The year under review witnessed in general a further consolidation of the projects ongoing from the previous year, rather than introduction of new or additional ones. The multifarious activities/programmes that were undertaken during the year can be grouped under the following broad categories:-
Prevention of Drug Abuse & Alcoholism - Under this Central Govt. Scheme the following activities were undertaken:
De-addiction Centre for drug addicts & alcoholics at Cuttack - a total number of 339 patients were detoxified, out of whom nearly 40% are now leading a drug free life. Beside this, counseling in OPD, follow-up & field survey of the addicts & their family members were undertaken by the Centre;
Awareness Building - A total of 60 programmes in the form of camps, meetings, exhibitions etc. were held in different parts of the State involving the cross sections of the public. Besides generating the awareness, these programmes attracted the victims of drug & alcohol to the De-addiction Centre for treatment. Publicity Campaign through AIR, newspapers & posters continued as in the previous year along with publication of reports, booklets & pamphlets on the subject.
Integrated Slum Development in Cuttack:-
A Vocational Training Unit for poor slum dwelling women in Pareswar Sahi, Jobra has been set up with help of machines like electrically operated Papad making & Leaf Cup & Plate-making, donated by National Research Development Corporation (New Delhi). A Society named "Mahila Silpa Talim Kendra" looks after day-to-day management of the unit under the overall supervision of he Project Swarajya.
Health Education & Service Camps-A total of 60 such camps were organized in and outside Cuttack where free medicines, diagnosis & prescription along-with professional counseling in hygiene, sanitation & small family norm were offered to the poor people including women & children.
Miscellaneous Social Defence Activities - Such as survey & awareness generation about water pollution in Taladanda Canal, Mahanadi & Kathajori River in the slums situated along the banks; campaign for communal harmony; Rehabilitation assistance to the families affected in the Liquor Tragedy of May 1992 and Survey of and fight for the cases of the people in Sutahat area, whose houses were damaged in accidental fire - were taken up also.
Income Generation by Rural Destitute Women - The Tarpur Weaving Centre in Jagatsinghpur district was assisted in terms of building construction, supply of raw materials, money wages, repair of the looms & office furniture to become a self sufficient unit where 10 local destitute women are now able to earn their livelihood.
Welfare of Street and Working Children in Cuttack-
A total of 7 number of tailoring machines were given to working Children, mostly girls living in the slums of Cuttack for income generation for themselves;
Awareness generation through health camps, meetings & media publicity continued as in the previous years around the issues of child labour in general and street child in particular:
Anti-AIDS Campaign - In view of the fact that the abuse of interavenous drugs leads to attack by AIDS, a campaign has been initiated by our Deaddiction Centre during the year for preventive awareness against the AIDS. Beside the drug addicts, the campaign does address to other potential agents/victims of killer virus - barbers, scavengers & sweepers, blood donors, & sex-workers etc.
Project for /Mentally Retarted Children- A project called "Early Intervention to Infants & Toddlers at Risk or with Development Delays" has been initiated at Cuttack with financial and technical assistance of National Institute for Mentally Handicaped, Secunderabad.
The activities under this group aim at defending and promoting the rights and interest of those sections of population who have due to socio-historical reasons fallen behind others in respect of an equitable enjoyment of the opportunities provided by the democratic State. As in the earlier years, the Organisation took up the cause of the Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes and Minorities around specific issues.
Liberation of Scavengers in Cuttack - As a follow up of the project implemented during the previous year, the Organisation took care to see that the scavengers and their children who were assisted in terms of vocational training, non-formal education, health awareness, and small capital assistance for pursuing different handicraft trades were able to generate additional income for themselves and also lead a more dignified life.
Development Prrogrammes for Scheduled caste people & Minorities - The organization while carrying out its poverty alleviation programmes among the poor and disadvantaged people gives priority to the Scheduled Caste and Minorities among them. The following activities are indicative of this priority:
Integrated Development of fishermen (SC) in selected Coastal Villages including Telegu speaking migrant fishermen from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh & Bengali speaking migrant fishermen from neighbouring West Bengal;
Integrated Slum Development in Cuttack:- Under this programme such slums were chosen where the scheduled castes & minorities predominate demographically;
Individual Beneficiary Programmes - The provision of income generation machines and small capital assistance to individual beneficiaries has been decided in such a manner as to benefit mostly the SCs & Minorities;
Campaign for Communal Harmony - A 5 day Youth Training Camp for Communal Harmony was held during 9-13 June'93 at Sarvodaya, Cuttack under joint aegis of Project Swarajya and Nachiketa Sangha.
During the year the Costal Ecology Division took a formal shape constituted of two Sections - Conservation & Development. The Conservation Section deals with the rare & endangered flora & fauna of the coastal areas, while the Development section take care of the issues around development programme vis--vis the environment protection. The following are major activities under this division :-
Conservation & Sustainable Utilisation of the Indian Horseshoe Crabs - Continued from the previous year, the extensive field trips, training camps & local meetings were held in the year for the purpose of both survey of the habitat & nesting sites of the horseshoe crab, and awareness generation among the local people in Orissa Coast for its conservation. 3 State level Workshops (at Zoology Dept Utkal University, Zoology Dept Ravenshaw College and Dept of Marine Sciences, Berhampur University) were held to impress upon the scientists & academicians of the State & outside about the need for sustainable management of this unique marine resource of our country. Media publicity in AIR, newspapers & magazines were also done extensively about the species. The probability of its occurrence in neighbouring country Bangladesh and in Southern States of Andhra Pradesh & Tamilnadu has also been established during the year with forgoing of links with the NGOs in these new areas for further collaborative effort on this front. The research efforts on horse3shoe crab have also registered new startling advances with the involvement of eminent scientists & Govt. officials in the project such as from NIO, Goa and Directorate of Fisheries, Orissa. The probability of occurrence of a new species in Orissa Coast not taxonomised yet, new findings about the horseshoe crab habitat, and reporting of the species from Andhra Pradesh & Tamilnadu are a few instances of novel outcomes of the research made on the subject. For carrying out the project at the grass root level, the Organisation could involve Fishermen's Co-operative Societies, Mahila Mandals, Fish Trading Agencies, Trawl Owners' Associations etc. in different fishing villages all among the Orissa Coast. Efforts for multi-media documentation (audio, video, print & photographic) & its instant dissemination to the concerned individuals & organizations have been further strengthened in this year too.
Integrated Development of Fishing Villages in Orissa Coast - The fishing villages covered under the project are New Buxipalli (Gopalpur) and Prayagi in Ganjam, Sanapatna & Sahan in Puri, Kharinasi & Jamboo in Kendrapara and Sandhkud (Paradeep) in Jagatsinghpur districts. The package of integrated development includes introduction of Fish Aggregating Devices & Fish Drying Racks, Small Capital Assistance for net making, pearl culture, duck rearing etc, Non-formal education, sanitary latrines, vocational training in non-fishery trades, post-harvest fishery activities and health & hygiene awareness etc. The different components of the programme instead of being introduced all at once, are taken up phase-wise depending upon the needs and organizational preparedness of the fishing villagers, This project is being carried out in collaboration with the Directorate of Fisheries, Orissa.
Sustainable Management of Mangrove Forest Ecosystem in Coastal Orissa - The one year project for survey and awareness generation on mangrove forests of Coastal Orissa which had commenced in the year 1992-1993 came to a formal close in August 1994 with the publication of a comprehensive report on the subject. Earlier, a popular book in Oriya language on the subject had already been published. The impact of the book coupled with the impact of the numerous meetings, seminars & workshops conducted at different levels including the villages in mangrove areas were further consolidated by the Organisation for creating a stable & effective network of Govt. agencies, NGOs, academicians & enlightened citizens that would work for protection, regeneration & sustainable management of fragile ecosystem of mangrove forests. Further survey and action research continued on the subject of unique flora & fauna of mangroves of Orissa Coast. The Organisation tried in its own way to solve the problem of discontent in coastal fishing villages of Orissa that arose from the declaration of ban on fishing in extended Sanctuary areas on the ground of protection of Olive Ridley Crocodiles. Meetings were held at village level and communications made with concerned Govt. officials for the purpose. Multi-media documentation & dissemination on the subject of mangrove forests continued as in the previous year. Closer rapport with Mangrove Society of India (NIO), Goa and the State Dept of Forests & Environment were established during the year for further advance of the project.
Prevention of Water Pollution in Taladanda Canal, Mahanadi & Kathajori River Under this project, household surveys, awareness generation meetings, health camps & media publicity were organized with an object to facilitate the implementation of Orissa High Court Judgement on the issue by the concerned Govt. & Municipal Bodies. Among the important activities under the project, a Citizens' Workshop was held on 6th June 1993 world Environment Day attended by some concerned parties including Chairman Cuttack Municipality and Principal S.C.B. Medical College. A positive impact has been no doubt exercised by the programmes of Project Swarajya on the concerned bodies; but due to lack of political will on the part of the State Govt., the High Court directive could not be complied within time. In view of this, Project Swarajya has continued its efforts in all directions to ensure speedy implementation of the Judgement. The focus of the project in the first phase was on the areas within Cuttack Municipality while it is on the rural stretch in the next phase.
"Towards Green Villages" Campaign - The campaign aims at disseminating a participatory sustainable management model for the village commons in the country's rural areas. It is a collaborative effort by the Centre for Science & Environment, New Delhi & Project Swarajya, Cuttack going on since 1992. An Oriya translation of the book "Towards Green Villages" has been published & circulated to the concerned Govt. & non- Govt. Organisations & individuals across the State of Orissa. A State level seminar on the subject was held at Sundarpara, Dhenkanal under joint auspices of PIPAR & Project Swarajya on 12.10.93 where the recent Joint Forest Management Plan of Govt. Of Orissa was elaborately discussed by the Govt. officials; NGOs, Village Forest Committees & concerned individuals who attended it.
Continued from the earlier years, the scope of the activities under this Division has been further expanded & also consolidated in the year. The news and features on various issues of international, national & local significance as relevant to NGO Sector along with the news & features on Project Swarajya activities are being documented separately topicwise, ready for reference & use by the staff and public. Besides video & audio recording of crucial events constitutes an important regular activity of the Organisation. The publication of the reports, monographs & translations is now made easier by regularizing the Reprography Division of the organization. Arrangements for and techniques of instant dissemination of the relevant information & reports across the country through different media, print & electronic have been further perfected during the year. Quite a good number of NGOs, Govt. officials, research scholars, mediamen & interested individuals have received the benefit in terms of information & knowledge so documented by the Organisation.
State level meeting of NGOs held on 26.7.93 at Bhubaneswar, Orgd. By National Institute of Habitat Management
Seminar on "Juang Pirh : Alternative mode of survival" held at Keonjhar Police High School on May 30,1993 under joint aegis of SETU, Keonjhar & Project Swarajya, Cuttack;
Participation in the International Symposium on "Shaping the Future by Law" held in New Delhi in March 1994 under the aegis of Indian Law Institute;
Presentation of talk by Project Swarajya in the Global Forum on Environmental Education for Sustainable Development, held in New Delhi under the aegis of Indian Environmental Society, during 24-28 Sept 1993.
Presentation of talk in the National Workshop on Juvenile Justice Act held at Bangalore under the aegis of National NGO Forum for Street/Working Children during 28-30 March 1994;
Participation in the Regional Workshop on Remote Sensing & Geographic Information System held at Bhubaneswar on 22-23 March'93 under the auspices of Orissa Remote Sensing Application Centre, Bhubaneswar;
Contribution to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund for the earth quake victims of Maharasthra;
Participation in National Workshop on Industry & Energy Conservation held in Calcutta under the aegis of Indian Environmental Society, New Delhi during Nov. 19-21, 1993;
Assistance to small NGOs, Co-operative Societies & Mahila Mandals in terms of funding & sponsoring of joint programmes, formulating of project proposals & linkage with resource agencies;
Participation in activities of different Govt. for a such as Cuttack District Natural Calamities Committee, Red Cross Society & Orissa Mahila Samabaya Vikas Nigam etc.
Presentation of paper in the Workshop on Social Forestry project held under the auspices of ORG on 28.8.93 at Bhubaneswar.