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Villagers in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar taluka are rather impressed with the effects of the lockdown. So much so that they have resolved to observe an eight-day lockdown every year. The panchayat samiti that administers 105 villages in the taluka has approved the resolution.
“The lockdown imposed due to Covid-19 has taught us a lesson,” says Ramdas Bhor, a panchayat samiti member who tabled the resolution at a recent meeting. “It minimised human intervention in nature and reduced water and air pollution. Not only did people slow down their daily activities, our cattle and fields also got some respite. The lesson we learned is that we and our environment need a break.”
All the members of the samiti unanimously approved the resolution saying that along with the lockdown, the villages will also make plans to conserve nature.
Back to nature
Bhor told BusinessLine that during the three months of lockdown, the villages experienced a serenity and calm that was rather normal decades ago. “In the last few years, we are under the influence of cities and destroying our surroundings. The lockdown taught us that we have to return to our nature-friendly lifestyle. During the last three months, we have breathed free air. We realised that a break is a must,” he added.
The panchayat will observe an eight-day lockdown every May, though essential services will continue. During the ‘break’, villagers will engage in collective work such as water conservation, leaving aside their routine work.
Sachin Chobe, a young activist in Ahmednagar, said an annual lockdown is bound to yield results. “Covid-19 has taught us many lessons and one important lesson is to slow down our activities and ponder. The lockdown has taught us to value our family members, whom we take for granted and don’t spend time with. More and more villages in the district will adopt this model of annual lockdown,” he said.
Family time
Hiware Bazar, located in an arid zone in Ahmednagar district, is already implementing this model. The village has a tradition of holding a meeting every December 31 to review water availability and decide on the cropping pattern.
The farmers take a collective break for a few days from farming to give their fields and cattle a respite and spend time with family.
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