Z.K.PahrüPou
BTC, Pfutsero
Development: For Whose Benefit? If railway line is extended from Dimapur to Zubza, Dimapur Airport modernised, and NH-2(39) upgraded to four lanes, who will get benefit? The main beneficiaries will be the influential state’s politicians who wield enormous power in controlling financial resources. The big contractors, engineers and private companies will all share the benefit of such development. Since the state has no human and enough financial resources, crores of rupees will be subsidised to rich companies to run such modernised airport of international standard.So the benefit will go to private companies and few rich local people who have enough money to make use of the facility. But70 to 80 per cent of Nagaland population who live in villages will not be able to afford to enjoy the facility of airport where even a cup of tea cost Rs.40! Does the state exist to uplift the welfare of majority of its population or does it exist only for small but influential minorities? The state government need to think for development that would benefit the majority of our people. Giving loan and subsidise to agriculture sector (esp. to grow food crops) and its allied activities and attract youth into it may be a way forward.
Development: At Whose Cost? Whether it is extension of highways, or railways or airport, the losers will be the small land owners as is happening all over India. Even if the landowners are handsomely compensated with money for development projects, experience in other parts of India shows that sooner or later they become poor as they spend money in due course of time. When land is taken away by coercive means or through consent, the once-proud-landowners became alien in their land. They became labourers and not the owners of it. Hence, Article 371 (A) of the Indian constitution which gives Naga people in Nagaland the right to follow traditional pattern of land ownership and its resources is not road blocks to development goal but in fact a blessing as it protects their identity, landand their livelihood from global market forces. Adivasis/tribals in India who do not have such provision are also fighting for their right to control over natural resources. The introduction of Forest Right Act (FRA), 2006, as we know is to protect the tribals/forest dwellers. Under FRA, the Supreme Court's ruled that the Vedanta Group's $1.7 billion bauxite mining project in the Niyamgiri Hills of Orissa will have to get clearance from the gram sabha (village council), which will consider the cultural and religious rights of the tribals and forest dwellers living. POSCO project of the Rs. 52,000 crore ($12 billion) billed as India’s biggest foreign direct investment has been delayed by more than five years due to protests by farmers who are agitating against giving up their fertile agricultural land. Hence, for the betterment of Naga people, railway line extension should be stopped. The tribals are the most affected group by mega-development in India which Naga intellectuals and policy makers need to seriously ponder upon before taking decision for any development project.
Development: Issues of Livelihoods & Nature: If the railway line is extended to Zubza, the benefit will go to railway department (centre government) and a few tea-stall owners. Hundreds of taxi drivers plying between Kohima and Dimapurwill lose their livelihoods. Kohima vegetable vendors will be out-competed by big traders like in Dimapur. Even Nagaland State Transport will be adversely affected as no one would be willing to travel by Bus. The Nagaland demographic would be changed as many outsiders would be flooded in through train. The construction of railway line which would cross through agricultural land and forest would cause enormous damage to ecological health. Not only human habitats but habitats of millions of birds, animals, insects, reptiles, seeing and unseeing living species would be destroyed. Our natural resources would be drain away. Hence, when we talk about development, it is unfair to think only about the cost of land or in terms of money (loss or profit), but the overall cost of natural wealth and environment has to take into consideration. No amount of money can be compensated for the destruction of environment. Our Naga intellectuals tend to talk development with anthropocentric mentality but neglect the wellbeing of other living beings and nature as they cannot speak out.
Development and Landowners: The landowners are often blamed for the delay of many development projects in Nagaland for demanding ‘unrealistic and exorbitant prices’as land compensation. The landowners were asked to part with their land at a ‘reasonable rate’ of compensation. I think since the land belongs to Naga individual or clan or village, they have every right to fix price for their land asset and that should be considered ‘reasonable’ price. I cannot believe the price fixed by these groups is so ‘unrealistic and exorbitant’ that the state or concerned department cannot pay them. It is nothing but another white lie of a corrupted government. Look at the following facts and see whether the government is really unable to compensate the peasants/villagers who own just 2 or 3 hectares of land. In Nagaland, out of the 59 MLAs in the newly-elected Nagaland assembly, 36 (or 61 per cent) are crorepatis. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio- NPF has Rs. 30.07 crore worth of assets,Tokheho-Congress hasRs 13.74 crore and Nuklutoshi-NPF hasRs 13.29 crore. At the national level,Railway department budget share is always one of the highest budgets in India. It is one of the highest profit making departments. According to 2012 Forbes List, India is home to 48 billionaires with a total network of $ 194.6 billion. Those who have amassed crores of rupees are blaming those who ask for few thousands of rupees (for survival/compensation of what they give) as blocking the path of development. We need to change this mindset and frame strong laws to deal with the super-rich class. Who knows it may be ‘sin’ to be super-rich in a poor state/country. If CM Neiphiu Rio, former CM SC Jamir and all Naga crorepatis repent and share a bit of their wealth, there will be smile in every child’s face in every nook and corner of Nagaland.
Redefining ‘Development’ and ‘Tribal’: It is of immense importance to redefine ‘development’ and ‘tribal’ in this fast changing world. So often the term ‘tribal’ is understood asundeveloped, uncivilised, savaged and backward group of people. But the word’ tribal’ is very beautiful when we look from the perspective of natural wealth and ecology. The tribal’s philosophy of life and their lifestyle keeps nature growing, glowing and regenerating. Wherever the tribals/adivasis are found, the freshness of nature still prevails. Lush forests, fresh water sources, immense wealth of mineral resources, diversity of flora and fauna are all found in tribal belts of India. Development has to be ‘tribalised’ so that communitarian way of life, caring of nature, of animals and birds, of preservation of forests and maintaining natural water sources form essential part of development. Development should aim at uplifting the welfare of the poor masses and not just for the few rich people. Money oriented and anthropocentric development that destroys social relations and nature cannot be encouraged. It is also equally important that we change our consumeristic lifestyle and materialistic mentality for if we all try to amass wealth like Naga crorepatis or Ambani or Mittal or Bill Gates, in no time we will end up destroying the onlyliving planet- earth.
