Myself and one of the journalist visited some parts of Saurastra coast of Gujarat. We wanted to capture the discontent among communities residing along the coast despite of the fact that there is heavy investments in past few years.
We visited 'Mithi Virdi' in Bhavnagar district, the proposed Nuclear power plant station. the lignite mining sites and nearby villages and then we moved for Kodinar block of Junagadh district where there are big cement industries.
This area is rich in limestone, which is used for making cement. However, this area is equally rich in agriculture. Around 20 year back when company came into that area... this area was called as 'kashmir of Gujarat" agriculture, was main source of livelihood. Pastrolists, lime makers, leather making community, bunkar community every one were masters in their own traditional occupation.
Government acquired land forcefully... three persons were killed during acquisition.. person who was telling us this story lost his father in this struggle.. They had 18 acres of land which was acquired for 1.5 lakhs by government. Today he is temporary worker in that company... living with his mother, sister, wife and little kid.. in a small house..
"we get work for 24 days. that too we have to give 4 days salary to contractor to make sure that we get work for next 24 days... next month.. or else they will stop giving us work and get workers from outside" (he mean to say from bihar, up)
as he was telling his story.. we saw another person peeping from the compound wall.. and his wife noticed.. .. she said.. 'Bahen...that person is company's informer ... now he will inform about us and we will loose our work... or they will put my husband into jail for no reason....."
our local friend made sign that we need to move immediately... we left the village.. and started thinking hw 2 save that person's job ....
I told our field fellow... do something.. we need to save him from being harrassed or else no one will dare to talk to media and expose these companies in future"
we then were followed by company's local informers...we changed our plans and went to a village which is behind the company's new plant.. where we could get some photograps videos.. farmers showed their wells filled with yellow colour chemical ... percolated from company's storage dump ground..." i had mango orchard here till some years back.. now i can grown only cotton... i have put case in the high court.. but..." i could read what he meant to say..."
As we were passing I use to see many people who wanted to talk to me..share their problems .. but as i understood they were scared of company gundas....
my phone rang... and i thought must be from local police or any company person to inquire about reason of our travel... but it was wife of the workers whom we interviewed... she is pregnant... she was scared... 'dont let my husbands name publish any where ...no photos too.. change the name" i am pregnant if at this time my husband looses his work.. we will die of hunger...."
i assured her.. we will not publish his name.. journalist with me was bit upset.. as he has to have good case studies.. if he is writing against company..which is "so called -green company"
I asked my local friend... "lets approach company and talk directly... you prepare write up"
it was 7 pm.. and we had to travel 400 km.. to reach to our next destination Dwarka.... the road was difficult as it passed through all mining company area....and we were sure that we will be chased....
my journalist friend and driver both were muslim.. another reason to worry.. becoz.. police may create some problem. from somewhere... in the name of checking the vehicle etc etc....
I noticed some motor bykes and one car was following us... i didn't tell anything to journalist and driver.. but i was tensed ....A week before on journalist had gone in this area.. he was badly bitten... his camera was taken away...
I called another local sarpanch of that area and asked him to come to highway........ He knew i was coming to make stories on mining and all and understood what may be the reason... it was 10 pm .. but he came... and directed our car to his village...... .
Navratri celebrations...were going on.. we had Bajri ki roti.. math and baigan ki sabji... at his house...... and then left after 1 hour .. took some different route.
till we reached every half an hour some one or other from local kept on calling us....
finally we reached Dwarka at 3;45 am.... and stayed in a guest house..
Next day was into area of chemical and soda ash company... another well known multinational company... considered to be having "social face"
As i lied down... at 4:00 am in the guest house room... & closed my eyes....that pregant women,... farmers from in lignite mining area.... family members of worker who died in lignite mining area.....every one... were in front of me...asking me ... 'will you be able to do something for us?
and i was asking myself" will i be able to save them from company's Gunda -Raj"?
pankti
We visited 'Mithi Virdi' in Bhavnagar district, the proposed Nuclear power plant station. the lignite mining sites and nearby villages and then we moved for Kodinar block of Junagadh district where there are big cement industries.
This area is rich in limestone, which is used for making cement. However, this area is equally rich in agriculture. Around 20 year back when company came into that area... this area was called as 'kashmir of Gujarat" agriculture, was main source of livelihood. Pastrolists, lime makers, leather making community, bunkar community every one were masters in their own traditional occupation.
Government acquired land forcefully... three persons were killed during acquisition.. person who was telling us this story lost his father in this struggle.. They had 18 acres of land which was acquired for 1.5 lakhs by government. Today he is temporary worker in that company... living with his mother, sister, wife and little kid.. in a small house..
"we get work for 24 days. that too we have to give 4 days salary to contractor to make sure that we get work for next 24 days... next month.. or else they will stop giving us work and get workers from outside" (he mean to say from bihar, up)
as he was telling his story.. we saw another person peeping from the compound wall.. and his wife noticed.. .. she said.. 'Bahen...that person is company's informer ... now he will inform about us and we will loose our work... or they will put my husband into jail for no reason....."
our local friend made sign that we need to move immediately... we left the village.. and started thinking hw 2 save that person's job ....
I told our field fellow... do something.. we need to save him from being harrassed or else no one will dare to talk to media and expose these companies in future"
we then were followed by company's local informers...we changed our plans and went to a village which is behind the company's new plant.. where we could get some photograps videos.. farmers showed their wells filled with yellow colour chemical ... percolated from company's storage dump ground..." i had mango orchard here till some years back.. now i can grown only cotton... i have put case in the high court.. but..." i could read what he meant to say..."
As we were passing I use to see many people who wanted to talk to me..share their problems .. but as i understood they were scared of company gundas....
my phone rang... and i thought must be from local police or any company person to inquire about reason of our travel... but it was wife of the workers whom we interviewed... she is pregnant... she was scared... 'dont let my husbands name publish any where ...no photos too.. change the name" i am pregnant if at this time my husband looses his work.. we will die of hunger...."
i assured her.. we will not publish his name.. journalist with me was bit upset.. as he has to have good case studies.. if he is writing against company..which is "so called -green company"
I asked my local friend... "lets approach company and talk directly... you prepare write up"
it was 7 pm.. and we had to travel 400 km.. to reach to our next destination Dwarka.... the road was difficult as it passed through all mining company area....and we were sure that we will be chased....
my journalist friend and driver both were muslim.. another reason to worry.. becoz.. police may create some problem. from somewhere... in the name of checking the vehicle etc etc....
I noticed some motor bykes and one car was following us... i didn't tell anything to journalist and driver.. but i was tensed ....A week before on journalist had gone in this area.. he was badly bitten... his camera was taken away...
I called another local sarpanch of that area and asked him to come to highway........ He knew i was coming to make stories on mining and all and understood what may be the reason... it was 10 pm .. but he came... and directed our car to his village...... .
Navratri celebrations...were going on.. we had Bajri ki roti.. math and baigan ki sabji... at his house...... and then left after 1 hour .. took some different route.
till we reached every half an hour some one or other from local kept on calling us....
finally we reached Dwarka at 3;45 am.... and stayed in a guest house..
Next day was into area of chemical and soda ash company... another well known multinational company... considered to be having "social face"
As i lied down... at 4:00 am in the guest house room... & closed my eyes....that pregant women,... farmers from in lignite mining area.... family members of worker who died in lignite mining area.....every one... were in front of me...asking me ... 'will you be able to do something for us?
and i was asking myself" will i be able to save them from company's Gunda -Raj"?
pankti
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