Ecological and Energy Conservation- The Rasulpur Eco- Development Project in Haridwar District
The project aims at conservation of Rajaji National Park (RNP)on which the communities residing in nearby Rasulpur village is heavily dependent. The project aims at providing livelihood options to communities to raise the living condition of the marginalized villagers and to save the precious forests and wildlife of RNP from further degradation.It also aims at improving the economics of the village through better agriculture methods and technology and by introductory stall feeding and better animal care and breed improvement. Project also aims at solving the issue of unemployment by introduction of vocational training and trades especially among the young people.
Training and Capacity Building of communities, development of SHGs, providing better livelihood options are some of the activities which aims to minimizing the dependency on fuel wood, reduction in Kerosene usage, reduction in grazing and fodder collection, thus leading to reduce emission of GHGs and also conservation of habitat and biodiversity of Rajaji National Park through participatory process.
Training and Capacity Building of communities, development of SHGs, providing better livelihood options are some of the activities which aims to minimizing the dependency on fuel wood, reduction in Kerosene usage, reduction in grazing and fodder collection, thus leading to reduce emission of GHGs and also conservation of habitat and biodiversity of Rajaji National Park through participatory process.
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Project Snapshot
Grantee:
The Friends of the Doon Society
Country:
India
Area Of Work:
Multifocal Area
Operational Phase:
OP4 - Y1 (Jul 07-Jun08)
Grant Amount:
US$ 27,651.00
Co-Financing Cash:
US$ 60,899.00
Co-Financing in-Kind:
US$ 12,366.00
Project Number:
IND/SGP/OP4/Y1/RAF/08/11/UTH 07
Start Date:
6/2008
End Date:
6/2010
Status:
Satisfactorily Completed
Photo Gallery
Project Characteristics and Results
Inovative Financial Mechanisms
Co-financing Sources, Components and amounts have been mentioned in Point 4 of this report. Co-financing was obtained through proposals and meetings. As mentioned above, to carve a village into a ?Model? needs to touch the every aspects of the community which needs a frequent flow of fund. As project was going deep inside the community many required components came up with urgency which were not covered through GEF. With the help of members, staff and other well-wishers we succeeded to obtain co-financing.
Organization must be very clear with the requirements of project and its output.
Project sustainability
Most of the project activities were planned keeping sustainability in mind. Activities were identified by the community, and the implementation (right from project conceptualization, designing, monitoring and evaluation) being done through participatory process with Village Eco Development Committee, Local Panchayat and the relevant Govt Agencies.
Low cost, simple technology and immediate visibility of benefits of most of the activities in the project enhance the replicability and sustainability of the intervention.
Success of this project and calling Rasulpur Project as a ?Model? implies that it has a good potential for replication in other Protected Areas of the country with similar community-wildlife conflicts.
Linkages gef projects
Ms. Ranjona Banerji, journalist, visited Rasulpur and an Article on Rasulpur was published in the Mumbai based News Paper DNA which has a circulation of about 8.5 lakhs in Western India and was uploaded on Internet. Article can be seen on address - http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/comment_rasulpur-a-picture-of-government-apathy_1370662.
ii) New Theological College NTC ? With the help of NTC, Street Theatre and puppet shows was organized in the village.
iii) Uttaranchal Live Stock Development Board ULDB was approached to organize vocational Trainings.
iv) Rajaji National Park Administration RNP was approached to organize Exposure Visit for Village children.
v) TATA AIG Insurance Company ? Organized Insurance Camp in the village.
vi) Confederation of Indian Industry CII was approached to help village youth in vocational training and provide suitable jobs.
vii) Sewa Bharti a group of Doctors organized a Health Camp in the village.
viii) Two Journalists from Doordarshan visited Rasulpur and made documentary on the Project, which was telecast in TV100 News Channel.
ix) A website has been designed by Mrs. Sabita Banerji, a sociologist, on project activities, web address is www.friendsofthedoonsociety.btik.com.
x) SNK SAMMARAK?s Farm House & Training Centre in Pant Nagar, a Non Government agency operating Uttaranchal Rural Poultry Development Project of Govt. of India with Uttarakhand State Govt. participation under SGSY Scheme in Pant Nagar, trained villagers without any training fees.
xi) Herbal Research and Development Institute, HRDI ? Organized a visit tour and provided Lemon Grass to the villagers.
xii) Himanchal Times (Local News Paper) published article on the project activities. (Annexure - III )
xiii) Mr Dilip Hiro, eminent author, academician, and journalist based in London, accompanied by Mr Sumanta Banerjee, social historian and writer, visited Rasulpur to research a book Mr Hiro is planning on the effects of modernization on different strata of Indian society. They interviewed a cross section of villagers starting with the Pradhan.
Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples
Rasulpur is inhabited by landless settlers who came from Uttar Pradesh. Most of the inhabitants have lost touch with their roots from where their forefathers came. 70% - 80% population was below the poverty line when the project started and they belong to SC/ST and OBC. The project has greatly helped the local people as the district administration has recognized their cultural and historical background and has taken appropriate steps to take them along with the District Planning System.
Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
Several meetings, sessions and awareness camps under the project were organized to increase the public awareness on local and global environmental problems. Movie shows, street theatre, puppet shows were organized, a group of students of Class VI, VII & VIII formed ?Baal Sabha?. Members of baal sabha were sensitized through several sessions of awareness on environmental issues and local issues they were involved in practical sessions and related games were played. For adults Self Help Groups were formed and they were sensitized on village environment, issues related to nearby forest (Rajaji National Park), Wildlife and human conflict.
Community was exposed to new techniques of using renewable energy and other fuel efficient techniques to reduce their dependency on the nearby forest.
Community is now using Solar Energy, Bio Gas Plants, Fuel Efficient stoves and Bio composting.
Links have been established with Rajaji National Park Administration, Forest Department, Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development Authority UREDA, Block Development Officers, Animal Husbandry and other Dist Administrative Offices.
Experts in the field of conservation awareness will carry out the Environmental awareness and capacity building workshops as resource persons. This will promote the community to act collectively for a common cause. There were environment awareness camps conducted where the entire village participated. Movies conveying the message of socio economic preservation and how to engage and manage activities that provide for the development of villages.
Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
Several, combined and one to one, meetings, with the villagers, were organized, followed by the question answer sessions and they were divided in the groups as per their Educational Qualification, Financial Condition, interest and experience. Different Vocational courses, advised by the professionals, institutions, agencies, suitable for the village environment, were suggested to the groups considering their educational qualification and financial conditions etc. for the educated youth, vocational training courses were organized to increase their capacity to qualify forb good jobs. To reduce the migration, contacts were established with the nearby industrial area with the help of CII and special bus service was arranged, so that youth can commute on a daily basis.
For the uneducated adults, vocational courses were organized which can be employed in the village environment and provide regular income to the family.
Activities providing instant income were well accepted but the new techniques and new concepts in agriculture were not well adopted. In our view it needs more time and lot of effort.
Policy Influence
The project has greatly improved the Government planning in positive direction. The Rural Development in the district setup is largely governed by influence of Gram Pradhan which has never fully benefited the common people even though government money has been spent in the name of rural upliftment.
The GEF in Rasulpur has greatly benefited the local community of Rasulpur through various awareness program the empowerment of village women & youth has greatly benefited in terms of their livelihood issues, energy management, health & Hygiene and conservation of natural resources of adjoining National Park. Development work in the village also attracted the attention of District as well as State Administration
i) Because of the project activities and regular interaction with the District Administration, the name of Rasulpur village has been proposed by district authorities for Nirmal Gram Puraskar.
ii) District Administration has opened a file on Rasulpur village and has started working on the drafted project, with the help of all concerned department, for the development of this particular village.
iii) Motivating Government officials to deliver, which is an uphill task. This creates problems for sustaining interest by villagers. Sustainability and replicability depend on income generation and social benefits which are visible to the villagers.
iv) From the last four years we are directly in contact with the villagers and regularly having meetings with them and in these meetings we inform them about the different Government schemes and peoples rights and responsibilities. As a result villagers are becoming aware about their rights. Recently villagers wrote an application to Chief Development Officer about the alleged malpractise in the implementation of Government Schemes in the village. The system has reportedly been reorganized.
Replication of project activities
The project has shown great potential for replication in other adjoining villages close to the Rajaji National Park. The project activities could also be up scaled however FODS would like to continue with GEF support and matching co-funding for achieving the goal effectively.
Rasulpur Village Development Project was started in early 2006 by The Friends of the Doon Society (FODS), jointly with the Director, Rajaji National Park (RNP). The primary object of the project was to reduce the biotic pressure exerted on RNP, by the 66 villages on its southern periphery. Rasulpur was selected for setting up as a ?Model? for solving the problem of fuel wood extraction, lopping of trees, and grazing of large number of village cattle, besides the ever increasing conflict between the villagers and the wildlife of the Park. The focus then was to wean the villagers away from the forests, by providing alternative means of livelihood to them. It was apparent very soon that the problems can only be solved by implementing some major measures to alleviate the poverty level of the villagers. Hence the scope and span of activities were enlarged.
The project was started in 2006 with the help of Elephant Family Multi Fund, UK. In 2007 Sir Ratan Tata Trust came forward and in 2009 UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme came forward and contributed to the programme. Due to these combined efforts Rasulpur is becoming a model village and encouraging other nearby villages to come forward and improve their lives.
We feel that this is the time to duplicate our project in other nearby villages while continuing our services for Rasulpur and making it ?centre of operational activities?.
FODS is willing to propose project
?DALUWALA KALAN GRAM PANCHAYAT POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROJECT? to seek the help of UNDP.
Daluwala Kalan is the Village Panchayat which includes three villages, namely Daluwala Kalan, Rasulpur & Rasulpur Tongia. The purpose of the project is to raise the living condition of the marginalized villagers, and at the same time, save the precious forests & wildlife of Rajaji National Park from further degradation. This is the phase-II where whole Village Panchayat will come under the project.
The purpose is to achieve the goal by reducing the dependency of the village on the Park by providing alternative means of livelihood by poverty alleviation. The potential for improving the living conditions of the village are high. The economics of the village can be improved through better agricultural methods and technology and by introductory stall feeding and better animal care and breed improvement. The problem of unemployment can be solved by introduction of vocational training and trades especially among the young people.
Capacity - Building Component
The project involves vocational training and capacity building of unemployed youth. Vocational training on sewing, knitting, kitchen gardening, etc to the women and trades like carpentry, masonry, electrical house wiring, maintenance for water pumps, etc. would be taught to men. Training was provided to villagers for poultry farming.
Several youth of the village have been already admitted to K.L polytechnic in Roorkee to learn electrical and carpentry trade. A sewing center has been started with eight young women.
The farmers and villagers would be given training at GB pant university to enhance their capacity to practice agriculture and animal husbandry, in a more scientific way.
Under capacity building women and unemployed youth were trained in different vocational courses suitable in village conditions and to ensure the possibility to grab the job.
Gender Focus
The village has been neglected by the district administration at local level and deprived from various state benefits. The local panchayat was weak and the leaders paid little attention towards the poor community?s welfare. The men folk of the village had a laid back attitude and apathy for changes. There was large scale unemployment amongst the youth.
For project activities, participatory method was implemented where local community was in the forefront in all stages of the project. Most of the activities were accomplished with the help of Village Samities and Women Self Help Groups. The community provided labor wherever required.
Project was not planned on gender focus but now we can say that the women were more responsive to change and very actively involved in different project activities.
In the villages like Rasulpur major family burden comes on the shoulder of women and they do not have any say either in the family or village issues.
From the last fifteen years a single family was ruling the whole village but we feel proud to mention that in recent Panchayat election a Women who is the member of Shera Wali SHG which was formed under the project has been elected as a Gram Pradhan which shows the changes in the mind set of community.
Most of the village issues have been settled they have a Women Gram Pradhan, Most of the village youth are either employed or continuing their education, children (future generation) have been sensitized, a thinking process of change has been started, Government Agencies or Departments know about this Model Village and District Administration has started its work in the village. So we feel that coming years will play major role in shaping the future of this village. But still there are many challenges which needs to be focused like Adult Education, Water conservation, utilization of Barren Land, Corruption, Sanitation and financial help.
Notable Community Participation
To make it a community ? driven activity and to develop a sense of ownership ?Solar Lantern Charging Station SLCS? was established. Stake holders were the beneficiaries, Women Self Help Group WSHG and FODS. A fund was formed from the beneficiary?s contribution which was deposited in the Bank Account of a WSHG. A villager was selected and given the Solar Panels to charge the solar lanterns on daily basis. He was instructed to maintain a register, on daily basis, of charged lanterns. Every month WSHG will check the register and pay Rs.1/lantern/day to the Charging Station from the Fund they have. For the first 11 (eleven) months beneficiary will not have to pay any thing but after this duration he will pay Rs.1/day/lantern to the SL charging station. Solar Lantern mechanic, who was trained by FODS has been attached with the SLCS.
Swakshata Samiti was formed to keep eye on the village environment and cleanliness. This samiti was authorized to select those villagers who keep their nearby area clean and construct a sanitary toilet for them. Samiti also supervised the construction work and maintain the quality of construction.
In each and every decision of activity, community was involved. For each activity community gave its contribution in cash or in kind whether it is digging pits and preparing tree guards for tree plantation, digging pits for toilets and providing labour in construction work, contributing in cash to purchase solar lantern and helping a poor villager.
Involvement of community in each activity developed a sense of ownership and increased their confidence level.
Seeing the changes in the mind set and living conditions of Rasulpur other nearby villagers are also interested in the project activities, Rasulpur is becoming a model village for the area.
Field staff was never involved in the local village politics and groupism which increased the acceptability of field staff by each and every villager from eldest to the youngest.
FODS never demonstrated itself as a giver but always mentioned that we receive money from other sources for the activities, which helped us to mix with them well.
During the project person will interact daily with the communities to motivate them for participation and active involvement. Project will closely work with the village institutions and block and gram level officials.
Two SHGs will be formed under the guidance of the NGO.
Most of the activities have been identified by the community and the implementation being done through participatory process with EDC(Eco Development Committee) local Panchayat and the relevant Governmental agencies.
Policy Impact
i0 Community was motivated to accept changes to improve their living conditions.
ii) 81760kg Fuel wood is saved per year with the help of 56 Fuel Efficient Stoves.
iii) Under capacity building women and unemployed youth were trained in different vocational courses suitable in village conditions and to ensure the possibility to grab the job.
iv) Improved and new techniques of agriculture and animal husbandry practices were introduced which have been adopted by the community. 60% of village cattle are now in stall fed condition which reduced the pressure on nearby forest and wildlife.
v) Due to regular Vet Camps most of the cattle are healthy and doesn?t carry any disease which could be transferred to the wild animals during grazing and using water bodies.
vi) Project activities reduced the pressure on the forest in terms of fuel wood, green fodder and other forest products extraction and also reduced the man animal conflict in the area.
vii) Health and sanitation facilities have been improved through Health Camps, Sanitary Toilets and awareness camps.
viii) Three Poultry Farms, One Piggery Farm, 150 new jobs to village youth, three general merchant shops are contributing to boost up the village economy and increasing the living standards.
ix) Women Self Groups, Awareness Camps, Vocational Training to women, Exposure visits are empowering the village women.
x) Changing the mind set of community and village development is a slow process which need lengthy and continues efforts.
xi) NGOs like us find it difficult to sustain our self because of lack of support from donors on infrastructure and staff cost. While donors recognize the need for this kind of support, we have not found ready assistance.
Project Results
. During the project it was found that illicit liquor brewing and consumption is one of the root cause of illegal activities, poverty and poor health conditions. Women Self Help Groups were formed and sensitized, general awareness meetings were organized, puppet show and street theatre were performed to sensitize the villagers on this issue. With the help of regular meetings and interactions with the SHG members it has been found that Awareness level of village women is increasing and very slowly but firmly they are getting united against the illicit liqueur brewing and consumption. In every meeting they are requesting FODS field staff to solve this problem but instead of jumping directly in the matter and spoil the issue FODS is motivating women to solve this problem themselves and giving them the clues. Now there are two SHGs Mansa Devi SHG and Durga Devi SHG who have already joined hands to fight this issue. There are five villagers who already have left this bad habit. Still there is a long voyage.
. Illiteracy is also a very big problem, most of the village adults are uneducated and they don?t understand the advantage of education. In their priority list, education comes in last. Because they are illiterate they work as daily labor and get hardly any money to fulfill their basic requirement. FODS field staff was regularly motivating SHG women to start adult education in the village - at least SHG members should be literate. Members of newly formed WSHG came up with the new idea and have decided in a meeting that President of this SHG who is literate will voluntarily teach all members of this SHG. Members agreed to pay Rs.10/member/month to the instructor and to boost up their morale FODS also contribute Rs.500/month through ASHA FOR EDUCATION fund. Education material was provided through UNDP fund. From the last two months classes are continued but women are not very regular. Work is still in progress.
? Most of the Indian villages are not aware about their rights, Rasulpur residents are also not aware about the Government schemes and their rights. A campaign was started, under which several meetings were organized in Rasulpur with different senior level officers of concerned Government Departments. These meetings furnished two side effects, on the one hand villagers came to know about the different government schemes and its benefits and on other hand senior officers came to know about the poor village conditions. Due to these regular meetings with the Government Departments and other institutions villagers awareness and zeal to grow is improving. Now villagers are forming SHGs themselves and chasing the Village Development Officer to arrange meetings, they now very much aware of their rights and ask questions on different schemes. There are many incidents which shows that awareness level is increasing. VDO was transferred because of complaint by the villagers, very recently in the Panchayat elections New Gram Pradhan (woman) has been elected from Rasulpur. This is the change after the fifteen years rule of old pradhan. ANM (govt nursing staff) were asking for Rs.40/- in place of Rs.30/-for Smart Card but villagers protested and filed complaint against her in CMO office. Village youth are forming their groups and requesting FODS to provide training as per their requirement. On the administration level lot of activities are going on in Rasulpur from District Administration and politicians. Local MLA from his funds, put three new hand pumps in the village and started constructing inner road in Rasulpur which was clogged with refuse and drain water, and FOD was raising this issue with many officials from last three years. Toilet construction in Primary School Rasulpur has started by SWAJAL under their scheme. Kitchen Construction started in Junior High School Rasulpur by Education Department. Project Director Mr. Joshi who is also Nodal Officer for Rasulpur Project has assured in a meeting that very soon boundary construction work for Junior High school will also be started. District Administration has opened a file especially on Rasulpur and drafting a working plan focusing on different issues of Rasulpur. Different officials are regularly visiting the village and drafting their working plan. A nodal officer has been appointed to oversee the work These govt initiatives are a result of constant pressure and follow up by FODS at Secretariat and district levels and at the Block office
? Sanitation is a major element which is affecting the overall health of villagers. During the Health Camps Doctors mentioned that most of the villagers are infected with hookworms, they are very weak, especially children and women are anemic and malnourished. Women do not have place to bath and wash. Most of them were using kitchen to bath once a week or so. Menstruation has always been a problem for the village women. Regular awareness meetings were organized and sanitary toilets were constructed to reduce the impact of this problem. In monthly meetings and one to one meetings villagers were sensitized on the issue Villagers are very slowly accepting the changes in their lifestyle. Women coming forward on personal hygiene but few of them do not have space for making toilets. Some of them take bath once in a week. Normally they were using mud or ash to wash hands but very slowly now they are using soap. Meetings on Personal hygiene have started showing results many villagers are now using soap to wash hands. Initially villagers were not accepting the toilets but now there is huge requirement of toilets. Most of the villagers are joining hands to clean the environment of village and two drives were organized. Throwing waste water on the road is becoming a issue and very slowly villagers are coming forward against it, time to time villagers put phenyl on the clogged water. Clothes have been collected and distributed in the village. To improve the drainage system Block Office came forward and started constructing inner roads of the village. Vegetable gardening is also improving the health of women and children.
? Initially villagers were not taking care of their cattle and sending them in the nearby forest. After regular Vet Camps, awareness meetings and other activities, villagers have started looking after their cattle and now they care for them. Villagers wait for the Vet Team to come and call them to treat their cattle and voluntarily allow us to vaccinate the cattle. They are also accepting the services of Para Vet and calling him regularly which is opening a new door of dairy development in the village.
? Most of the villagers are daily labor because they are uneducated and do not have any skill. Villagers were sensitized on the issue in several meetings and motivated to be trained in vocational training suitable in village conditions. Different vocational training course were organized in the village or in different institutions. For the educated youth, courses were selected which could make them eligible to get good jobs in the nearest industrial area, from where they can come back to their house after working hours. With the help of Confederation of Indian Industry, different member industries were approached to give jobs to these educated and trained village youth. More then 150 village youth daily go to the nearest industrial area and contributing to improve the village economy. For the uneducated youth, vocational training were organized which can provide them good source of earning in the village itself. Three poultry farm, one piggery farm, three goat farms, five new shops, one cement agency are also contributing in the village economy.
? Women and children were spending their most of time in cattle rearing and collecting fuel wood. To reduce their drudgery fuel efficient stoves were provided and Bio Gas plants were constructed, to make their life easy Solar Lantern were distributed. Tree plantation will provide fuel wood and green fodder at door step. Children are giving more time to their studies, 100% children, above 5 years are going to school. Still there is a problem that after 8th class they are traveling 5- 15 km distance which is becoming tough specially for girls to complete their education. There is no bus service.
? The project was to conserve forest biodiversity and remove pressure from the RNP which has shown positive results.
? Peoples become aware and started utilising conservation efforts.
? Keeping the current requirement of villagers in mind project has considered health and sanitation related issues.
? Villagers were supported on the issues whenever it was not the mandate of the project.
? skill development and capacity building for the women and unemployed youth was also considered.
? Enhanced income and poverty alleviation, Protection and conservation of the Rajaji National Park.
? 5 biogas units were established with the support from Ratan Tata Trust as co financing.
. Illiteracy is also a very big problem, most of the village adults are uneducated and they don?t understand the advantage of education. In their priority list, education comes in last. Because they are illiterate they work as daily labor and get hardly any money to fulfill their basic requirement. FODS field staff was regularly motivating SHG women to start adult education in the village - at least SHG members should be literate. Members of newly formed WSHG came up with the new idea and have decided in a meeting that President of this SHG who is literate will voluntarily teach all members of this SHG. Members agreed to pay Rs.10/member/month to the instructor and to boost up their morale FODS also contribute Rs.500/month through ASHA FOR EDUCATION fund. Education material was provided through UNDP fund. From the last two months classes are continued but women are not very regular. Work is still in progress.
? Most of the Indian villages are not aware about their rights, Rasulpur residents are also not aware about the Government schemes and their rights. A campaign was started, under which several meetings were organized in Rasulpur with different senior level officers of concerned Government Departments. These meetings furnished two side effects, on the one hand villagers came to know about the different government schemes and its benefits and on other hand senior officers came to know about the poor village conditions. Due to these regular meetings with the Government Departments and other institutions villagers awareness and zeal to grow is improving. Now villagers are forming SHGs themselves and chasing the Village Development Officer to arrange meetings, they now very much aware of their rights and ask questions on different schemes. There are many incidents which shows that awareness level is increasing. VDO was transferred because of complaint by the villagers, very recently in the Panchayat elections New Gram Pradhan (woman) has been elected from Rasulpur. This is the change after the fifteen years rule of old pradhan. ANM (govt nursing staff) were asking for Rs.40/- in place of Rs.30/-for Smart Card but villagers protested and filed complaint against her in CMO office. Village youth are forming their groups and requesting FODS to provide training as per their requirement. On the administration level lot of activities are going on in Rasulpur from District Administration and politicians. Local MLA from his funds, put three new hand pumps in the village and started constructing inner road in Rasulpur which was clogged with refuse and drain water, and FOD was raising this issue with many officials from last three years. Toilet construction in Primary School Rasulpur has started by SWAJAL under their scheme. Kitchen Construction started in Junior High School Rasulpur by Education Department. Project Director Mr. Joshi who is also Nodal Officer for Rasulpur Project has assured in a meeting that very soon boundary construction work for Junior High school will also be started. District Administration has opened a file especially on Rasulpur and drafting a working plan focusing on different issues of Rasulpur. Different officials are regularly visiting the village and drafting their working plan. A nodal officer has been appointed to oversee the work These govt initiatives are a result of constant pressure and follow up by FODS at Secretariat and district levels and at the Block office
? Sanitation is a major element which is affecting the overall health of villagers. During the Health Camps Doctors mentioned that most of the villagers are infected with hookworms, they are very weak, especially children and women are anemic and malnourished. Women do not have place to bath and wash. Most of them were using kitchen to bath once a week or so. Menstruation has always been a problem for the village women. Regular awareness meetings were organized and sanitary toilets were constructed to reduce the impact of this problem. In monthly meetings and one to one meetings villagers were sensitized on the issue Villagers are very slowly accepting the changes in their lifestyle. Women coming forward on personal hygiene but few of them do not have space for making toilets. Some of them take bath once in a week. Normally they were using mud or ash to wash hands but very slowly now they are using soap. Meetings on Personal hygiene have started showing results many villagers are now using soap to wash hands. Initially villagers were not accepting the toilets but now there is huge requirement of toilets. Most of the villagers are joining hands to clean the environment of village and two drives were organized. Throwing waste water on the road is becoming a issue and very slowly villagers are coming forward against it, time to time villagers put phenyl on the clogged water. Clothes have been collected and distributed in the village. To improve the drainage system Block Office came forward and started constructing inner roads of the village. Vegetable gardening is also improving the health of women and children.
? Initially villagers were not taking care of their cattle and sending them in the nearby forest. After regular Vet Camps, awareness meetings and other activities, villagers have started looking after their cattle and now they care for them. Villagers wait for the Vet Team to come and call them to treat their cattle and voluntarily allow us to vaccinate the cattle. They are also accepting the services of Para Vet and calling him regularly which is opening a new door of dairy development in the village.
? Most of the villagers are daily labor because they are uneducated and do not have any skill. Villagers were sensitized on the issue in several meetings and motivated to be trained in vocational training suitable in village conditions. Different vocational training course were organized in the village or in different institutions. For the educated youth, courses were selected which could make them eligible to get good jobs in the nearest industrial area, from where they can come back to their house after working hours. With the help of Confederation of Indian Industry, different member industries were approached to give jobs to these educated and trained village youth. More then 150 village youth daily go to the nearest industrial area and contributing to improve the village economy. For the uneducated youth, vocational training were organized which can provide them good source of earning in the village itself. Three poultry farm, one piggery farm, three goat farms, five new shops, one cement agency are also contributing in the village economy.
? Women and children were spending their most of time in cattle rearing and collecting fuel wood. To reduce their drudgery fuel efficient stoves were provided and Bio Gas plants were constructed, to make their life easy Solar Lantern were distributed. Tree plantation will provide fuel wood and green fodder at door step. Children are giving more time to their studies, 100% children, above 5 years are going to school. Still there is a problem that after 8th class they are traveling 5- 15 km distance which is becoming tough specially for girls to complete their education. There is no bus service.
? The project was to conserve forest biodiversity and remove pressure from the RNP which has shown positive results.
? Peoples become aware and started utilising conservation efforts.
? Keeping the current requirement of villagers in mind project has considered health and sanitation related issues.
? Villagers were supported on the issues whenever it was not the mandate of the project.
? skill development and capacity building for the women and unemployed youth was also considered.
? Enhanced income and poverty alleviation, Protection and conservation of the Rajaji National Park.
? 5 biogas units were established with the support from Ratan Tata Trust as co financing.
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