Growing Rural Unrest

Lake area.
With all its problems and controversies the Chilika Lake area during the last one- and-a-half years has also provided a fine example of a social movement in which the educated youth has joined hands with the weaker sections of society to protect the resource base without which there can be no future for the common people of this area. The immediate aim is to prevent ISFP and similar projects from taking root in the area, the larger aim is to continue to struggle for solving the other problems also. Another admirable aspect of the movement is that the leading activists have made a deliberate effort to avoid becoming leaders' and making others the 'followers'. While persons like Chittaran- jan Sarangi, Shrimati Dass, Sujata, Govind Behera are known quite well for their grassroots work in the movement they have not allowed this position to come in the way of the process of joint decision-making. The movement has remained non-violent. It has not sought the help of any funding agency or any rich vested interests.