February 9; Bilaspur, Chattisgarh
The National Thermal Power Corporation, that is based in Sipat village, produces 3000 megawatts of electricity everyday. The plant is built on land belonging to the farmers, who were evicted too. Left without the land to farm on, men and women from surrounding villages are now working with the NTPC itself. And the plant isn’t even paying fair wages. Urmila, an elderly resident of the town says, “I have to work on a daily wage of INR 60.” After protests, the wages for hard manual labour of day were increased to a sum of INR 120. Women, like Urmila are forced to work in physically exhausting conditions as this is the only means of living available in the area. The amount is lower than that paid to men, INR 207, even though the work being done by both is hardly distinguishable. Community Correspondent Madhukar Gorakh reports on the plight of these women, who, after enduring the evictions, can’t even get fair wages on the only job being offered.
A Ground zero observation on environmental crisis in India
This episode of ‘Awaaz Ho Buland’ is about the environment and our immediate actions to keep our Earth from further deterioration.
The Rhythmic Tribal Culture
Bastar, in Chattisgarh State, India, is well known for their tribal population, and their unique, distinctive cultural heritage. In this area, the tradition of playing Madar has been going on since time immemorial.