It was a heart-warming scene on Saturday morning at Ranchi railway station as Jharkhand’s waterman Simon Oraon was hailed with chants of ‘Pahara Raja ki jai’ on his return after receiving the Padma Shri by the hands of President Pranab Mukherjee.
Talking to The Pioneer with his ever-present radiant smile on Saturday, he light-heartedly established that receiving one of the nation’s most prestigious civilian awards has not changed him by a great deal. “Humko to kuch alag nahi laga. Ye to janta ka samman hai. (I don’t feel any difference. It is the people who have been honoured.)”
Even on his journey to New Delhi to receive the award, he did not forget his love for the nature. “I took some tree seeds from my village to New Delhi and planted them there. We shall how they fare. In return, I took some seeds from there; some of them I planted near the railway station and will plant some in my village,” Simon said with joy equivalent to someone receiving a precious gift.
Discussing his plans for the path ahead, Simon expressed his desire to expand his work in areas beyond Bero. He emphasised on the need of working together to attain the greater good. “All families, villages and towns, as one, should live in harmony and work to make a better life for one another. There is no greater faith than affection for the next man,” he said.
Winning the Padma Shri has strengthened his spirit to pursue his goals of water and environment conservation, it would seem. Without giving up his cheerfulness voice, Simon seriously condemned the prevalent practices which have created grave concerns pertaining to nature in recent times.
“We are the ones wasting water. Huge apartments are being built but without soak pits to recharge the groundwater level. Concrete drains are being built. We are consuming water but not giving it back. Rains have been scant but we are blocking recharge ways to sources of water,” Simon advocated.
laying equal emphasis on the issue of mindless deforestation in and around Ranchi, Simon named it a crucial factor behind the rise in temperature around Ranchi. “In the past, summers in Ranchi were very pleasant whereas those in Delhi used to be unbearable. But as green cover has decreased here, due to negligence, and grown in Delhi, courtesy stringent norms, the situation has reversed. I observed this during my recent visit to the capital city,” he said.
Offering solutions simultaneously, Simon said, “In available spaces, ponds and wells should be constructed so that the water from above (rainwater) can have a place to gather. Handpumps and deep borings should be strictly banned in villages. A covered four-inch hole in the ground will be of no assistance in recharging the water withdrawn through it. Ponds and wells should be promoted instead; it is through them that rainwater meets groundwater, adding to the latter.”
Directing his suggestions towards the government authorities, ‘Baba’ further added, “Government projects for the rural populace should be structured in accordance to the practices of the region as this will help in implementing the initiative. Procedure should be simplified; unnecessary parties between the beneficiaries and the one overseeing the project should be minimised to check loss in funds due to corruption.”
Promoting waterless agricultural practices like animal husbandry and textile manufacturing will prove to be effective replacements for farming in times of water scarcity, he suggested, Government should take notice of this.
“This is our last chance for salvation. We will be saved if we pay heed and change our ways, otherwise everything will end,” stated Simon, with a grim voice for the first time in the interview.
