Sacred groves, also called sarna or jaherathan, are patches of forests containing important tree species. These are places of tribal worship. The Sal tree is considered sacred in these groves even though there are many sarnas where other tree species are also found. In many places, entire village forests and hills are also considered sacred by tribal communities. But now they are under threat.

Photo by Deepanwita Gita Niyogi

Two water tanks were constructed on this site in Latma, Ranchi in 1962. Earlier, there used to be a sacred grove or sarna here where tribal communities offered prayers, said Ranchi resident Mangtu Oraon (right). Oraon’s friend Budhwa Munda informed that these two tanks supply 8.50 lakh gallons of water each till Harmu, a well-known residential area in Ranchi, Jharkhand’s capital. Water comes from the Dhurwa dam, about 12 km away. “This place is part of Latma hill. Community members had protested at that time, but it was of no avail,” says Oraon.

Photo by Deepanwita Gita Niyogi

Pauru village in Potka block of East Singhbhum district in Jharkhand has a sacred grove or jaherathan which is under threat due to stone mining. “Many of our groves are being encroached upon under the guise of various government schemes,” says resident Ananda Pal. Near the grove site, is parked a JCB machine. The grove situated on a forested hill is a natural jaherathan as is known in the local language. “Stones have been cut here, but we consider the entire hill as sacred. Forests store rainwater. The villagers here cultivate paddy. Still, Maa Tara Construction and Equipment Company wanted to blast and drill at the site,” alleges resident Manik Sardar. “Protests took place till 2016-17,” said Laxmikant Bhumij. “As a result of protest, work ceased and the matter is now sub-judice. Work has been stalled since seven to eight months. The gram pradhan or the village head was not informed and neither was people’s consent taken. The company also lodged false cases against many of us,” Bhumij adds.

Photo by Deepanwita Gita Niyogi

At the sacred grove in Pauru village, prayers are offered during the tribal festival of Sarhul held in April. Apart from that, five to six times prayers are offered here by the community. It is a historical place too. “Once upon a time, the Dalbhum kings used to visit here,” informs Manik Sardar (in photo). The grove has animals like rabbits, Sal trees and precious herbs. “We sometimes climb up. If this vanishes, what will we do? Women played a vital role in opposing the company. Loot of natural resources is going on unabated,” adds Sardar.

Photo by Deepanwita Gita Niyogi

The view around the grove in Pauru is scenic. It is called Raja Chatani. This is also the place where villagers beat or thresh paddy on the hard surface after harvest. There are agricultural fields too nearby. “But the company has drilled holes here to break the stone. It is a cultural place for all of us,” informs Pal. The hill where the jaherathan is situated is called Titiling hill. “Mining here will also cause a lot of pollution. The company had started work, but stopped after we protested,” says Manik Sardar.

Photo by Deepanwita Gita Niyogi

The place is called the Susun Akhara of Nachosai village in East Singhbhum. “Here, the Bhumij community offers prayers to the Shakti devi,” says guide Jaypal Singh. It has been dug up for stone mining and now water has filled up at the sunken site. It was once a hilly place.

Photo by Deepanwita Gita Niyogi

“The sacred grove or jaherathan on hillock Sadan Gutu in Nachosai village in East Singhbhum is under threat due to stone mining,” says resident Prastam Sardar. Apart from worshipping at the grove, locals also perform another kind of worship known as bujni bonga nearby, when people assemble and partake of offerings once a year in January-February. “Only after that, the Bhumij community can start sowing paddy,” adds Sardar.

Photo by Deepanwita Gita Niyogi

An Army camp at the Hundru sacred grove site or sarna sthal in Ranchi has become a virtual headache for the tribal community. “The situation is disturbing for us,” says Mangtu Oraon. The land belongs to Hundru, but the army has acquired it. Recently, The Telegraph reported that the Army has demolished the sacred grove site. “The Army claims that it is their land. It does not allow beautification at the site,” adds Oraon. Pushpa Tirkey, councillor of ward number 50, says, “Gherabandi or construction of a boundary wall is not allowed around the sacred grove or Sarna site.”

*This photo feature was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center

Related:

Under the shadow of coal mining
Adivasi identity at stake

The post Save the Sarnas! appeared first on SabrangIndia.

A high-level meeting of India’s top rights  group, mines, minerals and People (mm&P), has decided to represent to President Pranab Kumar Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to implement the concept of "intergenerational equity” to make sure that the next generations are equal shareholders of the natural resources.

This unique concept, which is directed against corporate houses and other business interests seeking to mine away the natural wealth, has been coined by Goa Foundation, a Goa-based voluntary organization. The concept states, those who depend on natural resources alone are their rightful owners.

Participated by 236 activists, experts, grassroots workers and bureaucrats, the meeting at Kotagiri, Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu, saw Rahul Basu of the Goa Foundation state that society and the government “must not forget that they are just trustees of natural resources and not their owners.”

Referring to what he called “aggressive mining activities and profit mongering crony capitalists' hunger for profit out of natural resources”, Basu stressed on the "public trust" doctrine and the "intergenerational equity" concept – which, he claimed, has been recognized by the Supreme Court as part of the Right to Life.

"The concept of "intergenerational equity would make sure that the next generations are also the equal shareholder of the natural resources”, he said, adding, "As a result of the recommendation from the Goa Foundation, the Supreme Court of India directed that the creation of the Goa Iron Ore Permanent Fund meant to be utilized for the future generations as equal shareholders of the natural resources.”

Following his intervention at the mm&P, the meeting passed a unanimous resolution on "intergenerational equity based on the understanding on public trust doctrine, calling for declaring minerals as shared inheritance.”

Addressed to the President and the Prime Minister of India, participants from all the 20 states signed the resolution, demanding for "intergenerational equity" policy in each and every mining area, and ensuring that it is implemented.

Participated, among others, by former deputy director, Geological Survey of India (GSI), Krishna Murthy, waterman of Rajasthan Rajendra Singh, and Gujarat’s veteran Gandhian tribal leader Ashok Choudhury, the meeting saw the participants regret that the concept of community rights over natural resources was “dying down.”

Krishna Murthy, former deputy-director of GSI expressed his concern over the impact of coal mining on environment and wildlife, saying, the growing demand for electricity for commercial purpose has led to corporate greed for more coal-based power plants, and this is “uprooting millions of lives and livelihoods.”

Speaking the way natural resources are being fleeced, Singh said, while the poor are forced to migrate due to the scarcity of water, private companies are granted permission to extract as much water as they can for their commercial use.

Choudhury regretted that both the Central and state governments are not respecting the rule of law and implementing the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA, 1996) in the tribal areas to empower tribals to have a complete say over natural resources.Speaking on the occasion, environmental activist CR Bijoy reminded the participants that only five out 17 states with sizable tribal population have so far framed PESA rules, while the rest are hesitant. “Most states are in fact displacing tribals from their lands", he added.
 

The post Hand Over Mining Wealth to Locals with Right to Inheritance Demands MM&P Rights Group appeared first on SabrangIndia.