RURAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION Gramya Bhavan, Aruvankadu 643 202, the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, South India

RURAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION Gramya Bhavan, Aruvankadu 643 202, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, South India

RURAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION (RDO)

TRAVERSED on THORNY PATH for THREE DECADES

A DEFINITE RURAL DREAM in RDO MIND-A SUCCESS

1 NGO A BRIDGE BETWEEN GOVT and PUBLIC

When we think of problems especially economic and development ones in rural India even in the modern times, the first thing which comes to everyone’s mind is, no doubt, Mahatma Gandhi who said:”India lives in Villages and the downtrodden and the rural poor are to be uplifted”.

Though hundreds of thousands of towns have mushroomed all over the country after the Independence, as far as India is concerned it is still appropriate to call many of them as ‘Village Based Towns’. Because business of all sorts in towns and cities including Ooty, Coonoor, Kotagiri and Gudalur towns (of the Nilgiris district) across the country depends on the purchasing capacity of the villagers.

If the gates of villages are closed for a day, the towns will, do doubt, wear almost a deserted look and the shopkeepers will down the shutters keeping their fingers crossed. As our beloved Mahatma Gandhi had dreamed, the improvements in village economy with basic facilities especially education and health have been gradually pushing up the entire country on development path thanks to sustained efforts and implementation of rural development schemes by the successive central and state governments.

However, the mission for a hundred percent developments in remote hamlets from Kashmir to Kanyakumari is not yet over, given the panorama of the country at large. The ultimate success can be achieved in the long run when all the people, social organizations, nongovernmental organizations and the youth extend their whole hearted support and cooperation to the powers-that-be.

Worldwide particularly in the developing countries like India, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) remain a bridge between the government and the people and are playing a greater role in uplifting the rural economy in coordination with the district administrations across the country. It is more relevant to remember the words of late dynamic Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi-“There must be complete confidence and mutual trust between the bureaucracy and the voluntary organisations”.

Being a dedicated grass root level NGO, the Rural Development Organisation (RDO) has developed a good rapport with the Nilgiris district administration and achieved many a goal in rural pockets-many with the organisation’s sustained efforts coupled with the officials’ support and some with a strong fight after spending sleepless nights.

RDO BORN at ARUVANKADU in 1980

Rural Development Organisation (RDO) Trust, which was born in 1980 at Coonoor on Coonoor-Mettupalayam National Highway Road, have been traversing on the thorny path to fight and serve the rural masses in the Nilgiris district for the past three decades. Though it has succeeded on education, health and livelihood fronts in hundreds of poor and remote tribal, dalit and Badaga villages in the hill district to a

2 remarkable extent in the last thirty years, it continues to serve more villages and also to work on a new project such as individual toilet in each of one lakh households in the Nilgiris district.

FRIENDS HESITATED, Mr. PERUMAL UNFAZED

Mr. N. K. Perumal, Founder of the RDO Trust, recalls the heart rending story on the emergence of RDO Trust:”When I landed in the educationally and economically backward Nilgiris hill district in 1970s after relinquishing the trade union activities with a clear and definite dream of Mahatma Gandhi on Rural Development in my heart, I had to walk miles and miles daily to see the very poor living condition of the tribal and dalit families as well as daily wage earners from different communities. On seeing the pathetic conditions prevailing in the remote rural pockets, I almost broke down and my mind was much perturbed. I made up my mind to do something to improve the worse conditions. I had to think of permanent solutions as the back-breaking expedition in the rural belts constantly reminded me of the untold sufferings experienced by the tribals and the downtrodden.

“As I became digitigrade almost walking on my toes without touching the ground with my heels in the faraway hamlets, Grama Valarachi (Rural Development) seemed to have been nailed deep in my heart. Thus, Rural Development Organisation was born with a clear and concrete objective to develop the remote backward villages. In fact, my friends, relatives and even my better half Revathi had feared, hesitated and objected and almost discouraged me saying that ‘You will end in a fiasco’ and advised me to continue the trade union activities comfortably to lead a stress free life.

“ However later, on seeing my genuine struggle and my mental-physical pains as well as hindrances in my path, many including my wife came forward to extend helping hands. So, as everybody accepts the saying-there is a woman behind the success of every man in the universe, my better half Revathi stood by me during difficult times and remained a propeller whenever I faced a set back in my mission. By God’s grace, the RDO trust got the dedicated and honest employees and workers for efficient administration and effective and fruitful field work. I salute everyone responsible for shouldering the RDO’s reputation built over thirty years. Because, the organisation did not sleep on a bed of roses for thirty long years but toiled hard treading on the rugged and thorny paths to achieve to the content of our heart”.

FIRST 10 YEAR ACHIEVEMENT A FILLIP TO RDO TEAM

The RDO stands tall today, with appreciations from various quarters because the achievements in the first 10 years of its 30 years existence gave a fillip to the organisation. Otherwise, the RDO might have been a name-sake organisation and the

3 people might have ridiculed it as a crippled movement. Again and again, it is the prime duty of the organisation to salute with folded hands and pat all who actively took part and won the battle to ensure justice, freedom from slavery, livelihood guarantee and economic empowerment of women in tribal and dalit villages in the first decade-1980 to 1990. In reality, the battles won in the first 10 years were crucial and an oxygen to the RDO.

Strongly believed in the message that education would open the eyes of the illiterates and slaves, the RDO first opened adult education centres in 1981. About 27,000 people including 75 percent women benefited by the adult education initiatives. Around 6,500 persons including a good number of women were trained to sign their names, write and read to a tiny extent. As a result of it, a team of rural adivasi and adi dravida women were sent to the meetings attended by the well educated representatives of England, Netherland and Ireland.

Though these women were unable to speak English and write, they had the capacity to think and express their thoughts in their dialects which could be translated in regional, national and global languages. Hundreds of women also were given an opportunity to take part in training camps held at Bengaluru, Chennai, Madurai, Tiruvanandapuram, New Delhi and Agra. The success of adult education programme and the subsequent activities led to a civilized life in their remote villages. They applied coconut oil to their hitherto dirty muddy hair, combed neatly, wore washed clothes and walked in a joy. One can easily differentiate the undeveloped and slavery scenes seen in the rural belts thirty years ago and the remarkable improvement thirty years later. All these materialized because of the RDO’s revolution.

DINGY WOMEN and CHILDREN BECAME DINKY

Having succeeded in changing the dingy mindset of the adults, who could be called as parents, into the dinky, the RDO’s next clear goal was child education. The field workers of the RDO started door to door campaign, distributed several thousand handbills, organized public meetings, enacted street dramas, sang folk songs and organized orchestras to motivate the parents to send their children to schools. The hard work did not go waste. 2116 children from tribal, scheduled caste and backward class families were enrolled. Immediately the RDO set up supplementary schools in villages to impart education to these children. The supplementary schools were not for the same sake but they aimed at imparting quality education with English speaking training, picnics, medical and sports facilities.

Actually, the major Rural Education Programme was first started in 10 villages in the first phase in 1982 itself. The villages covered in the first phase were Bellada, Dikland, Kil Hosatty, Gandhipuram, Kattery Road, Sogathorai, Kethorai, Kollimalai, Semandhada and Gandhipudur. The second phase covered another 10 villages namely Selakandy, Sengathorai, Kaishola, Rajendra Nagar, Kerada Lease, Oorthidu, Ambedkar Nagar, Kannimariaman Koil Street, Neduga Kombai and Oranally. All these 20 villages were

4 inhabited by tribes, scheduled caste and backward communities. Eight Balvadis were opened under the Rural Education Programme and later, five were handed over to the government under the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Nutritious Noon Meal Scheme.

The Rural Education Programme proved to be a success and spread in other educationally and economically backward villages. The credit goes to the three committees-Village Committee, Youth Committee and Women Committee-formed by the RDO. Women Committee played a pivotal role in the Rural Education Programme.

The girls and boys, who had been grazing cattle and collecting dried eucalyptus tree leaves to supplement their illiterate parents’ income years ago, became educated and attained economic independence by joining the mainstream. The present scene is that they are all depending on their own legs either through the SHGs economic activities or self employment/cultivation. A remarkable development is the present scene in villages.

KNOWLEDGE SEMINAR YIELDED MILK

Furthermore, week end seminars were organized for these villages. 1448 men and women participated in the seminars which focused on the role of women in rural development, environment, socieal forestry, self help programme, small savings, family welfare, labour economics, youth activities and national integrity. The week end seminars led to the opening of savings bank account by more than 360 families. The knowledge creating seminar did not stop with the savings bank account but it went on to help the poor landless labourers to purchase milch cows to suit their environment with the financial assistances from Canara Bank and Indian Bank to the tune of Rs 4.67 lakh. They become members of the Cooperative Milk Societies and promptly repaid the bank loans. The Reserve Bank of India lauded the services of the RDO.

Rs.1. 33 CRORE BASIC AMENITIES

The organisation worked in villages where the basic facilities were almost zero. Since the organization alone could not provide basic amenities as huge funds were required, the information about the plight of the villages was brought to the knowledge of the district administration. Shunning the common practice of blaming the officials for lack of facilities in villages, the RDO employees developed a good relationship with the officials and asked them to address the genuine grievances amidst difficulties and oppositions.

In the long run, the government spent directly Rs. 1. 33 crore for basic facilities like roads, water, foot paths, electricity, toilets and conversion of huts into pucca houses. The organisation spent Rs 5. 38 lakh for the construction of schools and is still indebted to thank the successive District Collectors, Block Development Officers and bank officials.

5 MANY LIVES SAVED FROM DEATH BEDS

The villages in which the RDO team worked were totally unhygienic. Parents and children were fragile owing to lack of nutritious food. Adequate vitamin tablets were distributed door to door and encouraged them to devour the vitamin tablets daily without fail. Every month free medical camps were organized to screen them and detect diseases. A doctor and a seasoned assistant were involved in the mission to check the health of villagers and guide them regarding the health problems.

The timely medical assistance extended by the RDO saved many lives from the death beds. Besides heart patients operated on, eye treatment at Immanuel Eye Hospital and provision of artificial calipers to the disabled, many patients were transported to Ooty, Coimbatore and Chennai for treatment.

ECONOMIC RENAISSANCE

Satisfied with the results of the adult and child education as well as health improvement programmes implemented by the sincere and hard working RDO team which could not remain passive and idle in the belief that “We Can’t change their life in remote villages”, the organisation decided to ensure economic independence in individual households. Though the country has attained the political and social freedom, income generation is the real freedom in every individual man’s life. It decided to bring about an economic renaissance and worked on village based viable schemes such as cattle breeding, bee keeping, tea cultivation, running petty shops, eucalyptus oil manufacturing, rabbit breeding and tailoring.

The RDO helped them to obtain banks loans worth about Rs 51 lakh and in addition to its interest free loans to the tune of Rs. 3.29 lakh for the schemes till March 3, 1990. Consequently, a huge action plan was drawn up to convert the waste lands into tea estates, which ultimately led to the creation of a model tea garden spreading over 20 acres. The model tea farm gives jobs to fifty workers and disburses wages to the tune of Rs. 3 lakh per year.

INHUMAN MONEY LENDERS RAN AWAY

Looking back at the economic condition of the villages twenty years ago, we could shed tears because almost every village was dominated by barbarous “Kanthuvatti” (illegal money lending at highest interest and it was then called meter vatti) operators from Coimbatore, Annur, Avinashi, Mettupalayam and Sathyamangalam. Not only the dailts and tribals but also the agrarian Badagas were affected by Kanthuvatti.

The main reason for the thriving of Kanthuvatti then was the meagre daily wage- Rs.10 to Rs.20. The daily wage earners could not find jobs in agriculture farms throughout the year. As they did not have a savings habit, they had to depend on money lenders for urgent needs. The money lenders used to visit the villages before the villagers would leave for agricultural fields in the mornings. On seeing the money lenders entering their

6 villages, the innocent people used to wish them and beg for some money. The men and women writhed like fishes trapped in the fishermen’s net as the money lenders inflicted mental torture on those who were unable to repay the borrowings at the high rate of interest.

At a time when the crazy money lenders became anathema to the innocent people, the RDO team arrived on the scene. The team created an awareness about the danger of Kanthuvatti which would kill many families. Deeply analyzing the requirements of the families, the organisation gave a revolving fund of Rs. 500 to women SHG groups to use the fund for their urgent requirements. Later, the revolving funds bulged to Rs 3000 and Rs 5000, facilitating the SHGs to comfortably use the funds for their family needs at any time.

The money lenders became scared of the flow of revolving funds in villages and ran away from the villages. However later, they tried their Kanthuvatti handiwork in towns and cities and tortured the educated employees and businessmen. We can all recall the story that the government itself enacted a law against the kanthuvatti and annihilated such money lenders at large in Tamil Nadu after the Kanthuvatti crushed many families.

HUMANITARIAN SERVICE DURING 1989 FLOOD

The organisation is always committed to serving humankind. When any man or woman, irrespective of the caste, creed and colour, was found in distress, the RDO would immediately embark on the job of saving their life with the provision of food, accommodation and cloth.

When the natural calamity hit the Nilgiris district in July 1989, a number of huts collapsed in torrential rains and gusty winds in Kundah, Oonikandi and Anna Nagar villages. The organisation workers rushed to the villages and not only distributed food packets, clothes and utensils but also provided interest free loans to purchase tiles and repair their huts.

Apart from this, tourists from Andhra Pradesh were stranded near the RDO Office as the bus in which they travelled developed a technical snag. They had to wait for 8 days there. The organisation arranged for free accommodation, food and money for them for eight days. The tourists forgot their ordeal and returned to their home state thanking the organisation for filling their hearts with happiness.

A POLIO HIT DALIT BOY TURNED A POULTRY OWNER

The life of Sivaraj, a disabled dalit boy, might have gone to the hell. But the timely intervention of the RDO team made him a mini poultry owner who improved his frail health by eating eggs from his own poultry and earned money for survival.

When the organisation started working in Arangipudur village in Kookal panchayat of the Nilgiris district, it heard a sad story about the family of Bannari, a landless

7 labourer, who was dejected in life as his eldest son Sivaraj was a polio victim. Sivaraj was confined to hut as he could not walk to school but seemed to be interested in going to school. The organisation provided crutches to walk and admitted him in a school run by it.

He evinced keen interest in studies with self confidence and outperformed his fellow students. Arrangements were made to admit him in Class IV in the nearby government school. As the boy’s health was weak, doctor advised him to eat atleast an egg a day. The RDO leadership, known for an innovative thinking even during crisis, hit upon an idea to help Sivaraj to purchase a few chickens and look after them so that he could eat the eggs laid by the chickens and produce more birds and sell them. The idea worked out. He daily collected left over in noon meal centre in his school and grains from the village cooperative stores and fed the birds.

Years rolled by and Sivaraj gradually increased the population of birds. When the RDO field staff causally visited him one day, he was all praise for RDO Perumal and showed his poultry unit with 45 birds, saying that “I am standing on my own leg that is poultry”.

UNITY OF ‘DICKLAND’ FAMILIES LED TO SUCCESS

Dickland dalit hamlet with a population of 149 with 49 families was orphaned when the RDO team set foot there. It was almost inaccessible to the outside world as one had to walk through forests to reach the hamlet. Determined that it was the right hamlet to be developed, the organisation drew up a number of plans to generate self employment and approach the banks for loans to these poor families. The banks hesitated to give loans but the RDO did not lose heart and deposited Rs 25, 000 at Canara Bank as security and appealed to the bank manager to sanction loans to these families.

The bank invited 42 families and gave loans for purchasing milch cows. Earning the decent income by way of selling milk, they began to realize that their future could be further improved if they worked together. Sensing the unity of the families, the RDO motivated them to cultivate an acre of waste land in the vicinity of their hamlet. Luckily there was a link road to the hamlet and the shrewd people built a school for their children by carrying construction materials on their heads. Later, they removed the wild bushes and shrubs and cultivated tea, cut flowers and fruits in the waste lands.

When they were about to speak about their enhanced standard of living and express thanks to the organisation, they became disappointed as a team of forest officials barged into the hamlet and ordered them to vacate within no minute. The forest officials claimed that the lands belonged to the forest department. All the families confronted the officials saying “We won’t vacate the place. We toiled hard and improved our life standard. We have every right to live here peacefully”.

On seeing the strong unity of the families, the forest department could not force them out and instead, filed a court case. Unfazed, the organisation engaged a lawyer to defend the case and bring justice to them. After five years, the court gave a verdict in favour of the Dickland families.

8 BATTLE with a MNC IN a PANIYA VILLAGE

The RDO had won many a battle for social, economic and empowerment of the tribal, scheduled caste and the indigent families. But the fight with Brook Bond Estate in Koundankolli Paniya Tribal Village was the remarkable one in the history of the organisation.

Till 25 years ago, a Paniya tribal village called Koundankolli, 70 km from Ooty, was poverty stricken and illiterate. 52 families had been living in their mud huts with thatched roof in a pathetic condition without basic facilities such as potable water and electricity. They had to walk more than 2 km in forests to reach bus stop with a bated breath on seeing elephant herds every day.

25 years have rolled down and now the same tribal village is economically independent and literate as the families are proud owners of 40 acres of tea estates and their children are educated. If the pages of the past 25 years history of the village are turned one by one, the great man will appear in the minds of the public, who had taken sustained efforts and fought a do or die battle with money powered people to uplift this village. The man is none other than Rural Development Organisation’s founder chairman N.K.Perumal who has been proving that an NGO could uplift any poverty stricken remote tribal villages.

Mr.Perumal recalls:”One summer afternoon in April 1987, the RDO team was in Aalavayal Tribal village near Padanthurai to replace the thatched roof of Paniya tribal huts with tiles. A Paniya youth named Balan met me and narrated the tale of his village Koundankolli nearby and requested me to visit his village. We walked 5 km in the forest and reached Koundankolli village surrounded by lush green hill slope. The scene of 52 families living in mud huts with thatched roof without basic amenities touched my heart. Their children stayed away from the schools as they did not like to stay in hostels. The government efforts to put them in tribal residential schools proved to be a Herculean task”.

The tribes led a precarious life and worked in the vegetable farms, paddy fields and small tea gardens in and around their village. They used to take their children also with them to the fields and share the meals offered to them by the land owners with their children. When field work was not available they collected firewood in the nearby jungles and sold it in the bazaars. They also used to take their children with them for firewood collection.

At this situation, Perumal volunteered to interact with about 200 Paniya tribals under a huge jungle tree and encouraged them to educate their children and use natural resources and cultivate waste lands for their livelihood. Next day, Perumal again visited the village and formed a committee, paid Rs 5000 and entrusted the job of building a primary school to the committee. Within a week the tribals put up a shed with mud wall

9 and thatched roof to start a school, which was opened on Tamil New Year Day, 14 April in 1987. Perumal happily returned home.

His happiness did not last even for 24 hours as next day the management of Brook Bond Company reduced the school to ashes claiming that the land belonged to it. The company rejected Perumal’s request to restore the school stating the entire Koundankolli village belonged to it. Unfazed, Perumal strongly argued that the Paniya Tribal community was primitive and the Brook Bond Company came from England and encroached the tribe’s land. As his efforts like filing of case and meeting local trade union leaders did not work out satisfactorily, Perumal decided to stay in the village to fight for the rights of the Tribals. He slept under the tree for 6 days and led the agitation despite goondas surrounded them.

Believing in the media, Perumal warned the adamant company that he would approach the BBC to flash the inhuman and barbarian attitude of the Brook Bond company. After a ten hour heated argument between Perumal and the company respresenatives, the company agreed to allocate one acre per family though Perumal demanded five acre each to a family. The tribals danced and burst crackers as they became owner of an acre each.

The RDO trust initiated an action to put to full use of their 52 acres of vacant lands taken over from Book Bond Estate. High breed tea saplings were raised in RDO’s own nursery and the tea seedlings were planted in their lands. It took four years to give the first yield of green tea leaf. The trust enrolled all the tribals as members of Salisbury INDCO Tea Co-op Factory. The tribals started supplying their green tea leaf and got fair price and government subsidy.

Now, the Koundankolli tribal families are proud owners of 40 acres of tea plantation and 12 acres of paddy and ginger field. The market value is Rs 50 million. Actually it took more than four years for the organisation to realize the dream of making the tribals to be the jubilant owners of tea gardens.

NO SCHOOL DROPOUT IN PANIYA VILLAGE

The RDO trust constructed a school at Koundankolli and appointed two teachers.The RDO school teachers had a tough time convincing the tribals to send their children to the school. The schools run by the RDO achieved a hundred percent attendance. The children who completed four years of schooling at the RDO schools were admitted in the nearby government high and higher secondary schools. There is no school dropout in this village.

Believing that NGOs cannot supplement the Government but supplant the Government efforts, Perumal wants the NGOs to join hands with the Government to eradicate poverty and enhance rural infrastructure utilizing the government funds. He points out that the RDO trust is closely working with the Government since its inception. When Mrs Supriya Sahu was the Collector of Nilgiris and Mr. Pradeep Yadav was the

10 project director of HADP, they accepted the RDO Trust’s request and helped to sanction funds for building houses for each family in Koundankolli village.

CTRD CARRIES OUT RDO WORK

The Centre for Tribes and Rural Development (CTRD), which is working in Gudalur area for the past 25 years, has done commendable services to uplift the tribal community in Elamanna near Gudalur. Since 2012, the CTRD has involved in Koundankolli village and has been following the development works carried out by RDO Trust. The UPASI and Horticulture department are also working in Koundankolli with the support of CTRD. Care India is to be thanked for launching silver tips units at Koundankolli through CTRD. Silver tips project will fetch an income of Rs. 10,000 for each family per month.

TESTING TIME FOR KAMARAJ NAGAR FAMILIES-RDO AGAIN WON

Tired of roaming from one place to another in search of employment for several years, 632 landless labourers finally settled in Kamaraj Nagar in Kil Kundah. They built mud huts and eked out a living by doing casual work. However, their testing time continued as the estate owners vehemently disturbed their somewhat peaceful life and adopted terror tactics to drive them away.

Another sad incident was that the priest of a nearby temple considered these landless dalit labourers as a bad omen and disliked their presence. He openly insisted that they should be removed from the place as he could not see the face of the workers every morning. At this stage, one night when they were asleep, their huts were set on fire. They rushed out and stood on the road as the raging fire reduced the huts and articles to ashes.

The RDO Chairman Perumal rushed to the spot, mobilized the people from the neighbouring villages and protested the evil designs of the landlords. The organisation provided temporary shelter, clothes and food to the affected families. With its support, the huts were rebuilt. They all vowed to unite and pulverize the inhuman designs of the affluent who moved the court to evict them. The organisation engaged a noted lawyer to fight the case in Ooty court. The organisation activists and the affected families prayed for justice. The legal battle, which lasted for two years, ended in favour of the affected. Testing time vanished and peaceful time came in.

RDO SATYAGRAGA SAVED ‘KORANOOR’ RESIDENTS

As many as 23 dalit labour families from Coimbatore district migrated to the Nilgiris to toil in agricultural fields five decades ago. Toiled for a meagre wage for several years without a ceiling over their head, they managed to build huts in Koranoor, 20 km from

11 Ooty, and were living peacefully. Suddenly, their huts were burnt and a forest guard forced them to vacate the area claming that the land belonged to the forest department.

The residents along with the RDO field staff walked 20 km and reached the collectorate and staged a satyagraga. The then collector was kind enough to understand their pathetic condition and permitted them to live in the revenue lands in the vicinity of the problematic land. Later, the district administration issued house site patta to the families and assisted them to build houses under NREP.

The organisation extended an assistance of Rs. 1.68 lakh to them to rear goats and cows and trained sixteen women to undertake collective farming in an area of ten acre waste land near their village. An interest free loan of Rs. 76,500 was given to women who worked hard along with their husbands to cultivate potato and protect the crops from wild boar on rotation basis. The bumper yield fetched them a good profit and each woman received a cash of Rs. 18,678. They repaid the loans to the organisation. The Koranoor collective farming success was repeated in Aramandu village with a financial assistance to take up geranium cultivation.

Avinashilingam Home Science University collaborated with the RDO to assist two Self Help Groups for collective farming under Rashtriya Mahila Kosh programme.

RDO RETRIEVED KURUMBA TRIBAL LAND in BELLATHYCOMBAI

The Kurumba tribal families in Bellathycombai village were gullible and vulnerable for cheating by non tribals due to lack of education and awareness of land value and government rules till the RDO field workers arrived there. Their children remained idle at home or went with their patients to collect firewood in forests and sell at nearby Manjoor town.

The organisation conducted a study on the problems plaguing the Kurumba village and 34 residents. The study revealed that some non tribals purchased their lands and raised crops for several years. As the organisation initiated a legal action to retrieve the lands, the non tribals agreed for an amicable settlement to give back the lands to the Kurumba families. Immediately, the RDO paid Rs 42,000, redeemed the lands and helped the tribals to raise tea in their lands.

Each family started earning more than Rs 12,000 from the tea cultivation and assured the organisation to repay the amount given for redemption of their lands. The organisation did not stop with the retrieval of the lands but constructed a school and appointed a full time teacher to impart education to the Kurumba children. It also provided noon meal to 24 children for four years. After that, it took positive steps to convince the government to open a noon meal centre in the village.

RDO COWS-LIFELINE FOR BPL FAMILIES IN KOLLIMALAI

12 A word which the RDO always sweeps under carpet is Charity because it firmly believes that “Charity will destroy development and instead, financial help in the form of loans will boost Below Poverty Line (BPL) families to work hard, earn more, repay dues and finally stand on their own. This is the organisation’s mantra which proved a success in Kollimalai Kota tribal village and surrounding residential colonies such as Semanthada and Gandhi Pudur.

The organisation hopefully commenced the cow breeding scheme in the village after it got a nod from Canara Bank and District Rural Development Agency (DRDA). It also made the uneducated people to participate in adult education programmes and awareness camps to convince them that they could rear cows and attain social and economic independence. 90 families were below BPL and cow breeding seemed to be more suitable for them in the locality. DRDA came forward to grant 50 percent subsidy to purchase cows.

The BPL families showed keen interest in looking after cows and produced more milk turning their village almost as the land of milk. NIlgiris District Cooperative Milk Producers Union (NDCMPU) sent Lorries twice daily-morning and evening-to transport milk from the village to the NDCMPU, now called Aavin. A study conducted eight months after the scheme was started revealed that for the first time, they started consuming milk, butter milk and curd as part of their food.

Satisfied with the performance of the village, Coonoor Canara Bank came forward to sanction loans for milch cows for the second time. The bank sanctioned loans to the tune of Rs 12 lakh due to the efforts of the organisation. The village remains bright.

“MALIGAI KADAI” CHANGED THE LIFE OF RAMASAMY IN VOC NAGAR

Ramasamy, a landless labourer in VOC Nagar in Nedukula Panchayat of the Nilgiris district, was struggling every day to feed his six children-four sons and two daughters. He was unable to send his children to schools and feed them adequately as his income was too inadequate. When the RDO organized awareness camps about education, self employment and economic development, Ramasamy sought a financial assistance to operate a mini Maligai Kadai (grocery shop) as there was no such a shop in the village. Along with Ramasamy, one more person called Ramakrishnan from the same village also expressed his willingness to run a maligai kadai.

The jubilant organisation gave an interest free loan of Rs 4250 and the duo opened a malaigai kadai. They did a roaring business as there were no such shops in and around the village. They earned a satisfactory income and promptly repaid the loan.

Ramasamy, with folded hands, recalled his tearful old story and RDO made new happy story:”In fact, Malaikai Kadai is a rebirth to me because I could atleast send my younger children to schools due to the income derived from the shop. Earlier, my elder children remained idle, staying away from schools. I am still happy because my younger wards become graduates. I speak from my heart that RDO is a light in my dark life”.

KODANADU ANNA NAGAR a MODEL VILLAGE in INSTALLMENT SCHEME

Situated from 34 km from Ooty, Kodanadu in Kotagiri taluk of the Nilgiris district is today popular among the tourists because Kodanadu view point is the perennial feast to the eyes of the tourists and the locals. In 1980s Anna Nagar in Kodanadu was poor and the residents were in dingy conditions. The RDO formed Village Planning committee, Women Committee and Youth Committee and activated them to develop their village and their life.

The organisation gave Rs 500 as a loan to the women committee for meeting urgent needs and repaying on installment basis. In 1980s Rs 500 was a huge amount due to its money value. Relieved from the debt trap of cruel money lenders, the Anna Nagar residents came forward to pay some amount every month to create a solid fund for emergency needs. As the money pool ballooned, the happy residents drew a lot and gave Rs 700 to a lucky person to buy two gram gold periodically.

They also formulated a rule facilitating any member to borrow money from the village pool for marriage purpose on installment basis. The village women committee also developed the practice of congratulating the newly married couple with a gift. Thus, the village became a role model in loan installment scheme.

RDO ADVOCATED for a SMALL FAMILY NORM

RDO initiatives did not stop with the economic empowerment of women but went beyond it to motivate women to opt and advocate for a small family norm through family planning operation.

Fortunately, when the RDO organized an awareness campaign in Indira Nagar, 14 km from Ooty, it found a dynamic woman named Thulasiammal, who came here from Coimbatore in search of employment to feed her four children-two sons and two daughters. Even her two sons were school dropouts. Having writhed in poverty, she sought the help of the organisation to buy a milch cow. Immediately, arrangement was made for the purchase of a milch cow, her hard work bore fruits in a few years. The number of milch cows increased to three. Her sons and daughters got married because of her sustained efforts.

She encouraged her daughters to accept a small family norm and made them to undergo family planning operation. She boasted of the changes in her family and decided to campaign about a small family norm on behalf of the Rural Development Organisation. She met every woman separately and explained about the changes in her family and also about the family planning operation her two daughters had underwent and the benefits. In the initial stage, only one or women listened to her but she continued her campaign not only about the importance of family planning but also against the husbands attacking wives in the village.

14 The awareness campaign by Thulasiammal with the full backing of the organisation yielded satisfactory results. Men stopped raising their hands and started loving their wives and accepted the small family norm.

SKILL TRAINING for the EDUCATED for SELF EMPLOYMENT

Since the educated youth in the rural areas were unable to find suitable jobs not only in the hill district but also in the plains, the RDO thought that it was imperative to impart skill training in eight trades. Serious efforts were initiated to train the educated boys and girls in the trades namely Cutting, Tailoring and Embroidery, Hand Knitting and Machine Knitting, Typewriting and Secretarial course, Synthetic Gem Cutting, Coir Mat Making, Pottery, Motor Vehicle Driving, Steel Fabrication and Steel Work and Carpentry.

HARIDASS a BEST Example in SELF EMPLOYMENT

After the training was completed, hundreds of boys and girls started self employment and shone in life. One best example was Haridass of Doddani village, 17 km from Kotagiri. He underwent training in sheet metal and steel fabrication work and also underwent an apprentice in one of the sheet metal units in Coimbatore and returned home. He expressed his desire to start a workshop in his village and give jobs to the educated youths. Welcoming the idea, the RDO studied the feasibility of the proposal and came to a conclusion that it would be a viable one. It extended a financial assistance and other necessary helps to establish a workshop. Further, it recommended him to avail a loan from District Industry Centre (DIC), which was kind enough to sanction a loan of Rs. 35,000.

Haridass reached the pinnacle of happiness and provided jobs to six youths in his village. This apart, a few others were given training on sheet metal and steel fabrication in the workshop. Like Haridass, many educated youths evinced keen interests in self employment.

BADAGA MOTHER’s LAST WISH at DEATH BED

With the RDO rendering its services in all villages irrespective of caste, community and religion in the hill district, the genuine socio-economic development works carried out by the RDO led by its founder Dr. N. K. Perumal touched the hearts of the elderly persons and children. Many described Perumal as a true disciple of Mahatma Gandhi and Father of Constitution Ambedkar.

After having improved the basic facilities and livelihood in illiterate/less educated tribal and dalit villages, Perumal set his foot in the backward Badaga villages where agriculture is still main occupation but they lacked basic amenities in 1980s. The RDO opened Balvadis, constructed community halls,provided roads, toilets and loans for self

15 employment in Belladah, Kil Osatty and Kaishola Badaga villages. Goghee Gowder, Rama Gowder, Sivalingam and Belli of Kil Osatty village, Matha Gowder and Rama of Belladah and Bella Gowder of Kaishola had extended their whole hearted support and cooperation and played a significant role in implementing the organisation’s works successfully.

During one mid-night, Kailshola village Bella Gowder’s wife had premonition that she should attain Samadhi in the next few hours. She expressed his last wish to see Perumal before God’s invitation to the heaven. Bella Gowder’s son in law rushed to the residence of Perumal at mid night and narrated the story. Stunned, Perumal stood motionless for a few seconds, rushed to the village and shed tears on seeing the Badaga mother at death bed. With the tears flowing down her cheeks, the Badaga mother blessed Perumal in Badaga dialect. All the residents gathered and shed tears.

Within the few hours of the incident, the Badaga mother departed from the world permanently.

RDO SAVED the LIFE OF a 12 YEAR OLD GIRL PATIENT

RDO Perumal, the name familiar with the people of the Nilgiris because of RDO’s humane services and economic development activities, is kind enough to go to any extent to save the life of the poor children. Though thousands of people benefited by the RDO medical camps, it took titanic efforts to mobilize adequate funds for the treatment of Selvi, a 12 year old daughter of a landless labourer Palanisamy of Gandhipudur Nagar, 14 km from Ooty. Selvi had often complained of chest pain and had been continuously suffering as the pain kept increasing.

When the RDO medical camp was in progress in the village, Palanisamy brought his daughter Selvi and requested the doctors to screen her. She was referred to Ooty Government Headquarters Hospital at the medical camp. A nervous Palanisamy rushed Selvi to the government hospital where the doctors advised him to consult a cardiologist at Coimbatore. He met Mr. Perumal and pleaded his inability to afford bus fare to Coimbatore. Perumal immediately gave enough money to meet the transport and other expenses to cure the girl. He also advised Palanisamy to take her daughter to G Kuppusamy Naidu Memorial (GKNM) Hospital.

A team of specialists in GKNM hospital recommended surgery for Atrial Septal Defect and asked Seliv’s father to pay Rs 36,000 for an immediate operation. Palanisamy was shocked and was wailing without knowing what to do. The matter was brought to the knowledge of Perumal who vowed to save the life of the girl. Perumal succeeded in mobilizing the funds through his sustained efforts. He himself contributed Rs 8000 and the remaining came from Prime Minister’s Relief Fund-Rs.13,000, Chief Minister’s Relief Fund-Rs.11,000, Coonoor Chengappa-Rs.1000, Lion Boriah-Rs.1000, Lions Club of Ooty- Rs.700 and Parents of the patient-Rs. 2,000. The total amount was Rs 36,700 which was the exact fee for the successful surgery performed on May 11, 1993.

16 The girl returned home happily and the whole village expressed thanks and said in one voice that they were grateful and indebted to the Rural Development Organisation.

APPRECIATIONS FROM ABROAD for RDO

The RDO won the applause of the Indians and Foreigners for its best work and service in rural backward areas.

Vimala Devi Becharry Panary of Mauritius scribbled-“There are no words of how to express my admiration for what you and your organisation are doing for the rural people. Indeed, I am thankful to you for all the good deeds you are doing to come into the help for these poor people. May God bless you and your organisation and may your Organisation prosper more and more”.

Simiarly, Jeanne K Noyetabura of Tanzania penned-“I wish to express my appreciation for the work done in the RDO but I would like to commend you also for the outreaching heart and the sacrificial cause you have taken up for the benefit of the most disadvantaged people. May God bless you abundantly”.

VISIT of DIGNITARIES to RDO

The dignitaries who paid a visit to the Rural Development Organisation were Mr Borje Svensson, General Secretary of the IFPAAW, Geneva, S P Kumaravel, Asian Regional Represenative of IFPAAW, Ms Agneta Baglin and Mr Bosse, TCO of Sweden, Ms Belinda Bannet, Senior Consultant, Training Centre for Entrepreneur Development, Madurai Kamaraj University, Mr S Gopalan, Director General, CAPART, New Delhi, C S Pandey, Deputy Director (Engg.), CAPART, New Delhi, Mr P Mariaselvam,General Secretary of People’s Agricultral Farm, Pudukottai, K Pradhani, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Mrs Denise Jean Paul of France, DPA Naidu, Regional Advisor on Rural Workers’ Activities, International Labour Organisation, Bangkok, and Arun Shah, Assistant Director, CAPART, Mrs.& Mr.Ravi Shankar Aisola IFS, Consulate General of India, Vancour, Canada, R.Sathiyasundaram, IPS, ATI, Mysore, G.V.Shankar (IAS), Principle Advisor on Indian Affairs to Premier of Saskatchuvan, Canada,Nirmala din IPS, Maharastra,Dr.S.Boopathi, ATI, Mysore. Mr.Samir Roy, Executive Director, Institute for Plantation Agricultural Rural Workers, West Bengal, Mr.P.P.Sivapragasam, Human Development Organisation, Kandy.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO COLLECTOR ATHIMOOLAM BORE FRUITS

The RDO had strongly recommended to the then dynamic Collector N Athimoolam that since the National Rural Employment Progarmme was playing a significant role in the development of villages, an emphasis should be laid on this. It suggested that instead of putting up more constructions in rural areas where already sufficient buildings were available, a survey should be conducted to identify villages to build community halls and balvadis with a clear focus on dalit, tribal and Badaga villages.

17 Pointing out that the Nilgiris had accommodated more than 50,000 Sri Lankan repatriates, the organisation stressed that further migration should be banned to maintain the ecology of the hill region. It expressed the concern over the degradation of the pristine beauty of Ooty and called for an immediate measure to protect it. More important was the Nilgiris district should be exempted from power cut in order to ensure uninterrupted operation of Tea factories because 2 lakh people were depending on agriculture and allied industries.

These suggestions have been even now relevant and implemented by the successive governments. The present state government permitted the Nilgiris district to be exempted from power cuts. The environment and ecology degradation has been prevented to a possible extent.

COLLECTOR RAJKUMAR GAVE an IMPETUS to NGO

The RDO felt the need to recall some of his achievements because he believed and encouraged the NGOs to support the district administration to implement welfare and development schemes in rural pockets. Collector G A Rajkumar visited 192 villages and redressed grievances to the satisfaction of the people and organisation within a year. He issued 3400 house site pattas to the poor within eight months. It was a remarkable achievement. As many as 17,659 students benefited by free bus pass in the tiny hill district.

Committed to protecting the environment, Mr.Rajkumar prevented felling of trees and preserved forests. Hectic attempts of Multinational Companies and influential timber merchants to obtain tree cutting permit from this collector ended in a fiasco. He took a stern action against the timber merchants who violated the rules. His put an end to the common practice of the Kerala and Karnataka people grabbing the government lands in Gudalur block of the Nilgiris district.

He ensured smooth bus services to villages from town and also ordered adequate bus services from village to village. He streamlined the Public Distribution System (PDS) through periodical inspections in civil supplies department. The ration items were distributed to the card holders. Even village committees were formed to monitor the PDS. He opened 22 new ration shops to meet the needs of the people and essential commodities were supplied through Lorries in remote areas.

He eradicated illicit arrack brewing and sale in the district and the protected the health of the poor labourers and their families. 2,822 persons were arrested in this connection.

Like these collectors, successive district collectors have done a commendable work in the district. The NGOs have extended full cooperation to the district administration for welfare of the people.

18 A Comprehensive Study on Tribal Health Tradition & Folk Medicine

Rural Development Organisation is presently making a comprehensive study on Revitalisation of Local Tribal Health Traditions and Folk Medicines under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. The outcome of the study will be documented and preserved for the future generation of the tribal communities of the Nilgiris district. The document will be immensely useful to the students of Siddah and Ayurveda Colleges across India.

JANUARY 6, 2006 a RED LETTER DAY

January 6, 2006 is a red letter day in the successful history of the RDO because the day marked the Silver Jubilee. This day can not be forgotten by the people of the hill district in general and the organisation head and staff in particular because almost the entire hill station congregated at Gandhi Maidan at Market Bus Stand, popularly known as ATC Bus Stand to witness the Silver Jubilee Celebrations.

About 30,000 people from every nook and corner of the coolant Nilgiris district took a colourful mega procession. The procession started from ATC, went through Main Bazzar and terminated at HADP Open Air Stadium, better known as Breeks School Ground, on the Government Botanical Garden Road. The crowd was spontaneous. The tourist town of Ooty wore a festive look. The happiness on the faces of rural men and women kept the hill town of Ooty smiling.

Mrs.Clair Calassi, Secretary General, Aide et Action, Mr.Chiru, IAS, then Project Director of Hill Area Development Programme (HADP), and Mr.Mahesh Dayal, IPS, then superintendent of Police, Nilgiris, made a fantastic speech and kept the huge crowd a spellbound. The VIPs were so happy that they spoke from their deep heart that they had not seen such a big and well disciplined crowd. The men and women who actively and happily participated in the jubilant procession did a good job at the end of the programme. They collected Rs. 1.65 lakh and donated to district administration for Tsunami relief works. Mr NK Perumal, Founder of the RDO, expressed heart-full thanks to the Organisation Crowd which extended help in the terms of public donation to the Tsunami affected people.

TSUNAMI REHABILITATION WORK

A few prominent international Aide agencies approached RDO and urged it to take up Tsunami Rehabilitation works. Mr. Perumal suggested that only local NGOs should be engaged in Tsunami affected areas to work in a fast way because they were aware of the immediate problems and requirements of the fishermen and their areas due to their direct connection with them.

However, Mr. Perumal volunteered to visit the Tsunami affected areas and identify local NGOs to take up the challenging task. He stayed in Tsunami affected areas in Sri Lanka ( Galle and Tricomale) and Nagapattinam and Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu for three months

19 and identified four NGOs, two in Sri Lanka and two in Tamil Nadu. These NGOs had completed the Tsunami rehabilitation works to the satisfaction of the government and the public.

ADVOCACY and LOBBYING

Besides being active in the Nilgiris, the RDO continues to involve itself in Advocacy and Lobbying at the national and global levels for the betterment of the people and implementation of the relevant projects. It is appropriate to recall that the RDO had played a significant role in enacting Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Act. In 1989, a dedicated team from Tamil Nadu led by Mr Perumal stayed at Pune in Maharastra and made an indepth study on Maharastra Employment Guarantee Act.

Subsequently, the RDO brought 246 grassroots level NGOs in Tamil Nadu under the banner of Joint Action Council of Voluntary Agencies (JACVA). The JACVA team visited every nook and corner of Tamil Nadu and mobilized the agricultural workers to lobby for Maharastra pattern of Employment Guarantee Act. Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi released the audio cassette produced by RDO in the presence of half a million people in Rajapalayam. Consequent to the efforts made by JACVA, Tamil Nadu Government introduced Employment Guarantee Scheme. Following this, the Government of India enacted the Rural employment Guarantee Act.

WORKERS’ PLIGHT PUT in ILO

RDO is working with Asia Consultant Forum to highlight the plight of small tea growers in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Indonesia. The plight of tea growers and plantation workers is being taken up at International Labour Organisation (ILO) for quick solutions.

RDO FOCUSES ON EDUCATION FOR MIGRATORY CHILDREN (EMC)

Again and Again, the Rural Development Organisation is proud of its achievements in the field of primary education which is the indelible root to make every child a complete man. The devoted RDO team walked to the economically and educationally backward hamlets and started 55 schools and provided quality and value education for the poor children in the last 32 years. 85,000 children have benefited in the Nilgiris district so far.

Since it is the motto of the RDO since its inception that all the children should be sent to schools at any cost, it is happy now to see local children from every nook and corner of the hill district walking or travelling to schools in rural areas. However, the organisation found in the recent years that the children of the poverty and Maoist stricken migratory labourers from Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa, Chhatisgarh and West Bengal were wandering in and around tea estates and jungles in the Nilgiri hills.

20 Fearing that the migratory children may be trapped by the anti social elements as India is one of the vulnerable countries for child trafficking, the RDO decided to impart education to these children. It approached Vedanta which, in turn, invited Team RDO to Delhi to make a presentation about the plight of the migratory children before its panel members. A four member RDO team led its founder Mr. N.K.Perumal did so on April 18, 2011. Satisfied with the past and present performance of the RDO, Lakecity Ventures Pvt Ltd (a group of Vedanta) signed a MoU on August 18, 2011. Immediately, the organisation swung into action.

RDO BROKE BOTTELNECKS in EmC

As the outsiders including NGOs cannot enter private tea estates without prior permission of the management, the RDO approached the Nilgiris Planters Association (NPA) and apprised of its plan to enroll the migratory children in schools in April 2011. Mr. N. K. Perumal personally established a good rapport with the Chairman of NPA, Jiten Pareek and explained at length about Education of Migratory Children (EmC). Mr Perumal also met NPA Secretary for the good cause. The NPA gave a green signal to the orgranisation to implement the EmC project efficiently.

The main objectives of the EmC project are to integrate the migratory children with local children and eliminate home sick feeling from their minds and attain holistic development of the migratory children through quality education with community participation. The EmC project is implemented by not only developing close coordination with the district collector and District Education Officer but also involving the estate managements in the project and service clubs and SHGs.

671 MIGRATORY CHILDREN STUDYING in 31 SCHOOLS

The ultimate aim of the RDO is to prepare the migratory children and enroll them in government schools. However, it enrolls the migratory children wherever possible. In such cases, it will appoint additional teachers for the purpose. If the schools have no provision to offer lunch to the migratory children, the RDO will pay Rs 15 per children per day for lunch along with local children. Mr. Perumal recruited new staff for the successful implementation of the project and taught the staff about the history of migration, mindset of migratory workers, home sick, cultural and language barriers. Mrs Vanitha Charles, Assistant Professor, Providence College, Coonoor, conducted a training programme on child psychology, teaching methods, play way methods, government syllabus, extra curricular activities. Mrs. Revathy explained about personal hygiene, nutritious food and teachers-parents relationship.

The organisation is happy that while the estate managements have provided buildings to run schools, Collector of Nilgiris, Archana Patnaik, and District Education Officer are extending excellent cooperation to execute the EmC programme. The RDO has also signed a MoU with the District Education Department to involve the government aided

21 schools in private plantations to take special care to teach migratory children. The MoU has paved the way to appoint Hindi teachers and provide noon meal and nutritious food. At present, 671 migratory children are studying in 31 schools due to sustained efforts of the organisation.

RDO ADVOCATES for a Minimum SUPPORT PRICE for GREEN TEA LEAF

The migration of the Nilgiris boys and girls to other districts in search of employment in garment and hospitality industries is on the rise largely because of un-remunerative prices for green tea leaves. As per the 2011 census, the Nilgiris population is 7,35,071 which is minus 3.55 compared to the 2001 census. It is an indication that the migration will continue in the years to come. If the trend goes unchecked and remedial measures are not taken, the tea estates, the lifeline for 30,000 small grower families comprising 1.50 lakh members and thousands of plantation labourers, will be in the hands of outsiders for promoting real estate business. Already, many have sold their small tea gardens and vegetable farms for construction of commercial buildings such as cottages and guest houses.

The small growers are not getting fair price for their green tea leaves due to globalization and poor quality of tea leaves in the hill district. 30 percent of tea bushes in small growers’ tea gardens are 60 to 100 years old and the rest are 20 to 40 years old that have not been maintained professionally. As a result, quality tea leaves cannot be produced. It is a fact that unless the small tea growers uproot their decades old tea bushes and replace with high quality tea seedlings, a good price cannot be expected. The future of the small tea growers’ children will become a question mark.

THANKS for CHIEF MINISTER JAYALALITHA

However at present, there is a console for the tea growers as Honourable Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha has come forward to rescue the small tea growers by providing a subsidy of Rs.2 per kg. The RDO thanks Honourable Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on behalf of the Nilgiris people. But, fixing a minimum floor price for green tea leaves is the permanent solution to prevent migration and eradicate poverty. The government should fix a price for green tea leaves on the line of the support price fixed for paddy and sugar cane and periodical enhancement. The floor price is very possible if the Defence Ministry comes forward to buy tea directly from tea factories in the Nilgiris rather than buying from middlemen for its one million staff in India.

RDO ACTION PLAN to IMPROVE SMALL TEA GARDENS

*The RDO suggests an action plan to improve the small tea gardens and pluck quality tea leaf to ensure a good price.

22 *30,000 small tea growers in the Nilgiris district should be assisted to uproot 60 years old tea bushes scattering over 30,000 acres.

*150 million high yielding tea seedlings should be replanted to replace the old tea bushes in 30,000 acres.

*The production should be increased from 2000 kg of tea leaf per acre to 6000 kg high quality green tea leaf per acre.

*The annual income of a family must increase from Rs. 20,000 to Rs 1,00, 000.

*Highly qualified professionals should be appointed to educate the small tea growers to produce high quality tea leaf.

*162 bought tea leaf factories, which are buying green tea leaves from the small growers, should be motivated through Tea Board to modernize with latest machineries in order to manufacture high quality tea.

*“On the spot” or field training should be organized to facilitate the small growers to produce and pluck quality tea leaf.

*The small growers should be assisted to avail facilities available with Tea Board, UPASI- KVK and Horticulture Department.

*Migration of small growers’ families and plantation labourers should be checked and prevented once the action plan is put in motion.

OPEN DEFECATION FREE (ODF) DISTRICT PROGRAM

The RDO continues to be active at the gross root level since its inception in 1980. It feels proud of its achievements again and again, thanks to the tireless efforts of the dedicated staff, like minded supporters and partners. Having played a paramount role in the development of many a project for the welfare of the poor and the downtrodden, the organization is committed to making the Nilgiris a defecation free district. For the purpose, it has taken a concrete decision to assist one lakh families to construct toilets in the district in next 10 years.

Mr.N.K. Perumal, Director of Rural Development Organisation, has deeply studied the feasibility of the Open Defecation Free (ODF) programme and drawn up an action to implement it in a transparent manner. Since it is a huge project to be executed involving male and female members in each of one lakh families in the district, transparency is paramount at each stage. Hence, the organisation has a concrete plan to assist 10,000 families to build toilets per year as inadequate sanitation is a significant problem in the district. It is rampant particularly in the rural and tribal belts of the district due to lack of knowledge and resources. Approximately 72 percent of the total population of 7,35,071 living in 2,36,021 houses have no access to sanitation facilities. This problem needs to be addressed before the scale of disease reaches an epidemic proportion. .

23 Hence, in order to achieve open defecation free in the Nilgiri hills, the organisation is working with the rural masses and motivating them to build individual household latrines. The objectives of the organisation are to achieve open defecation free in target area, prevent health hazards that affects the rural people especially women and girls due to non-availability of latrines at homes and schools, improve the village atmosphere, protect the environment and prevent pollution of rivers, streams and wells.

HONOUR for RDO

The Government of Tamil Nadu appointed RDO founder Mr.N.K.Perumal as Chairman of Tamil Nadu State voluntary Resource Centre and Director of Tamil Nadu corporation for Women Development in recognition of RDO’s services and achievements.

Aide et Action international appointed Perumal as its Broad Member. He is the only board member from NGO sector in the world. The FINISH sponsored by the Netherlands based WASTE also appointed Perumal as its Board member.

Mr.Perumal’s speech on Sanitation delivered at united Nation University (UNU) Maastricht, Holland is highlighted in FINISH Net. The organisation is presently representing several committees in the Nilgiris district.

TRAINING SHGs to QUALIFY for TOILET LOAN

To implement the project successfully, more than 70,000 Tribal, Dalit and Badaga women scattered in various parts of the Nilgiris district are being brought under Self- help Groups (SHG) by the organisation. It is also training the SHGs to run their group professionally to avail loans from the financial institutions to construct household toilets. The training will help the SHGs to qualify for loans, increase SHGs in project area, respond to changes in social customs, help students to urge their parents to construct toilets and ultimately help to raise Rs. 20 crore to construct 10,000 household toilets per year

Contractors will not be allowed in the construction of household latrines and the beneficiaries themselves will be encouraged to build. Before beneficiaries take up the construction works, the professionals will give training to local masons to construct cost effective and stable toilets by using appropriate rural technology. Since the Nilgiris experiences gusty winds and rains for 7 months, toilets must be constructed with solid materials and concrete roof. The local experience estimates the minimum cost to construct a household toilet at Rs 25,000. Therefore, it is mandatory for each beneficiary to contribute labour worth Rs 5000.

To accomplish the ambitious goal, it has joined hands with banks particularly ICICI Bank. The organization assisted 2400 families to build toilets during the year 2011-12 with

24 bank assistances. It has planned to involve Small Tea Growers Associations, Nakkubetta Badaga Association, SHGs, Youth Club, Colleges and high schools in implementing Open Defecation Free programme.

ICICI BANK LOAN for ONE LAKH HOUSEHOLD TOILETS

ICICI Bank has assured to give loans to the tune of Rs. 200 crore to construct one lakh individual toilets at households under Rural Development Oganisation’s Sanitation programme in the district in 10 years starting from 2012.

The organisation has already built 2400 household toilets in backward villages like Porthihada. Work on constructing 1000 household toilets is in progress at Kotagiri. In order to implement the sanitation project in rural areas successfully, the organisation has joined hands with the government. Because this organisation strongly believes that social, education and economic uplift of the underprivileged could be implemented effectively with the government support and cooperation. The Rural Development Organisation has released a book on sanitation programme.

While assuring to give loans for construction of toilets during organisation’s sanitation programme, Mr.Sarat Yadav, AGM, ICICI Bank, emphasized that improving sanitation in rural areas was imperative as open defection was the cause for spread of diseases. He said that fund was not a constraint and the people should participate in the household sanitation programme actively. Ooty municipal chairman Mrs. K. Sathyabhama noted that the state government was committed to improving sanitation not only in civic bodies but also in schools. Mrs. A. Menaka, District Panchayat Chairman, and Mr.D.Murugan, Regional Head, ICICI Bank, also explained about the importance of household sanitation.

The RDO remains thankful to Mr. Sarat Yadav, a senior officer of ICICI Bank, for having participated in the sanitation programme and assured to extend loans in the presence of a large number of women SHGs.

Though the capacity building and constructions of toilets will be completed in a village within 6 Months, RDO is committed to working with the target group for 3 to 10 years because of the bank linkages. RDO has to take moral responsibilities for repayment of Loans, which will take 3 years to clear dues. Once the sanitation loan is closed, the target group will be assisted for next loan for additional infrastructure and economic activities.