is not taken, chaos, duplication, delays and all sorts of mis-management and mal-practices would result. Knowing the Gujarat bureaucracy closely, the State has many very good Government officers known for their integrity and efficiency. The Government should spare the best of its officers for this task and also involve large number of professionals from various fields to support these officers. Once, a team of good officers is assigned various major responsibilities, that team should not be disturbed for quite some time in the interest of the continuity and consistency in the implementation of the programme. Proven NGOs could be allocated sub-regions and cluster of villages for monitoring the implementation. Some 50 - 100 proven NGOs could easily be identified for this purpose. Some retired Government officers with good record and having attachment and affection for Kutch and Saurashtra could be invited to help in the rehabilitation programme.

Another serious problem in the rehabilitation work would be to keep away the dis-reputed politicians. This is very sensitive issue. It is easy to keep away some allegedly corrupt bureaucrats, but not half that easy to keep away unscrupulous politicians, on the standard argument that they are the elected representatives of people, and therefore, they have the right and responsibility to be involved in such programmes. True, in our democratic setup, their right to be involved cannot be denied. But, no one has the right to resort to corruption and mal practice, particularly in relief and rehabilitation programmes. The question is who can control such politicians ? A leader of the stature of Sardar Patel could have easily controlled any kind of unscrupulous politician, but people of lesser stature can hardly control such political elements. The Government will have neither the will nor courage to handle such political elements. The politicians can be controlled by people alone and not by fellow politicians irrespective of party. This is the reality of the present day political scene in our country, including Gujarat. TEHELKA exposure has served a notice to the corrupt system and to people using this system for their own ulterior motives.

In the present circumstances, it is the power of people supported by genuine NGO’s with the Judiciary playing a role of active watchdog that can perhaps control the unscrupulous politicians and bureaucrats. Such elements need to be exposed instantly and publicly, and good, honest among them should be given all credit for their work and leadership.

It would be better if the Government refrains from direct involvement in the construction activities. The best of the Government cannot accomplish such a massive task. The Government should be a support with resources - financial and others and monitor the progress through a team of good officers and NGOs. Let the construction be done by the people themselves individually or collectively. Proven institutions like HDFC, HUDCO etc. could be assigned the construction task. Gujarat has mix of good and bad builders. Select the good among them and assign them some responsibility of reconstruction, either at no profit or no loss basis or at modest profit.

In the whole process of reconstruction, it is necessary that all the financial transactions are strictly monitored by honest agencies and honest people at all levels and everything related with money and progress should be totally transparent.

The world has come to the help of Gujarat in an unprecedented manner and scale. The spontaneous help from the world within the first few hours of the catastrophe, has given an impression, maybe for the time being, that this world is one family and prepared to share the grief of others. For a while, enmity between two staunch enemy countries was also forgotten. It is a case worth studying, whether at any time in the recent past, any other country was the recipient of such spontaneous and massive assistance from the international community.

With the assistance from the global community and the inner strength and resourcefulness of the Gujaratis, Gujarat will be rebuilt very soon. This is definite.

DISCOURAGING PROVISIONS FOR NGOs
IN NEW WATERSHED GUIDELINES OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND RESOURCES,
MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT, GOVERNEMNT OF INDIA

The revised guidelines for watershed development (Revised-2001), the Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, have certain provisions, which are extremely discouraging for the NGOs and which are infact regressive in nature, as instead of encouraging the work of NGOs such provisions are few steps backward.

I give below specific provisions with my comments as to why they are not only going to discourage the NGOs, but, going to harm the watershed development programme, and therefore, it is necessary to modify them at the earliest. In a national workshop organised by Planning Commission, Government of India, on NRM at New Delhi on 21.12.2001, I had along with other NGOs like AKRSP, BIAF, had expressed our serious concern on these clauses of new guidelines and now I express them in this note being circulated to the concerned officials.

Clause 18 - State Watershed Development Committee

Two representatives from prominent NGOs working in the field of watershed development are to be nominated on the above State Level Committee. This is not a fair or proportionate representation in the State like Gujarat and may be few others, where NGOs are major players in the implementation of watershed development programme. For example, in Gujarat, nearly 70 % of the watershed projects are implemented by NGOs and obviously there are several prominent NGOs in Gujarat, who deserve to be represented on the State Level Committee. I think, the guidelines should provide for minimum number of NGO representatives and leave it to the State Government to opt more number of NGOs, based on the situation in the respective State and merit of the NGOs. On one side we talk of decentralisation and delegation and on other side even the State is not authorised to nominate adequate number of representatives that it may deem appropriate on such committee.

In view of above situation, the guidelines of Government of India should remove the ceiling on number of NGOs on State Level Committee and indicate only minimum number of NGOs, giving powers to the State to nominate more than minimum number, if situation demands.

Clause 21 - District Watershed Development Committee

In the guidelines, only one NGO is to be nominated on the District Watershed Committee. Similar to the State level situation in Gujarat and few other States, overwhelming majority of the projects in each districts are held by NGOs. Therefore, NGOs representation should be much more. In this case also it should be left to the State and District to decide the number of NGOs to be nominated on such District Level Committee. Perhaps, it would be logical that in a district where 50 % of the watershed projects are held by NGOs, atleast 3 representatives from NGOs should be nominated and where more than 50 % of the watershed projects are held by NGOs even 5 representatives of NGOs could be nominated. The guidelines should provide only for minimum number and not the ceiling on the number.

Clause 27 - Selection of Project Implementation Agencies (PIAs)

In this clause, it is mentioned that in the selection of PIA, preference is to be given to the PRIs (Panchayati Raj Institutions), failing in which second preference to the Government Department or reputed NGO. While it is not my argument that PRIs should not be encouraged to become PIAs, it is essential that the word "preference" be removed from the sentence, otherwise, considering this sentence as Bible statement, outright preference, irrespective of the merits will be given to the PRIs and in the process, reputed and proven NGOs could be denied the projects. I think, this cannot be the intention of the people who have framed this clause of the guidelines. The Watershed Development programme is a prime and most crucial programme of Government of India for the removal of poverty and regeneration of natural resources, and any consideration other than the merits would defeat the very objective of the watershed programme. A stage has not come in our country wherein PRIs as a blanket provision could be entrusted the work of PIAs. It is open fact that at many places, even well equipped Government Departments and even NGOs have not succeeded in the successful implementation of the programme, how can most ill-equipped and politically motivated PRIs would deliver the goods ? This is too precious a programme of national interest to be entrusted to ill-equipped institutions, whether PRIs, Government Departments or NGOs. The policy makers must ponder that such a massive investment has to deliver good results, otherwise the last hope of revival of rural economy and ecology would be lost.

Being the oldest and among the foremost NGOs in the field of watershed and NRM and having associated with watershed programme and rural development programme in more than 12 States, I can confidently say that by and large the programmes entrusted to the reputed NGOs has succeeded very much. It is a known fact is that most of the highly successful watershed projects have been implemented by repute/d NGOs. This situation should continue by encouraging reputed NGOs. Unfortunately, the above clause and wording of the guidelines would result in discouraging the NGOs.

All that is necessary to be done in this clause is to remove the word "preferably", so that the State and District may consider the selection of PIAs on its pure merit rather than on any political or narrow consideration.

I am sure, as the intentions of the Government of India, in framing the new guidelines are very good, my above suggestions would be considered favourably in the interest of the programme as well as the massive investments that are envisaged.

19.01.2002