The power of the hills
The power of the hills
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THE people of the Uttar Pradesh hills have always strongly opposed attempts to snatch their traditional rights. Today, they are asserting themselves once again.
At various seminars and meetings organised recently, van panchayat members have consistently voiced their aversion to impositions by officials and have instead lobbied for greater autonomy. At the Van Panchayat Sarpanch Sammelan held in Haldwani in December, approximately 50 sarpanches asserted that they be given greater control over revenue and management of van panchayat lands. Their demands include:
Revenue be given directly to the van panchayats and members be allowed to use 50 per cent for afforestation and land development and the rest for development programmes.
The government should advise the villagers on the economic utilisation of comparatively less valuable species.
Forest produce be marketed by the van panchayats or auctioned on their directions because forest department officials do not respond in time to requests for sale or undervalue the produce.
Government-funded development programmes such as Jawahar Rozgar Yojana and Garibi Hatao be implemented through van panchayats.
Van panchayats have maps clearly delineating their boundaries.
Sarpanches have the right to sanction at least Rs 500 from the van panchayat budget.
Sarpanches have the right to auction wood of up to Rs 15,000 instead of the present limit of Rs 500.
Thirty per cent of the van panchayat seats be reserved for women and they be coopted in development and afforestation programmes.
Van panchayat members be able to independently enforce rules.
Van panchayat members have the right to information on laws and accumulation of their funds in accounts maintained by the administration.