Medha Lekha. Gadchiroli district. Maharashtra.
Medha Lekha. Gadchiroli district. Maharashtra. This little village of 400-odd people belonging to the Gond tribe spreads over 1,900 hectares, of which 80 per cent is forestland. Till the 1960s, the people managed the area, after which the government stepped in. The forests became a source of state revenue. A struggle in the 1970s, against the setting up of a paper mill and a hydroelectric project in the surrounding area, spearheaded the formation of a strong and united movement of the Gond tribe.
The villagers formed a gram sabha , which decided that all domestic needs would be met sustainably from the surrounding forests without paying any fee to the government. They finally demanded inclusion of their forests in the join forest management programme. The government refused but eventually gave in to their demands.
As a result, the villagers have taken up a number of soil and water conservation programmes, including construction of an earthen water harvesting dam near the forest. Now, every family has at least one bank account, while there are separate accounts for the gram sabha , van suraksha samiti and mahila mandal (women's association).