District Dumka, Jharkhand:
For the last two years Jharkhand has been facing a drought. But even a good monsoon can do little for the state's water crisis because of aggressive mining in the state.
Surodhani Murmu is the pradhan of Bhuktandi village in Jharkhand's Dumka district. The district faces a threat on its existence when a thermal power plant comes up here.
For hundreds of years, the Santhals of Bhuktandi have taken from nature only what they needed.
"Our people first planted new forests. As our families grew, the elders decided from time to time, on the number of trees to be chopped for building more houses. Immediately, new ones were planted. And this process continues till today. The outsiders don't respect nature or the adivasi way of life," Murmu said.
The 70-year old said she will try and save her home, fields and sacred groves.
But unchecked mining of coal, iron ore and bauxite has already ravaged Jharkhand's landscape - which was once covered with forests - and created a huge water scarcity.
"Water will be the biggest problem. If mining opens up then coal is very deep in the ground and all the water in that areas will go. In other areas where mining has opened, the wells have become dry and the company is sending water by tankers. That too only drinking water which is not clean," said Munni Hansda, Secretary, Adivasi Kalyan Parishad.
These concerns are becoming widespread as the effects of climate change are felt globally.
"I think what we know now, is if one pursues economic growth without consideration for the environment we end up having a pretty dramatically bad impact on the eco-system on which we all depend. Countries like India are very much feeling the effects of extreme and erratic climate; the droughts are longer, the flooding more severe. Very typical patterns of what is happing around the world. So we need to pursue balanced growth. It has to be green growth," said Helen Clark, head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
And the adivasis of Bhuktandi can show the way.
Surodhani Murmu is the pradhan of Bhuktandi village in Jharkhand's Dumka district. The district faces a threat on its existence when a thermal power plant comes up here.
For hundreds of years, the Santhals of Bhuktandi have taken from nature only what they needed.
"Our people first planted new forests. As our families grew, the elders decided from time to time, on the number of trees to be chopped for building more houses. Immediately, new ones were planted. And this process continues till today. The outsiders don't respect nature or the adivasi way of life," Murmu said.
The 70-year old said she will try and save her home, fields and sacred groves.
But unchecked mining of coal, iron ore and bauxite has already ravaged Jharkhand's landscape - which was once covered with forests - and created a huge water scarcity.
"Water will be the biggest problem. If mining opens up then coal is very deep in the ground and all the water in that areas will go. In other areas where mining has opened, the wells have become dry and the company is sending water by tankers. That too only drinking water which is not clean," said Munni Hansda, Secretary, Adivasi Kalyan Parishad.
These concerns are becoming widespread as the effects of climate change are felt globally.
"I think what we know now, is if one pursues economic growth without consideration for the environment we end up having a pretty dramatically bad impact on the eco-system on which we all depend. Countries like India are very much feeling the effects of extreme and erratic climate; the droughts are longer, the flooding more severe. Very typical patterns of what is happing around the world. So we need to pursue balanced growth. It has to be green growth," said Helen Clark, head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
And the adivasis of Bhuktandi can show the way.
