Our project area covers a huge area of 3 blocks viz. Kolaghat, Panskura and Tamluk under Purba Medinipur district in West Bengal. The area is connected by NH-6 (Bombay Road) and Mecheda railway station on South-Eastern Railway. The center of our organisation is about 80 km away from Kolkata. The Geographical nature of the project area is plain land and the soil of this area is alluvial. The rain sets in this area from June to September. The area is flood prone. Agriculture, especially floriculture is the main source of income of the local people who are directly and indirectly dependent on floriculture round the year. Gender inequality is the common feature. Child labour is prevalent in the community. The population density of the block is very high. As a result the block is already over populated. Most of the people are poor category. The population comprises of 20% medium size farmers, 45% small or marginal farmers and 35% landless labourers. The majority marginal farmers and landless labourers fight for existence as daily wage labourers. They generally belong to the scheduled caste and backward communities. The giant thermal power project , Kolaghat thermal power plant’ is situated near by and adding to the multidimensional problems the local physical environment has been polluted severely by the ash and coal dust released by this mega plant . Literacy rate is low. Communication system inside the villages is very much underdeveloped. The health care service is miserable and access to health support system is far below the minimum required level. Poverty has remained acute for generations and people fail to break this vicious cycle of poverty. |
