About Us
SARVHITKARI SEWASHARM came into existence in the late 80’s as a brainchild when a few activists in Gorakhpur district of eastern Uttar Pradesh came in contact with a socially marginalized, under privileged and deprived community named TAUNGYAs. The taungya cultivators whom we could call the inhabitants of certain forests located in east Uttar Pradesh for eighty odd years, generations of these cultivators have been rendering forestation services to the colonial and post colonial forest authorities .During the tenure of tree-establishment work, the cultivators were permitted to raise food crops in the three meters wide strips between the rows of planted seedlings. This permission was the only major advantage which the workers gained in lwei of their hard labor
After more than eighty years these workers were being driven away from the very jungles that they have raised and nurtured. They were being denied ownership right over the tiny plots of land that they are occupying since the 1980’s (when the taungya scheme was closed down) on the specious argument that it encroaches upon the forest land. The taungya workers are the most pauperized lot of human beings in this part of the country. Dislodging them from their present occupation and residence would only turn them into ecological refugees. Considering the current environmental concern; this would be the ugliest treatment to the individuals knowing the art of tree establishment so dexterously. Therefore the case of maltreatment to the taungya workers not only linked up with the ideological conflict between the survival and the luxury sectors but it also exposed the belligerent attitude of the authorities towards those individuals and workers who made the world more livable through their unsung sacrifices
The community of taungya workers in Eastern part of Uttar Pradesh, districts of Gorakhpur and Maharajganj presented a very plain example of the exploitation at hands of vestigial evil of feudalistic management and the bourgeois thought .The tear filled eyes of the poverty-stricken taungya workers were waiting for a space beyond the bourgeois radicalism.
After going through the ground realities and assessment of their status the need to take up the issue to the masses and to make them enable to fight for their rights was felt. Thus SARVHITKARI SEWASHARM was formed in 1998 and it took up the issue of the taungya community for their revival and to facilitate realization of their entitlements, like employment, education, food, health, nutrition, water and sanitation etc. We succeeded in getting them mobilized and the structure of an organization at the community level was formulated. The community raised their voice at different forums democratically and demanded for their entitlements. A society named VANTAUNGYA VIKAS SAMITI was formed and SARVHITKARI SEWASHARM facilitated them to raise their demands at the hon. High Court Allahabad in the year 1997. The voice was heard and the state High Court interfered through an order to stay the eviction of taungya community till further order on October 28 1997. It was a relief for the community fighting for their survival. In the year 2006 the parliament approved a bill Working with the taungya community and experiencing the equations and dynamics of the rural areas and the socially deprived communities broadened our vision and SARVHITKARI SEWASHARM undertook other issues like Disabled, Persons in special need, safe motherhood, women and child health, revival of the traditional practices, promoting horticulture, health and nutrition with a holistic approach. The organization has Launched Special Advocacy Campaign for Disabled and issue of migration. SARVHITKARI SEWASHARM also stood by the existing system as a stake holder enabling them to execute their programs with optimum efficiency. It also lend participation on the sensitization and awareness programs .As this part of the state is a flood prone area this was also one of our major concerns and SARVHITKARI SEWASHARM is working on the issue in some areas with a target to expand services as per the available resources.
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