Making body donation a movement

Making body donation a movement

Delhi advocate Alok Kumar pledges to wipeout waiting list for cornea transplantation in Delhi within three years

At the time when lakhs of people die every year in the country in want of organ transplant, one million wait for cornea transplantation and about 30 to 35 young medical professionals are forced to study on one cadaver only, senior advocate of Delhi Shri Alok Kumar has taken a step to change this scenario. Through Dadhichi Deh Dan Samiti, he has so far provided 83 human bodies and 365 pair eyes to different Government Medical Colleges of Delhi. With the help of like-minded people and organisations he has now pledged to wipeout the entire waiting list for cornea transplantation in Delhi within 3 years.

DO you know around five lakh people die in our country every year because of non-availability of organs and two lakh of them die of liver disease only? Equally, about 50,000 die from heart disease and out of 1.5 lakh people waiting for kidney transplantation hardly 5,000 get one. Not only this about one million people suffer from corneal blindness and await transplantation. The reality is that just 0.08 persons Per Million Population (PMP) donate organs in our country. This is an incredibly insignificant number as compared to the organ donation statistics around the world. There is one more fact. Four medical students need a cadaver to complete their studies, but today 30 to 35 students have to study on one cadaver only.

On the other hand the countries like USA, UK, Germany, Netherlands, etc have seen the organ donations double per million population averaging between 10-30 PMP. Other countries like Singapore, Belgium and Spain have seen the rate of donations double averaging between 20-40 PMP. This all indicate to the speed that we have to move for body or organ donation. In such a situation the efforts of Shri Alok Kumar seem to be making a big impact in the lives of both, those who are waiting for organ transplantation and the young medicos who need cadavers for understanding the human body for advancing science.

“The seed of this initiative basically germinated during 1974-75 when I was a Sangh Pracharak in Amritsar. I frequently visited the Medical College there. The very first exhibit in the anatomy museum there was of a retired Head of the Department, who had written in his ‘will’ that ‘all my life I have been teaching my students on other persons’ bodies. Now, I wish that after my death my body is donated to this place’. I wrote to Dr Harsh Vardhan, who was then in Kanpur Medical College, about the wonderful idea of body donation. He wrote me back enthusiastically endorsing the idea. Later, the Emergency was imposed and we both were engaged in other things,” recalls Alokji while sharing his experience on February 10, 2014 in Delhi.

In 1994, when the Transplantation of the Human Organs Act was passed, Alokji and some of his friends decided to donate their bodies. They did it by registering their wills with the Sub Registrar. “My wife was in the court as a witness. On that day I had a wonderful experience. Sub Registrar was sitting on his seat. He called my name and I walked five-six steps towards him. In those steps I, in my mind, visualised as if I am dead. I saw my dead body and the friends, family members assembled there. Some of them were weeping, sobbing and some were satisfied that now they could work in politics free of me. And then I visualised a medical college van coming and taking my body away. The will was registered. Next morning as I just sat out, the meaning of it unfolded before me. I saw my dead body being taken away. But I am not the body. I am different form. Who am I? And then the answer came to me Main shuddha, buddha mukta atma hoon. I am not the body I am spirit and soul,” Alokji added.

Alokji believes that body donation is a spiritual work. He shared one more interesting experience: “When Yamuna inundated, I was assigned for the relief work that year. Naturally, it kept everybody busy 24 hours. I caught some infection in my eyes and they swelled. Everyday my father would ask me to go to a doctor and every day I would tell him that I have no time. One day he said, Alok! ‘you have donated your eyes’? I said, ‘off course’. ‘They have to be given for transplantation’? I said, ‘Yes’. Is it not that you are a mere trustee of your eyes now? ‘Yes’. ‘Is it not your duty to keep them good and usable’? That was the second idea that I got. In fact, we are just trustees of our bodies.”

Around 1997, when Nanaji Deshmukh expressed the wish to register him for body donation that the Dadhichi Dehdan Samiti came into existence. Alokji recalls: “When I was doing the documentation for Nanaji’s will, he said he is a Pracharak and remains on tours, what if death came outside Delhi. I said that will be the God’s will, as we cannot operate outside Delhi. Nanaji was very anxious on my answer. He thought for sometime and called for cheque book. He made a cheque of Rs 11,000 in our favour and said ‘I am paying you the expenses. Now wherever I die, you have to arrange for bringing my body to Delhi and give to the AIIMS. This is how Nanaji became the Samiti’s first body donor. Later, when Nanaji left his body at Chitrakoot, it was brought to Delhi and donated to the AIIMS.” Other prominent body donors include two former MLAs, Bodhraji and DK Jain, and former BMS national president Rajkrishna Bhakt.

The Samiti accepts the pledge for body or organ donation only in a prescribed form having signatures either of a close family member or the person of the donor’s choice. It also asks the donor to donate at least a sum of Rs 150. “Like 16 samskars in our culture, we have made body donation also a samskar. Every year we hold a festival of body donors, in which the donors come with their witnesses. We executive their will and give them identity card and certificate. The event prominently has four presentations—one by a person who has donated the body in his family that year, second the person who pledges for body donation, third a top person from spiritual field, and four a top person from medical field. The whole exercise firms up an understanding in the donor and his family that this donation is a pious obligation,” Alokji adds.

So far, 83 whole bodies have been donated to Maulana Azad Medical College, AIIMS, Nehru Homeopathy College, University College of Medical Sciences, Hamdard Medical College, etc. The eyes were prominently donated to Gurunanak Eye Centre. “We have resolved that within three years we would wipeout the waiting list for eye transplantation in Delhi. The RSS Delhi Prant has also decided to take it as a common endeavour with us,” he points out.

The initiative has received the blessings of many big personalities like RSS Sanghachalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat who attended a function in Patna. Didi Maa Sadhvi Ritambhara, on 80 birth anniversary of her guru, decided to gift 80 pledge forms for body donation. But the number of forms that were actually given was 126. Around 3,500 people including VHP patron Ashok Singhal, senior leader Acharya Giriraj Kishor, former Dy CM of Bihar Sushil Modi are now registered with the Samiti for body donation.

When asked how the bodies are collected after death, Alokji says: “When the death takes place all that the family members have to do is to call our helpline number. The entire subsequent arrangements are made by us, which include coordinating with the family, arranging a vehicle to collect the eyes or body ensuring that the body is delivered to a medical college in time.”

Changing the mindset is the biggest challenge in such cases. Replying the queries of some mediapersons, who asked how one would get salvation if the body is not cremated, Didi Maa said Shastras prescribe methods for it. One can do his pindadaan in his lifetime. If somebody does it and his body is not cremated then non-cremation is not an abstraction to body donation. “Former RSS chief Rajju Bhaiya once pointed out that the Ayurveda has proper methods of studying the human body. It even provides for the instruments by which it is cut and the way it is to be studied. It shows body the donation has been a long practice in our country,” points out Alokji.

The Samiti works in the National Capital Region only. Some people in Patna, Pune and Mumbai have formed separate units. “It is the work which needs timely action. If the eyes are not taken within four hours they become useless. Equally, if the other organs are not taken in time they cannot be transplanted. That is why we cannot operate outside Delhi,” concluded Alokji. When we see the human organ rackets flourishing in different parts of the country, this initiative shows the way.

Veteran Sangh Pracharak Shri Sitaram Kedilaya on 15000 km walk to wake up villages

Veteran Sangh Pracharak Shri Sitaram Kedilaya on 15000 km walk to wake up villages

Mapping rural Bharat by foot

The mindset of depending upon government for everything is believed to be the biggest barrier in rural development today. Contrary to it, the villages, which abridged dependence on government agencies, have registered notable growth in different spheres. In order to awaken the villagers for self-development, 67-year old RSS Pracharak Shri Sitaram Kedilaya is on a 15,000 km long Bharat Parikarma Yatra since August 9, 2012. On March 9 he traversing around 6000 km distance was at Domet village of Dehradun in Uttarakhand. During this walkathon he mainly focuses on six points—love your village, love the mankind, conserve the water, help elders, promote village artisans and join hands for uplift of your respective village. Know Bharat, Be Bharat and make Bharat Vishwaguru is the tag line of this unique walkathon.

He is short in size but thinks high—normally beyond the box. He looks weak but has amazing vitality to face any challenge—more than any modern youth. At the age of 67, he walks to invigorate the villages. Everyday he walks 10 to 15 km from one village to other, educating villagers to join hands for development of their respective villages and dump the habit of always depending upon government for everything. Till March 9, 2014 he had completed 575 days of his journey traversing around 6000 km distance. The voyage will continue for more three and half years. During the whole expedition, which he calls Bharat Parikrama Yatra, he has no personnel belongings, takes single meal in the noon through bhiksha only and stays only in a village.

The stalwart is Shri Sitaram Kedilaya, RSS Pracharak for more than four decades and former Akhil Bharatiya Sewa Pramukh. Since the day he stepped out for this walkathon, some call him Sant Sitaramji or Babaji, while some call Bapuji, Mahatmaji, Maharajji or Swamiji. Though as a Sangh Pracharak he is no less than a saint. Wherever he goes people bow before him with respect and salute his conviction of mapping rural Bharat for a great mission. “I am still a Sangh Pracharak. It doesn’t matter if somebody calls me a Sant or Maharaj,” he says. His discourse on village development impressed the people so much that in many states where he visited the people have formed permanent committees to continue the tasks he assigns. One should not wonder if this follow-up action in Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat and Punjab brings about a big change in the days to come.

Beginning on the anniversary of Quit India Movement (on August 9, 2012) from Kanyakumari, the Yatra daily begins with thegoupooja unfailingly in the village Sitaramji happens to be in. At 6.30 am the Yatra begins with a walk for the next village. Visiting the nearest temple and offering prayers is always part of the Yatra. After entering a village, he takes rest for a few minutes, following which he plants a tree in the temple premises or in its proximity. Lunch is a moderate affair, which is always at a villager’s home, irrespective of caste, creed, language, colour or way of worship.

Then he goes for ‘Gram Sampark’, where he interacts with select individuals, mostly the school teachers, Gram Vaidyas, village heads, traditional artisans, differently abled, etc. This is followed by a mass gathering known as Gram Sankeertan, where he addresses the villagers on development issues—protection of land, cows, individuals, families, conservation of trees, biodiversity, water, preservation of native village culture, rural employment and rural medicines available in kitchen or the vicinity.

“All these help create a bond of great depth with the people, which ultimately help the villagers realise that the villages are a single encompassing family. However, this feeling has taken a back seat now, which has led to emergence of a whole lot of problems everywhere. This has now escalated to national and international levels. The feeling of unity, along with creation of family bonds, if brought back to villages ensures restoration of harmony to a great extent. This can be instrumental in rekindling the concept of Vasudhaiva-kutumbakam,” explains Shri Kedilaya during a discussion at Sadhna Ashram of Dehradun on March 9, 2014, the 576^th day of his Yatra.

When asked why he started the Yatra ‘alone’ at this ripe age, he replies, “What makes you feel that I am alone? I have the thoughts and ideas of as many as 121 crore people with me.” But he makes it clear the endavour is a follow-up action of the Vishwa Mangal Gou Gram Yatra conducted in 2009, which exhorted the nation for protection of villages, cow and the nature. Prominently the people and the organisations which joined hands with the Gou Gram Yatra are now managing the whole affairs in this Yatra.

Sharing the experience and the response he received in 576 days, he says: “Not a single incident of opposition was reported anywhere and people from all sections, communities willingly listened to us. It is the experience of pure love (shuddha satvik prem), which is still alive in our villages.”

When asked in which state the response has been as per his expectations he said: “Comparison is not good. Every state worked as per its capacity. If you want to know which states drew maximum benefit of this endvour I name Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat and Punjab, as they formed receptions committees in advance and after the Yatra they converted those committees into the teams to start follow up activities.”

To apprise the policymakers and political leaders of his experience Sitaramji writes a comprehensive letter to Chief Minister and Governor of the respect state after completing the Yatra explaining what he saw and what needs to be done. When asked how many Chief Ministers replied his letters he names only one —Maharashtra. He is very clear on certain aspects of village development. He wants to restore the ancient values of life in villages but he is certainly not opposed to any modern facility. He focuses on a blending of ancient and modernity.

During my decade long association with Sitaramji I have seen whatever task he takes up, he does not leave it without completion. He was mastermind of the Vishwa Mangal Gou Gram Yatra, which initiated a solid beginning of cow protection activities all over the country. Needless to say that this walkathon too will prove to be equally fruitful, generating a sense of self-development and change in mindset.

Box

The walkathon began on August 9, 2012 from Kanyakumari with the slogan ‘Know Bharat, Be Bharat and Make Bharat Vishwaguru

10 to 15 km walking every day, target to walk more than 15000 km in five years

States covered so far are Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Now taking rest at Sadhna Ashram, Dehradun, Uttarakhand since February 28

Takes only single meal a day and that too through bhiksha only

No possessions or belongings during the whole journey

Single point agenda to rejuvenate the villages strengthen the feeling of unity and family bonds among villagers

Ahilya Mahila Mandal transforms the lives of over 1,500 Vanvasi and rural women in Pen near Mumbai

Housewives turn social reformers

Ahilya Mahila Mandal transforms the lives of over 1,500 Vanvasi and rural women in Pen near Mumbai

Housewives are regarded the best managers at home, but their potential and skills are hardly used for social cause. A group of housewives in Pen, a small town in Raigad district of Maharashtra, broke this tradition and set a precedent by transforming the lives of over 1,500 Vanvasi women. After finishing their family responsibilities they run girls hostel, old age home, blood storage centre, garment manufacturing centre, spice based products and papad making, Tiffin service, primary school, pathological lab, medical centre, providing nutritious meal to over 2,000 children, micro finance, train purohits and even prepare dancers. All these activities are conducted under the banner of Ahilya Mahila Mandal. The interesting fact about these activities is that they are all managed only by the housewives.

The management skills of housewives have wondered even the top management gurus. But their expertise is hardly used for social cause. Breaking this tradition, a group of housewives in Pen town, about 100 km from Mumbai in the heart of Sahyadri ranges has set an inspiring precedent by extending a helping hand to the local needy people through multifarious sewaactivities. They conduct 15 major activities including an old age home, blood storage centre, a garment manufacturing centre, a spice based products and papad manufacturing unit, a Vanvasi girls hostel, a primary school, a catering service centre, a Sanskrit school, a pathological laboratory, free treatment and awareness to Vanvasi women and children, nutritious meal to 2,000 children every day. The number of beneficiaries of all these activities is more than 70,000.

“The housewives associated with us contribute in these activities as per their convenience, skills, interest and talent. We have work for everyone whether highly educated or illiterate. After finishing their household works they join us and devote their free time for the welfare of the needy people. Beginning in 1996, the initiative has so far involved thousands of women,” says Smt Vasanti Dev, the torch-bearer of the initiative.

When asked how the idea of starting the initiative clicked, Smt Shulbha Joshi, former president of the Mandal says, “While attending an awareness programme organised for women in 1996, the fourth centenary year of Ahilyabai Holker, we thought of starting this initiative focusing on improving the socio-economic conditions of rural and Vanvasi women in Pen Taluka.”

Since Pen is fast emerging as a higher education centre, these women started supplying  home-made nutritious tiffin to the engineering students. The initiative later was named as Swad Bharati. Then many new avenues continued to be added as the need was realised. “Change is inevitable in the society. However being proactive in managing change is the most difficult part. The Mandal was started in 1996 with just 12 members and small projects like family counselling, medical camps and training to women. However, I always believed that we could do things on a larger scale. Today, we have 15 on-going projects including landmark projects,” adds Smt Vasanti Dev.

The women associated with the Mandal have tried to touch every problem of the society. The family counselling centre has saved many families from breakage. The counselling centre also provides valuable inputs to the Vanvasis by addressing their issues like migration and its effects. They also organise health camps in Vanvasi hamlets and readmit the school drop-outs in schools. “This enables us to identify patients afflicted by the kind of diseases they suffer from and act as a referral point for advanced treatment. The major afflictions identified are anemia, malnutrition, ENT, ophthalmic and till date 2,100 patients out of which 1,840 have been referred for advanced treatment,” says Smt Ashwini Gadgil, president of the Mandal.

For social cause, these women do not hesitate to fight against the administration. They started a primary school at Hetawane for the children of Hetawane Dam displaced people. The school was started in the premises provided by the Irrigation Department. But after about five years the authorities asked to close the school. But the firm commitment of these women forced the authorities to continue the school at the same location.

There are about 200 Vanvasi hamlets around Pen. One of the Vanvasi communities there is “Katkaris”. The women of the Mahila Mandal noticed that the level of education among the girls of this community there was close to zero. They analysed the causes of illiteracy and decided to starte a girls’ hostel in Pen. Thus came into being the Anandi Chhatrawas. The girls here are studying from 3rd to 12th standard. Similarly, started in 2003, the Indira Sanskrit Pathshala has trained over 300 purohits, who now practice and conduct various rituals. Some of thesepurohits are women, who perform traditional rituals on various occasions. Nearly, 40,000 students have been taught Ganpati Atharvashirsh Shloka.

The self-reliance activities by these women have impressed one and all. Through Swad Bharati they have set-up a common kitchen to provide midday meal to school children, old age home and also to others on social or religious functions.  Under Swayamsiddha project, they collected sewing machines, tables and other required materials from various resources, and started stitching clothes. The women employed under this unit are from underprivileged class. In last 14 years, nearly 500 women have been trained under this initiative, out of which 60 women have started their own business.

The initiative by Ahilya Mahila Mandal, if imbibed by the housewives across the country, can change the picture of the entire nation. They have potential, skills and expertise. What is needed is just the determination to bring a change. Ahilya Mahila Mandal has shown the path.

Milk Bank for Vanvasi children by Sewa Bharati activists in Ranchi

Fighting malnutrition with a difference

Milk Bank for Vanvasi children by Sewa Bharati activists in Ranchi

With 44 per cent underweight children, India faces the severe level of child malnutrition in the world. One in three of the world’s malnourished children live here only. It is the disease which not only limits child’s development and capacity to learn, but also costs lives—around 50 per cent of all childhood deaths are attributed to malnutrition. About 46 per cent of the children below the age of three years are too small for their age, 47 per cent are underweight and at least 16 per cent are wasted. It is the state of affairs despite the government launching many schemes to fight it. In this situation the method adopted by Sewa Bharati activists in Ranchi to fight malnutrition has attracted many. Involving about 170 women of the city they formed a Milk Bank to feed milk to over 300 rural Vanvasi children everyday. Instead of offering the mid-day meal, which proved to be ‘mid-day murder meal’ in certain cases, this initiative by Sewa Bharati activists has drawn a good response from one and all.

Malnutrition has emerged as a major child killer in our country. It is more common in India than in Sub-Saharan Africa. According to UNICEF, one in every three malnourished children in the world lives in India and at least 44 per cent children are underweight. Malnutrition for young children has serious and long-term consequences, because it impedes motor, sensory, cognitive, social and emotional development. Their immune system remains weaker, leaving them more vulnerable to disease. For instance, they are five times more likely to die from diarrhea. Poor nutrition is also associated with nearly half of the deaths for children under five years (about 3.1 million) each year.

Inadequate care of women and girls, especially during pregnancy, results in low- birth weight babies. Nearly 30 per cent of all newborns have a low birth weight, making them vulnerable to further malnutrition and disease. The future of rural India, where the highest concentration of poverty prevails, depends upon overcoming the challenges causing it. To counter the trend, the Government of India started many schemes under the banner of Integrated Child Development Services, but the picture on the ground is still disturbing.

In this situation the Sewa Bharati activists in Ranchi started a unique initiative to fight malnutrition. Instead of offering any mid-day meal they provide cow milk to the children studying upto 5th standard. The work began in 2012 by forming a group of 17 women. Today, there are 170 women in this group and the number is growing everyday. Around 300 children studying in Saraswati Shishu Mandir at Jonha are provided around 100 mg milk everyday during the lunch break. They belong to 20 villages, mostly situated near the famous Jonha Fall. The milk is taken from a goushala run by Birsa Sewa Prakalpa. This group of women has pledged to feed milk to at least 1000 children by the end of this financial year.

The idea of feeding milk to school children studying up to 5th standard clicked to Rashtriya Sewa Bharati joint general secretary Shri Gurusharan Prasad, when he visited Birsa Sewa Prakalp goushala last year. The entire milk of the goushala was then sold in the market. When he proposed to stop the sale of milk and provide it to the school children, the first question raised by the activists was how to meet the espenses of the goushala. But the remedy to the question was suggested by some activists only who proposed to involve some women of the city and collect some amount in the form of gousewa. Finally, the Vatsalya Dugdha Yojna was launched and the responsibility to take up the cause ahead was entrusted to Manjusha Deshpande, an activist. She has worked hard to develop 10 groups having ten members in each group.

“In the beginning we focused on Satellite Colony of Ranchi and a good number of women joined us in the endeavour. Then women from many different colonies started joining us. The annual fee for this group has been fixed Rs 300. This amount is provided to the goushala, which provides milk for the children. Now we have owned up the expenses of the goushala and in turn the goushala has owned the responsibility of providing milk to the children without fail. The response is so overwhelming that the women from many other colonies including Rashmirathi Apartment, Ganesh Apartment, Tirupati Mansion, Himalaya Apartment, Nivaranpur Jaishree Apartment, Court Sarai Road, Haramu Housing Colony etc. are also joining the groups. “The biggest benefit of the scheme is that the goushala gets adequate money to meet its daily expenses and the children also get milk daily without fail,” says Manjusha Deshpande, convener of the Vatsalya Dugdha Yojna.

“Malnutrition cannot be fought through lip service. It needs sound and sincere work on the ground. Since the level of malnutrition is very high in rural areas, we found it inappropriate to provide mid-day meal to the school children. There is no parallel of milk in fighting the deficiencies in human body. It is complete food, especially when it comes from a desi cow. That is why we have focused on it. All the cows in the goushala are of indigenous breed and the milk provided by them is rich with all necessary vitamins,” said Shri Gurusharan Prasad, adding that the scheme has proved a big hit and there are plans to start it at the state level.

Apart from providing milk to the school children, the members of the Dugdha Yojna have also started providing lunch to the patients in Ranchi government hospital. They provide around 100 tiffins  to prominently the child patients every day. “In the evening the tiffins are supplied to 100 families and they are collected at around 10 am every day along with rupees five per tiffin. The amount collected with the tiffin basically helps in meeting the expenses of the workers engaged in their transportation and distribution, etc. The amount is deposited in the Sewa Bharati account. “By and large both these projects are self-reliant. We hope to form a group of around 1000 women for this project also,” added Shri Gurusharan Prasad.

“Though, we have not conducted any scientific study, anyone can see the good impact of the scheme in the form of improved health of all the children. Not only us, the parents of the kids too see this improvement,” added Manjusha Deshpande.

At the time when the government efforts at fighting malnutrition are not drawing the desired results, this initiative by Sewa Bharati activists in Vanvasi region can prove to be an eye opener for the policymakers and other voluntary organisations, which are seriously fighting against malnutrition.

An inspiring initiative for rehabilitation of rag pickers and lepers by Latur based Janadhar Sewabhavi Sanstha

Ensuring a dignified life to garbage collectors

An inspiring initiative for rehabilitation of rag pickers and
lepers by Latur based Janadhar Sewabhavi Sanstha

Human beings generate about 0.2 to 0.6 kilogrammes of waste daily, which is maximum among all living beings. In order to keep the human localities clean and healthy this waste is collected by human beings only. But in this process many of the garbage collectors get infected to various communicable diseases, which ultimately affect their entire life. Does it not our responsibility to care for them, look to their well being, alleviate their sufferings and offer them a respectful livelihood? Shri Sanjay Kambale of Latur took up this challenge about 18 years back and made the waste collection process easy so that these people can live a dignified life. He has so far transformed the lives of 250 rag pickers and 42 leprosy cured people.

Majority of us living in urban areas must have come across the situation when the garbage was not collected from our homes or localities for just few days inviting huge hue and cry due to the foul smell. But we hardly think of the sufferings of the people who collect this waste from the homes, streets, hospitals, etc. to keep us clean and healthy, and get afflicted to various communicable diseases while picking the infected waste in unhygienic conditions. In Latur city alone, hundreds of garbage collectors got infected with leprosy and suffered throughout their life. This reduced their average life to about 35 years only.

Shri Sanjay Kambale in Latur made a dent in 1995 by starting care for these people. Under the banner of Janadhar Sewabhavi Sanstha he started organising health camps at Kushth Dham and Vilasnagar slums for these people. Later, some initiatives to make them self-employed were started, but they turned out to be a failure. He then started Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in Vilasnagar, where the majority residents earned their livelihood by picking waste articles like broken glass, papers, metal scrap and the like from the garbage and selling them to the wholesale scrap merchants. In order to find a lasting solution, Janadhar started an innovative programme based on the principle of self-employment, co-operation, education, protection and dignity. The results of all these initiatives are now worth emulating.

Shri Kambale started Jansewa Solid Waste Management Co-operative Society with 165 women in 2003. Today, a total of 450 women under 70 SHGs are engaged in collecting waste in Latur city alone. The experiment of ‘Ghanta Gadi’ (a waste collection vehicle ringing its bell on arrival) rationalised the work to a great extent. The people are requested to keep their trash ready and preferably segregated in organic and non-organic or wet and dry waste, specially the left over foods, vegetable and fruit wastes etc.

In this process, the waste collectors were imparted training for personal presentation viz wearing of neat clothes and aprons, masks, protective hand gloves, neat and clean hair keeping, soft gentle language. One worker with one ‘Ghanta Gadi’ collects waste from about 300 houses. This service is not free. “After all only those who generate the waste have only to pay for its disposal,” says Shri Kambale.

The collected waste is brought to a common point where it is further segregated. The waste material, which can be recycled, such as glassware, metals, plastic bags and packing material is sold through Sheshak Kharedi Vikri Kendra (Remnant Purchase Sale Centre). The organic matter, which is decomposable, is used for making fertilizer in vermi-compost pits. The vermi-compost pits are the compost pits charged with a population of specific type of earth worms, which convert organic matter into very fine and best quality manure. Besides all these waste materials, there is material such as stumps of the tree, coconut shells, banana peels, tree leaves, and crop wastes, which cannot be decomposed readily. This material is used for Briquette formation.

As a child Shri Sanjay Kamble used to visit the leprosy afflicted people out of compassion. But when grew he, with the help of some physicians, started conducting medical camps for them. With frequent and continuous contact and discussion with the people he sold an idea of founding a voluntary organisation for their development. As first major step, he focused on capacity building of these people. By consulting the experienced and educated people from waste management an outfit, Jansewa Ghan Kachara Vyavasthapan Sehakari Sanstha Maryadit (Janseva Dirty Waste Management Co-operative Ltd), was formed in December 2003.

Janadhar has now obtained a coal manufacturing furnace from Pune’s Aarti Research Institute to manufacture kandi coal from garbage. This ‘coal’ is utilised in many industries. The furnace is located in the colony of leprosy patients. Family members of leprosy patients were trained in coal manufacturing. Women collecting garbage bring leaves, grass, etc fallen on the road to the furnace workers. The coal manufacturers pay these women for this material and make money by selling this coal manufactured in the furnace.  The Sanstha has also started gaining grounds in nearby Ausa city. More than 40 garbage collectors have joined there. Many societies in the area have lauded this model of sanitation. A sanitary napkins disposal project has been started in Pune.

A regular school and also bridge course for the school dropouts are also run in the locality of the garbage collectors. Apart from starting insurance scheme for garbage collectors, identity cards have been issued to every garbage collector. Identity cards proved to be a strong tool to justify themselves, as most white collar individual suspects these people as wrongdoers. The experiment of SHGs proved such a hit that a group has a bank balance of more than Rs. 48, 000. A women SHG has started a grocery shop. The estimated turnover of the shop is about Rs. 2 lakh per month, which fetch them revenue of Rs 20,000 per month. Supported by Vishwa Super Market, Latur, the grocery shop was inaugurated by noted saint Acharya Kishor Vyas.

Since every waste collector’s contribution towards waste management solution is noteworthy, the Janadhar makes them realise the huge impact of their daily contribution, which in turn makes them feel proud and satisfied.

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Indian develops world’s first engine to run on mix fuel

Dr Abhay Jere

It all started in the year 1986 in Durgapur (West Bengal). A professor was teaching working of an Internal Combustion (IC) engine at the National Institute of Technology, in a class of Mechanical Engineering. Whilst he was teaching, a student asked the professor if the piston could be used in revolving motion, instead of using in vertical motion. The piston revolving around itself will make the engine small, easy to use and more efficient. After listening to this question a wave of laughter spread in the class and the point got lost as the topic’s seriousness. But this inquisitive student, who had asked the question, did not get disheartened. In his quest to find the answer, he made a wooden model of an engine with revolving motion at home and started studying more about it. This proved as a precursor to the making of a revolutionary innovator, who developed the RVCR engine technology that can work on any type of fuel. This innovator was Das Argi Kamat.

This radical innovation by Kamat can give a new direction to the Global Automobile Industry. This Indian innovation is patented in over 51 countries. America’s research organisation - Lockheed Martin Corporation had organised Global 1500 Best Innovations recently, where this technology was positioned in first 8 best innovations and on behalf of an organisation ICSquare of Texas University, this technology was elected to develop America’s Commercial Schemes. Kamat can very well be regarded as the first Indian technologist to achieve this laurel. Besides that, this technology will also be presented in Engine Expo 2013-14 to be held in October at Automobile Industry’s alma mater– Detroit. University of Maryland has also proposed to use the RVCR technology in wind energy sector.

Born in Kerala and raised in Bhilai (Madhya Pradesh) Das Argi Kamat applied for an intellectual property right or patent in the year 1999 and today this technology is patented under his name in 51 technologically developed countries across the globe. Vehicles like cars, motorcycles, trucks, tractors, as well as power generators, ships, and defence related machineries can use this technology. This not only saves around 30 per cent of the fuel but also reduces the engine size.

Ashish Gautam of Haridwar-based Divya Prem Sewa Mission fights against the social stigma faced by lepers

Empowering the marginalised & discriminated

Ashish Gautam of Haridwar-based Divya Prem Sewa Mission fights against the social stigma faced by lepers

Overpowered in 2005, leprosy still haunts. Reasons—the disease might have been eliminated from the human body but it still exists in the minds of people, as they are not ready to accept the leprosy patients who have recovered. In most cases even the family members do not allow such people to stay with them. As a result, they are forced to live in roadside jhuggis, river banks or outside general localities. This is evident from over 700 lepers’ colonies recorded by the government in different parts of the country. In such circumstances, the efforts of Shri Ashish Gautam shows the way. Through Divya Prem Sewa Mission he is not rehabilitating the lepers but also fighting against the social stigma associated with the disease.

Like polio, leprosy too has mostly been eliminated from India, but its victims, even after recovering, are still forced to live a marginalised life away from their families and general localities. There are around 700 lepers’ colonies all over the country, where about two lakh people live a deserted, neglected and discriminated life. Even if they do not have the disease, merely the address of a leper colony is reason enough for disqualification for applying to a respectable job or being denied admission in a school. Recently, in Bihar, a child was denied admission in school merely because someone in his family had history of leprosy.

Even after being arrested, leprosy remains the world’s highest burden of disease accounting for close to 58 per cent of the cases in the world. The burden has been recorded highest among the Scheduled Castes (18.40 per cent) and Scheduled Tribes (15.83 per cent), as majority of these people in rural areas keep away from health facilities for fear of stigma. A Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s report says that a total of 83,000 cases are on record giving an average prevalence rate of 0.68 per 10,000 population, though 530 out of the 640 districts have achieved elimination level. Chhattisgarh (1.69 per 10,000 population) and Dadra & Nagar Haveli (2.93 per 10,000) have the prevalence rate between 1 and 3 per 10,000.

However, during last three years the disease has registered a sharp rise. A total of 1.27 lakh new cases were detected in 2011-12 giving an Annual New Case Detection Rate (ANCDR) of 10.35 per 100,000 population, marginally less than that of 10.48 in 2010-11. The experts attribute this rise to the lack of interest in the authorities because they feel the disease has now gone.

In such a grim scenario, Divya Prem Sewa Mission (DPSM), Haridwar, seems to be an oasis in a desert for the leprosy afflicted people. Started in 1997 in Chandighat area of the holy city, DPSM not only provides free medical care to these people but also makes arrangements for their rehabilitation. Today, around 100 such patients receive medical care everyday and more than 250 children stay in two hostels run exclusively for the children of lepers. “A leper has to suffer on many accounts. The disease cripples him/her to the extent that he/she does not remain fit to work hard. The bigger problem is that their healthy children or the spouse too do not get a respectable job. The only option left to them is begging. But in the DPSM we are trying to ensure that no leper or his/her family member is found begging anywhere and they should have a respectable means of earning. I feel satisfied to say that we have been successful in achieving this goal to some extent,” says Shri Ashish Gautam, the founder of DPSM, while talking to Organiser.

When asked how he feels while serving these socially singled out people, Ashish says, “It is not a matter of pride for the lepers that we are serving them, rather it is a distinguished honour for us that they have provided us an opportunity to serve them. I basically see a form of God in them, and feel that I am serving the God in the form of these people.” These inspiring words speak volumes of the humility of this man.

Ashish got attracted towards spirituality since childhood. While pursuing his studies at Allahabad University, he was deeply motivated by the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and decided to follow his path of self-realisation. During his studies, he encountered with several social and religious organisations also like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, but finally he found satisfaction in the service of lepers.

Initially, Ashish started dressing some lepers in the area nearby Najibabad overbridge in Haridwar. With a small sum of Rs 500 his friends bought a dilapidated hut and managed to convince a final year medical student Dr Nitin Agarwal from Rishikul Medical College to sit at the primitive dispensary for a couple of hours daily. Soon, the lepers and other poor people started flowing in for medical care. Then Ashish moved to a lepers’ colony of Chandighat. The initial small makeshift medical facility basically laid the foundation of the present day Divya Prem Sewa Mission.

“I never had any success criteria in my mind, while starting the Mission. The sole purpose was to serve the lepers. I simply could not withstand the agony of these lepers, with one wounded person dressing the other bleeding person. My friends and family initially cautioned me about serving these people and suggested that I might catch the disease myself. However, see, I am perfectly healthy, which disapproves this popular myth. Perhaps, the biggest success that the Mission has achieved is that people from all walks of life visit here without fear. The attitude of the society is also changing towards these people. This is the biggest success for us, as change of mindset is the toughest challenge today in case of these lepers,” added Ashish Bhaiya, as Ashish Gautam is fondly called.

In fact, this change of mindset towards the lepers is the biggest challenge today for all of us. Because even after recovering from the crippling disease, these people feel neglected, marganilised and discriminated at every step. After all, what is the fault of their children or spouse who are healthy and why have they to be discriminated? “We are trying to bring a desirable change in the mindset of people through different mass awakening activities,” adds Ashish.

Vanvasis of Dhagewadi village in Maharashtra set an example to be emulated

“Delete our names from BPL list”

Vanvasis of Dhagewadi village in Maharashtra set an example to be emulated

At the time when there is a blind race among both villagers and urbanites to anyhow manage a BPL ration card, the Vanvasis in Dhagewadi village under Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra set an example that can change the picture of entire country. Normally treated as “uneducated”, these Vanvasis approached the local Tehsildar some time back and urged him to delete their names from the village BPL list, because their financial condition improved substantially. These words had stunned the Tehsildar also, as he was never made such a request. Now when the Congress-led UPA Government kicked off another campaign to ensure supply of foodgrains at subsidised rates to 67 per cent population under Food Security Scheme, this example of Dhagewadi definitely forces to think whether such gimmicks can really eradicate hunger and poverty from the country.

As the rat race between different state governments is touching new height for providing almost free foodgrains to economically deprived families, the crowd outside ration card offices is increasing unexpectedly across the country. Even the well-to-do people want to manage a BPL card anyhow so that they can get ration on subsidised rates. Not only this, there are large number of people who despite earning handsome amount every month are seen lined up for getting old age pension. This only reflects the mentality that promotes dependence on the government rather than becoming self-reliant. The politicians contributed greatly in development of this mentality to get votes. The Supreme Court rightly rapped such attempts recently.

See an example of the gross misuse of government schemes. According to 2011 census, Andhra Pradesh has 21 million households, whereas the total ration cards (both BPL and APL) in circulation are about 22 million of which 19 million are BPL cards. The government issued another 2.5 million temporary cards in the last couple of years taking the total number to 24.5 million. About 85 per cent of all the households in Andhra Pradesh enjoy the ‘privilege’ of being BPL families to whom the government offers 20 kg rice per family at Re 1 a kg. Disturbed over the gross malpractices in ration cards the Maharashtra government has now opted for digitalisation of all ration cards. There are about 4.99 lakh Fair Price Shops across India, which constitutes the largest distribution network in the world. But only 42 per cent of the subsidised grains released by the central pool reach the target groups, according to a Planning Commission study.

Contrary to all these trends, the so-called ‘uneducated’ Vanvasis of Dhagewadi village told the local administration to delete their names from BPL list, as their financial condition improved substantially. “Today there is not a single BPL family in our village having over 300 people of Mahadev Koli community. They have learnt how to earn,” says Shri Bhaskar Paradhi who played a key role in this transformation.

About 20 years back, Dhagewadi was a very backward village thoroughly deprived of basic amenities. The prime reason of it was that it is situated on a hilltop, where even reaching by foot was a Himalayan task. Only 148 of the total 371 hectare agriculture land was fertile due to lack of irrigation. The people, whose ancestors had played a key role in the army of Shivaji Maharaj, were forced to migrate in search of employment leaving behind children, women and older persons in the village. Since the rainwater did not stop at the hills, the production in the fields was very low.

Bhaskar Paradhi started the work with the help of two mules, provided by Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram to carry water on the hill. Paradhi was basically a student of Kalyan Ashram hostel in Akole. After some time, the Pune-based Suyash Charitable Trust imparted farm training to the villagers. People were encouraged to adopt modern techniques of farming and they were also provided high yielding seeds. Some check dams were also built, which enhanced the irrigated area. As a result the production of cash corps began. The experiment of tomato production proved to be a bit hit. It is produced to the extent that when the villagers did not find the way to sell them, they started preparing tomato ketchup, which again hit the market. This fetched handsome income for farmers. Impressed with the achievements of the villagers the then RSS Sarsanghachalak Shri KS Sudarshan visited the village. The villagers presented him a bottle of sauce, which he later presented to the then Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Shri Vajpayee acknowledged the receipt of the bottle through his letter to the villagers.

After that many new avenues of development began in the village. They selected 22 acres of barren land and grew trees on it. They also planted 5000 trees of Neelgiri around a piece of land so that the pressure of wind remains slow. About 1500 saplings of cashew and Amala were also planted. The water to irrigate the saplings was brought from two km distance during the summers.

Now the villagers realised the need to have a proper road. They performed shram sadhana and successfully built a 2.5 km road within a week. The road helped the people take agriculture produces to market fast. They also built four small check dams with shram sadhana. Six check dams were constructed with the help of government. Impressed with the initiatives, the State government provided funds for digging three wells. All these activities encouraged the people to take up more developmental projects like bio-gas plants, dairy, etc. Consequently, the migrated villagers started returning back. Today the situation is that people from other villages too come to Dhagewadi for employment.

This is how the villagers of this village created history. “This example was later emulated by some other villages of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan where the villagers want to depend upon their labour and not at the mercy of government schemes,” says Shri Mohan Ghaisas, who previously headed the Suyash Trust.

Dhagewadi shows the way that poverty will be eradicated by making people self-reliant and surely not by making them dependent on government.

A unique experiment for rehabilitation of nomadic communities

A unique experiment for rehabilitation of nomadic communities

Bhatke Vimukta Vikas Parishad rehabilitates over one lakh nomads in Maharashtra

A person can be black, white, fat, thin or even physically challenged by birth, but not a criminal at all. It may not happen anywhere in the world, but happens in India. Though the British-enacted Criminal Tribes Act, 1871 was abolished way back in 1952, the police in many states still treat many nomadic communities criminal by birth. The life for Pardhis in Maharashtra has been the same since generations. Anywhere a crime is committed, the police come to Pardhi locality and take some Pardhis dragging like animals. Shri Girish Prabhune of Bhatke Vimukta Vikas Parishad stood against this inhuman practice in 1991 and played a key role in changing the mindset of police and rest of the society. He also rehabilitated over one lakh Pardhis by helping them getting ration cards, enrolling in voters list or getting education. It is the result of Shri Prabhune’s efforts that hundreds of Pardhis are now doing respectable jobs in the state.

Imagine, one sets up a small shop with his life’s savings, and is suddenly thrown into a police lock-up merely on suspicion. What would one do in that situation—probably would think of running away from the scene and lose everything. This is what was the routine life of Pardhis and many other nomadic communities in Maharashtra till one decade back. The reason these communities were branded as ‘habitual criminals’, in spite of their first-rate contribution to the society throughout history with their artisan and fighting skills. With the system out to haunt them rather than help, they were perpetually forced to lead a life of begging and crime. Since they had no home or land to call their own and their parents or family members may be in a lock-up, the children remained deprived of education.

The people of 22 nomadic communities in Maharashtra (about one crore population today) have been living the similar horrorific life since 1871 when the British Government notified them as ‘habitual criminals’. Though the Act was abolished in 1952, the public and administrative mindset continued to treat them ‘criminal’. If one wants to visualise the inhuman atrocities on these people he/she must read Paradhi, a Marathi book by Shri Girish Prabhune, who is sharing their sorrows and happiness and colliding with the authorities for their rights.

Bhatke Vimukta Vikas Parishad (BVVP) took up the challenge of transforming the lives of the nomadic communities in 1991. First a Yamgarwadi (hostel) was started in Sholapur district in 1993, where today about 400 students excel in education. Later, the similar work began in Anasarwada in Latur, Chinchwad in Pune and at some other places, where around 4,000 students from nomadic tribes are studying. “The biggest achievement of all the activities is that the social mindset towards the nomadic communities has changed and a kind of self-confidence and a glorious feeling has developed among these people towards their past associated with Shivaji, Rana Pratap, Prithivraj Chauhan,” says Shri Girish Prabhune adding that these people also played a key role in the battles against invaders like Mahmud Ghazni and Alauddin Khilji for defending the Somnath Temple in Gujarat. The presence of Vagadis (Pardhis) in about 40 villages near Somnath Temple proves it. But since the day they were branded as ‘criminals’ by British government they were pushed out from the mainstream and their entire social and family structure collapsed.

After 22 years sustained efforts by the BVVP, the media has now stopped mentioning the entire Pardhi community as criminals. Rather their plight is given extensive coverage today. The mentality of police personnel and officers too has changed to the extent that some policemen near Pune have started rehabilitating the nomadic communities. The credit for this amazing change also goes to Shri Girish Prabhune who during the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition government in 1990s persuaded the government to issue clear instructions to remove the list of criminal tribes installed in all police stations. It was only then the process of counting them in census, enrolling in voters’ lists and making their ration cards began. Till now over one lakh ration cards have been issued to them.

Since their regular source of earning from forest produce is becoming harder everyday and talents like singing, street plays, acrobatics, etc are also dying slowly, the only option left is to educate them, imbibe their children with good values and train them for the challenges of new life. This work has perfectly been done by Bhatke Vimukta Vikas Parishad. “Many of the girls studying in our hostels are now working as nurses, police officer, constable, etc in different parts of the State. Many boys are also working as constables and advocates and over 50 are working as government employees. There are two professors, while some are working as writers, teachers also,” adds Shri Prabhune. The Parishad has started another unique project, Punrutthan Samarasata Gurukulam, for reshaping their traditional skills at Chinchwad in 2006. “It is well known fact that Godolia Lohars are expert in iron work, Wadars have expertise in stone carving, some are expert in forest herbs and Otaris have marvelous knowledge in casting. Therefore, a special curriculum from 1st to 12th standard has been designed to teach them Ayurveda, technology, farming, Govigyan, art, culture, dance, singing, music, science and four languages—Marathi, Sanskrit, Hindi and English right from 1st standard. About 200 Pardhi students and 100 from other nomadic communities like Wadar, Kekadi, Gadia Lohar, Ghishadi, Laman are being imparted education there. This project has earned laurels from one and all.

It is to be noted that in order to keep the 22 notified tribes away from the mainstream society the British government, after 1871, had started creating their special settlements (open jails) from Karachi to Hyderabad. A total of 52 settlements were then created where they were housed along with their family members. The population of nomads in Marathwada (bordering Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh) is higher because the largest settlement was created in Sholapur district only with more than one lakh nomads.

The BVVP has prominently focused on Pardhis, because this community was the most neglected. Since because of roaming nature many boys and girls cannot study in regular schools, the BVVP took the school itself to them. With this thought a highly flexible schooling system was devised and now such schools are being run at many places.

The experiment by BVVP has set an example for rehabilitation of nomadic communities all over the country. As prisoners of traditions and neglected since generations, these brave people have suffered the most. It is the collective responsibility of all to help them live a dignified life.