The year 1994-1995 was the 6th year of existence of Project Swarajya. It witnessed a further consolidation of its major projects along with the introduction of some new ones. The year under review is a remarkable one for it added substantially to the organisation's pool of scientific knowledge, technical expertise, material resources and project clientele. However, there remained some areas in which significant progress would have been achieved but for the lack of timely availability of the necessary finance & competent personnel. But on the whole, the year 1994-95 brought maturity and stability to the organization and the personnel involved in it.
DRUG DE-ADDICTION-CUM-REHABILITATION CENTRE
1994-1995 was the third year of existence of the Drug De-addiction Centre which was set up in the latter half of 1992-1993 in the wake of notorious Liquor Tragedy of 1992.
The Centre well equipped with the adequate professional manpower and infrastructure provided both indoor and outdoor treatment to the drug addicts and alcoholics drawn from different parts of State and Country.
Following is an abstract of the figures of drug-dependents who received treatment in the Nishamukti Kendra during the last two years 1993-94 & 1994-95.
| PERIOD | OPD NEW PATIENTS | INDOOR PATIENTS | OPIATE DEPENDENCE | ALCOHOL | CANNABIS | BZ SEDATIVE & OTHER | MULTIPLE DRUG ABUSE |
| April 1993 to March 1994 | 339 | 148 | 100 | 106 | 54 | 17 | 62 |
| April 1994 to March 1995 | 383 | 155 | 98 | 64 | 68 | 38 | 115 |
The results of the treatment given are however quite interesting. The rate of success differed from one drug to another. For Buprenorhine, the drug free state turned out to be only 9% while for Raw Opium it was 98%. The following table gives a drug wise abstract of the rate of success achieved as a result of the treatment administered by the center.
| OPIATES AVERAGE | BUPRE NORPHINE | BROWN SUGAR | RAW OPIUM | CODINE | AL | CA | BZ |
| 50% | 9% | 20% | 98% | 50% | 24% | 92% | 38% |
For Indoor patients Overall Cure rate was 56%
For Total Patients it was 46%
For Multiple Drug Dependent Groups it was only 24%
It was observed that quite a good percentage of addicts are victims of "Iotrogenic drug dependence", that is, chronic addiction to certain drugs, induced by the very therapeutic practices of doctors themselves. Our Centres strictly followed the WHO prescribed Cold Turkey Method which makes the patient experience the painful pangs of withdrawal phase during the confinement and enables him thereby to get rid of addiction to drug of any sort. Substitute drugs are prescribed with extreme caution, lest the patient in the name of de-addiction would get entrapped into substitute drug dependence.
Besides the indoor detoxification/treatment services, the Centre continued its manifold activities for preventive education among the public at large, and for therapeutic counseling among the vulnerable sections across the State. To list out the salient ones, these are;
Early Identification & Surveillance in the community through periodic surveys;
Drug Education Programmes among the School/College students through lectures, demonstrations etc.
Enlightening the parents and parents' organizations through meetings & correspondence;
Mass communication through news-papers, radio, TV, exhibition of posters & audio-visuals;
Training of the personnel of NGOs, Police, Govt. Officials & mediamen through seminars, workshops, training camps etc;
Health Camps & De-addiction Camps in outstation areas for both therapeutic counseling and detoxification services at the doorstep of the addicts;
Involving family in both residential treatment programmes and out-patient programme;
Awareness & Counseling among the prisoners in co-ordination with the prison authorities;
Using "Alternatives approach" programmes for improving "Social Skills and Occupational Skills" so as to enable the recovered patient to stand on his legs in the post-treatment period in the face of an apathetic society; and
Conducting "Guided Tours" of patients to Medical wards (Gastoenterological/Medicine/Chest & Tuberculosis etc) as scare tactics, which works as a strong deterrent to "relapse".
The project called "Early Intervention to Infants and Toddlers at risk or having developmental delays" was started early in the year with eminent pediatrician Dr. D.D. Tripathy as the Project Co-ordinator. Equipped with the technical personnel like Clinical Assistant, Physio-therapist and Audio therapist, and housed in Basundhara at Bidanasi, Cuttack, the project could attract large number of cases from all over the State. This project sponsored by National Institute for Mentally Handicapped, Secunderabad could treat with success more than 100 children of 0-3 years during the year.
In view of the fact that there are quite a vast number of cases of mentally retarded children across the State of Orissa, the project EI need to be continued on a longterm basis at Cuttack.
As is well known, the addicts of injectable drugs are highly prone to contract of AIDS. While treating the drug addicts in the De-addiction Centre we made the AIDS test compulsory for each intravenous patient. Besides our Drug De-addiction drive and anti-drug awareness campaign, the personnel of the organization made it a point to explain to the concerned individuals and groups about the causative factors and symptoms of AIDS, and also about the need for early diagnosis and treatment. Moreover the vulnerable groups like blood donors, sex workers, intravenous drug takers, users of barber shops and promiscuous sex practitioners were approached through literature, audio visuals, talks and lectures about the causes and consequences of this deadly and fatal disease.
As in the previous years, the organization continued to extend the legal aid to destitute and disadvantaged persons including women, elders etc. who were subject to harassing litigations. While some cases could be resolved by virtue of mutual negotiation through the good offices of the organization, in other cases, the organization extended its ungrudging assistance to the concerned individuals in terms of necessary linkage, liaisoning and documentation.
To train the rural educated women in the paralegal services, the paralegal training camps were held in collaboration with the Ministry of Law, Justice and Company Affairs, Govt. of India and Orissa Legal Aid and Advice Board. Two such camps were held during the year under review, one at Astarang in Puri district and another at Kharinasi in Kendrapara district. Each such camp was attended by 60 trainees, mostly belonging to Fisher-folk. Besides the specific legislation and schemes of the Govt. relating to fishery sector, the syllabus of the para-legal camps included legislations concerning Consumer Protection, Forest Protection, Environment Protection, Atrocity on Women, Child Welfare, Narcotic Drugs and Land Reforms. As a result of such training camps, the persons sp trained are now able to help the poor and needy in the matter of litigations within and outside the Court.
As a result of persistent campaign at grass root level and lobbying at Governmental level the Indian Pharmacopaea has at last extended recognition to indigenous production of lysate from the blue blood of the horseshoe crabs. Secondly, while conducting the survey of the occurrence on horseshoe crab in Orissa Coast, the personnel of the organization have discovered a new species of horseshoe crab in addition to the existing four. Thirdly, contrary to the earlier notion that the horseshoe crabs had their breeding grounds only in Chandipur Coast, the organization could spot out quite a number of new breeding grounds in different parts of the Orissa Coast. Fourthly, contrary to the earlier belief that Orissa coast was inhabited by only one species of horseshoe crab, that is T. Gigas, our project could bring to light the existence of at least three species of H.S.C.
Over and above, the organization could make quite many new findings regarding the ecology and morphology of the horseshoe crabs which have been detailed in the final report of the project.
A major outcome of this project was the publication of a book "Horseshoe crab - A living fossil" authored by Dr. Anil Chatterjee" eminent Scientist of NIO, Goa. The organization also consucted quite many awareness programmes in coastal villages and as well in academic institutions in technical collaboration of NIO, Goa and Directorate of Fisheries, Orissa. As a result of our campaign the Scientists, academicians, Government agencies, and mediamen along with the common people in coastal villages have been awakened to the immense value and the need for sustainable management of the rare and primitive marine resource of our country, that is, horseshoe crab.
The organization took up certain fishing villages in Orissa coast for introduction of piece-meal measures with the objective of their integrated development. The villages covered under this programme are Kharinasi, Sahana, Sandhakuda, New Buxipalli (Gopalpur), Prayagi and Sana Patna. The measures introduced include installation of Fish Aggregating Devices, Non-formal Education, Para-legal Training Camps, Introduction of Fish Drying Racks, small capital assistance for net making, awareness against drug and alcohol, awareness on Post-harvest Fishery, and environmental campaign for conservation of horseshoe crab and mangrove forest etc. Such measurers have been introduced in collaboration of local level co-operatives and NGOs.
In order to enhance the skill of the marine fisher-folk in post-harvest fishery activities such as storing, transporting, drying, processing and marketing of fish and fish products, a project came up at national level, sponsored by ODA-BOBP and with involvement of the Department of Fishery, Orissa. Project Swarajya is one of the five NGOs of the State to be a member of the ODA-BOBP network in Orissa for the purpose. The year 1994-1995 was basically meant to highlight the goals and objectives of the project in the State through awareness generation programmes in which the organization took active part. Moreover two of the activists of our organization took training in the post harvest fishery project organized at Paradip by ODA-BOBP.
The organization has prepared the necessary ground work in selected fishing villages along Orissa coast for launching of the more concrete programmes on this front in the following year.
The organization further heightened its campaign for conservation of mangrove forest eco-system in Orissa coast with its focuss on mangrove forest of Mahanadi river mouth areas. Specifically speaking, the organization arranged several programmes of visit by Government officials, NGOs and Scientists to the mangrove patches still existing in Kharinasi, Jamboo, Hukitola, Batighar and Paradip.
On 31st December 1994 and 1st January 1995 the organization undertook a 2 days massive on-boat campaign programme from Paradip to Hukitola via Batighar in which a total of hundred persons including teachers, students, Govt. officials and NGOs participated. The Oriya book on mangrove forest authored by Mr. N.C. Mohanty, OFS along with other campaign materials published and circulated by organization could generate a strong impact on the public mind in favour of the cause of the mangrove forest.
Project Swarajya in technical collaboration with the State Directorate of Fisheries carried out a pilot project for introduction of Fish Aggregating Devices at selected points in Orissa coast. The Device is supposed to attract and concentrate the fishes around its installation in relatively deeper waters of the sea and help the marine fishermen thereby to net a good a catch from the areas around the device instead of making random and futile search in the vicinity of the coast line. Besides augmenting the fish catch per unit of time, the device would check the pollution of near shore waters by encouraging the fishermen to go out for fishing in deeper waters.
Five such FADs have been installed in places such as Gopalpur and Prayagi in Ganjam district, Sana Patna and Sahana in Puri district and Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district through the respective local fishermen's cooperatives.
As in the previous years, the organization continued its efforts for welfare of the child labour in Cuttack Town and adjacent areas. As mentioned elsewhere in this Report, selected number of child labourers were provided with sewing machines for their income generation through dignified means. The child labourers in the fishing villages of Kharinasi and Sahana were provided its non-formal education for a duration of one year. The organization became a part of two state level fora, namely Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL) and NGO Forum for street/working children (Coordinated by State Council for Child Welfare) and participated in their various activities for awareness generation programmes on Child Labour. The organization is also a member of the National NGO Forum for Street/Working Children promoted by UNICEF.
As in the previous years, the organization conducted several such camps every month of the year in different rural and urban areas of the State. In these camps, diagnosis of the patients and distribution of free medicines were made along with the general teachings on health, hygiene and sanitation among the patients and the public. Most of the patients who got benefited by the camps were women, children, aged and drug addicted and alcoholic youths belonging to lower strata of population. The Resource persons who had joined the camps as speakers on different health-related themes were Doctors, Pharmacists, Social Workers and Health Workers. Audio-visual aids were used in these camps to better communicate to the people the awareness on good health. As a result of such out-reach programmes, the campaign against drug abuse and alcoholism reached a great height all over the State besides rendering concrete health services to the poor and needy.
As in the previous years, the organization continued such programme also in the year under review. In collaboration with the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) New Delhi, the organization has been able to set up some training-cum-income generation units in the State, such as Papad making and Leaf-cup & plate-making machines at Cuttack amd Tara Loom at Topobhumi in Nayagada district. The Balaram Mud Block Press machine which has been already received by the organization from NRDC is to be set up in the year 1995-1996.
As many as 11 sewing machines were given to selected child labourers of Cuttack to help them enhance their skill and earn additional income for themselves in a dignified way. It was observed during this year that all of them have made remarkable progress in respect of skill development and economic self-dependence.
As mentioned else-where in this Report, the organization has extended financial assistance for introduction of Fish Aggregating Devices, Fish Drying Racks & Net making to the fisher-folk in some coastal villages. One such unit for pearl culture is already proposed to be opened in Kharinasi Fishing Village in collaboration with local Fisher Women's Cooperative Society.
As a supplement to the social welfare programmes of the Govt., the NGOs and Co-operatives are engaged in multifarious activities in the interest of the poor and marginalized sections of rural and urban society. In recent times, there has been a mushroom growth of the NGOs and Co-operatives at grassroot level on this ground. As in the previous years, our organization identified the genuine ones among such organizations and extended all possible sorts of co-operation to them for their further strengthening and development. The kinds of assistance that were provided to them included formulation of their project proposals, information on the schemes and donor agencies, networking them with the resource persons and agencies, implementation of some of our out reach programmes through them, supply of kits on different subjects, and more over lobbying for them at the level of the Govt. and the mass media.
As a result of such involvement of ours with the institutions at grassroot level, not only the latter have been immensely benefited in terms of feed-back from the grassroot level, further expansion of our network, sharing of the resources and moreover popular participation in our various activities.
As in the previous years, the organization continued to maintain the Documentation-cum-Dissemination Unit to cater to the needs of the organization and that of the public as well. Certain new publications were made on the themes of drug abuse, coastal ecology andhorseshoe crabs while reprint was undertaken in case of some other earlier publications. The following services were made available to the public by the unit-
Circulation of books, reports, photographs, news clippings, audio cassettes, video cassettes & slides brought out by the organization.
Photocopy of the Government schemes and polices and of public documents issued to the lawyers, mediamen, NGOs, freelancers and scholars.
Audio visual shows in public places on occasions and themes relating to drug abuse, ecology, women, children & youth.
Video coverage of the occasions, movements and events of crucial social significance.
During the year under review, the organization could build up a full-fledged Reprography Division equipped with computers, fax, photocopiers, video cameras, overhead and slide projectors, video editing machine and instant photo camera.
The Reprography Division alongwith its equipments is used not only to meet the documentation-cum-dissemination needs of the organization but also for raising some income for the organization through its commercial use on a no-profit no-loss basis.
Consumer Protection
The organization is a member of the Govt. sponsored Statelevel body of consumer welfare organizations and also a member of some such organizations in NGO sector. The organization has taken part in different awareness generation programmes for consumer protection organized by the Govt. and NGOs. In the Paralegal Training Camps organized during the course of the year, the consumer protection remained important theme among others. The organization also highlighted the issue of consumer protection in its awareness generation programmes on environment. It also brought out leaflets & pamphlets on consumer welfare, which were circulated in different Govt. & non-Govt. fora. In the year under review, the organization settled a few cases of aggrieved consumers through mutual negotiation between the concerned parties.
Road Safety Programme
As is well known, the milleniu-old city of Cuttack has an unplanned system of roads which has already resulted in a chaotic situation for all sorts of vehicle users and pedestrians as well. While implementing the projects for awareness generation among the residents and slum dwellers of Cuttack city the Organisation constantly highlighted the need for a radical replanning of the system of road and communication in and around Cuttack. The organization also conducted awareness generation programmes amongthe citizens of Cuttack as to how to keep its roads clean and trim, and how not to damage the public roads by encroachments, out-lets of water and garbage and use of the road-side for latrine and urinal purposes. The organization has established necessary linkage with appropriate Govt. and non-Govt. organizations for carrying out road safety programmes in a more planned manner and on a greater scale in the next year.