I am part of the Hasa Aur Bhasa Jagao Sangathan. We fight for our rights to Jal, Jangal and Jameen. My organisation is associated with the Adivasi Vikas Trust and with JOHAR in Dumka. My husband is a committee member in the Jharkhand Mines Area Co-ordination Committee. In 2013, our village came to be affected by a project led by…

Mary Nisha Hansda

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Paharpur, Godda, Jharkhand | Mary Nisha Hansda

Teachers in famine struck Paharpur village in Jharkhand haven't been paid in 16 months. On 1st July 2014, school inspection was conducted by the Food Supply Officer and on 17th July Lalita Murmu, a teacher at the Paharpur School received a letter asking for clarifications. The letter alleged that children avoid school because she is uninterested in teaching. Since then, she hasn't received her salary. But when correspondent Mary inquired into the matter, she found out that the parents haven't been sending their children to the school regularly because they need their children to look after the livestock and take care of their younger siblings. Paharpur has been suffering from a famine since past 3 years because of which the parents have to go out to earn their livelihood. Lalita has been regular at the school as confirmed by all the residents yet she continues to be troubled by the authorities. They have already submitted an application with the Block Education Officer but due to negligence from the authorities, she still hasn't been paid. It's becoming increasingly difficult to sustain her own family which is dependent on her income. She continues to teach at the school, hoping she'll receive her salary before she's forced to go out to earn her livelihood.

You can help - please call the District Commissioner of Godda on +91-9431134597 and demand that Lalita's salary is released immediately.

This video was made by a Video Volunteers Community Correspondent. Community Correspondents come from marginalised communities in India and produce videos on unreported stories. These stories are ’news by those who live it.’ they give the hyperlocal context to global human rights and development challenges. See more such videos here. Take action for a more just global media by sharing their videos and joining in their call for change.