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Psycho-social Issues in Rehabilitation for Project Affected Families: A Case Study of Bhiwani District in Haryana, India

By

Dr. C.P. SinghProfessor & Chairman, Department of Social Work

Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, Haryana, India

Presented at

2012 Joint World Conference on Social Work and Social Development : Action and Impact

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PROJECT DESCRIPTION

POWERGRID Corporation of India is establishing a new 765/400/220kv sub-station located at Bhiwani district in Haryana state covering the village land of Dhana Narsan.

POWERGRID has already acquired about 126.9 acres of land of this village for the development of new sub-station.

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Project site

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Research team at project site

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Some glimpses of the project village

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Agony that speaks itself

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Realities at the grass root

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Meetings & Discussions with Project Affected People

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A Story of Sufferings and Agony

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Objectives of the Study

To study the extent and nature of adverse effects caused by the project.

To collect base line demographic and socio-economic characteristics of project affected people.

To identify the people suffering with psycho-social problems due to acquisition of land.

To understand what are the functional complaints of the project affected people.

To prepare rehabilitation action plan to help them.

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Methodology The study was conducted in three villages namely

Dhana Narsan, Nimdiwali, Pehladgarh and some families migrated to Bhiwani city in Haryana state in India, The villages were purposively selected because the population affected by the land acquisition reside in these villages. Using census method, all the 212 affected families were covered, 187 male heads of the families(25 were not traceable) and 166 spouses were interviewed at their residence (21 were widows/widowers).

The researcher used participatory method in studying the problems and sufferings of the affected families by living in the village for one and half month in two spans. Observation, group discussions and formal and informal interviews were used as tools to study.

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Bhiwani District at a Glance

Description 2011 2001

Actual Population 1,629,109 1,425,022

Male 864,616 758,253

Female 764,493 666,769

Population Growth 14.32% 22.49%

Area Sq. Km 4,778 4,778

Density/Km 341 298

Proportion to Haryana Population 6.43% 6.74%

Sex Ratio (Per 1000) 884 879

Child Sex Ratio (0-6 Age) 831 840

Average Literacy 76.70 67.40

Male Literacy 87.40 80.30

Female Literacy 64.80 53.00 contd…

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Bhiwani District at a GlanceTotal Child Population (0-6 Age)

205,220 123,070

Male Population (0-6 Age) 112,075 66,898

Female Population (0-6Age) 93,145 56,172

Literates 1,092,747 554,480

Male Literates 657,750 323,195

Female Literates 434,997 887,675

Child Proportion (0-6 Age) 12.60% 8.64%

Boys Proportion (0-6 Age) 12.96% 8.82%

Girls Proportion (0-6 Age) 12.18% 8.42%

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Area Details of the Project Village Dhana Narsan, District Bhiwani, Haryana,India

Sr. No. Description Number

1. Total Land 671 hectare

2. Private Land 611 hectare

3. Government Land 08 hectare

4. Panchayat Land 52 hectare

5. Cultivated Land 596 hectare

6. Non Cultivated Land 75 hectare

7 Total No. Households 322

8 Population 1852

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Type of family of project affected people

Family Type Number Per cent

Nuclear Family 103 48.58

Joint Family 83 39.15

Single 01 00.48

Not Traceable 25 11.79

Total 212 100.00

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Distribution of the PAFs according to family status

Family Status Number Percent

Above Poverty Line (Not eligible to possess BPL Card) 105 49.53

Eligible for BPL but do not possess BPL card 25 11.79

Eligible and possess BPL card 27 12.74

No Response 12 05.66

Not living in village 18 08.49

Not Traceable 25 11.79

Total 212 100.00

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Distribution of heads of PAFs according to education

Level of Literacy Number Percent

Illiterate 44 20.76

Functional Literate 11 05.19

Primary 12 05.66

Middle 20 09.43

Matriculate 36 16.98

+2/Intermediate 18 08.49

Graduate and above 16 07.55

Not living in village 18 08.49

No Response 12 05.66

Not traceable 25 11.79

Total 212 100.00

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Details of the extent of land acquisition of PAFs, for Bhiwani Sub-station

Extent of

acquisition

Name of village Total

Dhana Nasran

(No. of families)

Nimdiwali

(No. of families)

Pehladgarh

(No. of families)

Bhiwani

(No. of

families)

Less than 1 acre

58 35 10 37 140

1 to 2 acres 29 02 - 04 35

2 to 3 acres 03 04 - - 07

Above 3 acres 05 - - - 05

Total 95 41 10 41 187

Not Traceable 04 03 - 18 25

Grand Total 99 44 10 59 212

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Particulars of compensation paid

Sr. No. Details of compensation Amount (in Rs.)

1. Land compensation with interest 22,00,98,788.00

2. Crop compensation 1,842,780.00

3. Compensation for trees 2,17,208.00

4. Compensation for tube wells 1,98,693.00

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Symptomatic Responses of the Heads of the Project Affected Families of their Psycho-social Problem

Feelings of anxiety and attitude towards life

NumberMale(187) Female(166)

Per centMale(187) Female(166)

Distressed about the present life

74 81 39.57 48.79

Continuouslyremembering hurtful and terrifying events

124 141 66.31 84.93

Nightmares 93 118 49.73 71.08

Disturbed sleep 103 104 55.08 62.65

Easily getting upset 112 64 59.89 38.55

Feeling sadness and hopelessness

119 139 63.63 83.73

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Emotional disturbances associated with intense fear and worries

Symptoms Number Male(187) Female(166)

Percent Male Female

Fear and worries 104 129 55.61 77.71

Restlessness & getting easily tried

98 101 52.40 60.84

Getting angry easily and complaining a lot

114 67 60.96 40.36

Not being able to keep one’s mind on work or able to concentrate

162 92 86.63 55.42

Muscle aches, soreness, twitching feeling shaky.

94 107 50.26 64.45

Easily being frightened by sudden sound or noise

82 111 43.85 66.86

Easily get upset 86 97 45.98 58.43

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Psycho-somatic Problems faced by the Heads of Project Affected Families

Symptoms Number Male(187) Female(166)

PercentMale(187) Female(166)

Rapid and irregular heart beat

63 44 33.68 26.50

Shortness of breath 82 91 43.85 54.81

Sweating and cold clammy hands

87 96 46.52 57.83

Dry mouth and lump in throat

104 111 55.61 66.86

Dizziness and light headedness

63 96 33.68 57.83

Headaches 107 129 57.21 77.71

Frequent urination 143 24 76.47 14.45

Nausea 37 98 19.78 59.03

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Physiological Problems Faced by PAFs

Recurrent memory of events/hypersensitivity to sounds

Sleep disturbances/nightmares Tiredness/apathy/lack of motivation Anger/frustration/irritability Increase of psychosomatic problems Increased use of drugs/alcohol

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Psychological Problems Faced by PAFs

Sense of helplessness/lack of control Anticipatory fear of new crisis Lack of faith in future solutions Depression Lack of tolerance/resentment Crying spells Suicidal ideas

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Social Problems Faced by PAFs

Continuing problems with individuals from the private/government/reconstruction sectors

Problems with landlords (in case of tenancy) Living in overcrowded homes/trailers Increase in domestic violence In crease in lack of faith with relatives Undermining traditional support mechanism Lack of care and attention for children Increase in family tension family separation

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Roles for the Crisis Counselor/Social worker

Assisting sufferers in realizing and acknowledging that dealing with new and complex organizations is difficult and can be very stressful.

Assisting the affected people in normalizing this experience.

In order to foster stress reduction and behavioral efficiency, assisting the affected people in organizing and prioritizing recovery tasks.

Managing external demands placed on them by helping organizations.

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Role cont …

Assisting the sufferers in understanding defense mechanisms such as displacement and other factors that may contribute to or magnify anger and frustration toward governmental and other organizations.

Obtaining and maintaining current information about a wide variety of helping resources so that sufferers can be appropriately referred.

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Role cont…

Training to assist sufferers in obtaining or maximizing skills in areas that will better enable them to work effectively with helping organizations. These areas include communication, problem-solving, conflict resolution, time management, and stress management.

Representing the mental health perspective on “unmet needs committees.”

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Action for development work and resources for the betterment of people in the affected areas

Hand pumps were installed but are not sufficient to fulfill the need of people. Therefore, POWERGRID with the help of Public Health Department, Govt. of Haryana establish a water works centre in village Dhana Narsan and provide water taps to every household in the village. If needed POWERGRID will make provisions of sufficient budget for this to collaborate with government. Cont…

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Development work and resources cont…

Employment to eligible youth in semi-skilled or unskilled jobs will be given through the contractors in the POWERGRID project to PAPs on preferential basis.

POWERGRID will immediately collaborate with Health Department, Govt. of Haryana to open a PHC/ Sub-centre in village Dhana Narsan with the facility of male and female doctors and paramedical staff.

cont…

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Development work and resources cont…

All the village streets will be constructed with RCC material for which POWERGRID should lay down sufficient budget and start work immediately.

POWERGRID will workout a plan with the representatives of all the communities for development of their chaupals (community centers), and layout a sufficient budget for this purpose.

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Development work and resources cont…

POWERGRID will work with the proper authorities at District and State levels to establish a sports stadium at village Dhana Narsan with the help of village Panchayat so that energy of youth can be channelized in a proper way through sports, which can also give better carrier opportunities to them, thus, it will help PAFs in the long run.

POWERGRID with the help of village Panchayat will established a building for veterinary hospital/ dispensary for proper care of livestock of the PAFs and others who need.

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Development work and resources cont…

POWERGRID will work to establish an Industrial Training Institute (ITI) and a Polytechnic Center in this area.

Village Johad/Pond needs de-silting and proper maintenance. POWERGRID will immediately workout a plan with the help of village panchayat to clean and maintain the village pond/Johad.

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Development work and resources cont…

A regular bus service three times a day will be started by Haryana Roadways to village Dhana Narsan. POWERGRID will immidiatly approach District Authorities in this direction.

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Thanks

Questions & Discussion