Development /Pathways to participation

PATHWAYS TO PARTICIPATION
SELECTING SUITABLE PATH TO WALK
EMPOWERING PEOPLE THROUGH SELF HELP
S. Rengasamy
Faculty Member
Madurai Institute of Social work
Alagarkoil Road -625002
Tamilnadu. India

Understanding an Urban Ward:
Madurai is one of the cities of India, noted for its ancient glory. It houses the famous Meenakshiamman Temple, a well-known pilgrim center of Hindu religious order. If Madurai is the gateway of southern districts of Tamil Nadu, Ward No: 31 is the gateway of this ancient temple city. It is within this ward boundary, the century old railway station and the central bus terminal are located.
Though Ward No 31 of Madurai Municipal Corporation (MMC) is part and parcel of the central business district, it is exclusively a slum area. The name of Mathura Baskara Doss Nagar by which it is called in the government records is totally unfamiliar to the citizens of Madurai, who call it either as Thideer Nagar (Thideer-sudden; nagar-settlement – settlement which emerged suddenly) or Melavasal (Mela-west; gate-entrance –settlement located at the entrance of the Madurai fort), the mention of that very name make majority Maturitie’s face to screw up. Reserving the ward for scheduled caste candidate further alienated it from the common man to understand it and also encouraged everyone to fabricate concocted tales like the area is infested with petty criminals, commercial sex workers, henchmen etc, which they love to share at the mention of the name. The plurality and indifference shown to its very name is deep rooted and it is further reflected in all other details pertained to this ward.
The project on “Participatory History Writing for Sustainable Policy Options” sponsored by IDS thrown much light not only on the distinct characteristics of this ward but it also proved that public perception is uncharitable.
Urban Ward and its Sub divisions:
It was found that within this ward there are several subdivisions with its own distinct characteristics and these subdivisions responded and reacted to the various govt. policies / programs with varied end result. Thus this ward seems to be a mixture of both success and failure. It was observed that there are subdivision which made impressive advancement by using govt’s. procedural policies only and there are subdivisions which were unable to absorb the heavy financial investment made by the govt. for its development and are in straits now.
Though, Melavasal is a prominent subdivision in Ward No: 31, it can be further sub divided into many, but within it two are the most significant subdivisions – Municipal Scavengers Colony (MMC) and TamilNadu Housing Board Colony (TNHBC). These two colonies are the result of the two major housing schemes of Madurai.
Of these, scavenger’s colony (MMC) is the older. The construction of this colony was started in 1933, following an individual’s resolution moved in the then municipal council, by Mrs.Thayammal and was completed in 1930’s. The next one is the result of the slum clearance work. In order to clear the Melavasal slum, the TamilNadu Housing Board (TNHB) took up the construction of TNHB colony in 1979, and completed it in 1981.
Though the govt. sponsored housing schemes for the low-income slum dwellers are too many in the city, the schemes in Melavasal stands unique in that it is quantitatively the biggest. But for the numerically negligible Muslim families, all other residents of these two colonies belong to scheduled caste communities. Of these scheduled castes (Dalits), Arunthathiars are more in number followed by Parayars and Pallars.
Complexities in livelihood options:
Of all the livelihood options available to them scavenging work in MMC (Madurai Municipal Corporation) seems to be liked most for the job security it offers. There are one or two members employed as scavengers in 35% of the families, working in the corporation. One or two members in 5% of the families go for the same work in railways or in public sector (nationalized banks). As the educational qualification required for securing a scavengers job and to get promotion as maistries (supervisors) thereafter in the corporation is just VIII standard, so many of them are contended with that much of qualification and as a result, highly educated persons are hardly seen here, though the area is surrounded by the schools and colleges which educated the entire Madurai population in the past.
Besides working in the corporation most of the residents of this area are engaged as scavengers in private hospitals, business establishments, lodges and in private houses. Those who do not opt this job earn their livelihood by rag picking or doing temporary errand jobs. All sources of their livelihood are either seasonal in nature or unapproved / unrecognized by the govt. for credit support or looked down contemptuously by others. Majority of their jobs are temporary and time consuming with low wages. So they are forced to involve themselves in further taxing alternative options to make both ends meet. Scavenging in hotels earns them the right to clear off the hotel waste, which in turn, helps them in cattle and pig breeding. Even those who do not have cattle / pigs makes money out of this by selling the waste to the needy. They also collect the unsold food items from the hotels and resale it, which in turn provide income security for the vendors and food security to all living in the area. Their life is centered on the solid waste generated in the central business district.
The sources of livelihood offered to these people in this central economic zone are less remunerative and the alternate options they have chosen to compensate the low income provides only subsistence living. Subsistence living made them immobile and rooted them in the same area for more than three to four generations. The encroachments to accommodate the ever-increasing members of an extended family, which is in vogue here and their cattle which they breed for a living make this area as one of the densely populated with human beings as well as cattle.
Deterioration in social life:
Disability associated with caste, illiteracy, unviable, unremunerative and demeaning sources of livelihood, high dependence on others, seasonal vulnerabilities, risks and setbacks in livelihood, usury, repayment (of loans) at the cost of comforts, near loss of hope in the future, – all these joined together to make a vicious cycle and it acted as a stumbling block in their social advancement and as a result they became immobile. Their life has become stagnant and this stagnation, is evidenced, in dense population, cattle breeding, pig rearing, rag picking, waste paper mart, living on resale hotel food, perennial debt, non-interference and withdrawal from others affairs not because of their magnanimity but due to inability to help them, that made them indifferent. To escape from the alienation created by indifferent attitude, they form into various small cliques. These cliques are, of course, harmless, as they don’t rough their shoulders with one another. But they exercise non-cooperation, which is tantamount to gross disobedience. There are no clashes; yet there is no co-operation in common issues too.
The irony is that they enjoy nothing though they possess everything. They are not jobless but their job doesn’t fetch them either sufficient income or dignity. They don’t go hungry. But there is no respectability in their food winning tactics. They are not homeless. But their houses never gave any pride associated with the residences. They are the scavengers of all streets and establishments in the city; but their residential area is far from cleanliness. In short they live in a state of “water everywhere but not a drop to drink”.
Action research to understand:
Our action research was based on the assumption that these people possessed everything. There are people; they have a job; they have a house; they have food; they have electricity; they have cattle and pigs; they have cliques, which don’t interfere in the work of other cliques. Their strength alone has been taken into account.
Habitation oriented action research:
For example, they have been provided with public housing facilities. What was the origin of their housing scheme? It is one of the biggest colonies established by TNHB in Madurai as part of the slum clearance effort. It consists of 544 multi storied flat houses. Way back in 1979, TNHB has chosen Melavasal to build its model colony simply because it is located in the heart of the city. Added to this main reason, the interest of the central as well as the state govts. in slum clearance and beautification of Madurai city to mark the 5th International Tamil Conference.
All these houses were self-contained with the facilities of electricity and drinking water. to avail this facilities and to maintain it the beneficiaries were asked to pay just Rs.15/- per month as maintenance charge. In the beginning everything went all right. But later all went topsy turvey. There were mutual accusations. The residents blamed the TNHB for depriving them of their basic amenities, which provoked them to stop paying the maintenance charges, while the TNHB authorities claim that the stoppage was due to non-payment only.
This kind of mutual mud slinging continued for long. But the ultimate sufferers were the residents of this area as the basic facilities were put an end one by one. First, they had to go without drinking water; next, they lost electricity. Improper maintenance resulted in the repair of water tanks. The breakage in the plumbing lines of toilets and bathrooms caused the stagnation of sewage. The stagnation of sewage water and the damaged drainage caused a threat to the very foundation of the buildings. There were minor as well as major accidents, too, due to the cracks and breakages in balconies of walls. The iron rods in the ceiling and pillars became visible to naked eye because of the flaw in concrete. Such a deterioration of the houses and the surrounding unhygienic environment prevented the residents from boasting themselves as the owners of a flat of 262 square feet in the center of the city with market value of Rs.5000/- per sq.ft. or rental value of Rs. 25- 50/- per sq.ft.
The election to MMC, after the 74th constitutional amendment, proved a blessing in disguise. In order to woo 10000 voters, the corporation was forced to concede their demand of renewing the basic facilities. Thus ballot proved its might. The service of the other depts. were also sought to protect the building from the imminent danger caused by the stagnation of sewage and drainage. It is reported that a master plan of repair works is sent to authorities for approval and action.
It remains but a mystery and irony that those who defied the payment of just Rs.15/- towards maintenance charges are now paying not less than Rs.100/- for a cable connection. The increase of shops with fridges to sell Pepsi and Coke is an evidence of raise in standard of living. Other sources of livelihood are thought upon to meet the growing consumption urge. When they were unable to find remunerative and dignified sources, they just turn to pig rearing, rag picking, waste paper marts, leasing, renting or selling of houses and ownership rights of places. With all the efforts of the govt. they returned to the condition of the past, even worse than that.
Areas of action research:
Can their conditions can be improved? Any discussions about them either with bureaucracies responsible for that area and NGOs who worked with them in the past evoke only negative responses. One NGO director honestly admitted that since he could not do anything with them he did some thing for them and he profited out of that. Their indifference and dependence was too frustrating.
Undaunted by others experiences we decided to work with them by putting confidence not in our charisma but finding out suitable paths to participation so that the people could walk on their own.
Since we had no resources to work with them except our will and commitment to work with them and in the supremacy of the participatory methodologies, we slowly started to understand their strengths and their willingness and desire to improve their conditions. We slowly realized instead of providing what they don’t have it is better to provide what they have. Insights from the participatory exercises that we conducted made us to initiate habitation improvement programs. We selected some issues for our action research the result of which is replicable to not only to that area but also to all other TNHB colonies located within Madurai and elsewhere.
Our participatory exercises with the people enabled us to take up the following three areas to further work with the people and to create replicable models so that people themselves will undertake it without our assistance.
Improvement in lifting the drinking water
Lighting facility in the stair case
Basic maintenance of the buildings
But the action research was not carried out in all 544 houses. The colony was divided into 34 sectors of 16 houses each, which used a single staircase. It was contemplated and resolved to dilute their weakness of non-interference in others issues with their own strength of forming and acting in to small groups.



PATHWAYS TO PARTICIPATION
SELEC CTING SUITABLE PATH TO WALK
PATHWAY -1


ACTION RESEARCH TO over come the drudgery of carrying water manually TO 2nd & 3rd floors by enabling women TO PUMP IT


The research team learnt few facts during the participatory exercises. The residents of 2nd and 3rd floor suffered from joint pain, chest pain etc. because of lifting of water physically. Even without consulting a doctor, they just took medicines purchased over the counter. Besides they spend not less than three hours in taking water out of that major time is spend on carrying water to their houses. Out of the 544 houses, 50% (272) of the houses are on the 2nd and 3rd floor.
Of these 272 houses, only one family was lifting water by using an electric motor to their house in the 3rd floor from a container put in the ground floor. On being asked, why they too could not use a motor like that family, which would relieve them of the drudgery, came a curt reply, “they are rich and can afford. But we are poor and hence could not afford a motor”. They felt that they were destined to suffer like this and there is no escape from the physical drudgery of lifting water and the tension due to continuous taking of medicines. To escape from this, many have shifted their residences and came down living in a small encroached hut. Due to this the upper floors are fetching less rent many have decided to dispose their houses. It is surprising that they are doing all these in a clandestine way, since the title deed is not transferred to them by the TNHB.
The research team suggested them to use a mini motor to lift the water from the ground to their residences in the upper floor. Even then their replies were evasive as if we are suggesting them to touch a live wire: “We can not afford it; who will spare for electricity; motors may be stolen and will be sold in old iron scrap market for a bottle of brandy. Tubes may be cut; electric wire may be damaged and it will electrocute the user then; plastic container may be bored”. The way they shook their heads for this suggestion was not only discouraging but also insulting.
It is a well-known fact that a demonstration is easier and better understood than a painstaking explanation. So it was decided to demonstrate the suggestion in one block and the research team promised to mobilize the needed resources. Those who are willing to join in this demonstration, as a mark of their willingness, have to purchase a plastic container with a capacity of 200 liters. Two youths from two blocks enthusiastically came forward to organize the womenfolk of their block to execute this idea. But after a couple of days they regretted their inability. So, the research team decided to meet the residents directly and further spread the idea. The reception was encouraging in one block. But when the suggestion was tabled, the residents of ground floor and first floor withdrew from it by saying, “Why should we bore water in a drum; then pump it; then fill it in the vessels. In stead, we could directly carry the water in our vessels”. Irritated by such mocking replies, a woman who was quiet from the beginning burst, “These women folk will not show us the way to live; nor will they allow us to die. That’s why I shun their company”, and she challenged that she is willing to test this idea. Seeing her determination, out of the eight families that occupied the 2nd and 3rd floors, five came forward to experiment the new venture. They bought a plastic drum at a cost of Rs.500/-. In the mean time the mini motor the research team ordered arrived from Coimbatore where it cost Rs.850/-only, while the same product is sold at a price of Rs.1500/- in the retail shop. Yet another sum of Rs.500/- was spent on the purchase of accessories. On the very first day of fixing, water for nearly 100 vessels was lifted. At night when the team met the beneficiaries they were all with smiles and language beggars to describe their happiness and gratitude.
After a couple of days, the families, which declined to join the group, began to demand their right over the mini motor, which was considered as a common property, since the idea was tabled in a joint meeting. They asked for the motor and the women who kept the motor in their custody readily obliged in order to avoid altercation. The other women carelessly handled the switchboard and broke it. Moreover, after using it, without returning the motor to the woman (who was in charge of the motor), kept it in their house and went away locking the house. Others had to suffer again by lifting the water manually.
When the research team visited the block there was a stream of complaints: “ Sir, they laugh at us. Every one makes a claim over the motor. They use obscene words. They took the motor from us and wantonly kept the motor in their house and locked it. The neighbors around us also supported them. They also asked us “Is it your husband’s property? What is the unique thing you have shown them to win over their (research team) favor? Tell us. We’ll also show it to them and get a motor for ourselves”. They expressed their sentiments more in sorrow than anger.
The research team comforted and consoled them. For the question of ownership of the motor, it was decided that those who contributed for the purchase of the drum are the rightful owners of the entire set up. Hence they were instructed to be strict in not allowing others to use the motor.
The usefulness of the motor slowly came to be known to all. Almost all the women residing in the houses located in the 2nd and 3rd floor, began to throng the research team with a request to make similar arrangements for them too: even the ward councilor began to recommend their case. The research team categorically explained its limitations. At best the team can supply another four motors, and all other expenses to purchase the accessories had to be borne by the residents. It was readily agreed.
At the time of writing of this report the team was proud and pleased to record that all the five mini motors donated to the colony are functioning well. Nearly 150 persons belonging to 30 families are benefited by this experiment. Women started addressing the research team members as motor people. Women from other blocks too have begun to approach the research team. When the group said it could, at the maximum, arrange for the purchase of the motor at the manufacturing cost which should be borne by them. Now they seemed to have grown wiser. There are no mocking questions like “you gave them free of cost? Then why should you collect money from us? Don’t we deserve your mercy?” In stead, they have turned wise and expressed their willingness to spend. The only help they sought was to make arrangements for fixing the motor.
As a result of this action research people have grown wiser in the following areas:
1. There is no problem without a solution. Their suffering of a decade was put an end in a single day with the use of an electrical motor.
2. Comforts and luxuries are not the exclusive privilege of the rich alone. The poor can also enjoy the same if they are united.
3. The co-operation in the use of mini motors has strengthened the understanding and relationship among five to eight families in each block.
4. When manual labor was the only means of lifting water, they have not taken a full bath. Now the practice is changed. The mothers give a full bath to their children and every one in the family feels the relaxation comes out after a satisfied bath.
5. The replacement of smaller vessels used to lift and store water, which occupies a lot of space, with a bigger container, is being thought upon.
6. The outcome of using the mini motor made many to think and dream of restoring the piped water supply by renovating the overhead tank and going for a bore well, all of which costs around Rs. 1000/ per household, and fill it with water.
If the above-mentioned points are the lessons for the participants, the following are the lessons for the researchers:
1. The research team thought that it was easy to organize the women block wise on water related issues. Out of the 16 families in a block who use the same staircase, the families living in 2nd and 3rd floor (8 families) patiently heard the research team and agreed to act. The families living in the ground and 1st floor were indifferent to the idea. Water could not unite them but it made them to think and dream.
2. The study group didn’t touch the whole water problem like inadequate and infrequent supply of water. Rather it focused on only one aspect – i.e. lifting the water to 2nd and 3rd floor through an electric motor instead of manual labor.
3. Interest groups can be organized or participation may be induced on the basis how one is going to address the problem – the problem as a whole or the problem as a part.
4. This research has enabled to unearth the hidden truth (hither to unknown), which cannot be generated through other participatory tools like SSI and FGD.
5. If the people are made to comprehend the relationship between cause and effect and if it is proved through demonstration, then they are willing to internalize any intervention and respond to it.



PATHWAYS TO PARTICIPATION
SELECTING SUITABLE PATH TO WALK
PATHWAY-2
Walking over a quarter century within a week
Habitation Improvement Initiative
White washing the Outer walls

One of the major identifiable areas within the ward as well as in Melavasal is the TamilNadu Housing Board’s Colony (TNHB) comprises 544 apartment houses. As soon as the construction of houses was over in 1981, the allotment of flats was made to the beneficiaries with a condition that they should pay Rs.15/- per month as maintenance charges. Non-payment of maintenance charges hampered the maintenance work by the housing board. Nor could it exercise its legal right to evict the defaulters because of certain procedural as well as practical difficulties. Normally the renters of any house expect the landlords / rightful owners to carry out the maintenance work. Hence it is no surprise that these residents rightly felt it was the duty of the housing board to carry out the maintenance work whether they pay for the maintenance or not. But the housing board could not maintain the houses because of the non-payment.
Out of the two state sponsored housing schemes in Melavasal, one is the Municipal Scavengers Colony (MSC), and the other one is TNHB colony. There is a basic difference in the conditions of occupancy between the residents of these two colonies. In the Municipal Scavengers Colony (MSC), sanitary workers employed by the Madurai Corporation alone are permitted to stay as renters (i.e. HRA (house rent allowance) is deducted from their salary as monthly rent). Once they cease to be the employees of the corporation, they automatically lose the right of occupancy. But this is not applicable to the TNHB colony occupants. If a family is allotted a house it can stay there permanently. Their tenancy is protected in some way. They made use of this protection in order to make alteration in side their houses according to their taste and purse. But when it comes to the exterior, it required the cooperation of their neighbors, which was not easy to get. Every one used to project that they are willing to maintain the houses and keep the area clean, but none come forward to take the initiative. This is further intensified due to the floor wise segregation of the residents.
The people in the ground floor enjoyed the privilege of using the vacant space in front and at the back of their houses. The owners of the corner houses encroached the front space while those at the middle did the same in the backyard and they divide the side space equally. Absence of chances for encroachment made the residents of other floors to look at the ground florists with envy.
In the same way, the occupants, owners of the ground floors, do themselves, the work of minor repair or white washing during important family events like marriage etc. The residents of other floors are handicapped to do this. Each florists enjoyed certain opportunities and their interest to safeguard it resulted in the loss of neighborly feelings such as uncongenial attitude and absence of espirit- de-corps. As a result of this external walls are not white washed for the lost 23 years and it became untidy. Without realizing their own responsibility of maintaining their houses they unnecessarily censured the TNHB / Corporation in this regard. They accused them of dereliction of duty. They accused that the TNHB / Corporation is blind, deaf and dumb to their voice simply because they are Dalits.
If one insist about their responsibility, they immediately retort that there is no use in maintaining the houses because, the lifespan of the houses is already over by three years. They falsely quote that the housing board it self declared that the houses built by them will stand only for 20 years. The guarantee period is over. More than 3 years have passed since the dead line. They simply state that maintaining these houses is similar to adorning a corpse with smelling flowers. They tactfully gloss over if they are encountered with disturbing questions. One needs to go beyond their justifications in order to understand the real handicaps of them.
The reality is they had houses and they maintain it properly inside. They were able to do certain things (alterations inside their houses) where external assistance was not needed. This action research simply attempted to expand their ability in maintaining the houses to the outer walls too.
The outer walls were totally faded as they were not white washed or for the past 23 years. Some of the houses had their outer walls white washed – that too up to the level of one’s hand’s reach. Even their sincere attempt to whitewash instead of adding grace to the building, it made the whole building ugly, for it conveyed failure of collective effort. Moreover their attempt to white wash the outer walls was aborted because of the fall of a man from the sunshade over which he was standing to whitewash the outer wall and his subsequent immobilization. Generally white washing up to 10 ft from ground may be carried out without much difficulty. To whitewash higher than that one requires a ladder / scaffolding / hanging ladder which is much expensive to hire or to erect it. Without the full co-operation and active participation of all the residents it is quite impossible. Hence white washing of outer walls was never thought of.
In some of the participatory exercise sessions, the youth of the TNHB colony were encouraged to share their dreams. It was an exercise of the youth’s dreams about their own area. The response to this exercise was encouraging. The dreams were varied: - wide streets free from encroachment, cattle – free / pig free street, prohibition of sale of resale of food from hotels / waste paper marts, establishing a park, parking of more motor cycles and one or two cars in front of the each block etc. But during the discussion over their dreams, the participants pointed out that the reality that those who dream the area to be free from pigs, their own families are indulged in rearing pigs. The young man who had a dream of making Melavasal a pig free zone, blinked at the question of what about the pigs his family rears. Every one had healthy dreams. But they could not live up to their dreams because of practical difficulties. Hearing all the dreams one youth dismissed it by optly quoting a Tamil proverb, which means, “That which has its value from fancy is not very valuable”.
But there was an youth, who dreamed of having all the outer walls of the TNHB colony uniformly whitewashed. He wished to see these walls as they were in 1981, when it was handed over to them. But he was made a butt of ridicule. His friends branded him an idealist, an unpractical man. But in further meetings the group slowly appreciated the sprit behind white washing the outer walls. But the proposal faced sharp criticism, as it is too expensive even for the Housing Board to take up. They justified their argument by pointing that even the affluent in the Ellisnagar TNHB colony go without whitewashing the outer walls. After a lot of discussions, they realized that white washing is possible and that act is with in their reach. Subsequent meetings presented them grown in confidence. They unanimously expressed their strong desire that white washing to all the houses in the colony would help solve many problems by bringing residents together. It would also, they strongly felt, raise their self confidence in facing and solving similar issues in future. The daydreamer of adorning the outer walls with white washing was given the opportunity to initiate this adventure in this own block. To encourage them the research team promised to mobilize the necessary materials for that. It was estimated that the total expenses for white washing of one block consisting of 32 houses comes around Rs.6400/- (Rs.3200/- for materials - lime stone, stainer, brush etc and an equal amount for labour charges). It was suggested that the residents share the labour charges by a contribution of Rs.100/- per house. But as the efforts of that youth to collect this meager amount proved futile, he pleaded with the research team to bear the entire expenses.
Instead of accepting their inability, the youth and others were made to understand the values of self-help and self- respect. They were made to understand that the very attempt of an outsider involved in whitewashing their houses is an insult to them and prick their image. Shirking the responsibility of sharing the expenses to maintain their own houses is equivalent to begging. Not only that, it spoils the image of both the outsiders for encouraging dependency as well as the residents for escaping from the basic responsibility of maintaining their own residences for over a quarter if a century.
In order to save his face, the justification given by the youth revealed the mockery that people made of the housing board rules. Renting / leasing the houses, selling it without registration, original allotters staying in the huts erected in the encroached sites –day after day on installment basis they started revealing the truths, over which they were tight lipped during the participatory exercises and in the informal conversations. It was due to this reasons, they revealed that residents are unwilling to share the expenses. The research team categorically brushed aside their justification. Whatever may be the status of housing, majority of them seems to posses’ cable TV connection by paying Rs.100/- as monthly subscription: and if they feel that some one is too poor to bear this expenditure let others come forward to help them. The research team sticks to its proposition of people’s contribution.
The research team consoled the youth who initially shared his dream and failed in his mission of mobilizing people’s contribution. Not minding this failure the team assured, those who are able to mobilize Rs. 100/- from each household as their contribution could get an equal amount of material from it.
Having heard this, a youth from another block came forward to take up the responsibility. In the beginning others thought that he was just making fun. So to pay him in his own coin the team expressed its readiness to start the work the very next day. As he was genuine his attempt he made the group wonder struck with his promises of starting the work the very next minute of providing the necessary materials. A local paiinter was approached to execute the work. It was resolved to make a hanging ladder, as it was cheaper than hiring. The residents of block (from which the youth hailed) were contacted for the choice of the color. Though everything moved smoothly on the expected / way there were sign of disbelief on the faces of the people. They were not ready to believe the reality, till the work was begun and completed.
Our conversation in front of the block attracted the attention of the residents of neighboring block who in turn approached the youth to include them also in the whitewashing, with an assurance to share the expenses. It was indeed a pleasant shock and the research team showed the green signal for the process to begin, and decided to purchase double quantity of the necessary materials. The youth, thus encouraged, began to think and work on constructive lines.
Residents and the youth started organizing themselves into different groups, plunged into work immediately. One group went to the market and appraised the dealers about their initiative and made tough bargain by making their intention clear to the shopkeepers. Another group took up the responsibility of storing enough water both for wetting the walls as well as mixing the material. Water was lifted to overhead tanks through the already provided mini motor. Another group cleared the garbage in front of the block and gathered the discarded stone slaps to make a dust pin for the disposal of garbage / waste. The collective responsibility strengthened their confidence and they found out to their surprise that the OHTs, which were considered out of use, were usable. The pleasure and pride of the research team knew no bounds for having shown the seeds of collective responsibility, team spirit and confidence in the youth after a lapse of nearly a quarter of a century. The words fail to express the ecstasy in full and the language beggars.
Next morning the elders of the blocks offered the traditional prayer to invoke the blessings of almighty for the success in their mission. Their invocation included the prayer for the health, prosperity and longevity of the research team, which made the impossible possible. Their love and care moved them in to tears.
The professional painter (Whitewasher) who used to whitewash the high raised city buildings felt ecstatic and wept bitterly while climbing the hanging ladder to white wash the walls of the buildings of his own area, for he had never thought that he would paint the buildings in his area one day or other. The residents who walked fast past “F block” slowed their pace to see what was going on there. Then they made enquiries about the white washing of the block. They wanted to know when their blocks would be whitewashed. When they were informed that it was in their hands to make their block beautiful or keep it ugly, they were surprised and shocked. Their surprise grew in magnitude while they learnt that residents of F block had contributed Rs.100/- each for this work. If any one passed the block failing to notice the work on progress, an aged lady there got infuriated. The furious woman shouted at them: “Don’t you have an eye to see? Why don’t you stop a while to see the act of white washing? Are you afraid that some one will change you if you see this? See, finally the children in my block have proved themselves manly. How long since these walls were white washed? Don’t you appreciate the efforts of my children in face lifting the walls? See the blithe on the face of the walls due to the brightness of white washing. Don’t you hear the tinkling smile of the walls? Are you deaf or blind or both? You- Sakkiliars (who are considered as Dalits among Dalits) – take a lesson from these Sakkiliyars who have shown to the world that Sakkiliars made it possible, impossible. See Sakkiliar succeed where the Sarkar (govt) fails. No one felt hurt or angered at the emotional outburst of the old woman who was emotive throughout. The very mention of the name of the caste (sakkiliya) would put one behind bars for years together. But this old woman addressed her clan every now and then with the name of the caste. But instead of getting angry with her they gathered around her to console and assure her of following this example in other blocks too. They fondly caress her and expressed their resolution: “what the Sarkar (govt) doesn’t do, the Sakkiliyars will”.
Next came the problem of encroachment. As the work started the encroacher who put a petty shop and running it for more than a decade vacated the space. But an another family who put a cattle shed asked time so as to avoid the loss in the immediate sale of cattle. The success prompted the people of other blocks to discuss ways and means of white washing their blocks too. In the mean time, the research team continued its tele – a – tete. The gist of the discussion with individuals / groups is as follows:
The purpose of white washing the outer walls (giving protective coating) is not only to beautify the building and also to protect the walls from heat and moisture. For the proper maintenance of buildings walls should be white washed at least once in 5 years. The expenses for white washing the outer walls comes around Rs. 6400/- for 32 houses and it comes Rs. 200/- for each house, that too after nearly a quarter of a century. Taking into account the growing inflation, it will come to Rs.250/- in future. That amounts Rs.50/- per annum – less than Rs 5 per month if the walls are properly whitewashed once in five years. There is no one too poor to afford so little an amount for a big cause.
The team in no uncertain terms pointed out their mistake of refusing to pay just Rs. 15/- per month towards maintenance charges. That was just 50 paise per day. The residents were categorically told, “You are well aware that one time use of urinal and toilet costs 50 paise and Rs.2/- respectively. Parking of two wheelers for an hour costs one rupee. But when the TNHB fixed just 50 paise per day as a maintenance charge for your houses you defied it; when forced you used the mask of poverty; or you exploited the caste blanket by blaming “the govt. neglects us simply because we are Dalits”; or you took up the issue of proprietorship on land. “What has the govt done for us? It has just replaced our huts with these flat houses”. That’s all “You even went to the extend of threatening officials with the weapon of Protection of Civil Rights Act. Many of you are looking after the pay and use latrines and there you sought at the user who fail / forget to pay the user charge. Don’t you use filthy words against them? But you were adamant to pay the maintenance charges. You have two standards to follow, one for you and for others. Don’t you think it is contradictory?
The research team told them, “we are not govt official; nor do we defend the govt. But we just point out the basic follies. Don’t you agree that those who don’t do the duty have no right to claim their rights? First learn to co-operate with another; then the right to command will naturally sit upon your shoulders. Self-help is very easy for the haves. But the have–nots, who are dependent on others should learn to think collectively; Learn to live a co-operative life; Learn to act collectively. It is not wrong to fight for your rights; Make efforts to get what is due for you from the govt. either free or at subsidized rate. Once you get it don’t throw it away; Try to preserve it. This message was passed on to them in unequivocal terms, without mincing words.
There was awareness and rejuvenation in all blocks within a week after the F block was white washed. The residents found that empowerment can also be achieved through self-help. At the time of writing this report the white washing is started in many blocks with residents’ full contribution. They have not limited their responsibility with whitewashing but also decided to carry out the minor repairs. After three months from to day the whole colony will definitely have a better look.
People who have hither too considered as ‘Dalit among Dalits” are growing in self-confidence. White washing of their residences is a mark of empowerment.

PATHWAYS TO PARTICIPATION
SELEC CTING SUITABLE PATH TO WALK
PATHWAY-3
LIGHTING THE PATH

When the flat houses were allotted to the beneficiaries by the housing board in 1981, all the houses were fitted with an electric light at the doorstep. The meticulous observance of Indian cultural tradition needed every house to be lighted at dusk and hence all the four houses in a floor switched on the lights at their doorstep. As the maintenance charge was just Rs.15/- irrespective of the consumption of electricity, the lights were on invariably throughout the night in many houses. But later this healthy practice died a natural death when the TNHB withdrew the facilities of drinking water and electricity due to non-payment of maintenance charges. Residents who paid the electricity bill retained the electric connection. Those who failed to pay lost their electric connection. Presumption of electric connection needed the proof of ownership of the flat, which was not with them, as all the houses were owned by TNHB. In that case EB (electricity board) demanded at least no objection from TNHB to resume the power connection. The TNHB used the situation wisely to collect the unpaid balance. Some of the residents renewed the power supply by clearing the arrears to TNHB. But residents who failed to clear the dues could not renew the power supply. The reasons for non-renewal are many. Some of the houses were rented out and the owners were staying elsewhere. The owners are not willing to clear the dues. Some families had problems related to inheritance. The contending heirs were reluctant to pay the dues. As a result some houses had power and some houses didn’t had power supply.
As a result many houses go without electricity today because of their inability to pay an accumulated arrears amounting Rs. 4000/- to TNHB for obtaining NOC (no objection certificate) to resume power supply. So the residents adopt unauthorized means to get power connection. Those who don’t have power supply are getting it from their neighbors’ on a fixed monthly payment that too with several conditions related to number of lights that they can burn. This made them not to switch on light on the doorsteps. When there was a free flow of electricity to all the houses, the lights were on all doorsteps throughout the night.. But when the facility was withdrawn and the residents are forced to pay for the electricity charges, in order to reduce the electric charges majority of the houses holders wont put the lights in their door steps as a result the door steps went dark.
As the staircases were totally dark without a single light at night, residents of upper floors faced lot of problems. The darkness made their movement difficult. Particularly the women folk suffered a lot when they took drinking water at night. There were accidents of varied magnitude. Yet, it was a mystery and irony that no one came forward to put up even a single light on the staircases to ease their movement. Blocks, which were located near streetlights, were content with the reflected light of (sodium vapor lamps/ street tube lights) or the rays of light that came from the neighbors’ house when the door was not used. Even these rays were not available because people always keep the doors closed due to mosquito menace.
During festival season the staircases usually adorned with tube lights. A tube light on the staircase invariably means a festive occasion in one or the other house in a particular block. When they were asked why they could not think about lighting the staircase, as darkness is a bane and synonym of penury they brushed aside the question by saying, “speak what is practical”. They began to cite one or the other excuse “There is no power supply; if there be power supply the people who are giving it are charging exorbitant rate and also not permitting us to use the light in the door steps. “Besides we don’t have food; no jobs; what if there be no light’. But all the houses with the legal / illegal supply of electricity had cable TV connections. As it was evident they were not unaffordably poor as they claim, the research team decided to initiate certain action.
It was decided to fix a tube light on each floor, which would be switched on at 6.30 p.m. and turned off at 11.00 p.m. after all go to bed. Their consent was sought for the supply of power on rotation basis. That is, each among the four houses in a floor would lend electricity for 3 months in a year that too in alternative months. The electric charges for the consumption for putting light at the floors for a year would not exceed Rs.50 per house. That will come around Rs.4 per month. Though they agreed in principle to put a tube light at a meager expense of ten paise a day, they again pleaded their inability to buy tube lights and demanded the research team to supply the tube lights.
But on simple calculations it was found that a sum of Rs.4 per head (not per house) would fetch a sum of Rs.408 from the 102 members living in that particular block. After persuasion they agreed to contribute. All the floors were fitted with the tube lights purchased by the people. It was also agreed upon that the houses of the floor would lend, electricity on rotation basis.
Four tube lights were put on. The darkness vanished. In the beginning others thought that it was a festive occasion in the block. But the continuance of the lighting facility made them inquisitive. In a week’s time all began to show an interest. They had all praise for the residents of this block “Ah! It’s beautiful. It’s auspicious! How did you mange the expenses? What do you do for electricity?” The answers for these questions taught them a lesson and they returned wiser. They made up their mind to illuminate their blocks too. They didn’t stop with just daydreaming. Their resolution was put in to action.
As a result more than four blocks have fitted with tube lights within a week time.
Light is the precursor of good omen; it is the symbol of prosperity. Is it not sarvodaya (prosperity to one and all), which strives the development workers wherever they work?
Lessons Learned:
Both the residents and the research team learned several lessons
Research Team:
During the participatory sessions people used to share several information. If an outsider takes this information on its face value, and if he expresses his appreciation, others start to conduct behind the scene discussions, which is basically a mud slinging exercise. People wait up to point and tend to reveal the “realities” as they perceive. When they finally make up their mind to reveal the realities, they used to say, “I don’t want to talk ill of others”, “I don’t want to spoil the opportunities of others” as if the research team is going to waste its efforts with wrong persons.
Our effort to white wash the outer walls brought many such hidden conflicts in several floors. When the team entered house by house in order to persuade them, many sensitive information hither too withheld by the people automatically came up. Deviating from the housing board norms even without clearing the arrears, selling the houses or mortgaging the houses in a informal ways, renting it out, severe and unresolved conflicts among the family members – many things came up. Their informal attempts to deal with their problem make them to depend either to trust or mistrust others. They allowed the things to get complicated. When poverty and complication combine together cated.
Poverty need not be necessarily complicated. But it tend to be complicated when it get clubbed with other issues. This make the people to withhold information and when we decide to act based on the information, people tend to put up obstacles not in a transparent way, but by expressing their indifference.