The forgotten people

In the discussion on the pros and cons of the Mopa airport, the difficulties that the Dhangar community, residents of the area for generations, will face have been overlooked. 

Lingudsarvo, one of the areas that will be affected, has 18 houses with a population of almost 70 to 80 people of the Dhangar community. The survival of these people, who are all into traditional business like rearing animals, agriculture and cashew and coconut plantations, is at stake.

This community received water supply just five years ago, along with electricity connections and ration quotas. Each household has a minimum four members and almost 90 percent of them earn their living by working on daily wages in fields or in other domestic work.

The land where this community is residing is owned by landlords for which, the family pays a rent on an annual basis. Other than this, they have only their houses, owned by them since they are residing there for many years and now want the government to meet their needs.

Nakli Varakone said, “If the government is shifting us from this location then before doing that, they should see how our life is over here, what are our needs and on that basis should provide us with a suitable location and sufficient land where we grow our fields and have grazing land for our animals.”

The people have their own plantation of coconut, cashew, jackfruit and rear cows and buffaloes, which they say, can’t leave back and move ahead. Every family has between 50 and 100 goats that need proper land to graze. If the animals are taken to a concretised area then it would be difficult for them to survive, the residents say. 

The community has not received any communication from the government stating that where they will be rehabilitated or what facilities they will be provided by the government. The community is not reaping any benefit from the Mopa project but will be losing everything they have there.

“Our family has been residing here for the last four generations. We feel secure when we leave our children at home and go out for work, but if we are shifted to a new place then we won’t find it secure to leave them and go to work,” said Babu Bablo Varak.

“Here there are 18 families residing for the last four to five generations. We have requested the government to leave this area aside and go ahead with the airport but the government till now hasn’t told us whether they are in favour of that or not. We have requested this from the government so as to not disturb our lives and moving us all along with everything we have here,” said Dhuku Bablo Varak.

This community expects that the government will not force them to migrate from the area or if it does, then give them proper rehabilitation with space for their animals where they can feel secure and live their life as they are living now.

“We work on daily wage or most of the time we are unemployed. We survive on our traditional business along with our cows and other plantations. Tomorrow if we are removed from here we want the government to give us jobs and secure our lives,” a community member said.