Phalkewadi Village, Mahad Taluka, Raigad District.
This is a case study, which has been carried out at the village of Phalkewadi, Mahad Taluka, Raigad District, as a part of the documentation process (best practice) in sanitation work done by the villages across Maharashtra. The objective of the study was to document the sanitary practices, the principles that guide the village in mobilising the community members for management and control and the social milieu of the village in relation to the sanitary needs.
Phalkewadi is a small and young village with a population of 343 and 107 households have no schedule caste and schedule tribe. It is estimated 70% of the village population excluding 343 have migrated to Mumbai and Pune city. The dominant caste community living at the village is Maratha. The village is located at a distance of 23 kms from Mahad city (Taluka place) and Khed Town respectively. The geographical stretch of the village is of 172.463 hectares. At the village, a small stream runs through dividing the village into two parts.
As stated Phalkewadi was considered a small hamlet of Venera Gram Panchayat, the wadi/hamlet never received any funds for infrastructural building. Henceforth, it was the initiative of the then ex-Sarpanch of the Venera Gram Panchayat of Mahad Taluka who propagated for a separate village level institution. It was in 1992, Phalkewadi Gram Panchayat was established with a legitimate village representative.
The non-residents of Phalkewadi return to their village twice a year during the vacation period . It is this time where almost 95% of the villagers are present at the village. At this period, villagers held community meetings where important decisions are taken for village developmental activities such as members are selected for the Panchayat Body, depending upon the person’s capacity and the motivation to work for the village development.
The discontent channelled to a structure
As Murray Ross argues, the discontent with the existing conditions of the community nourishes the development of the association. Like-wise, at Phalkewadi, the discontent amongst the villagers had been focused and channelled into a structure.
The fact being stated, majority of Phalkewadi have migrated to Bombay. Amongst these migrants few social thinkers like Mr. Maruti Bhiva Phalke Mr.R. D. Jadhav and Mr. Mahadev Jadhav thought of village development through people’s contribution of monetary fund on a monthly basis. This contribution was applicable only with the non-residents of Phalkewadi living in Bombay and as well with the pensioner living in the village. So it was then in 1949, both of these men initiated to collect 25 paisa per person in a month for village development. The amount collected was known as ‘Gavacha Fund’ . Later in the mid 80’s they collected Rs 3 per household. At present the non-residents collect Rs 5 per person.
The Gavacha Fund was utilised for village development and also provided loans to the villagers who had migrated to Bombay. At the village, the Bombay Migrants established a village improvement committee (Shri Phalkewadi Gram Sudharan Mandal), who took the responsibility to mobilise the people and the funds for collective action. The Bombay Association controlled and monitored the Shri Phalkewadi Gram Sudharan Mandal. This association had possessed two rooms in Bombay. One of these rooms was given on daily rental basis to villagers who migrate for work. The amount colleted from the rent was included in the Gavacha Fund.
In 1958, the first Gavacha Fund was utilised in collaboration with the Local Board under the Gravity Scheme for drinking water purpose. In 1959, the villagers constructed a primary school with the help of Gavacha Fund and the Local Board Budget.
During the mid 60’s and early 70’s, the Gavacha Fund fragmented into two parts, popularly known by the stream dividing the village. The cause of this division of the community association was considered to the change of mindset among the youths living in Bombay, who preferred to perform public entertainment (dance) and raise money for the village improvement. As this fragmentation existed, the rooms of the association were also divided, and so the Gavacha Fund. Like-wise a rivalry environment occurred between these groups at the village level. Every occasion at the village was considered as a competition between the groups. With such perception amongst the villagers, few educated started working to unite the Gavacha Fund. It was in 1975; Mr. Jadhav was successful to change the perception of the people and conglomerated a single Gavacha Fund.
The catalysing factor facilitating the process of uniting the Gavacha Funds was when the main village of Venera Gram Panchayat had electricity; it kept the other hamlets in complete darkness. As a result, in 1974, the Shri Phalkewadi Gram Sudharan Mandal mobilised the people from both groups for contribution of Rs 100/- as a deposit to the Electricity Department in order to obtain the electricity, through which 45 households were electrified at the village. The fact, which directed to unite the groups, was mainly through Mr. Jadhav’s initiative, where he conducted meeting with the non-residents of Phalkewadi in Bombay and also sensitised the villagers through personal meetings.
In 1984, Shri Phalkewadi Gram Sudharan Mandal took the initiative to construct the Hanuman temple at the village. The non-residents of the villagers contributed through cash (Rs 3 Lakhs), while the villagers contributed through labour and the outsiders contributed Rs 50,000. The village temple was completed in 1987. It was only then, the villagers and the non-residents thought of registering the association as a legitimate structure for developmental work. In 2nd November 1988, Shri Phalkewadi Gram Sudharan Mandal was registered as Shri Hanuman Lokseva Mandal under the Society’s Act. The Mandal has two branch offices, one at the village and the other for the non-residents living in Pune city. The Organisation has a registered address; 108, Bhajan Krupa, N.M.Joshi Marg, Mumbai – 400013.
In the early 90’s as a part of the Shri Hanuman Lokseva Mandal, the village key informants mobilised the community members for road construction. It is this activity, which the villagers still hold the pride for community participation. The village population worked in a collaborative manner contributing land, cash and labour for a period of almost 4 years. Thus, today, the village have internal roads connected to all houses.
The Gram Panchayat working as an extension body of the Shri Hanuman Lokseva Mandal adopted a policy where the villagers did the labour contribution for the Government driven projects, whereas the materials required were purchased under the budget sanctioned. With the contribution of labour by the villagers for road construction and drinking water works, it saved the budget for other community infrastructure building, such as purchasing solar lights (5).
Initially the Gram Panchayat imposed monetary fine to the villagers not participating during the community work. Later they realised, insisting on monetary fine was something, which everybody at the village could afford to pay, and as a result, the Gram Panchayat adopted a policy where two members of the household were to work for the village cleanliness in the following day.
Every first day of the week, women and men participate for the village cleanliness. During this weekly activity, the women take part in cutting the weeds grown along the roadside, burning the dry garbage (plastic), while the men participate in major laborious activities such as building bunds etc. The responsibility of this activity has been given to the Mahila Mandal present at the village.
In 2003, the village achieved 100% open defecation free. In order to sustain the perceived norm of village cleanliness through abolition of open defecation, the Panchayat body imposed fine on villagers for defecating open. A person identified for defecating openly was liable to pay Rs 100/- to the Gram Panchayat, whereas the person reporting the same was awarded Rs 50/-. During the investigation process, it was found that the Panchayat body imposed rules for open defecation only after 100 % households were covered through building private and community latrines. So far, with the imposition of rules, the Gram Panchayat has no incidence of collecting any fine for open defecation. It is important to note that, if such incidence of open defecation is recorded by the Panchayat, the perceived notion of 100% open defecation free village no more exist, as a result if such situation do occur for a single time, the village can no more be nominated for the Nirmal Gram Puraskhar at National Level or for the State Level competition at Saint Gadge Baba Sanitation Campaign.
As a result of community participation, over the years, the village have stood various positions at the Block, and District for the Saint Gadge Baba Sanitation Campaign. In March 2006, the village has been awarded by the President of India for Nirmal Gram Puraskhar in sanitation work.
The Gram Panchayat adopted a strategy when there was a lack of people’s participation, they formed a team of like-minded people, and approached individual households for motivating the people to participate at the community work, and they never spoke about the community issue at the Gram Sabha. The reason stated for not discussing at the Gram Sabha was that, mass sensitisation was difficult if internal groupings existed at the village meeting. As a result, an alternative approach was adopted to sensitise the village population through individual meetings. The Sarpanch of the village states, it is easy to motivate 1 person by 10 people but not 100 people at a time.
Today, amongst the competitors at Saint Gadge Baba Sanitation Campaign, Phalkewadi is known for its community efforts in the sanitation drive. Villages across Maharashtra visit Phalkewadi for learning purpose. Not only the village being a model for development work, the Sarpanch of this village has also adopted the neighbouring villages to train the people in sanitation work.
As the discontent was recognised and understood by the geographical community at Phalkewadi, the members of the community, today, are still actively involved in planning and taking action in respect to meet the needs of the villagers. The community association also identifies problem, which are deep concern to all its members. Henceforth, sanitation is known as a way of life amongst the Phalkewadis’.