Ranchi, July 30 (IANS) They are brought out on cardboard and the news is written with sketch pens. But these simple newspapers have given impoverished tribals in Jharkhand a platform to air their grievances.
Tribals bring out these handwritten newspapers in some parts of Latehar district, 120 km from Ranchi. Latehar is one of the most backward districts of the state and Maoists are known to run a parallel government there.
The newspapers, brought out in Hindi, Nagpuria and Magadhi, are the brainchild of the Gyan Vigyan Samitee (GVS) of Jharkhand, an NGO.
"The motive of bringing out a newspaper is to highlight the problems faced by the panchayats and villages in the district. Through newspapers we try to create awareness among the people and teach them about government programmes," said Pramod Dubey, GVS secretary in Latehar.
"The villagers contribute in content and help us in writing the news. Before scripting the news we verify facts and only then write it."
Each newspaper is brought out on cardboard once a week and written with sketch pens.
"We have formed clusters and one cluster consists of five panchayats. At present, three clusters are bringing out newspapers with different names," said Dubey.
In one cluster, it is known as Deewar Akhbar, in the second it is Tori Times and in the third Samay Chakra.
The response has been good.
"We have got a voice in the form of the handwritten newspaper. We raise basic issues that are overlooked by the major newspapers. In our village, no newspaper reaches us. Radio is the only medium of information," said Ganesh Baitha, a resident of Chakla Panchayat in Latehar.
The first newspaper was published June 14 this year. Each newspaper is pasted on the walls of a village. It highlights issues like the lack of roads, electricity and the public distribution system (PDS) in a particular village.
One newspaper raised the issue of children's admission to Navodaya school. It alleged that children from other states were being enrolled while village children were being denied admission.
Ramatahal Manjhi of Allaudia Panchayat said: "We are actively participating in bringing out the newspaper. We love to work as village reporters."
GVS has faced hostility from some quarters.
"We are compared with Maoist rebels. People say that we bring out pamphlets in the day and Maoists do the same at night. But we are trying to associate with people and make it a newspaper of the people," said another member of GVS.
But undeterred, GVS is planning to bring out a handwritten newspaper at the block level too.
"For the block level newspaper, we will select relevant news from the village level newspapers that needs to be brought to the notice of officials," said Dubey.
