The Naxalite infested Dharhara Kol region of Munger district has found a saviour in Jaya Devi,a crusader for green cause in both her native Munger and the neighbouring Jamui district. Belonging to an extremely backward community with only few acres of land,and no formal education beyond Class V,hers is the story of the triumph of strong determination and will power over the miseries and odds of life. Jayas effort to ensure a green earth through watershed projects won her National Youth Award for the year 2008-09,in the field of environment protection and rainwater conservation. She is now on her way to receive welcome and applause in South Korea for her leadership qualities and dedication for saving water as a natural resource and other green initiatives. She will participate there in the fourth Asian Youth Workers Training Programme,being organised by National Youth Centre in Chenon - one and a half hour journey from Seoul. During her stint there,she will be learning about youth activities,policies,global perspectives and cultural diversities. Dharhara Kol is a hilly and forested region populated by scheduled and backward castes. The entire region and nearby five blocks were remote and without enough drinking water,irrigation and electricity,but after a meeting with Kishore Jaiswal,a former student of Delhis Jawaharlal Nehru University , Jaya Devi realised that she could make a difference to the region through rainwater harvesting and watershed management initiatives. Backed by NABARD & CRADLE,she has been supported by other NGOs like BAIF and MANSI too in the region. With shramdaan for four days by members of all families,villagers of Saradhi,Kareili and Khopapar built their first watershed management structure of the block. NABARD and district administration also chipped in with help and now the block is home to six watershed management structures with a collective capacity to irrigate over 5,000 hectares of land. The success stories of Munger spread to nearby Jamui whose people started working on watershed management. With ample support from the villagers and community leaders,Jaya Devi has also taken initiatives for restoration of wastelands,plantations,promotion of tree and cattle-based agriculture,pollution control,limiting grazing,farm bunding and saving trees. A pioneer in the self-help group (SHG) movement in the region,her work mobilising people in the area to conserve water and plant trees in the hilly area has helped convert more than 5,000 hectares of barren land into fertile,cultivable terrain with various seasonal agriculture produce. As she says,In Bangalva panchayat,over 12,000 fruit-bearing saplings and grass have been planted,which will help conserve rainwater.
