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Roads connect places. But, they can also displace people. One such example is UPSRP (the Uttar Pradesh State Roads Project), says Parthapriya Ghosh. "A total of 9,385 families would be relocated due to proposed road up-gradation, which in turn would affect 32,927 persons," writes Ghosh in an essay included in The Economics and Politics of Resettlement in India, edited by Shobhita Jain and Madhu Bala, from Pearson (www.pearsoned.co.in).

"One of the biggest illusions, or better said fallacies, entertained in the resettlement discourse is, in my view, the belief that the rehabilitation and improvement of oustees' livelihoods can be achieved solely through compensation," observes Michael M. Cernea of George Washing University, US, in his foreword to the book.

Ghosh's essay, titled `Gender issues in State road projects,' notes that women constitute almost half the affected and displaced population in the project area. Though relocation affects men and women differently, the more inconvenienced ones are the latter, says the author. It may help to know that PAP is the TLA (three-letter acronym) for project-affected persons, and that RAP stands for resettlement action plan.

According to elaborate data collected by the author, illiteracy levels among women in the affected areas ranges from 20 per cent to 74 per cent. Women should be involved in the different stages of the project, insists Ghosh. "Compensation for land and assets lost being the same for all the affected or displaced families, the NGOs (non-governmental organisations) should take special care of female-headed households and families while implementing the process of acquisition and compensation," reads one of the recommendations. Also, monitoring and evaluation teams should have at least 33 per cent women, says a project provision.

D. Murali

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