REPORT FROM VRINDAVAN
1998 Report by Ranchor Prime

SUMMARY

Far-reaching developments are taking place in Vrindavan at the moment, vindicating the years of patient cultivation by WWF, Friends of Vrindavan (FOV), and ARC. In Vrindavan itself the community is mobilising to take over the work of WWF and FOV, while in Delhi a coalition of NGOs is coming forward around FOV to take on the wider task of tackling the major environmental, social and cultural issues affecting the whole region of Vraj.

1. FRIENDS OF VRINDAVAN

a. Yamuna Cycle Expedition

The 1997 Yamuna Cycle Expedition enlisted 9 riders. Profit was down on the previous year because we started late and failed to recruit enough riders. However it was still a very worthwhile exercise for all involved and we are confident that the third annual Yamuna Cycle Expedition, Y98, will do much better. Y98 is scheduled for October 98 and will be managed at both ends by Friends of Vrindavan (FOV) volunteer staff based in Leicester, Ram Pillai and Ravi Tester.

b. Street Cleaning

i. Objectives
The FOV street cleaning initiative long-term aim is to become self-sufficient through recycling and composting and to galvanise the local authorities to fulfil their own obligations. It has met with universal acclaim and is an extremely effective publicity tool for FOV as well as a truly beneficial service for Vrindavan.

ii. Progress
The programme is steadily expanding. 25 cleaners are employed by FOV working in 3 teams, covering 2 'parishes' of the town, and tackling trouble spots as required. They are equipped with a tractor and trailor, and a recently acquired dumper truck, all donated to the project locally. The foreman has just been elected as the president of Vrindavan's cleaners union, representing the 200-odd cleaners of the town. FoV is lobbying the municipality to provide land-fill sites. Promises have been received and progress is expected soon.

c. Greening

i. Madhavan
1600 trees were planted by WWF workers, sponsored by FOV. A property dispute resulted in some of these saplings being deliberately damaged by grazing cows, but apparently the damage can be rectified.

ii. Mansarovar
A wetland bird sanctuary and well-known sacred grove, the lake was choked with water-hyacinth which FOV has cleared, transforming the health of the 10-acre lake and reinstating its migratory flocks of ducks, cranes and herons. 600 trees have been planted and are being protected by the local priest. Protection is at present inadequate. A technical report on this site is a requirement but none is presently forthcoming.

iii. Future sites
It is planned to take up two more groves, Baelvan and Bahulavan, in 1998.

2. VRAJ SEVA MANDAL (ASSOCIATION FOR THE SERVICE OF VRAJ)

This group has been convened by Friends of Vrindavan. It evolved naturally from the many contacts WWF and Friends of Vrindavan (FOV) have established over the years. Its catalyst was the Ohito workshop on Land, Religion and Conservation led by Fazlun Khaid in Vrindavan in September 1997. It is an informal association of voluntary agencies pledged to meet monthly and develop a co-ordinated plan for tackling the problems of Vrindavan and Vraj at the macro-level with government as well as on the ground working with local communities. Their attached proposal, 'Cultural Heritage Management in Vraj-Vrindavan', includes the following tasks undertaken by each member organisation:

3. WWF VRINDAVAN CONSERVATION PROJECT

a. General progress

The project has slowed during 1997 due to shortage of funds and under-performance of the project director. Funds from WWF UK have been withheld this year, but the Vrindavan community are being successfully encouraged to fund work themselves. No reports for the current year were available from WWF India.

b. New Project Director

The newly appointed director, Sevak Sharan, was appointed in November 1997 and is good news. He is the fourth in six years, but the big difference is that he is local, stable, and highly committed. He was the original initiator of conservation work in Vrindavan in the early 80s and is a well-respected senior citizen of Vrindavan, with a deep understanding of the issues. His personal commitment to the environmental improvement of Vrindavan and Vraj and is well-known in Vrindavan and Delhi. He also happens to be a trustee of FOV, which is helpful for the collaborative relationship between FOV and WWF.

c. Citizen's action

Under the new project director, a citizen's self-help organisation has been set up, 'Vrindavan Seva Nidi', who have agreed to underwrite the maintenance costs of the present work programme. Sevak Sharan is preparing a revised workplan for the project and is determined to proceed with or without external support.

d. Education: 'Vrindavan Darshan' exhibition

The government of Rajasthan offered WWF/FOV use of 4 rooms in the Jaipur palace to create an educational exhibition and resource centre. These rooms were handed over in May 1997.

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