KAPADVANJ, JUNE 17, 2010: Taking a Right based Approach; Kapadvanj Don Bosco takes a lead in getting people organized for the Morcha with regard to the delayed payments.
On June 14, 2010 Fr. Mayank, Fr. Isaac, Bro. Royston and the staff of DRISTI along with thirty people from different villages set outside the collector’s office and carried out a symbolic fast from 11 am to 5 pm.
A month long preparation has gone into making this morcha a success. Since the NREGA work has started, people have been complaining of either no payment, delay payments or less payment. In Kapadvanj Taluka there has not been even a single work place where the payment has been done in fifteen days which the scheme itself notifies. In order to tackle these problems the staff of DRISTI along with the people worked hard but the result was only that those who were coming forward to ask for payments, were the only beneficiaries of the movement. Thus, the staff of DRISTI decided to collect data from the whole taluka and make a thorough study of the situation. They managed to collect thirty nine musters of ten villages in which they realized that there were no payments or delayed payments.
To make sure that payment should be done in 15 days.
To give compensation for the delayed payments,
To increase the pay scale.
To involve more local panchayat so that people can benefit more from the scheme.
The Kheda District Collector was very polite in dealing with the situation. He went through the file immediately and asked for clarifications. He assured that he would forward the file to the DRDA and NREGA cell.
The event was covered by a number of media agencies both electronic and print. There was a huge support from the friends and well wishers of Nadiad.
Mr. Kamlesh Dodia the social worker from Alirajpur Don Bosco was very appreciative of this step. He said “This is an example and a new breakthrough in working for people’s right for other institutes.”
Fr. Isaac was very much taken up by this whole experience being with the people for the Morcha. He commented “I have been talking in all my sessions about Right Based Approach now I know what it means to be part of Morcha. We, Salesians should also go in for such type of work when people suffer due to the unjust system.
Fr. Ivan D’Souza sdb, the Rector of the House congratulated all the efforts and he was very appreciative and supportive of the new steps taken by DRISTI.