LOUD AND VIBRANT BUT LONG FORGOTTEN, JATRA

By Subhro Niyogi and Saikat Ray

copyright: The Times of India
Kolkata/Midnapore/Purulia: Jatra, the most popular form of Bengali folk theatre that has been the mainstay for entertainment in rural Bengal for long, is in the throes of an existential crisis with musicals drowned under the incessant rat-a-tat of gunfire in Jangalmahal.
Though jatra is popular across the towns and villages of south Bengal, it is shows in the West Midnapore-Purulia-Bankura belt that garner nearly half the annual turnover of over Rs 100 crore. But with access to the Maoist badlands of Bengal fraught with danger since last year, it is crisis time in jatra paras like Kolkata’s Chitpore.
Not only is there a threat of being caught in the crossfire between guerrillas and security forces in jungles adjoining the grounds where jatra palas or shows were held till 2008, but police, too, have been reluctant to grant permission citing security concerns. And this has pushed the 500-odd jatra firms in Chitpore, Belda, Nandakumar, Kamarpukur and Namkhana into a corner.
"In the past, the jatra industry encountered competition from several quarters, the biggest threat coming from the proliferation of satellite television in small towns and villages. But it has never been as crippling as now, with the big markets of Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura shutting down," said Swapan Kundu, manager of Tara Ma Opera, a medium-budget jatra firm that has been in the business for half a century.
This has pushed some firms to the brink of financial disaster. Some, like the small-budget firm owned by Tapan and Moumita Bhattacharya, have had to down shutters. The duo was crushed under the load of debt after their Rs 5-6 lakh production bombed.
Big-budget jatra firms that invest Rs 30-50 lakh in elaborately mounted productions and medium-budget ones that pump in Rs 15-20 lakh are also in trouble. Many have been unable to repay last year’s loans and face the prospect of shutdown.
"With the three districts out of bounds, the market has shrunk drastically. Competition is intense. Only those with deep pockets will survive," said Tapas Das, owner of Debanjali and Debibandana operas.
He has roped in Bollywood’s Kader Khan to pull the crowds and tide over the crisis. But with bookings nosediving from 23-25 shows a month to 13-15 this year, even Khan’s presence may not be enough.
Other big-budget opera firms have roped in Asrani, Dev, Koel Mullick, Rachana Banerjee, Tapas Pal and Satabdi Ray. Some are also copying Bengali masala movies like ‘Poran Jai Joliya Re’ to script success. But hits have been few and far between and salaries of artistes as well as technicians have been pared to keep companies afloat. The situation is so dire that many like Debanjali opera manager Ashok Majhi are willing to quit the industry if they land a job with a monthly pay pack of Rs 2,000. Though jatra firms are now aggressively exploring other districts, the returns are nowhere as good as from Satpati, Pirakata, Lalgarh, Goaltore, Dhanghori, Ramgarh, Kantapahari or Bamal in Jangalmahal, where plays drew crowds of over 10,000. In Jhargram sub-division, Manikpara next to the station, Netaji Club, Sardiha haat ground, Ramkrishna bazar area, Khalshiuli, Balihata, Khemasuli, Balla and Lodhasuli were popular spots with locals enjoying jatra nights from October to December.
"Plays would be sellouts with tickets priced at Rs 25-100. Youths from the area would book jatra shows by investing Rs 2,000-5,000 each. The money could be easily recovered and one even had a decent profit to show. But all that has changed since last year," said Srikanta Mahato, a member of Dhinpur Abarani Sangha, which used to organize several jatra shows each year but haven’t since last December.
While getting police permission is a problem given the constant skirmishes between the security forces and the Maoists, the safety of performers as well as the audience is also an issue.
In the odd shows that still happen in Bankura and Purulia, the artistes are at their theatrical best, mesmerizing the audience with electrifying performance when on stage. But catch them in the green room with the greasepaint off and fear is writ large on their faces. "The law and order situation in these districts leads to safety concerns, which need to be addressed before we travel. With the administration unable to commit safety beyond the urban areas, an element of risk remains," said Rachana.
While MPs Tapas Pal and Satabdi Roy have elaborate security arrangements of their own when they go out to do shows of ‘Hiya Majhe Mor Priya’, Gopal Das, manager of Swarnadeep Opera — that has mounted the jatra ‘Swapnapurir Rajkanya’ with Rachana — is planning to engage private security guards when the opera travels to Maoist-hit districts.
The issue of audience safety, however, persists. "It will not make commercial sense unless people travel from a number of villages to watch the show. Their returning home late in the evening or night is a matter of concern. Even if we start a show within minutes of sunset, it cannot end before 8.30-9 pm and that is a problem in the current circumstances," said a member of Panimandir Club, which used to organize jatras in the Lalgarh bazar area.
Midnapore SDO Moloy Mukherjee and his Jhargram counterpart C Murugan said there had been no requests from jatra organizers during the turmoil in the past two years. "If orgainzers come, we will scrutinize the feasibility," Murugan said.
Permission, though, is unlikely to be granted in "sensitive" areas as movement of people in large numbers and big gatherings are perceived as threats. "What happens if Maoists take cover in the crowd and then strike?" said Bankura SP Pranab Kumar. "We hesitate to give permission in remote areas where we don’t have adequate force," said Purulia SP Rajesh Yadav.
Lalgarh I-C Ashok Bose acknowledged the need for entertainment in the violence-scarred region and discussed the matter with West Midnapore SP Manoj Verma. This Dashami, the police band was brought from Kolkata to perform there. "We hear the situation is improving and are keeping our fingers crossed for jatras to begin there again," said Gitanjali opera manager Surya Sen.

We are back

Hello friends,

This blog was unfortunately not updated for the past few months. But we are back in action. There is a lot to share. In the meanwhile, thought the IPCC reforms story would be interesting from Pachauri's mouth.

More to come.

Post the Intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) plenary meeting at Busan last week, IPCC chairperson, R K Pauchauri has not just hands full with the various reforms that will be made in the workings and structure of IPCC, he is on a new mission to get governments to implement robust climate policies.
Allaying all the talk of him being removed from the climate chief’s position, he said “he was on a mission and a task that he will not give up,” He also explained that those who objected were people whose interests do not suit climate science.
UN IPCC Chairman and director general TERI, R K Pachauri shared his thoughts on the climate crisis, the lack of a binding climate deal and his position as the IPCC chairman with the The Times of India. Excerpts from an interview:

Q. Post the glacier goof up in the fourth impact assessment report (AR4), you have started work on the AR 5 report. What will be the highlights?

A. AR 5 was approved a year ago and we have chosen as many as 831 lead authors for the report. We had a total of 3000 nominations out of which we had choose. This shows that the scientific community is very enthusiastic about the report. Post the controversy over the glacier issue; we have taken on board the recommendations made by the Inter Academy Council (IAC). Some of them can be implemented immediately to tighten our procedures. Others are essentially related to management issues which will be gradually put in to place.

Q. There were reports that you would step down. Were they true?

A. Why should I step down? I am on a mission. I was elected by acclamation. The impact assessment reports have been given adequate attention. I have a task that I will not give up. I will see that governments implement whatever is required to deal with climate change.

Q. Don’t you think there is skepticism in the communities and educational forums about climate science post the glacier controversy?

A. I am not sure that there is any skepticism, our science is solid and robust. Glaciers are melting. AR 4 has been accepted by world leaders. The ones that are not to accept climate science is because it doesn’t suit them. Any new area of knowledge is met with some resistance. For those who have resisted, we welcome questioning but they cant take the science for granted. People have to believe the reality of climate change. Almost a 100 world leaders at COP15 met to debate and discuss climate change. I have not seen a single world leader who does not believe that climate change will impact us.


Q. Do you think that there will be a legally binding deal at the upcoming climate meet at Cancun?
A. It is very difficult to predict but I hope that we make progress and don’t lose sight. We have enough evidence to push for action.

Q. What was your meeting with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari yesterday about?

A. Zardari and I discussed the terrible flood that affected the region recently. At the SAARC summit this year at Thimpu , climate was the central theme. We have to have a common response to natural disasters. Natural disasters unfortunately don’t respect politics and we have no other options but to share our experiences and build common strategies.

Q. what about the vulnerable areas in India. Do you think we have a response system in place for extreme events in remote places like in Leh this year?

A. again the common South Asian response mechanism has to happen. In AR 4 we have already shared that there are going to be extreme precipitation events and SAARC countries should have a collective approach. In fact there were discussions about SAARC environment ministers common investments in facilities. A lot of collaborative research has to happen to come up with rational solutions.

copyright: The Times of India

by Jayashree Nandi

copyright: The Times of India
From a petty 10 in 1973, to over 80 today. The Bandipur national park’s story of turning itself in to a breeding ground for the elusive tiger is that of bravery at the ground level and constant monitoring.
In 2006, the census showed the presence of 103 tigers, while this time officials expect over 130. On the other extreme is the forest watcher force that is dipping by the day. Today out of 101 required watcher positions in Bandipur, 65 are vacant. There is nothing to motivate the local youths to join the force.
TOI reporter spends some time chatting with watchers at the anti-poaching camps (APC) of Bandipur tiger reserve as the third day of the national tiger census unfolds:
The number daily wage watchers are more than that of the permanent staff. They work for eight days in the anti- poaching camps and take a two day break. They spend the day patrolling their beats, weeding out lantanas, monitoring the trees.
At the Mallala anti-poaching camp (APC) in the core area of the Bandipur reserve, watchers shared a few light moments as they sipped black herbed tea made on their tiny stove inside the camp. They had made a small bonfire, as it got chilly in the evening. “I have been in this camp for a long time. In one camp there are five members like me. They have given us weapons like one gun, cartridges, and knives. I have no problems with tigers and leopards, the elephants give us trouble sometimes when they suddenly charge at us,” laughs middle-aged, Mara DM, a permanent watcher.
However, when asked to show the weapons, they had only knives and lathis to show. The guns they said had gone for repair work. Officials accepted that there was a requirement for more weapons and equipments for the ground level staff.
There is no insurance for the temporary watchers who receive around Rs 117 per day. Earlier there were a lot of delays in payments, with some waiting for over six months for salary. That concern however has been sorted out by the department. “We don’t have many problems. We are here together and we enjoy the work, W” says a temporary watcher, Madhav.
Though the department has been taking initiatives on their part, the funding from central authorities is what is curbing many facilities from being offered. “There are three important initiatives that we have put in place: paying salaries before the 15th of every month, providing them with breakfast, uniforms for watchers in APCs, and we try and make them realize that their service is important. The grass, wildlife and trees belong to them because they protect them,” says Deputy Conservator of forests, Hanumanthappa.
In most anti-poaching camps now, there is a lot of life even amongst the watchers because of the volunteer guests who have come for the census and are now sharing the camps with them. The watchers share their numerous stories of tiger and leopard encounters with the volunteers. “I can’t explain how excellent they are as guides. They know every nook and corner; recognize every scat sign, much better than the hyped conservationists. They have to be paid more. And insurance is must for even temporary watcher as their life is at stake,” says a volunteer, Ranganath.
In 1973, this area was mostly a hunting ground.
According to the department, poaching is almost nill. But wildlifer, Rajkumar D of Wildlife Conservation Foundation, who was participating in the census begged to differ. “Tiger poaching has increased,” he said.
According to sources, the apprehensions are still there from gypsy tribes of Madhya Pradesh some of whom are professional tiger poachers. Railway stations are monitored by the forest department staff to keep an eye on these migrants, who roam all around the protected zones and keep an eye on the movement of the big cats. They use jaw traps that clasp the leg of the tiger, if there is cattle kill in a village, it is poisoned to kill the tiger coming to feed on it and several other techniques. Local communities are also involved in such cases. The trade is still rampant in tiger parts like skin and claws smuggled to Tibet and China.
The anti-poaching camps play the most crucial role in standing guard to these organized gangs.

by Jayashree Nandi
This interview was released in some editions of TOI the same day as the controversial letter of environment minister Jairam Ramesh to the PM was exposed. Even though the letter drew immense flak, Ramesh also shared certain strong domestic stances to deal with climate change and for the negotiations. Excerpts from the interview could give you glimpses in to forthcoming strategies including major emphasis on nuclear energy:

Deal or no deal, India will act domestically. It will upgrade its services in the power, industry, transport, building, and forestry to deal with climate change. And there would be no dilly-dallying about this because it will come as a domestic law with binding targets for 2020. One of them is to increase the renewable energy uptake from a dwindling 8% to 20% by 2020. Even while there is criticism internationally that India is playing foul by not accepting binding targets, our negotiating card would be massive work at home. The Union minister for environment and Forests shared his plans for strengthening India’s vulnerable areas to deal with climate change with The Times of India, ahead of the Copenhagen negotiations (COP 15).

Q. You said that India is going to be flexible; the 40% cut for developed nations can be brought down. Why do you think so? What will India’s negotiating points be?

A. The IPCC has said that to keep global temperature rise below 2 degree centigrade, the emissions has to cut by 25 to 40%. The lower limit is 25%. The developed nations including India have decided to keep the target to a 25% cut.
The prime minister and I at several occasions have made it clear India should be part of the solution. It will play a very proactive role. But, the question of legally binding targets for India is ruled out. We will take domestic actions with measurable outcomes. We have decided to make it part of a domestic law. There will be specific domestic targets by 2020 for performance improvement and efficiency in the power, transport, industry, building, and forestry will be part of the domestic law. So unilaterally and voluntarily we have decided on domestic obligations, which will be accountable to the parliament. If the developed countries are willing to discuss, this will also get reflected in the international negotiations but this would be short of accepting binding targets.

Q. So domestically we are going to have a law that would affect people in their daily lives and in dealing with climate change?

A. I don’t know how much it is going to affect people because it will be more in the efficiency improvement sector and in the area of energy intensity. But let us face it. India is one of the most vulnerable to climate change. We are already affected with frequent droughts and floods. The mean sea levels are rising. Many of our coal reserves are in forest areas and we need to cut trees to exploit them. We have to have a response to all this independent of COP 15.

Q. ISRO has climate of data of the past 20 years. With the initial data you received from them, what is the impact like on India?

They will give me a complete summary of the impact. We are stressing a lot on local documentation because all the impacts we are quoting now are by westerners. An important example is that America has a completely different estimate of black carbon emitted by India than that of ISRO’s study. ISRO study shows that India’s black carbon emissions are three times lesser than what the West has quoted. It is also far lesser than that of America. This is eye-opening, as this issue would be dragged in the negotiations and India will be questioned about it.

Q. What are your expectations from the US? Will they act in COP 15?

A. It is in India’s interest to bring US in to mainstream talks. It has not been part of the Kyoto protocol. Any international agreement without US will be meaningless.

Q. There has been a lot of debate on the introduction of Bt Brinjal. Do you think India really needs genetically modified crops?

A. They may be. Bt cotton has become a fact of life. It has dramatically catapulted in to the second position in the global cotton market. But Bt Brinjal is different. It is something that we are going to consume. Let me see what the public consultations leads to. I have already unveiled the plan of action and will hold extensive discussions after COP15, in January and February.

Q. There has been uproar against uranium mining in Meghalya, it is also going to start in Karnataka. How important is nuclear in you climate road map?

A. I was involved in the Meghalaya issue and had wriiten to the department of Atomic energy. The department has tried their best to address the fears and concerns of the people there. A white paper had been presented on the issue. Now it is up to the Meghalaya government.
Nuclear is the best solution to deal with climate change. It is a very important part.

Q. Most of the renewable energy technologies in India are exported out. What are you doing to make the domestic market favourable?

A. One of the commitments right now is to increase the consumption of solar, small hydel and wind from 8% to 15 to 20% by 2020 as part of the law. The law will announced in a few week’s time.

Coal power plant darkens pristine Alibaag

story by Pushpinder Singh

"Alibaag, Enjoy nature's beauty", scream the loud real estate hoardings in urban Mumbai. But people do lot more to nature's beauty than enjoying it as is the case with Alibaag.
One hour ferry ride from Gateway of India and then a fifteen minute bus ride gets one into the Alibaag town. On the road are the bungalows of rich and famous if one heads to beach south to the town. i instead went to the other side. The highway that connects Alibaag to Bombay, around twenty miles from Alibaag is a small town 'Poinaad'. and next to 'Poinaad' is cluster of villages with the names Shapur, Shahbaaj, Kamalbara ,Dhamapara ,Dheren. And right after villages is the massive Steel factory on both sides of the highway.

The villages have been in the limelight for some time now due to their iconic struggle against the land grabbers of the city. The villagers here are fishermen as well as farmers, their agriculture is irrigated by monsoon and they grow paddy during monsoon in their otherwise parched land. The farm land of villages is erstwhile marsh land of the near by 'Dharmatar' Creek which the English officers in 17th century converted into farm land by routing the tide water into small canals inward of land. These backwater canals mar the entire land here like veins; the sea water keeps coming up and going down in these veins like canals as if a huge heart pumping far in sea with a set frequency.

The fishermen in village use the canals as connecting routes to the sea. with the rising tide in evening they launch the small boats in the water and head to thick belt of Mangroves in Dharmatar creek. These mangroves, which line both northern and southern side of the creek, are rich in biodiversity and good source of fishes. The catch from here finds place on tables as far as in The Taj of Bombay. There is an amazing supply chain which does not need a separate transport chain, It uses pubic buses and ferries to take catch from this end to the other, with the transporters earning small commission, Fishermen a small money and middlemen in the city a huge margin.

But there are more examples of inequities in this land. The entire farm land that lies south to the Dharmatar creek is heaven not only for a self sustaining society but also to big things like Ultra Mega Power Generation Plants. The creek is geographically a perfect place to import coal on huge ships from foreign lands and the parched farmland is nice place to put a plant on.

TATA and Reliance are among the corporations, which are interested in setting up the power plants on this land and are in the process of acquiring land, though they have got it from collector but not from the real landowners, the farmers! The compensation being offered for the land is laughable. The resistance among the farmers and local residents is amazingly strong and united and is being lead by local people some of them doctors or accountants or clerks from these villages.

The story does not end with the resistance but it begins there, these lead campaigners from villages realise that resistance is not enough and sufficient tool to turn things their favor, Hence they also are innovating, for the energy solutions. The same energy for which the government is willing to import thousand tons of coal from Australia, The villagers argue, 'flows in the wind', The area has large wind potential and people want an official assessment of this potential from the government.

This movement as they love to call it has forced them to learn and understand things they would not bother otherwise like the energy sector economics, climate change science, political equations or just plain human ecology relations. Till whatever extent it takes they are willing to go, with those humble smiles on their faces for who so ever comes by and modest approach to life, eagerness to learn just to save the land they grew up in to save the air they have been breathing in and inheritance they have borrowed from their children, and stand tall as example in front of humanity that seems to largely ignoring them and continues to deny the 'change' that it must set for.

Pushpinder Singh is an environmental activist and works for Greenpeace India

--ends--

CLIMATE CHANGE CONUNDRUM: WILL THE WORLD DESERT MALI OR REIN IN THE DUNES?

story and pictures by Jayashree Nandi

Bamako, Mali: 45-year-old Sali Samake is the most important person in the small Malian village, Tamale near the capital city of Bamako. Since she is the only person in the village who can use a Pluviometer, a rain-measuring instrument, the villagers look to her to plan their harvest.

Mali, one of the poorest African nations is now one of the worst hit by climate change. Desertification in some parts of Mali is intensifying every year leaving farmers completely defenseless to the crisis. Most parts of West Africa including Mali have seen a sharp decrease in rainfall since 1970 and consecutive years of droughts till date. There has been 20% decrease in annual rainfall and the level of water in the rivers has decreased by 40 to 60%. The interior delta of river Niger has almost halved with 37000 sqkms in 1950 to 15000 sqkms now.

According to studies by the ministry of environment, Mali the temperature of the water in the water bodies has also increased which has led to an increase in invading plant species on the water. Fishing, navigation and irrigation have become tough. The scanty, still water is the breeding home to malaria mosquitoes and since then the country has seen an increase in the incidence of meningitis.Even while disease and acute water crisis surrounds the lives, the traditional communities exude the vibrant spirit of life. Young girls come rushing towards tourist vehicles to sell a native delicacy of sesame and honey sticks, women sell fresh bananas and fruits.

But farmers are clueless about the rains now. The rainy season comes and goes at its own will. “Now farmers don’t know when they have to plant. The rainy season is shorter. This has had a huge impact on our agro economy leading to migration of the young population. Families are sending their people abroad to other parts of Africa, Europe and America to earn an income for the family,” says Secretaire Technique Permanent, Boubacar Sidibi Dembele.Mali is taking baby steps to adapt to climate change, they are offering manual kits for training to farmers, the meteorological department is working closely with farmers to provide them better forecasts and exchange information. The cloud-seeding programme has been in use since 2006. This year already 1000 cloud seeding operations have taken place, especially in the Northern villages like the Kai, Kolokani and Sahelian regions. The cloud seeding timetables are announced regularly on national television. 25 literate people have been nominated from different villages who can use the pluviometer and provide information to other farmers in the village about rain water availability. “the first advantage from the pluviometer is that we know exactly how many mm of rain we get in the village and we can estimate production accordingly. The head of the village consults me and plans the harvest with other villagers,” says Sali.

River Bani that flows to San, a small province in Mali used to flood. Today it is mostly dry apart from low-level water during the rains. The San region used to be directly irrigated by river Bani but now new irrigation projects have been started to bring water through canals. The level of river has gone down by two metres. Mali’s Shea trees, which generate a majority of the income for women who make Shea butter for skin care products, are disappearing gradually. In regions like Mopti and Timbouktu there is hardly any water. The West African desert elephant is highly impacted due to the frequent droughts. Banzena in the Gourma region not only for the elephants but for the localherdsmen because it carries water throughout the year and can be depended on as a place to find water even after other lakes and water points have dried up. May this year, the lake was down to about 30 cms of muddy, bacteria filled slush and cattle, humans and elephants were competing to draw some water from that. Dead bodies of emaciated desert elephants were found covered in slush.

Even while Mali could be one of the firs casualties of climate change, justice is still far away a say Malian activists. They stare wide eyed at the forthcoming climate negotiations in Copenhagen (COP 15) for developed nations to accept targets and share real technology which is now locked by intellectual property rights(IPR) and patents of big companies.