People of Bantoli (Part 2)
A conversation with Linda Pascotto, President of The Prem Rawat Foundation, about the people of Bantoli.
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After
a day of work, a family relaxes in front
of their home.
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Have the tribal people benefited
from mining the mineral resources?
Tribal people mined the natural
resources, but arguably did not reap the benefits
they deserved. They have remained poor and uneducated
for generations, and they claim not to have benefited
from the exploitation of the area by industrial
groups coming from other parts of India or from
other countries.
New sponsored development programs are calling for
the transformation of agricultural practices, including
planting new varieties, cultivating cash crops,
increasing the use of chemicals and fertilizers,
and charging user fees for irrigation and drinking
water. These practices, because they run counter
to their skills and customs, are seen as a threat
by the tribes.
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