Resources were always scarce in Bundelkhand. But despite this harsh fact, management of land and water ensured that they did not get caught in a downward spiral. They grew enough foodgrains and pulses and had enough water for irrigation. But with the passage of time, people carelessly cut down trees and the forests started vanishing. With the depletion of the green cover, soil erosion was the next logical thing to happen. Water became a critical resource. Catchment areas started drying up. And, bamboo groves, which were a part of Bundelkhand’s natural landscape, were cut down without planting new ones. This was the beginning of a disaster. The rains decreased, the water table fell and the soil lost its richness.  The downward slide had begun and no steps were taken to arrest it.

Mahatma Gandhi had aptly said that nature gave us enough to satisfy everyone’s needs, but not even a single person’s greed. This was a piece of stark truth that did not sink into the thinking of people living in Bundelkhand. The topsoil was vanishing rapidly as it was being excessively mined to make bricks and earthen pots. The fields still could have regenerated themselves with the abundant dung from cattle. But, instead of putting into the soil, dung cakes were burnt for the twin purpose of cooking and firing bricks. Animal dung was a great bio-fertilizer, but commercial pressures to use it as a fuel overtook the traditional wisdom.

To make matters worse, surplus dung cakes were sold to neighbouring villages who also used it for unsustainable practices. As the soil was not recharged, it grew weaker and weaker, culminating into the loss of agricultural production. Over-dependence on chemical fertilizers further destroyed the productivity of land.

Earlier, there used to be plenty of water in Bundelkhand for irrigation. Traditional water harvesting systems like ponds helped rainwater to soak into the soil and enrich the natural aquifers. Therefore, there was abundant water in the region throughout the year. But with the advent of attractive irrigation systems, people gradually forgot the magic of water harvesting systems. Since water was readily available all the time, there was no immediate crisis. Pumps were installed to bring water to almost every village. With the disappearance of traditional water harvesting systems, the water table fell since the groundwater was not being recharged. To make matters worse, farmers switched from growing Bajra (or Sorghum) that required less water for irrigation than wheat.

Ironically, Bundelkhand does receive a reasonable rainfall of around 740mm each year. This is more than enough to support a healthy agricultural economy, though 80 per cent of these rains are received in only two bursts of showers. And, most of this went waste as it was not trapped and allowed to run off. So, with the passage of time, Bundelkhand turned into a drought prone area.
 

Despite this deforestation, AVM Sahni felt that there was no need to replant forests. He felt nature would regenerate once there was water. It did. Old roots sprung back to life. He did certain interesting experiments on land. In Datia, the neighbouring district of Jhansi, he got trenches dug to trap rainwater. After the water filled these trenches, mother earth regenerated its roots and a lush green forest came into being. Today, over 66,000 trees punctuate the area. This is something that could be replicated almost anywhere in India.

In Datia, the government provided 14 hectares of ravine land to 14 tribal families. But, there was no jubilation as the land was barren. Not a single blade of grass grew on this wasteland. But, AVM saw this as an opportunity to experiment with the land. He first got the land flattened. Then, he got trenches dug to trap rainwater along with a well. With the advent of the monsoon, the trenches started overflowing. Within a few days of the first monsoon, water started rising in the well. The groundwater table got fully recharged. This simply proved that traditional wisdom had enough simple environmental solutions that made life sustainable.
 

Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. Here was an area in Jhansi devastated of its natural resources, traditional skills and the sheer energy that rural life is filled with. Villagers were despondent and felt there was no hope. But it was this apathy and frustration that led them to support the idea of TARAgram, an initiative by Development Alternatives to revive the dying traditional skills of artisans. They were to do this through the use of appropriate technologies and sustainable production systems.

In July 1995, Development Alternatives were leased 10 acres of land in Jhansi for establishing an Appropriate Technology Centre. The basic idea was to make handmade paper, use cleaner fuel and make appropriate building materials that did not degrade the environment. Basically, the thrust was on using technology to whip up change.

The challenges were many: the land was degraded, the existing roots had to be rejuvenated, soil erosion had to be checked, ground water had to be charged with checkdams and villagers had to be trained in sustainable practices, apart from being taught new skills. The Development Alternatives team was excited with the possibilities it threw up. It was a dream they dreamt together. Hence, TARAgram was born.

The name could not have been more appropriate: ‘ Tara’ in Hindi means star and Gram means village. But TARA was to mean  Technology and Action for Rural Advancement. TARAgram’s mission was to develop techniques and institutions that could regenerate the resource base and make it available in an environment-friendly manner. The area plan was etched out and care was taken not to destroy trees and develop a synergy that helped the dry arid land spring into life. It was not easy. TARAgram required a lot of water daily. On top of it, there was a serious shortage of water. A checkdam was planned. Flowing through the area was a rain water stream that had water for hardly six months in a year. In summers, it used to be totally dry.
 

To enrich the water table, over a hundred checkdams were built in Bundelkhand by Development Alternatives. This dramatically changed everything. After all, life flourished around water. Soon, water became a beacon of hope.
Gradually, accumulated rainwater of the checkdam percolated into the ground, recharging the groundwater table. It then became possible to grow two crops a year. It changed the lives of the villagers overnight, providing them a sound economic resource base to bank upon.

Even in the sizzling summer months, when the sun burned in the sky and mercury crossed 47 degrees centigrade, there was water in the dams. Villagers could not believe the fact that they could fish in summers. This was a scenario they never imagined three years ago. The idea was simple: “Catch every tiny raindrop as it fell.”

As 115,200 liters of water was the daily requirement of TARAgram, recycling of water helped reduce the requirement of fresh water to 5,500 litres. Recycling also directed the water for construction of building material. Slowly, villagers understood the importance of saving water and recharging natural aquifers.

As TARAgram evolved, it was natural that a handmade paper unit was to follow. Orchha had all the required ingredients: skilled manpower, unskilled women and unemployed youth to fill in. Besides, raw material in the form of cotton rags and waste paper was available. Jhansi also had plenty of cellulose fabrics to blend with the waste material.

To get everyone involved, locals were recruited. Most of them were women who, for the first time, stepped out of their homes to work. It created a different ambience. To make it easier for the women to come to work, a creche was started. Schoolchildren were taken by a bus to a nearby school in picturesque Orchha.

Seeds of Change

Regenerating human resource

Could an initiative like TARAgram be replicated? The answer is in the affirmative. Such initiatives integrate local renewable resources, skills and technology for a sustainable living. And, more importantly, they demonstrate that sustainable production systems could be economically viable as well. TARAgram also showed what could be done in an area like Bundelkhand. Basically, it demonstrated the power of technology, created wealth through regenerated resources and focused on the basic
needs and livelihoods. It is a model worth thinking about.   

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