Harihar Diwan of Bamhedi village shares his story with Bhan Sahu during the Jan chetna Yatra. He says that people saw that their river Hasdu was polluted by the affluents of the Madhya Bharat Paper Mill. Many tribals who used to fish in the river are not out of their source of livelihood.
Then there was an acquisition drive for land for a power plant, which has been stalled by the villagers.
For more details of this success story, you may contact Bhan Sahu at 09406033089

In gram Nayapara, Dandiwada, the Health sub centre has been closed for more than two years. No nurse or ANM visits the area. People are suffering, reports a worker in an NGO called Sahmat.
The villagers would like the facility to be up and running.
The report is from 8717990306

The Pahadi Korbas are no longer interested in attending meetings of the new Gram Swaraj Yojna. Bindeshwari Painkra interviews a man who applied for a job expecting to get benefit of being a tribal. He was cursed and sent back without even a clear understanding of the reason.
Another woman has been following up fruitlessly for a pension.
Is this another scheme in name only?
For more details please contact Bindeshwari ji at 09713631048

In another Gram Swaraj meeting, many villagers have gathered together to discuss the matter of mishandling of funds for laying a pipe for a bridge.About 14 people were involved in the work and they all say that the expenses were about 5000 rupees while the sanction was for about 25000 rupees. Now the villagers want the remaining money to be placed as reserve for other activity, whereas the Panchayat officials would like to show it as spent.For details please contact Shivran Sonwani at 8120040375

Bhan Sahu is reporting from Sarkeli village in Chhattisgarh. Today is the fourth day of the Jan Chetna Yatra organized by Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan. Krishnadas Mahant ji is holding a dharna on land rights at Sarkeli. An interview with Krishnadas ji –

B.S. : Since when is the dharna in progress?
K.M : The dharna has been on since 15th February and will go on indefinitely until the government accedes to our demands. Our only demand is that we do not want to give up our lands to the government on any condition and that no plans should be made for our land. When they accept this, we will cease the dharna. Otherwise it will continue indefinitely.

B.S. : Has the government responded?
K.M.: SDM saheb came after the 2nd or 3rd day and said, “This demonstration that you are doing…the elephant is dead, what is the point of posing for photographs with the corpse?”
We asked him to give this to us in writing, but he avoided the subject and said we would receive it in 15-20 days and went away.
We have not seen him since nor has he asked about us.

B.S. : Has anyone else supported you in your dharna?
K.M. : Yes many people have supported us, such as Chetna Manch, Samman Manch, Jal Jangal Bachao Sangharsh Samiti and leaders of the Bahujan Samaj Party. We have also got support from many other parties and people and we are confident that we will be successful and that the government will have to accede to our demands.

B.S. : An invitation to the listeners of CGNet, there is a meeting on 20 April 2012,at Janjgir at 11 AM. All activists and development workers in the area are invited to attend and show their support for this cause.

You can reach Bhan ji at 9993675635 for more details.