By Matters India Reporter
Ranchi, June 14, 2020: Simon Oraon will soon sleep in a proper house, thanks to some bank officers.
The 84-year-old Padma Shri recipient, known as the waterman of Jharkhand, lives in living in a tin-roofed dilapidated house along with his wife Virginia and two maternal grandchildren at Khaksi Toli, about 40 km from Ranchi, the state capital.
Oraon was conferred with Padma Shri in 2016 for his exemplary contribution in water harvesting and rural irrigation.
The United Bank Officers’ Association decided to build a pucca house for the Oraon when they learned about his pitiful living condition.
The association had invited Oraon to a conference in February at Ranchi’s Jesuit-managed St Xavier’s College to seek his blessings.
Rambali Ram, assistant general secretary of the association’s Jharkhand chapter, said decided to build him a house worth 1 million rupees.
“We thought Oraon is Padma Shri recipient and he must be living in a good financial condition. But, when we visited him at his village we were shocked to find that he doesn’t have proper house to live. The rooftop is covered with plastic sheet. He even doesn’t have a proper room to sleep,” Ram described their visit.
Hailing Oraon as “a man of simple living and high thinking,” Ram said the association members felt the need to do something for a person who has done so much great service to society.
However, they could not do much because of the countrywide locked imposed on March 25 to contain the coronavirus pandemic. The lockdown was relaxed on June and some association members on June 6 accompanied with architects visited Oran’s house for site verification and to draw the map.
On being contacted Oraon confirmed and said that some bank officials had come to meet him.
“They told me that they want to build a house for me. I have no words to express my gratitude towards them if they are taking care of elderly persons like me. I had neither money nor any plan to build a house. I devoted my life to the service of humanity and nature,” he told The Pioneer over phone.
The origin
Oraon decided to build checkdams after witnessing severe water scarcity, repeated crop failures, indiscriminate deforestation and erratic weather patterns for 28 years.
He was pained to note that despite being endowed with six waterfalls, farmers in the region struggled to make their ends meet in absence of a water restoration system. This forced farmers to migrate to cities in search of better livelihood over the years.
Pained by the repeated crop failures, Oraon in 1960 decided to build a check dam to store rainwater. In the subsequent years, he undertook a massive tree-plantation drive, well and pond digging initiatives.
Today, the Bero block boasts of lush green fields, dotted with small ponds that are linked with dams which act as water reservoirs. The region boasts of lush green forests and fields, with small ponds linked with dams, which act as water reservoirs, thanks to Oraon.
In the last six decades, this grade I dropout has transformed the lives of thousands of villagers in Jharkhand with his massive tree-planting and water conservation efforts and turned Bero Block into an agricultural hub.
Recognizing his efforts in forestry and water conservation, Oran was awarded the Padma Shri — the fourth highest civilian honor in India.
“When I was of 13, I used to discuss with my father why the crops in the area failed despite having six waterfalls. Despite our hard work, intensive rain would wash away everything. Hence, a plan was chalked out to construct a check dam,” says Oraon.
But Oraon knew that it was easier said than done. “I tried to convince people of my village, but initially, they were reluctant to donate their land for the purpose. After three long years, I finally succeeded in convincing them,” adds Oraon.
The first dam near his village in Narpatna was constructed in 1961 when he was only 28. But the dam was washed away during the next monsoon.
In fact, Oraon had to face many subsequent hurdles as several dams failed to withstand the monsoon water, till the water resource department stepped in to build a strong check dam. In following years, check dams were also constructed in Jharia, Narpatna, Kharia, Gaighat, Deshbali and a few other locations in nearby villages.
Today, Bero block produces more than 20,000 metric tons of vegetables which are also supplied to adjoining states such as Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal.
Protecting flora
Oram has also been working in 51 villages under the Bero block to protect natural flora for decades and has played a key role in the construction of six ponds and a number of wells for cultivation. “It was only due to Oraon’s life-long efforts, we have greenery throughout the year the region,” said Block Development Officer, Bero, Vijay Kumar Soni.
Struggle is far from over
Oraon himself struggles on the personal front. He along with his wife in a thatched house the roof of which leaks during the monsoon. But enter his house, one would see Oraon proudly displays all the certificates that he has received over the years and newspaper cuttings on his movement on the wall. A large chunk of his income comes from his farming and herbs which he prepares at his home.