Bandits turn water warriors

It's a Bandit country, where the dacoits once roamed the harsh countryside in search of victims. Today they work side by side with people to bring changes in their dry, arduous lives.

Jagdish's is a confession that is becoming common in Karauli district of Rajasthan. As a favorite of Ram Singh Gujjar, a dreaded dacoit in the hilly terrain, he had a making of a successful sardar, (gang leader) He was educated and could maintain the gangs accounts. He gave it all up when he chanced upon a booklet at a relative's house.

It was the account of successful water conservation efforts of an NGO,TBS in Alwar. The reports touched a chord, and he turned up at Saptara police station to inform them that he was giving up dacoity. And has now started literacy classes.

Like Jagdish, several other hardened men are returning from the jungles to help in the development schemes started by NGOs in Karauli. More than 30 dacoits and their accomplices have returned to villages in less than a year, after seeing the development, and for the first time in many years, there has been no case of kidnapping.

Nadan Sigh, a boastful robber, who would mercilessly thrash people, was cajoled by his wife to join the efforts of the people to build a dam in the village. Now he teaches the people the benefits of water conservation.

Similarly many dacoits like Bhagwan singh, Sardar Singh Bhairwa and many other have become water conservationists and help in the progress of the village. They have now become legally rich.

TBS believes that police can be involved in the development and and believes, as do the dacoits, that long term progress is clearly a better alternative to get-rich-quick escapades.