Over 100 people, including women, residing under miserable conditions within Kosi river embankments in Supaul, Bihar, embarked on a 250-kilometer padyatra (walkathon) to Patna, advocating for their longstanding demand for rehabilitation.
The Padyatra
- Duration and Route: Spanning 12 days, starting from Supaul’s Bairiya Manch, traversing six districts.
- Demographics: Predominantly individuals aged 40 and above, with some over 60, showcasing determination despite adversities.
- Awareness Efforts: Distributing 40,000 handbills en route to educate people about the plight of Kosi river dwellers.
Support and Solidarity
- Arrival in Patna: Reached Gardanibagh on February 12, where activists like Medha Patkar, Prafulla Samantra, and Sunilam voiced solidarity.
- Unheeded Recommendations: Medha Patkar highlighted the government’s neglect of committees’ recommendations and the plight of Kosi inhabitants.
Root Causes and Historical Context
- Embankment Construction: Initiated in the 1950s to mitigate floods, leading to the entrapment of around 800,000 people across four districts.
- Unfulfilled Promises: Despite assurances by past leaders, the government failed to provide basic facilities and proper rehabilitation.
Current Challenges and Grievances
- Impact of Embankments: Confinement of river water exacerbates flood and erosion risks, rendering residents’ lives precarious.
- Relocation Dilemma: Promised lands outside embankments remain elusive, with some resettled areas falling prey to land mafias.
Demands and Legal Actions
- Rehabilitation Demands: Urgent need for a fresh survey to identify and relocate unrehabilitated families and those displaced due to erosion.
- Legal Pursuits: Initiatives like the Chandra Kishor Pathak Committee and subsequent litigations seek justice and implementation of rehabilitation measures.
Controversy over Land Ownership
- Land Survey Disputes: Disagreements arise over the government’s land survey rules, potentially endangering farmers’ land ownership.
- Calls for Fair Compensation: Demand for equitable compensation or land allotment outside embankments to affected landowners.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):
- What was the primary purpose of the padyatra undertaken by over 100 people from Kosi river embankments?
- A) To protest against government policies
- B) To demand proper rehabilitation
- C) To raise awareness about environmental issues
- D) To seek compensation for crop damage
- Who addressed the padyatra participants upon their arrival in Patna?
- A) Political leaders
- B) Local officials
- C) Renowned activists
- D) Religious leaders
- What was one of the main grievances of the residents living within Kosi embankments?
- A) Lack of access to luxury amenities
- B) Loss of agricultural lands
- C) Inadequate transportation facilities
- D) Insufficient educational institutions
- What was the outcome of the land survey conducted by the Bihar government?
- A) All lands within embankments were allotted to farmers.
- B) Farmers retained ownership of lands within embankments.
- C) Lands within embankments were declared government property.
- D) Farmers received compensation for lands affected by floods.
- What action did the Patna High Court take regarding the Chandra Kishor Pathak Committee report?
- A) Ordered immediate implementation of the report’s recommendations
- B) Requested a status update on the report’s implementation
- C) Dismissed the report as irrelevant to the case
- D) Called for a fresh committee to reassess the situation