Paul Malto is an adivasi school teacher from the remote hilly region of Sahibganj in Jharkhand. In a region that does not even receive a cell phone signal, Paul is a rare literate individual. He says that it puts him in a position of responsibility. He is representative and mouthpiece of his community’s voice, something that he hopes to amplify…

Paul Malto

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Corruption in rural Jharkhand forces Man and cattle to use same water.

About The Video: Every election, hopeful candidates visit the Bagichabedo village in the hilly district of Sahibganj, Jharkhand. They know exactly what to say. They look into the people’s eyes and promise them a well.

Once they are elected they return to the village and in anticipation, the villagers propitiate them like gods, cooking special meat for them and buying them their fill of liquor. Once again, the pledge of a new well is reprised. But soon as the dawn breaks and the liquor wears out, the promise is forgotten.

Years passed, governments changed, a new state was born, officials got transferred in and out but the villagers of Bagichabedo still use the same dirty pond as their cattle. They are helpless but all they can do is continue to wait and hope that for one they will come across a representative of the people who is not corrupt. That he will listen to their issues and build their village a new well.