'Toilets Are Great, But What About Our Other Problems?' Ask East UP's Farmers

Jhoparva, in the Terai region of Kaisarganj block in eastern Uttar Pradesh, is home to small and marginal Dalit peasants, most owning just 2-3 bighas of land. This rural hamlet can be labelled a success story of the Swachh Bharat Mission as nearly all households have toilets – most, recently constructed – which are actually operational and being used.

While most villagers, particularly women, are happy about this, they continue to ask: what about our other problems?

This question is important as other villages are asking it too.

In Jhoparva, villagers claim the water quality is very poor and could deteriorate further. While officials have confirmed that the water is, in fact, badly polluted, villagers remain in the dark about the precise pollutants and remedial action taken in this regard. Water pollution in a nearby nallah has also increased due to effluent discharges from a sugar factory.

Several farm and dairy animals have died from exposure to these pollutants and there have been multiple cases of fish deaths, too, according to the villagers. Yet no remedial action has been taken. This nallah, villagers say, merges with the sacred Sarayu river which flows towards Ayodhya. While the villagers have repeatedly complained about this, no action has been taken to check rising water pollution levels.

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The construction and use of toilets are supposed to check the spread of water-borne diseases. While Jhoparva has tangibly benefitted from this in recent times, the gains can easily be undone by the rapidly deteriorating water situation. Due to this, both human beings and animals will be adversely affected, say villagers.

Secondly, the nearest school is located four kilometres away, effectively denying many children in the village access to education. The nearest Integrated Child Development Services centre or anganwadi is also located so far away that young children from the village cannot go there.

Thirdly, nothing has been done to construct a sorely needed village road despite previous promises. During the rainy season, walking on village paths becomes very difficult.

Similarly, no work is taking place under MGNERGA – forcing the youth to migrate to cities like Delhi where many of them engage in construction work but do not receive the prescribed benefits owed to them under the legislation for construction labour.

Maternity benefits under the much publicised Matra Vandna Scheme are also not given to them – most are not even aware of the scheme's existence.

They also do not receive any benefits of crop insurance or compensation even though they have suffered massive damage in recent times due to stray animals, particularly cows. The stray cow population in the village has also shot up in recent times, presumably as a result of government policies and increasing fears of lynch mobs. While a gaushala was recently established to corral stray cows, the initiative has completely failed to take off and bring the situation under control.

Budhram, a resident, says, "Our crops are being destroyed by animals like never before. We are very small farmers. We face ruin. Sometimes, half the crop is lost, yet no help is provided. If this continues, we will be ruined. Will we be forced to give up farming?"

Rajkumari adds: "Our capacity to bear such losses does not exist. We are in great difficulty."

Rajesh, another villager, says, "We have to stay in the fields on cold nights to protect crops but still can't save them."

Earlier, a balance had existed but the system has broken down in recent times.

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Abhishek, a young social worker, says that wherever he goes these days, he sees stray animals – often in groups as big as 50 – just roaming around. He adds: "In most of the nearby villages where I have gone, people have similar stories of crops being ruined badly by stray animals." He adds, "I went to one village to inquire about the progress of toilets. Villagers folded their hands and said: "Thank you very much for the toilets, but please tell us whether you can do something to save our crops."

It is deeply saddening that despite all the talk of crop insurance for small farmers, those in Jhoparva have still not been compensated for the vast losses they have incurred in recent times.

It is ironic that while on the one hand, the government claims to be taking steps towards saving cows, on the other, it is failing to provide the two basic necessities essential for their survival in villages like Jhoprva – clean water and fodder, which is largely sourced from crop residues.

With the widespread destruction of crops and a rapidly deteriorating water situation, villagers are being forced to wonder how they will be able to take proper care of their cows and other farm animals.

These are not questions unique to just one village, they're being asked across the region.

Bharat Dogra is a freelance journalist who has been involved with several social movements and initiatives.

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