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The roads are clean; vans collect segregated garbage from households which pay a nominal fee; a fully equipped plant turns biodegradables into manure, which are sold to farmers; and non-biodegradables are recycled and sold back to the market.
These are the scenes from the villages under Bohar 1 Gram Panchayat (GP) in West Bengal’s Purba Bardhaman district, which not only won a national award, Dindayal Upadhyay Panchayat Shashaktikaran Puraskar last year, but is also showcased as a model GP by the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) government. However, the battle for control over the GP has turned into a TMC versus TMC affair in the current Panchayat poll season.
The TMC has denied party tickets to its outgoing Pradhan and Up Pradhan and six other GP members for the July 8 Panchayat polls. Up Pradhan Hasmat Mollah is said to be the man behind the GP’s transformation into a clean and “green” belt that bagged the national recognition.
The new faces the TMC has fielded as candidates, however, say that it is not the persons but the party which should be credited with the GP’s development, even as they look to romp home in the election.
The outgoing GP members blame the TMC’s “internal politics” for denying them tickets, predicting a loss for the party.
Villagers say their Gram Panchayat’s green project is their “pride”, but are unhappy over politics regarding the polls. (Express photo by Partha Paul)
This time, of the 12 seats in the GP, the TMC has already won 5 seats uncontested, with fights expected in rest of the 7 seats.
In the 2018 rural polls, when the GP had 11 seats, the TMC won in 10, with the remaining one going to an independent, who soon joined the ruling party.
Villagers say their GP’s green project is their “pride”, but are unhappy over politics regarding the polls.
“Apart from the national award we have won numerous state awards. This is a unique village. Government officials from other districts frequently come here to learn from our project and how we made this a green GP. The state government showcases our model nationally, apart from in the state,” said Sheikh Miraj, who works as a facilitator in the Panchayat office.
“The ‘Saar Karkhana’ (project) is good. We do not mind paying monthly Rs 10 for garbage collection. But now there is so much politics around it,” a villager said. (Express photo by Partha Paul)
“You will not see any garbage in the village. We are proud of it when we won the national award. We won a number of state wards too. We participate in the project. But now we are seeing political garbage, which we do not like. TMC removed the Pradhan and Up Pradhan. Up Pradhan was the man behind the project. New fresh candidates are here. But there are allegations and counter-allegations between the two groups. CPI(M) too has started to campaign here,” said Sheikh Khairullah, 72, who owns a small tailoring shop opposite the panchayat office.
Sukurmoni Hansda, 60, said, “I do get a widow pension and have got a house under PMAY. I stay with my sons who are daily-wage earners (at the rate of Rs 200 and 2 kg rice daily). My sons now work in other people’s fields as labourers. But they get work for only a few days a month. This is a problem for us now.”
Said another villager Kanu Mandi: “The ‘Saar Karkhana’ (project) is good. We do not mind paying monthly Rs 10 for garbage collection. But now there is so much politics around it. Both the outdoing group and the new TMC candidates are claiming it as their own project. CPI(M) too is holding small meetings here now. I do not know what will be the results of the polls. Panchayat has given some people houses (under PMAY) but more is needed.” Kanu along with his wife and daughter work as daily-wage labourers.
Barely half-a-kilometre away from the Panchayat office is located the “Bohar 1 Gram Panchayat Kothin , Taral, Barjapadartha Nirapod Byabosthapana Prakalpa” (Bohar 1 Gram Panchayat Solid and Liquid Waste Management Project) plant set up in 2018, which is now operating at full capacity.
According to the sanitation workers, vans collect segregated garbage from village households in the wee hours and bring it to the plant, where it is further segregated with perishable waste kept in pits to be made into manures while non-biodegradable things are crushed.
The CPI(M)’s local leadership also appreciates the Up Pradhan’s efforts. (Express photo by Partha Paul)
“Two kinds of manures that we make include ‘Kecho Saar’ (vermi compost) and ‘Jaiba Saar’ (organic compost). These are packaged and sold to neighbouring villages. The quality of our compost is so good that we get requisition from farmers in advance. Currently, we have orders for at least 80 bags. We charge Rs 600 per bag (52 kg) for vermi compost and Rs 300 (per bag) for organic compost. We have a gobar gas plant and machinery for crushing non-biodegradables like plastic and glass which we resell,” said Shibnath Muru, a supervisor at the plant which has five workers.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Hasmat Mollah, who was elected Pradhan in 2013 and Up Pradhan in 2018, said, “We were not in a particular group of TMC. That is why the tickets were denied to us. Eight of us who won in 2018, including myself and Pradhan, have not been given tickets this time. The project was my brain child and I looked after it. This was a unique project in the country. I do not know now what will be the fate of the project.”
“I went to district leaders to seek a ticket. They refused. There is groupism going on which is harming the party. Party used force and won uncontested in five seats. But there will be tough fights in other seats. Party may lose in this GP. I have been with TMC since 1998. There is no proper system in this party,” Mollah claimed.
A new TMC face Sahidul Islam Sheikh, however, charged that Mollah was behind the CPI(M)’s bid to field candidates in the GP. “Our party will face no difficulty if Hasmat Mollah does not campaign for us. Party and its workers are enthusiastic. We expect to win in all seats. One or two seats may see a contest. Already in five seats we have won. It is Hasmat Mollah who is behind the CPI(M)’s move to put candidates in some seats. The award is not because of Mollah only. Everyone participated in making the project successful. When you see the results you will understand,” he said.
“I have also been with TMC since 1998. Last time (2018) they (party) promised me but denied tickets to me. I filed nomination as a Congress candidate. But after my party leaders requested me, I withdrew. But still I got no proper position in the local party unit that time. This time my party thought I was capable and gave me the ticket,” Sheikh said.
The CPI(M)’s local leadership also appreciates the Up Pradhan’s efforts. “The situation has changed from what it was before. There is a fear of TMC’s terror tactics. However, we will contest in the seats where we have been able to give candidates. Mollah had made a good contribution for GP. I cannot speak ill about him. In one seat we are supporting the CPIML (Liberation) candidate,” said Gaffar Sheikh, the CPI(M)’s former local committee secretary.
Mansur Ali Mondol, CPIML (Liberation) candidate and its district committee member said, “People don’t like the way he (Hasmat Mollah) was denied a ticket this time. Though we were political opponents, we have always supported good initiatives like green village. But now there is fear of TMC’s terror in the GP under the new faces. We feel TMC is paving the way for corruption in the panchayat by removing him. However we have given candidates and are confident that we will win if proper election takes place.”
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