Hindustan Times, July 3, 2002 CM’S FREE-PLOT PLAN FOR THE LANDLESS Pradhans mint money, fool villagers By Tarannum Manjul LALPUR IS just a few kilometers from Lucknow. But Chief Minister Ms Mayawati’s announcements have had little impact here. In fact, those of the upper caste continue with impunity to fool the poor villagers. The village has no roads, no electricity and no water. The CM’s recent directive to provide pattas to the landless had bought some ray of hope for the Dalit villagers. But they would receive the benefits if those of the upper caste let them. After the CM’s announcement, residents of Lalpur, who had been working in the fields of those of the upper case, applied for the pattas. However, when they went to the pradhan and lekhpal, they were in for a big shock. The pradhan, the villagers say, demanded Rs. 2,500 per bigha (kuchcha) and Rs. 7,500 per bigha (pucca) to give them the patta. "We were shocked when he asked us for money. All we knew was that the land was to be given to the landless for free. We had no idea about the money which he was demanding, " says Ramsewak of Lalpur Bideshi, a villager from the adjoining Kakimau village had a similar complaint. "When we went for our pattas, were told that as the pradhan has to bribe the burra babus, he wants money." The villagers then went to the lekhpal, who too demanded money. This was not all. Those Dalit villagers who had old pattas were told that their documents had been misplaced and instead, the pattas were handed to those of the upper caste, says Somvati. Those villagers, with support from activist Sandeep Pandey, have decided to raise their voice against corruption. "We want that the pattas should be given to someone who needs it and is landless. After all, the Chief Minister had made the announcement for our benefit. And we can’t give money as we don’t earn that much in a month," says Ramsewak. The villagers of Lalpur, along with a few others from villages like Kakimau, Aira and Basantpur, have decided to write to the CM and district magistrate. "We are hopeful that if our application reaches the CM, something may happen," says Somvati. -------------------------- Hindustan Times, Lucknow, July 5, 2002, (CITY Section) Asha Ashram: Hope for a village By Tarannum Manjul NO ELECTRICITY, no drinking water, no proper roads and no pucca houses. This is Lalpur, a village situated 60kms from Lucknow, which on papers may be an Ambedkar Village, but development here is yet to peep in here. But hope for the village comes as Asha Ashram, a place where villagers are being provided with all that the government is not giving them. The central cabin is constructed with detachable ferro-cement blocks, with solar chips on the roof to provide electricity. A stationary cycle helps recharge the solar batteries, while another one helps in filling water in the overhead tanks. There is a special press, which helps in making strong compressed bricks from a mixture of sand, mud and cement. The campus has a school, a dispensary that gives homeopathic medicines for the poor, screen-printing unit, a biogas plant and a bee-farming unit to help youths earn a decent living. And all this is being done sans any aid from the state government! Founded by Dr. Sandeep of Asha Foundation, Lucknow, the Asha Ashram in Hardoi is bringing a new light into the lives of hundreds of dalits living in and around Lalpur. Incidentally, Lalpur is an Ambedkar Village as every house bears the words ‘Jai Beehn (for BR Ambedkar) Jai Bharat’. Says Dr. Pandey, who has been a teacher in Berkley (USA) before setting up Asha Foundation in India with chapters in the US, "When I came to Lalpur, I couldn’t believe that this village existed in independent India. The residents over here hadn’t even seen a train. And upper caste dominance was quite evident too." Initially, Pandey had a tough time as the upper caste tried to push him out of the village employing fair and even unfair means. But two years down the line, Asha Ashram has become a symbol of new hope for the poor villagers. "They not only come to learn things, but also to find a solution to their problems. Dalit oppression quite common and they often come to Asha for help," says Pandey. The volunteers in Asha Ashram are mostly the villagers themselves, who have been trained to teach others. "Our aim is not to make them dependent on us, but self-reliant," adds Pandey. For Meena, Asha Ashram transformed her life. "My whole life has changed. I have realized how important it is to be educated," she says. Many others, who are part of the Asha family, too opined similar views. This is not all. Asha has also helped villagers get justice in several cases of oppression. In fact, Asha now plans to help the prostitutes of Natpurwa, find a new way of life. With all this and a lot more, Asha has definitely brought a new ‘Asha’ (hope) for Lalpur.