Your contribution to the villagers from Dukka and Tandrebong who seek help!!

In the hills of North Bengal under the Kalimpong region lies a tiny village of Dukka and Tandrebong where most of the villagers are farmers.  Here the main crop is cardamom and ginger which is their cash crop, but lately it has not been giving a good yield because of the prevailing local virus called “Suirey”.  This has been a great setback for the economy there. 

Although mankind has been rapidly moving towards development, there are certain places where it has taken a U turn because of the rough terrain, peoples’ attitude towards villages and the corruption. YES, the villagers of Dukka and Tandrebong are bearing this wound since a long time. Till date this village is left without a motorable road and electricity which is the basic need towards development. 

After getting no response and help from the government, the local panchayat and other authorities, the villagers of Dukka and Tandrabong have stood up and have joined hands in constructing a motorable road which would connect Dukka and Tandrabong  to the nearest small town Algarah and make life easier for the villagers living there. This road would be a lifeline for Dukka and Tandrebong.

Since 24^th Nov 07 every month the villagers gather in a group of 200 and give one day of their manual labour in constructing the road which passes through the rough terrain of cardamom fields, streams and cliff. The day starts early on that specific day and friends and relatives of that neighboring village walk for approx two to three hours to give a helping hand to the villagers of Dukka and Tandrebong.

On 12^th April 08, villagers from Dukka and Tandrebong had gathered again. This was the 7^th time they had come together to construct the road.  Members from Mankind in Action for Rural Growth (MARG) a local NGO from Darjeeling along with some volunteers set up early from Darjeeling on that very day to encourage and support the villagers working in constructing the road.

The villagers comprising of men and women, old and young were very happy and thankful to MARG for coming and supporting and encouraging them. It was the first time ever that an NGO had come forward to support their cause. The refreshment which was sponsored by the MARG team for the villagers was appreciated by them and in return the elders of the village thanked MARG and its volunteers by offering Khadas.

We all are so engrossed in our own busy life and we fail to realize the pains of our brothers and sisters who are facing in the far flung remote villages in the hills. Let us come forward and support them in our own way, guide them in whatever way we can. Your small initiative can IGNITE a SMILE.

MARG in a special way would like to thank Mr. Sagar Pradhan (Ex Tea Garden Manager), Mr. Arun Pradhan (Secretary Pradhan Samaj Darjeeling), Mr. Manish Pradhan, Mr. Ranjan Pradhan, Mr. Sudip Tamang, Dorjee and Edu Chettri for volunteering in going to Dukka and supporting the villagers.

If you would like to send in your contribution to the villagers of Dukka and Tandrebong then please contact MARG at inform.marg@gmail.com or nirnay.john@gmail.com .

SPECIAL THANKS TO MR. RAJAN TAKKAR AND MR. AMITAVA DATTA WHO CONTRIBUTED RS 3000/- AND RS 2000/- TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAMME ON 12TH APRIL 2008.

CONTRIBUTIONS FOR DUKKA VILLAGERS: This contribution will be handed to the village head during the gathering in month of October 08 when all the villagers get together to construct the road.