JUST FEW THOUGHTS!

Some times I wonder where my life is heading to... some times I am as clueless as a child wondering when things will become alright in our world... everyone seems to be busy in their respective world, including me, and the poor continues living with whatsoever they have in a most content ways, even with all the pains, sorrows, miseries and hardships... hard work and prayers to gods seem to be the only answer to their destiny!

I am really glad that this year too, like last year, the rain queen has been kind to shower its blessings on Vidarbha.... though the world all over, especially in Thailand, the rains have played havoc to create loads of problem for everyone. Vidarbha has seen less farmers' suicide for the second consecutive year because of good yield... farmers are happy with this year's crops' good yield. I sincerely thank Sai Baba and Varsha Rani for their kind blessings.

Problems seem to never stop at all come what may... day in and day out... if one manages to solve one problem, almost immediately, a new problem pops out from nowhere. Life for everyone is certainly an everyday war... struggling, surviving, striving, sustaining to succeed... almost everyone wants to succeed at any cost... this is where all the problems starts... no one is content, however, big or small one is... the rich have the problems and so do the poor...

Relationships break and continue to falter in today's fast paced life... no one has time for the other... love has surely find a new meaning altogether in today's modern world... whenever the word 'peace' is uttered by a political leader, it leads to war... catastrophe, deaths, killings and suffering increases and there is certainly no sign of PEACE whatsoever!

The World Population will cross the 7 Billion mark on the 31st of October 2011... that means more infants will suffer in near future... what with everything becoming scarce... drinking water, land, fertile lands, farmers, forests, animals... all in the name of economic growth... I wonder what will we the humans do with all these economic growth when there will be not enough drinking water to drink, when there will be no food grains available to feed the 7 billion population, when there will be no land left to cultivate anything or build houses???

No one seems to bother about the dangerous future that is heading at a much faster pace than the human race can ever race against time... everyone is just stressed trying to meet the every day's requirements or needs... patience is the virtue that has been stored in the past... everyone seems to be angry these days as the few greedy rich have developed the non-stop grabbing of all the wealth... the 99 % seems to be occupying every street in every city worldwide... where will it all end?

Just few thoughts that came in my mind... sure it has been disturbing me since 2008 to be precise ever since I started serious blogging... the more I think, the more I get disturbed... when will it end? I have been asking Sai Baba every day and there seems to be no answers at all... There are so many things that everyone wishes for... will everyone get what they want so badly? 

Whenever I am in villages living with villagers, all these thoughts vanish from my brain like a magic... all I experience is total bliss among children who expect nothing from you... the genuine smile, the look in their eyes, the love they want to share with you with no selfish gains, the world of sharing with whatever little they have... how I wish we urbanites can also be like them... but we can never be! The passion still continues within my heart and soul as it was on day one, when I started this new wonderful life to live for the poor farmers of my nation on instruction from my DESTINY!

A new chapter of my life is starting in Australia with my first international project titled DESTINY'S WEB... as a script writer! How destiny connects each one of us is still a miracle no scientist in the world can ever reveal... while I have been living in villages of Vidarbha, my script finds its way to Australia!!! How amazing is that??? 

Destiny leads us all! The DESTINY'S WEB weaves miracles for each one of us! Thank you so-so much Sai Baba for everything you have given me and others!!!

एक दिवाली ऐसा भी... / Such is one Diwali too...

(NOTE: English translation is given below the Original...)

जगमगाती रौशनी हर ओर

पटाकों की धमाकों से गूँजती ये रात

धुंओं से दूषित पृथ्वी का वातावरण  

अंधकार के कोने में दुबकी रोती छुटकी

मिटाईयों के ढ़ेरों से सजी दुकाने 

हर कोई उल्लास उमंग में व्यस्त

नए-नए कपड़ों की खरीदारी 

छुटकी की शिसकियाँ भूख में दबी हुई

ये दोनों ही दुनियाँ तूने है बनाई

बनाई भी तो तूने ऐसे क्यों बनाई

हे भगवन, कहता है सीख ले इंसान तू

वंछित है क्यों छुटकी तेरी ही दुनियाँ में हे भगवन??? 

--- स्वरचित ---

Illumination illuminating everywhere

Sound of crackers bursting away the night

Pollution spreading the earth

A little girl (Chutki) is crying quietly in a dark corner 

Shops decorated with heaps of sweets

Everyone busy, happy and joyous

New-new clothes are being bought

Chutki's voice is stifled due to hunger

Both these worlds you have created

Created! But why did you created at all!!!

O god, you say humans should learn a lesson

Why is Chutki deprived in your world O god???

Johnny D

25th October 2011

90 MORE YEARS FOR VIDARBHA TO GET IRRIGATION INFRASTRUCTURE, COURTESY ALL THE CHIEF MINISTERS & PRIME MINISTERS

Irrigation Backlog of 2.5 Lakh / Million Hectares identified till 1994 still not complete in Vidarbha, the deadline was 2006, then 2010 and even after 17 years... the irrigation infrastructure has been callously overlooked by every Chief Minister of Maharastra...

And now the DEADLINE has been pushed to 2016, while the Irrigation Backlog has increased to another 11 Million  Hectares ... which is never NEVER NEVER gonna get complete in near future....

For 2.5 Million Hectares the  Congress Govt needs 22 Years (still not sure if the 2016 deadline would be met successfully), imagine for 11 Million Hectares, the Govt will need minimum 90 Years!!!

LOVE!!!

Courtesy: EVA JASMIN (my dear friend from Philippines)

I wont forget the peroson who once told me this story :) Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others, including Love. One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all constructed boats and left. Except for Love. Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment. 

When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help. Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, "Richness, can you take me with you?" Richness answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you." Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel. "Vanity, please help me!" "I can't help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered. Sadness was close by so Love asked, "Sadness, let me go with you." "Oh . . . Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!" Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her. 

Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come, Love, I will take you." It was an elder. So blessed and overjoyed, Love even forgot to ask the elder where they were going. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way. Realizing how much was owed the elder, Love asked Knowledge, another elder, "Who Helped me?" "It was Time," knowledge answered. "Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?" 

Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is."

MIRACLES DO HAPPEN

30^th September, I had to walk from Paankhalya village to Dharni, a 10 km stretch because there was no bus. Earlier in the morning a batch of volunteers comprising more of girls (Shilpa, Harsha, Pooja & Trupti), had to walk with their luggage for near about 3 kms because the morning bus didn’t stopped as it was overcrowded, before they got an autorickshaw. A few hours later, I had to reach to Dharni Base Camp because I had to see off Palak Jha to Khandwa... the angel who came all the way from Agra leaving her seven-month-young son to serve as a volunteer because I was supporting the cause.

I was enjoying my walk through the villages looking around beautiful landscape... children having fun and swimming in river, women washing clothes, buffaloes and cows enjoying a cool time in river, drivers washing their vehicles with river water, askance look of villagers and children watching me walking, few smiles on the faces of villagers... oh, the walk was so-so rejuvenating... with green fields all around the two sides of the road.

The hot sun didn’t bother me at all and I was enjoying my long walk... I must have covered near about 4.5 kms and I wanted to reach early, so we could leave Dharni early to reach Khandwa before 6 pm. Khandwa is a two and a half hours’ drive from Dharni by bus... and the buses are at an hourly frequency...

As I was walking along, for a split moment a thought came into my mind... I said to myself – ‘Sai Baba why don’t you send me someone to give me a lift as it is another 5.5 kms.’ Just as the thought came in, a car came from behind and halted. A young gentleman asked me, ‘Where are you heading to?’ I told him Dharni! He asked in surprise, ‘Walking?’ I told him yes and that I was enjoying my walk! He shook his head in disbelief and said, ‘Why don’t you hop in... I am going to Dharni and I will drop you there.’ I thanked Sai Baba for sending me the car... so promptly!!! The gentleman came in as an angel sent by God to help me!!!

The gentleman asked me as to what I was doing and said he is glad to meet me after we had a long interactive session... for me, he was the miracle that Sai Baba sent me at just the right moment. The gentleman was a lawyer cum businessman by profession and expressed that even he wishes to help the poor but is tied up with family affairs. Deep down I just couldn’t believe that such a miracle would happen at just one thought... he was very kind to drop me right in front of the gate of Buddha Vihar Hall. We shook hands, I thanked him with a promise we may meet in near future God willing!!!

All the volunteers who had to walk were surprised to see me getting down from the car and said how lucky I was... I told them – Sai Baba sent me the car!

Miracles do happen even in this wonderful modern age! I thanked Sai Baba from the bottom of my heart and truly am amazed experiencing such a wonderful experience!!! Acchaka Sai baba!!!

DHADAK MOHIM 2011: TOTAL MISMANAGEMENT – PART XV

NO "PARTICIPATION CERTIFICATE" GIVEN TO VOLUNTEERS

Below is the important written assurance to every volunteer about “Participation Certificate” by the Dhadak Mohim’s Management (this part is missing now from their blog and even in their website, fortunately I have an email sent to me on July 31^st 2011, in which the file is still intact)

“Q) How The Participation In This Initiative Going To Benefit the Volunteer and

His/Her Respective College/Office/Institution?

Ans:- This initiative is our social responsibility towards our downtrodden brothers and sisters. But still it is a Win-Win situation for the Volunteers and People of Melghat.

1) Participatory certificate to EACH VOLUNTEER.

And Also Certificate to Institution/Office/College, if the institution is officially promoting its students to participate in this noble initiative.”

Every such camp being held by various organizations to serve the humanity at large do make sure to give “Participation Certificate” to every volunteer. Dhadak Mohim too had announced this in writing before the camp was held... however, none of the volunteers have been given “Participation Certificate” when they finished their 10 days’ camp...

The missing link from their blog www.dhadakmohim.wordpress.com and Trust’s official website www.maitripune.net shows as to why they have DELETED this important part after 2^nd September 2011... yes, this is the date when I started writing about the total mismanagement. If they can charge Rs. 700/- from every volunteer, why the management didn’t give them the “Participation Certificate” for serving the villagers by living in hard conditions? Do I need to say more???

(... to be continued...)

DESTINY’S WEB: MAKING MY INTERNATIONAL DEBUT IN THE AUSTRALIAN FILM INDUSTRY AS A SCRIPTWRITER

The seed of cinema was ingrained in me from my early years of childhood, even before I remembered. Cinema was the medium for my Indonesian mother to learn Hindi... as in those days one didn’t had Spoken Hindi classes. She used to watch each Hindi movie more than a dozen times to understand the dialogue and learn the sentences... at times even it used to cross 30 or 35 times!

Initially, all the Indian neighbours (women & children) used to make fun of her very funny Hindi, sentences which never had any grammar elements or spoken upside down... she laughed at herself and tried her best to understand where she was wrong... from being on her lap watching movies day after day, I had never even thought in my wildest dream that I would enter this creative medium... Yes, my mother perfected her Hindi to such an extent after many years that she used to correct her Indian friends, much to my delight and surprise to them.

First of all, I would like to thank my destiny, then Facebook and then the amazing friend from Australia Lan Christine Parks... who I met on FB... we interacted and used to keep in touch. And one fine day, I just asked her if she is looking for scripts... she said ‘yes’ and I mailed her my script... that is how DESTINY’S WEB was weaved and reached Australia from a small town city Wardha in India. After few initial months, Lan informed me that many Australian filmmakers were interested in the script and one day, I received her mail. She said – “Johnny D, we are going to make a film for you!” SPEECHLESS!

Ecstatically I thanked Sai Baba for giving me such wonderful news! The first script that I wrote with Nandita Das and Aamir Khan as lead was liked by the amazing talented actress and she said – “It takes a lot in making a film but if this script is made into a film, I will do it!” I have been developing scripts and writing lyrics since a very long time... as a film journalist, I have interacted with all the bigwigs and I must confess the trust was broken by Ram Gopal Varma and Amitabh Bachchan... Two of the Bachchan starrer movies made by Ram Gopal Varma was based on my scripts, which I had given to Ramu and gifted the same script to Mr. Bachchan on his 61^st Birthday. The first movie was SARKAR and the second movie was NISHABDH, whose script was developed along with American actress Sita Thompson, a friend.

I still remember Ramu’s words when I handed him near about 5 to 6 scripts (I was not a member of the Film Writers’ Association then) when I went to interview him before the release of BHOOT... Ramu said, “What if I make movies and don’t give credit to you?” I said, “I will think even Ramu is like others. And I will develop some more.” He smiled and said, “I am just joking.” I told him that I was serious. So when I saw those movies on celluloid, I felt proud that my scripts were good to be made into films with Mr. Bachchan as the lead. I was not at all sad because I know the industry well... many-many scriptwriters have never got the chance to make it because their scripts get stolen and there is no one really to help them or compensate them. However, I have always believed destiny will lead its own course.

I became a member of Film Writers’ Association, Mumbai and since then have been registering my scripts and lyrics...

DESTINY’S WEB is being produced by the beautiful angelic friend Lan Christine Parks and is being directed by talented Jack Webb. Lan is doing all she can to help support my one-man-crusade in Vidarbha. And she said to me, “Johnny I will support in what you are doing in your country.” I really don’t have appropriate words as to how destiny connects all of us... sitting in Wardha and working in remote villages I am making my international debut in Australian Film Industry... all the while when I was in Bombay from 1999 to 2010... I got duped... isn’t destiny a wonderful thing!!! How dramatic can life be! All this happened when I have given up everything to dedicate my life to serve the poor farmers in Vidarbha.

DESTINY’S WEB will start shooting from November 2011 in Australia. It is going to be a short film and Lan Christine Parks is trying to have collaboration with Hollywood Studios to make it into a full length feature film by 2012 or 2013 in Hollywood! We are all keeping our fingers crossed!!! I am truly grateful to the wonderful angel Lan Christine Parks from Australia!!!

One of the reasons I am writing about my international debut here in my blog is because none of my media friends have shown any interest to write about breaking news in mainstream media after I approached them! Anyways, it hardly matters to me now as we all are set for the movie to start shooting. Following are the cast and crew of the film:

DESTINY’S WEB

 

**Starring: Andrew Nathan

                     Sonia Carroll

                     Remi Broadway  

                     Lan Christine Parks

                     Darrell Plumridge

                     Linda Groundwater

                     Jamie Joseph

                     Thierry F.....

                     Gene Banyard

                     Beau Eastman

*Introducing: Chelsea B. and Kayla Fritz

Producer: Lan Christine Parks

Production House: Red Shoe Creations

Director:  Jack Webb
Script:      Johnny D

Screenplay: Angela McKay, Carolyn Wagner and Lan Christine Parks

Audio / Sound / Folley: Craig Rickard 

http://www.bollywoodtrade.com/miscellaneous/destinys-web-indian-writer-making-international-debut-in-australian-film-industry/index.htm

THE 'G' OF LIFE!

Genocide in the world is in full swing;

‘PEACE’ is what all corrupt leaders sing!

One day when there will be no creed;
Oh RICH what will happen to all the greed!

The innocent Poor are daily killed;
While Rich’s coffers are being filled!

Oh world, what have you really gained!
Causing everyone so much Pain!!

Johnny D
3rd October 2011

DHADAK MOHIM 2011 SHUTS ALL CAMPS AT DHARNI w.e.f: 30th SEPTEMBER

As per Maitri’s blog:  dhadakmohim.wordpress.com

“This year DHADAK MOHIM will start from 20 JULY to 16 OCT 2011 in 11 divided batches.”

I came to know from one of the volunteers’ Facebook status that Maitri has closed all the Nine Base Camps at Dharni, Amravati district w.e.f. 30^th September 2011! However, Dhadak Mohim will continue at Chilati as posted on the status.

It certainly is news for many, who served as volunteers including me... it also reflect how the management has misled everyone to shut the base camps at NINE not ELEVEN as claimed or posted on their blog posts... (they have never bothered to declare the facts through their blog posts) and in 35 villages not 47 as per their records.

I certainly have no clue as to why the management decided to close their yearly camp 16 days before the declared period!!!

I also have no clue as to why the management has not bothered to make necessary correction in their blog posts on a regular basis to update the world about their yearly medical camp!!!

I also have no clue as to why the management has not bothered to write about few deaths caused due to malnourishment that occurred in couple of villages during this year’s camp!!!

(... to be continued...)

DHADAK MOHIM 2011: TOTAL MISMANAGEMENT – PART XIV (30th September 2011)

NO PROPER RECEIPT GIVEN FOR DONATIONS

It is known universally that whenever a donation is made to any Charitable Trust, one gets a proper receipt from the respective Trust... however, the heights of height of Maitri is that a donation of Rs. 500 /- made by Yogesh Manikpure from Pune through me, was given a receipt by Chandrakant Jagdale that was meant as acknowledgement of Rs. 700 /- that was charged from each volunteer for their Accommodation, Travelling, Food and Insurance...

Now, what will you say about the Trust which has been collecting donations from so many concerned individuals in the name of serving the poor tribal villagers in the Melghat Region since so many years? 14 years of existence and the respective employee mentioned above doesn’t even know such a basic thing as to which receipt is to be given for DONATIONS received by the Trust?

The above mentioned individual donated the money because he believed in me and has been following my work... since he couldn’t send medicines he made sure that this money is well utilized to buy medicines for the needy villagers... however, even he has been cheated by the Trust and Dhadak Mohim!

The receipt that was provided is provided for the whole world to see what and how the management is all about...

(... to be continued...)

DHADAK MOHIM 2011: TOTAL MISMANAGEMENT – PART XIII

STRANGE: ONLY ONE THERMOMETER PER BASE CAMP SERVING FOUR VILLAGES

One wonders whether one should laugh, cry or get angry at the way things were on the grounds of Dhadak Mohim 2011... Especially since the Trust have been conducting such yearly medical camps in the Melghat Region since the last 14 years! One was made to think about all the mismanagement which was so openly visible to a naked eye...

Was the management really serious about conducting such yearly medical camps year after year with so many glaring glitches and flaws in the name of serving the poor tribal villagers? Did the doctors on the panel along with the management ever discuss the list of all the important and mandatory items before the start of the Dhadak Mohim? Or was the management so over confident that no one would notice or make a note of all the glitches and flaws because since the last 14 years no one has ever pointed out all these things...

Going by the way the Dhadak Mohim 2011 was conducted, all the above seems oh so evident... it showed that the Trust was interested only in making money (money raised by charging volunteers Rs. 700/- each for 10-day-camp, donations and contributions and free medicines contributed by various individuals) and not conduct the medical camp to serve the poor tribal villagers... serving the poor was just to show to the world otherwise with such total mismanagement one wonders what exactly they wanted to achieve in the first place? One also wonders what the doctors on the panel had to say about all the missing elements – First Aid Kit, Thermometer, Bandages, Dettol, Medicines, Protein Supplements, Presence of a qualified doctor in every batch etc etc. Why the doctors on the panel had pointed out or had demanded what their requirements was for every base camp... was counselling the only agenda of the volunteers as per Dr. Ajit Roy?

Certainly, it showed how carelessly the Trust and the management conducting yearly Dhadak Mohim had managed to show to the whole world how one can achieve Total Mismanagement with such improper planning. Imagine, every Base Camp had 8 to 10 volunteers serving four villages and just ONE THERMOMETER!!! Why the volunteers were not given FOUR thermometers by the management? How were the volunteers supposed to record the temperature of the patients???

I am truly appalled at the whole situation on the grounds of Dhadak Mohim 2011...

(... to be continued...)

DHADAK MOHIM 2011: TOTAL MISMANAGEMENT – PART XII

THE MOST ESSENTIAL “FIRST AID KIT” WAS MISSING ALTOGETHER FROM ALL THE BASE CAMPS

14 years of conducting Yearly Medical Camps – Dhadak Mohim is the claim of the Trust and one should ask them as to what kind of management it was on the real grounds!!!

One will be surprised and even to a layman the most evident and most essential “First Aid Kit” was missing altogether in all the Base Camps... surely, the management had never thought that someone would ever point out such a big blunder... First Aid Kit is the most mandatory for even a small event and here 35 villages were at stake with as many as 94 volunteers per batch... who were asked to serve the poor tribal villagers without First Aid Kit... now what will one say about such a management where in even the two doctors didn’t bothered to provide one kit per Base Camp, if not Four kits per Base Camp to serve four villages???

Total Mismanagement seems to be the Major Highlight of Dhadak Mohim 2011! Certainly it seemed that for the management it was a child’s play to conduct such yearly camp:

WITHOUT:-

First Aid Kit;

Enough Stock of Medicines;

Stock of Protein Supplements;

Qualified Doctors to lead the Base Camps;

Dettol Antiseptic Lotion;

Sufficient Number of Volunteers per batch;

Toilets for Girl Volunteers;

Safe Drinking Water;

I really don’t know what to say for such a careless and callous attitude of the management to conduct such camps... please tell me the world, what can you expect from such camps?

(... to be continued...)

DHADAK MOHIM 2011: TOTAL MISMANAGEMENT – PART XI

HUGE WASTAGE OF VEGETABLES DAILY @ Rs. 540/-

One can say even with a blind eye that it was mismanagement at its best! Since it was not the Trust’s money in feeding the volunteers (they charged each volunteer Rs. 700/- to serve as a volunteer – how gross one can get?), the management really did not care at all about huge wastage of vegetables. Daily in most of the camps, vegetables to the tune of 2 to 3 kilos had to be thrown out because vegetables were dumped at various Base Camps every fourth or fifth day... it surely reflected the callous attitude of the management to waste so much (9 Base Camps x 2 to 3 kgs = 18 to 27 kgs wastage of vegetables every day)... if one calculates the average in terms of rupees... Rs. 20 to 30/- a kg x 27 = Rs. 540/- Daily... x 30 Days = Rs. 16,200 /-

I was very upset about the whole thing and used to ask other volunteers why they dump so much of vegetable once a week? Why the management couldn’t provide us daily supply of fresh vegetables? Volunteers who paid Rs. 700/- were fed vegetables that used to get stale after a day... what and why the management was so careless and callous with their mismanagement? Have they been conducting Dhadak Mohim in such a fashion since the last 14 years? All these wastage when they were serving the so-called malnourished region of Melghat... how careless and callous it was of the management not to think the basic things of conducting a camp?

Each volunteer deserved a proper accommodation, safe drinking water, toilets facilities and proper fresh food because they have paid their parents’ hard earned money and that too, for serving as volunteers... but none of the above was provided... food which was often eaten by rats was part of the scenario that is so disgusting to even think of. And since it was not their money, they carelessly allowed such wastage to go unnoticed by one and all. I wonder why they could not supply fresh vegetables on a daily basis to check the wastage... well, it showed that the management was not at all bothered about the volunteers and wastage once the volunteers had paid the 700 rupees...

Maybe for some people who are supporting the Total Mismanagement of Dhadak Mohim still think that such things are childish... but wastage of food where the poor villagers cannot even afford to buy vegetables, the management had carelessly allowed such huge wastage on a daily basis... I am appalled and totally disillusioned apart from being sad about the whole mismanagement...

(... to be continued...)

TOTAL MISMANAGEMENT @ DHADAK MOHIM – PART X

After the TOTAL MISMANAGEMENT @ DHADAK MOHIM and ILL-TREATMENT to volunteers who were doing good work on ground, MAITRI's employee MADHU MANE invites me to DHARNI through Dr. Priyadarsh Ture (I have to let the world know DR. how things are progressing) to say and finish off things... that in other words means DEAL.

I am writing not to make DEAL about what happened but I am writing because I care for the POOR & want the WORLD to know... how the POOR are exploited!

When things are good on grounds, I have written everything as it is... so when things are wrong, I am writing everything as it is...

Please read the links below:

http://support4suicidefarmersfamilies.blogspot.com/2011/06/meet-young-docu-filmmaker-ajay-saklani.html

http://support4suicidefarmersfamilies.blogspot.com/2011/06/new-old-world-of-india-melghat-district.html

http://support4suicidefarmersfamilies.blogspot.com/2011/06/new-old-world-of-india-melghat-district_22.html

http://support4suicidefarmersfamilies.blogspot.com/2011/07/new-old-world-of-india-melghat-district.html

http://support4suicidefarmersfamilies.blogspot.com/2011/07/new-old-world-of-india-melghat-district_07.html


(... to be continued...)

TOTAL MISMANAGEMENT @ DHADAK MOHIM – PART IX

SHORT SUPPLIES OF MEDICINES, NO PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS STOCK WITH THE MANAGMENT

MELGHAT MAITRI has been serving the Melghat Region since the last 14 years and one wonders what kind of management it was during the DHADAK MOHIM 2011? I along with all the volunteers at Paankhalya Base Camp was surprised because there was no stock of “Protein Supplements” at all... I was surprised to see only one packet of Protein Supplement was given to one malnourished child for just one day... when I enquired from Suresh Sabale (a medical student from Pune), the Group Leader, he said – ‘What to do... I have asked and requested them many a times but they have not send the stock.’

This was something very serious and shows the callous and careless attitude of the management for they were serving the Melghat Region where the so-called malnutrition deaths are known and they didn’t had the most important Protein Supplement in their stock... so one wonders is MALNUTRITION DEATHS in Melghat a DEMONIC MYTH created by the MEDIA, Government officials, Leaders and NGOs serving there? At the Orientation at arrival we were told by Dr. Ajit Roy that deaths are mainly due to pneumonia and medicines not reaching the villagers. Malnutrition deaths are rare in this region... and so very true it was because while serving the four villages – Paankhalya, Gambhiri, Nagodhana and Khaparkheda, we got only 6 cases of malnutrition among infants... each village comprised of more than 100 to 150 families in average. So the reality of malnutrition deaths in Melghat Region is media hyped. I requested Suresh to keep asking for Protein Supplement... we begged for full four days with the management but it seemed they were just not hearing our plea... There were major shortfalls of medicines that the camp didn’t have... Suresh left after his 10 days but the Protein Supplements did not arrived.

DETTOL was another antiseptic lotion that was totally missing in almost every base camps... imagine the management just wanted us to treat the villagers without cleaning their wounds or boils... after four long days of repeated requests and begging, finally Ram Phad arrived with 6 small bottles of Hydrogen Peroxide and very humbly gave us three and another three to Priyanka Kumari, Group Leader of Khaari Base Camp...which was not sufficient to divide for four villages to cater. When I asked about the Protein Supplements... he said – ‘aayega aaj kal mein (will come in a day or two)’ – I was furious about their careless attitude and finally I told Ram, “Please send 20 packets of Protein Supplement even if you have to buy it and I shall pay the amount.” That very night, late at night Rajaram came with 20 packets... and so also a good stock of medicines.

The reason being I had told Group Leader Shambhaji (MSW student from Satara) that if the medicines and Protein Supplements will not arrive today, tomorrow I will ask every volunteer to stay at the camp and not enter villages with proper and all medicines to serve the poor villagers. I am sure the message was conveyed to the management and hence that day everything arrived. One really wonders as to why the management had not stocked the required medicines in respective base camps when the camp was almost one month old? Why there was such a major shortfall of all the required medicines? That night Rajaram revealed that every camp is facing the shortfall.

The same night, Dr. Ture also arrived and we had a good interactive session with him. I told him everything about the shortfall of medicines, dettol, and there was no stock of bandages for dressing... Dr. Ture assured me that the very next day the shortfall will arrive and I am indeed grateful to him because for two consecutive days, he sent us good stock of Protein Supplements and other required medicines after I asked Satyajit to prepare a list of deficiencies. I really don’t know if other 8 Base Camps were as lucky as our Base Camp to get a good stock of medicines.

However, after those two good days (thanks to Dr. Ture), the stock never arrived again till I was there (1^st September) and the shortfall continued as we were serving the sick in four villagers to cut a sorry figure in front of the villagers when we didn’t have the required medicines for patients. Can you believe that once the volunteers were dropped at the respective Base Camps, we were on our own... no one to really ask what you need? What are the problems you are facing? Is everything alright? There was no Daily Stock Taking of Medicines from the Management... there was no follow up by them... there was no one, one could really project one’s helplessness...

Concerned citizen from various parts of India were kind enough to send me medicines... Sanjiv Chhabria - Mumbai, Uma Iyer - Noida, Rohit Chhabria & Tarana Masand – Mumbai, Vijay Beleri – Mumbai and Dr. Anandita Jaiswal Malik – Raipur had sent us medicines worth Rs. 25-30,000 in total... this stock surely came in handy and arrived timely to serve the villagers. The management has failed miserably for the fact that non-availability of required medicines not being given to volunteers to serve the poor villagers shows how well the MISMANAGEMENT was at work.

And on 30^th August when I projected the problems, Dr. Ajit Roy said – ‘You all are here to counsel the villagers about medicines. You are not here to make them dependent by giving them medicines.’ Volunteers were aghast to hear this from a Dr. Who told nothing about ‘Counselling’ at our arrival.... a mere 20 minutes Orientation about Diarrhea and Pneumonia and Dr. Roy declares all of us as doctors... the approach to serve the poor at Dhadak Mohim 2011 with improper orientation, no statistical records of malnourished children in respective village, short supply of medicines, no stock of Protein Supplements, no Dettol and the points I have discussed so far since 2^nd September about Total Mismanagement has surely opened my and other volunteers eyes...

Responsible citizen who chipped in with donations and medicines are angry about all the mismanagement... I really wonder why they didn’t try their level best to rectify their flaws when it was projected to them! WHY? This BIG WHY will haunt everyone who was connected with DHADAK MOHIM!

(... to be continued...)

TOTAL MISMANAGEMENT @ DHADAK MOHIM – PART VIII

YASHWANTRAO CHAVAN SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK JAKATWADI, SATARA’S MSW STUDENTS TAKES ON THE MANAGEMENT BEFORE LEAVING DHADAK MOHIM

Unhappy volunteers who came in to serve the malnourished infants of tribal villagers in Melghat Region realized how the mismanagement at Dhadak Mohim 2011 has misled them with gory pictures of malnourished children during their drive at various colleges to ask volunteers to come and serve at the mohim. 35 MSW students from Yashwantrao Chavan School of Social Work Jakatwadi, Satara... who were serving at various camps were united in demanding the management as to why they were misled and the whole mohim had total mismanagement – from accommodation, no safe drinking water, no toilets facilities for girl volunteers, no bathroom for girl volunteers to take bath, short supply of medicines and improper orientation... before leaving the camps on 6^th September at Dharni Base Camp.

This picture is posted in Dhadak Mohim's blog... www.dhadakmohim.wordpress.com

The management comprising of Dr. Ajit Roy, Ram Phad and Rajaram did accepted there were flaws and noted down all the points pointed out by various students. They promised that they will make sure such things will not happen ever in future Dhadak Mohim... however initially the management insisted to girl students that they should have adjusted a little to live in village atmosphere. To which most of the girls came on strongly and said, “Why should we adjust... we came to serve the villagers and not to adjust because there were no safe drinking water supply, no toilets and bathroom facilities for girls and on top of everything we paid Rs. 700/- for what... and how can you ask us to generate awareness about ‘Health & Hygiene’ and teach the villagers to adopt such practice when you have made us to go out in open for nature’s call?’ The management didn’t have any answers to all these questions as per students.

While travelling back to Satara and in college, the 35 MSW students did discuss at great length about their experiences at Dhadak Mohim in train... majority of volunteers were surprised that there were more NEGATIVE POINTS than any POSITIVE POINTS during their 15 days’ ordeal at various camps. All the students are making sure that when they will file their respective reports, they will write in detail about all the mismanagement for the Dean to take great notice about their ground experiences.

All these while Dr. Ajit Roy have been calling various volunteers over phone and telling them that Johnny D has not done the right thing by writing everything in the blog... volunteers demanded from Dr. Roy – ‘What Johnny D has written is not wrong and he is writing the truth.’ Dr. Roy even confessed and agreed that there were mismanagement to one of the volunteers over phone.

I really wonder as to who will trust Dhadak Mohim in future? And I am glad the students of Yashwantrao Chavan School of Social Work Jakatwadi, Satara have revealed more about the total mismanagement at DHADAK MOHIM 2011!

(... to be continued...)

मैं हूँ गरीब तो क्या?

(The poem is inspired by my recent 
experience @ Dhadak Mohim)


मैं जीता हूँ अपनी ही छोटी सी दुनियाँ में...

जहाँ खाने के नाम में दो रोटी बस है मेरे लिए

मैं जीता हूँ...

जहाँ बिमारियों व दुखों से मेरी ज़िन्दगी भरी है

मैं जीता हूँ...

जहाँ भीख मांगने से मर जाना बेहतर समझा जाता है

मैं जीता हूँ...

जहाँ प्रकृति को देवता का दर्ज़ा दिया गया है पूर्वजों ने     

मैं जीता हूँ...

मैंने कभी दुनिया से नहीं कहा कि मेरी मदद करो

मैं जीता हूँ...

जहाँ मेहनत करना ज़िन्दगी का दूसरा नाम है

मैं जीता हूँ...

मैं नहीं जानता क्यों दूसरों को छोटा समझा जाता है

मैं जीता हूँ...

लेकिन दुनियाँ फिर भी मेरा शोषण करती है क्यों?

मैं जीता हूँ...

मुझे कृपा करके मेरे हाल पर छोड़ दो, मैं सुख से जीना चाहता हूँ

मैं जीता हूँ...

अमीर मेरी दुनियाँ में आकर सब तहस-नहस कर देते हैं क्यों?

मैं जीता हूँ...

मैंने कब किसी को कोई नुकसान पहुँचाया है

मैं जीता हूँ...

मेरी ज़िन्दगी मुझे छोड़कर सभी को अमीर बना देती है

मैं जीता हूँ...

पर ये वहसी दुनियावाले मुझे हर पल मारने में लगे रहते हैं 

मैं हूँ गरीब तो क्या हुआ...

धन्य है भगवन का जिसने मुझे गरीब पैदा किया!!! 

हाँ, मैं गरीब हूँ...

पर मैं दुनियाँवालों को कुछ न कुछ अपनी ज़िन्दगी में देता ही रहता हूँ!

--- स्वरचित ---

१० सितम्बर २०११