VOL. 18 NO. 9 JULY 2021 www.civilsocietyonline.com .com/civilsocietyonline `80 BLESSED IS THE RURAL HOSPITAL How to take better care to villages BLESSED IS THE RURAL HOSPITAL Deepak and Ashita Singh at the Chinchpada Christian Hospital LAKshadweep’s future INTERVIEW IT IS A TIME TO SPEND Page 8 ‘NGOs tANGLED UP Page 35 HYPERLOCAL REPORTING IN MESSy rules’ TAMIL’s defiant fiLMS Page 10 Page 41 HARSH JAITLI EXPLAINS WHY THE THE GREEN CASHEW NUT VOLUNTARY SECTOR IS SHRINKING ETHICAL CHEESE & MORE Page 16 Page 6 Page 45 IN CIVIL SOCIETY EVERYONE IS SOMEONE R E A D U S. W E R E A D Y O U. For 17 years, month after month. Thousands of original stories. Faces on our covers you would not otherwise have seen. VOICES CONTENTS yielding financial gains. Then why SAMITA RATHOR did we choose this model? IN THE LIGHT Dipankar Dasgupta Goa tourism I read Derek Almeida’s article, ‘Does R E A D U S. W E R E A D Y O U. Goa have a future without mass tourism?’ on your website. Very illuminating piece. From an exclusive hippie destination of the 1960s, Goa has steadily turned into a mass tourist Pandemic and us destination. On a recent visit, after 30 years, I noticed more bus-loads of T has been more than a year and the pandemic continues to serve up penny-conscious tourists from Isurprises. Losing friends and worrying about those who are unwell has neighbouring states than foreigners been unsettling. Multiple lockdowns and severely restricted mobility have or big spenders. If what the World made it difficult to function. Economic Forum forecasts about Keeping our magazine going has meant summoning hidden reserves of mass tourism is right and pandemics commitment and inventiveness. Like birds in a storm, we have been become the order of the day, the sheltering in nooks and taking each gust as it comes. writer is right in pushing for a less We are, therefore, more than a little relieved and proud of ourselves that tourist-centric future for Goa, COVER STORY we can bring you this issue of Civil Society just as the lockdown eases and especially when the less touted printing and distribution become possible. industries are already there, waiting BLESSED IS THE RURAL HOSPITAL With extra pages of coverage, this issue combines May and June with July. to grow. Of course, sustainability While the second surge of COVID-19 has shown rural healthcare So, it is three months in one. It is the best we could do under the must be foremost in planning for this systems to be inadequate, doctors and small hospitals in the circumstances. naturally beautiful little state. voluntary sector have been playing a lifesaving role. We are particularly happy to have put together a cover story on rural Amit Kumar Bose 26 doctors and hospitals. It is in villages that the virus’ impact is largely Pre-loved books cargo. All this is something you cover photograph: SHREy gupta unknown. We have taken a close look and we hope our story will give our LETTERS Your feature, ‘Pre-loved books, remember. I can keep talking about Goa only has a future if we restrict readers a fresh perspective on public healthcare and the real needs of the anyone?’ was very useful. Most of us, book-hunting. non-spending tourists. The chief For funeral workers a good meal ..................................... 14 country. lovers of books, collect so many and Archana Godbole minister should curb tourism and Healthcare in India has for long awaited a better vision — among policy- then we don’t know what to do with open all other sectors. Goans are makers as well as medical professionals. The message of the virus is that it is them. Passing them on is a wonderful Farm laws loving the current scene. It feels like Penury and sickness in Rajasthan ................................. 17 time to go back to basics. way to spread the joy of reading. I read your story on the ongoing the Goa of the old days. Less traffic, In Civil Society’s view the healthcare system should be imbued with the Owning pre-loved books also saves protests by farmers against the Union clean air, more time for family and values that open it up to people of all classes and make it truly accessible, money and paper. government’s farm laws. I thought it the susegad lifestyle. When springs dry up in the hills .................................... 18 affordable and effective in a localized way. Shikha Sinha was a very educative article written Rajkumar Naik The virus will perhaps turn healthcare into a political issue, which is what with clarity on the crux of the farming can make a difference to the urgency with which changes take place. But This is an amazing article for a book issues. The pandemic is an opportunity to Tributes ............................................................................................................................. 21-24 before that happens there should be wide agreement that rich and poor lover and collector like myself. I think M.C. Maniraj build an alternative economy in Goa must get the same standards of expertise. the joy of reading actual books and with emphasis on agriculture, More investments are needed, but in many years of covering health in this turning pages cannot be replaced by I could not understand why the manufacturing, IT and other sectors. Narasimha Rao’s legacy............................................................................ 36 magazine we have found just pouring in money won’t do. It is equally Kindle and online reading. And yes, American model was adopted to If Israel and Dubai can convert a important to put medical and managerial talent into government-run hunting your own books from old frame agricultural reforms in India. It desert region into a strong economy, healthcare and reset the standards of the system. sellers of old books has its own is well known that our farming is why can’t Goa with its resources? Small tech, big benefits........................................................................... 37 As journalists, we have found that healthcare works best when doctors are Hindutva vs Bharat satisfaction and leaves its own traditional. Despite so much subsidy Venkidesan Narayan driven by the original values of their profession and take on leadership roles Your cover story, ‘Hindutva vs memories. The Sunday book market and support by the US and Europe to in search of solutions. The system tends to fail when it is weighed down by Bharat’, was prescient in analyzing that was special in Hyderabad. Books their farmers, the agricultural sector Letters should be sent to Cinema ............................................................................................................................... 41-44 the greed for fees and corporate profits. the elections in five states. Sanjaya that you bought which weighed like of those economies has not been [email protected] Apart from our ground reports, we have an interview with Harsh Jaitli of Baru correctly wrote that there was VANI on the problems of NGOs and we go to Lakshadweep for an analysis no sign of any anti-incumbency The goodness of nut milk .................................................................. 48 of the travails of the islands. sentiment except in Tamil Nadu. The SUBSCRIBE NOW! In this issue we bring you again a special Cinema section. You have an BJP’s failure in governance, especially BECAUSE EVERYONE IS SOMEONE opportunity here to get to know pathbreaking Tamil filmmakers whose R E A D U S. W E R E A D Y O U. Plant Power ......................................................................................................................... 54 its mishandling of the COVID work is receiving attention globally. The Books and Authors section provides pandemic, also played a role. On the One year Print + Digital One year Digital a selection of titles worth looking at. And in Living you can discover ethical whole, states ruled by the opposition cheese and nut milk. seem to have better governance and Contact Civil Society at: are more pro-people in their policies. `1400 $50 `1000 $12 [email protected] Shweta Rajpal Individual International India International The magazine does not undertake to respond to unsolicited contributions sent to the editor for publication. Your cover story was a perceptive Name:................................................................................................................................. attempt to weigh the strengths and Address:....................................................................................................................................... weaknesses of the parties contesting the elections in five states. Out of .......................................................State:.......................................Pincode: .................................. Publisher Cartoonist Printed at Samrat Offset Umesh Anand Samita Rathor Pvt. Ltd., B-88, Okhla Advisory Board all of them only the BJP has a clear Get your copy of Civil Society Phone:...........................Mobile:.............................Email:............................................................... Phase II, New Delhi -110020 Aruna Roy ideology. 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