Anna Pazare ls one of lndlas wellacclalmed soclal acLlvlsLs A former soldler ln Lhe lndlan army

Anna ls well known and respecLed for upgradlng Lhe ecology and economy of Lhe vlllage of ka|egan
S|ddh| wh|ch |s |ocated |n the drought prone Ahmednagar d|str|ct of Maharashtra state 1he
ersLwhlle barren vlllage has meLamorphosed lnLo a unlque model of rural developmenL due Lo lLs
effecLlve waLer conservaLlon meLhods whlch made Lhe vlllagers selfsufflclenL Larller Lhe same
vlllage wlLnessed alcohollsm uLLer poverLy and mlgraLlon Lo urban slums lnsplred by Pazare's
unlque approach of salvaglng a hopeless vlllage Lhe sLaLe governmenL has lmplemenLed Lhe `Model
vlllage' scheme as parL of lLs offlclal sLraLegy Pazare ls now synonymous wlLh rural developmenL ln
lndla
RALEGAN SIDDHI : A MODEL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Swami Vivekananda`s philosophy has great bearing on Anna Hazare. His thoughts and
work have been a constant source oI inspiration Ior him. While serving in the Indian Army,
he had decided to dedicate his liIe to social work, but he did not know how to begin.

While in the army, he used to visit his village Ior two months, every year during his leave
period. The condition oI the village was pathetic and awIul. The land was barren and
undulated. As the village is located in the rain-shadow area, the annual rainIall is a meager
400500 mm. All oI the rainwater use to run oII and get wasted. There were no means to
harvest this precious resource. Whatever rainwater use to get collected was suIIicient to
cultivate only one crop on 300350 acres oI land out oI a total 2200 acres oI land available in
village. 80 Iamilies were surviving on one square meal in a day.
As Iood production was insuIIicient and no employment opportunities were available in the
village, some villagers started brewing liquor to earn their livelihood. Gradually the number
oI breweries rose to 35. They were aware that what they were doing was socially and morally
incorrect, but the circumstances Iorced them to adopt this proIession Ior their livelihood.
Some villagers had to walk 56 km. each day in search oI employment in the nearby villages.
The helplessness due to poverty and indebtedness led people to desperation and ultimately to
alcoholism. Quarrels and street Iights became daily chores. Hazare`s house was in a hamlet
just halI a km. away Irom the centre oI the village. Hazare avoided going to the heart oI the
village due to this pathetic condition. He always Ielt helpless since he could not do anything
to change the conditions prevailing in the village.

When he decided to dedicate his liIe Ior social cause in 1975, he believed charity should
begin Irom home. Swami Vivekananda`s words resonated in his mind - people would not
listen to philosophical ideologies with empty stomachs. Social change is not possible iI
people are haunted by the daily problem oI making two ends meet. Hazare taxed his brains on
how to solve this crucial problem. He remembered that Late Mr. Vilasrao Salunkhe had in
1972, started experiments in watershed development and water management in some villages
near Saswad in Pune district. His work used to be Irequently discussed in inIormal gatherings
everywhere. So, Hazare visited his project and was inspired. States Hazare, ``This visit gave a
direction to my ideas and I decided to undertake similar work oI watershed development in
my village. `
Hazare then paid a visit to the oIIice oI the
then Director oI Agriculture, Mr. Dikshit,
and told him that he had decided to work Ior
betterment oI his Iellow villagers. He
expressed his desire to undertake water
conservation work in his village under his
guidance. AIter some days, Mr. Dikshit paid
a visit to Ralegan Siddhi along with his
subordinates and made a geographical
survey. He was convinced that the
topography oI the village was suitable Ior
undertaking the watershed development
programme and took a decision to
implement it.



On resumption oI the watershed
development work in the village, Hazare
started supervising the work at sites Irom
dawn to dust, without taking a Iarthing as
remuneration. He considered it as social
work; and day by day his experience and
knowledge was building up. With his
experience and knowledge, he constructed
many water harvesting structures with
people`s participation. So Iar, 48 nulla
bunds, 5 cement check dams and 16 Gabion
structures have been constructed. The
villagers under Hazare`s guidance, also
undertook Iodder development, continuous
contour trenches and loose boulder
structures on 500 acres oI land.

The watershed development work helped in
conserving each drop oI rainwater in the
village itselI and in recharging the
groundwater aquiIers. This ultimately raised
the water table. In the same village where
earlier it was not possible to cultivate more
than 300350 acres oI land Ior one crop,
now the villagers are harvesting two crops in
1500 acres oI land. Due to availability oI
water, the agricultural production has
boosted up. The agricultural development
has created lot oI employment in the village
itselI. Not only has the distress migration
completely stopped, but now wage labourers
have to be hired Irom other villages in order
to get various intercultural operations done
in time.


Today the villagers have completely given up brewing oI liquor. Nobody sells liquor in the
village. Further, the shopkeepers do not sell cigarettes, beedies and tobacco too Ior the last 13
years.


Earlier only 300 liters oI milk was sold Irom the village. Now the milk production has gone
up to 4000 liters. This milk is purchased by cooperative and private dairies. This brings in Rs.
1.3 to 1.5 crores (13 to 15 million) annually to the village. The dairy business has Ilourished
as a subsidiary to agriculture which has provided a new income generation avenue to the
unemployed youths oI the village. The per capita income oI the villagers has increased Irom
Rs. 225 to Rs. 2500. This has completely transIormed the economy oI the village. The living
conditions oI the villagers have improved and the gap between the haves and have-nots has
narrowed down. AIter the economic transIormation oI the village, villagers constructed
buildings worth Rs.1 crore (10 million) Ior school, hostel and gymkhana and renovated the
old village temple through Iinancial contributions and shramdan.

Mass marriages are arranged in the village (generally 25 to 30 marriages at a time) in order to
curb expenditure. This has helped in removing caste barriers and promoting social
cohesiveness. AIter the success oI watershed development programme in Ralegan Siddhi,
Hazare replicated it in the neighbouring Iour villages. The results are encouraging. Now the
same project is being replicated in 80 85 villages oI Maharashtra. Like any other village in
India including Ralegan Siddhi, there was a social problem oI untouchability. Today people
oI all castes and creeds live together in peace like members oI the same Iamily. The
consecutive droughts led to non-payment oI bank loans taken by the Dalit community Ior
agriculture purposes. The bank decided to sell their mortgaged land to recover the loans. At
this critical time, rest oI the villagers decided to toil on the Iarmlands oI Dalits and repay the
loan by harvesting crops. The villagers cultivated their land in 1983-84 and 1984-85 through
shramdan (voluntary labour), repaid the bank loan, and saved their land.

In the last 35 years, many institutions and
cooperatives like Gram Panchayat,
Cooperative Consumer Society, Cooperative
Credit Society, Cooperative Dairy,
Educational Society, Women`s Organization
and Youth Organization, with diIIerent
mandates are operating in Ralegan Siddhi.
Till date no elections were held Ior the
selection oI members oI these institutions.
The members were selected unanimously by
the villagers in the Gram Sabha. The Gram
Sabha has emerged as a powerIul Iorum Ior
taking collective decisions at the village
level. All the developmental programmes are
implemented in the village aIter taking
consent oI the Gram Sabha.
Since last 15 years, thousands oI visitors, not
only Irom neighbouring states oI India, but
also Irom abroad, have viusited & are still
visiting Ralegan Siddhi to study the impact oI
watershed development. They include
researchers, academicians, Iarmers,
government oIIicials, people`s
representatives and students.

While implemainting the watershed program
trained manpower is required and realising
that there was paucity oI trained manpower in
Ralegan Siddhi. a training institute to impart
training in watershed development was
established. So Iar, about 1718 thousand
people Irom diIIerent states oI India have
been trained at the Training Centre on
Watershed Development.

Ralegan Siddhi should not be viewed Irom the narrow angle oI materialistic development, i.e.
structures in watershed or economic development. The developmental process in Ralegan
Siddhi is beyond this. There is a social and nationalistic thread passing through the process oI
change.

The big dams are getting Iilled with silt due to soil erosion which is the result oI uncontrolled
tree Ielling in the catchment areas. No emphasis was given to soil conservation and range
development. The top loose soil is getting washed away each year by the rainwater and
getting deposited in the big dams. The top soil is the creamy layer oI the land. According to
scientists, it takes more than hundred years to Iorm 1 inch oI top soil. On one hand, this
precious resource oI top soil is being washed away Irom the villages; and on the other hand, it
is getting deposited in big dams thus reducing the liIe oI the dams. This is going to create
many problems in the near Iuture.
All the major cities are supplied drinking water Irom a nearby dams. All the industries and
sugar Iactories are provided water Irom the same dams. The hydro-electricity power
generation plants are situated on big dams. All these Iacilities will come to standstill one day
when the dams get Iilled with silt completely. These dams will meet the Iate oI death; say
aIter 100 or 200 or 500 years. Nobody can avoid this sorry Iate. Neither the government nor
the people would be able to de-silt these big dams as the back-water spread oI these dams is
60 90 km. It will not be possible to remove the huge mountain oI 90 km. length and 200
300 It. height Irom the dam site. There won`t be any alternate sites available Ior construction
oI new dams. What is going to happen to all these big dams? That is the question.
TransIormation oI village economy alone could bring in transIormation oI the economy oI
the nation. That is possible only through watershed development programme. Today, our
concept oI development is based on exploitation oI environment and humanity. We are
dreaming oI development by uncontrolled extraction oI subsurIace and surIace resources like
petroleum, coal, groundwater, vegetation and aquatic resources. The growing population is
putting tremendous pressure on the available resources. The demands will continue to grow.
Villages in India are Iacing the problem oI scarcity oI drinking water due to depleted
groundwater resource. Water tankers roaming the rural roads Ior supplying drinking water to
villages is a common sight now. II the trend continues in Iuture, one day water will not be
available even Ior supplying by tankers. What will happen to our coming generations iI all
the resources oI groundwater, petroleum and coal exhaust one day? The development oI an
individual, Iamily and village is not possible by exploiting environment indiscriminately, but
by sustainable use oI available resources. Watershed development and water management is
the right approach in that direction. Today, every country is Iacing the problem oI
environmental degradation. International leaders and scientists are worried about the Iuture oI
the Earth alike. Watershed development will certainly provide a solution to maintaining
ecological balance. Our idea oI development is limited to construction oI skyscrapers and
wide roads only. On one hand, the height oI buildings is going up day by day and; on the
other hand, the level oI human values is coming down. This is not real development. An
individual should be able to stand on his own and at the same time think oI betterment oI
Iellow beings, which is true development. One should be able to look beyond oneselI, think
oI one`s neighbour, village and the nation. Today, there is a need to create such individuals
who are capable oI looking beyond oneselI. Such individuals are not created through
donations, subsidy and grants. This is possible through local leadership building programme
where stress would be given on character, right values and dedication. Somebody has to make
sacriIices. A Iield Iull oI swaying crop tells us that a grain has buried itselI into the ground to
give birth to thousands oI grains. The grains which do not burry themselves are taken to the
Ilourmill and ground into Ilour. The grains which sacriIice by burying themselves in the soil,
give birth to a swaying Iield oI crop.
Power Situation during 1985-86 became extremely critical. The Iarmers were unable to liIt
water Irom the wells inspite oI its availability due to insuIIicient voltage to run pumps. The
motors were getting burnt due to Iluctuations and the crops were getting aIIected. There was
scant response Irom the govt. inspite oI continuous Iollow-up. On 28th Nov. 1989 Mr. Hazare
was Iorced to undertake Iast Ior seeking redressal. AIter 8 days oI his Iast , his health
deteriorated and was admitted in the civil hospital at Ahmednagar. As there was, no response
inspite oI action Irom his side, the Iarmers Irom three tehsils became Iurious and they started
road block agitation. Fearing that iI the agitation takes a wrong turn, something untoward
may take place. He appealed to the agitators Irom the hospital bed that they should not resort
to unIair means, damage the national property and inIlict any harm to the passengers. The
agitation should be peaceIul. The police authorities did not expect huge participation and
there was meager police Iorce available.
However, they were proved wrong and more than 10000 men and 1200 women participated
in the agitation. The agitators had oIIered police to take them to jail. However, since enough
transport was not available with the police, the police tried to remove the road block. Due to
improper treatment meted out to the agitators, there was scuIIle between police and the
agitators and the police resorted to lathi-charged on agitators. This action on the part oI police
irritated them and they pelted stones on the police Iorce. Since the situation was going out oI
control, additional Iorce was called and police opened Iire on the agitators in which 4 Iarmers
died on the spot and 7 Iarmers sustained severe injuries. He Ielt sad on hearing this news in
the hospital. The agitation was meant Ior awakening the government and there is no harm in
carrying out such agitations in democracy. He had decided to end his liIe during the Iast
itselI, but Senior OIIicials oI the government and even Ministers persuaded him to give up his
Iast as they Ieared that iI agitation continues, lot many Iarmers may lose their liIe and in order
to save the liIe oI innocent Iarmers, he withdrew his Iast.

Model Village as contemplated by Gandhiji
was brought in reality by Shri Annaji at
Ralegan Siddhi by his dedication. 'Late Shri
Achyutrao Patwardhan, the great Ireedom
Iighter, suggested to the government oI
Maharashtra that to commemorate the golden
jubilee oI Bharat Chhodo Andolan, it would
be most beIitting to create model villages like
Ralegan Siddhi in every tehsil oI the state.
The government accepted this suggestion and
declared to implement 'Adarsh Gaon
Yojana. The Government entrusted this
responsibility to him and Adarsha Gaon
Yojana was started under his leadership . He
travelled whole oI Maharashtra and selected
300 villages to implement this scheme. While
working in this scheme
he realised that development is getting hampered due to planned corruption in Govermnent
machinery and he decided to Iight against this corruption. He gave evidence against two
ministers who had amassed wealth disproportionate to their income. However since the Govt
was passive about this he started agitation and undertook Iast Ior l0 days. ChieI Minister
intervened and he deleted these two ministers Irom ministry and appointed an Inquiry
Commission. The Commission held both the ministers guilty but to save them the Govt
appointed another commission who discharged them Irom the allegations. Though the
ministers were discharged Irom the allegations, they had to loose their ministership which is
the success oI Mr.Hazare's agitation.
Mr.Hazare's gave evidence oI corruption by
Social WelIare Minister to the then ChieI
Minister. On 3lst July l999 the ChieI Minister
inIormed him that inquiry is being instituted
about the charges leveled by him. He had
given an interview to a local daily regarding
this inquiry and based on this interview the
concerned minister had Iiled a case in the
court against Mr.Hazare Ior deIamation. He
was held guilty by the Court and the court
had asked him to give an undertaking that he
will not make such allegations in Iuture.He
reIused to give such undertaking and
preIerred to go jail Ior 3 months as ordered
by the court. He told the court that He was
willing to give his liIe Ior truth. His
punishment created commotion in public and
scores oI people started visiting Yerawada
Jail.

He wanted to compelte his jail term but to give respect to the public Ieelings he accepted his
release.In l992 Gandhji had told the court that iI court Ieels that his actions Ior the Ireedom oI
the country are considered as anti government activities he was willing to undergo any
punishment .Similarly he did not give bond to the court and accpeted punishment. He did not
preIer any appeal against the court order immediately but due to public pressure he later
made an appeal which was upheld by the Higher Court and rejected the suit oI minister.Mr.
Hazare asked the Govt. to conduct the inquiry against the minister which is still on.

In the regim oI coaliation Government oI Congress
and National Congress Party, He had Iorwarded
evidence oI corruption about 4 ministers and had
asked the Government to conduct inquiry. One oI
the ministers had made allegations about corruption
in the institutions in which he was associated. Since
there was no action Irom the Govt. he undertook
Iast Ior 9 dys in August 2003 at Azad Maidan. The
minister concenred also started agitation at Azaj
Maidan in Mumbai. At last the Government relented
and Retired Suprement Court Judge Shri P.B.
Sawant was appointed to conduct the inquiry. The
commission conducted the inquiry and sent its
report to Govt. on 22nd Februrary .
In the report the commission had observed ministers guilty and had held Mr.Hazare also
guilty Iorirregularities but not a single charge oI corruption was proved against him.Mr.
Hazare has oIIered the Government that it should take action against him as well as the
ministers based on the Iindings oI the enquiry comissions.Though Govt has not taken any
action on the Commission's report three ministers had to go and this is a big achievement oI
his agitation against corruption.

He Ielt that corruption will not stop merely by taking action against a Iew oIIicers and
ministers and it is necessary that a change should be brought about in the system, He believes
that unless decentralisation oI power takes place the system will not change.In order to bring
change in the system he Ielt that inIormation should be made available to people regarding
Govt.'s actions which was not being provided to people on the ground oI secracy. Here again
he decided to Iollow Gandhiji's path and started Maun Vrat and later Iast unto death. This
brought pressure on the Govt. and both the Central as well as State Governments have
enacted Right to InIormation Act. His whole liIe and work is based on Gandhian philosophy.
Prohibition
Alcohol has ruined many Iamilies in rural India. The existing laws did not have teeth to ban
the sale oI alcohol in villages. So he decided to press the government to make a law Ior
prohibition iI 50 women demanded Ior it. Ultimately, women are the most aIIected lot iI
their husbands are drunkards.
By the new Act, the women oI any village can collectively demand Ior ban on sale oI
alcoholic drinks in the village. II a minimum oI 50 oI women complain to the District
Collector about their suIIerings and request Ior total prohibition in the village, the Collector
can hold ballot paper election in the village. There will be two signs on the paper one being
a bottle in standing position and another being in a horizontal position. The women will cast
their votes. In the evening, the votes will be counted. II more votes are in Iavour oI
horizontal bottle`, then the Collector will ban the sale oI alcoholic drinks in the village and
cancel the license oI the seller. In many villages, the licenses have been cancelled and total
prohibition came into reality aIter this Act. In some villages, the alcohol sellers have
manipulated the election with money power.
Anyhow, this Act has supported and strengthened the women. Women have become
empowered due to this act and became Iearless to come in open against the alcoholism. This
Act has helped in organizing the women and Iight against evils Ior a common good.
Women`s empowerment is the need oI the day.