In mock gram sabha, 700 students in Goa roll up sleeves for grassroots revolution

Panaji: From drunkards to farmers and from trans persons to housewives, an eclectic mix of people took part in a gram sabha in Goa recently, debating and discussing protection of land, stopping of mega projects and even generating revenue for the panchayat.

Only that it was a mock gram sabha that saw over 700 students from 20 colleges getting first-hand knowledge of local self-governance.

“We raised the issues concerning village and comunidade land at the gram sabha. We discussed how to generate revenue for the panchayat and how to protect comunidade land and preserve it for the next generation,” said Parth Gaude, a student of Govt College of Arts, Science & Commerce, Quepem.

Parth was among those students who never experienced the functioning of gram sabhas.

For Padma Karmali, a student of Vidya Vikas Mandal’s GR Kare College of Law, it was a topic close to her heart: How mega projects in villages will put additional burden on village resources.

“We pointed out how builders are buying properties in villages for mega projects. The discussion was about how mega projects will have an impact on crops and water,” Padma who donned a sarpanch’s role said.

“We discussed a mega project that has applied for a construction licence. We scrutinised the documents and found it was not proper. After discussion at the gram sabha, we denied permission for the project,” Padma said.

It was not just the functioning of the panchayat that was in focus. Even societal issues and discrimination against people were raised during the gram sabha.

“To make people aware of the discrimination faced by trans persons, we had a character in that role. I opposed the people who discriminated against them and said trans persons are part of society and we have to live together,” said Parineeta Purohit, a student of Narayan Zantye College of Commerce, Bicholim.

She said they even proposed setting up a biogas plant in the village. “We demanded that biogas plants should be set up so that wet waste generated in the village is taken care of and the gas generated through the plant can be supplied to households and generate revenue to the panchayat,” Parineeta said.

Part of the All-Goa Model Youth Gram Sabha Competition organised by the Goa Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development, or GIPARD, the objective of the competition was to create awareness among the youth about a ‘gram sabha’ and the significance of participatory democracy, so that youth actively participate in the gram sabhas.

“We have heard of Model UN or Model Parliament being held in educational institutions. But not much attention is paid to local and immediate democratic governance structures. So, we thought of a model youth gram sabha to take grassroots democratic principles directly to college-going youth,” said Cheshta Yadab, director general, GIPARD.

“In an era of apathy towards politics and political processes among youth, model youth gram sabha gives them a relevant perspective on everyday democratic governance affecting daily lives,” Yadav said.

It seems to have paid off. As Parth said: “At the gram sabha, we demanded overhaul of the playground, construction of a community hall and a market on the comunidade land and renovation of the panchayat hall to generate revenue.”