Regions: VRO in Hyderabad Region

ORISSA-I & II ## RAJAHMUNDRY-III ## GUNTUR-IV ## NELLORE-V ## CUDDAPAH-VI

TAMIL NADU-VII & VIII ## HYDERABAD–IX A ## SURYAPET-IX B ## WARDHA-X

RAJASTAN-XI ## VIZAG-XII

Hyderabad region is the capital region of Andhra Pradesh (A.P.) a federal State of nearly 60 million inhabitants, the size of Australia. In this State VRO has at present 6 regions, of which the Hyderabad Region is the largest (undivided) area, including several districts: Rangareddy, Hyderabad (city) itself, Nalgonda, and potentially all the northern and western districts (Medak, Karimnagar, Warangal, Adilabad, Mahaboobnagar, Kurnool etc.)

At present the work is mainly in Ranga Reddy & Nalgonda district, up to the border of Guntur District (Nagarjuna Sagar Dam): covering a population of about 5 million people and a diameter of 150km to the east. The whole region is of 280 km diameter approximately.

The Socio-Cultural character of the region is particulary determined by the presence of a tribal out runner from North India - the Lambadies. A unique cultural conservative and socially rather exclusive tribe, that has its origins historically in Afghanistan, and descended through Rajasthan and Gujarat to the old Nizam - districts of Hyderabad State. Their life-style and habitat (at first migratory) is very distinct. Living with their scarway cattle in degraded forest - areas, along river-embarkments, made them victims of the new reservoirs - construction, so they became displaced persons 30 years ago, seeking refuge in remote, in-accessible barren regions.

The Hyderabad Region has other historical cultural attractions: it was the homeland of a forgotten flourishing pre-historical, pre-Buddhist kingdom, the tombs of their kings beign preserved in one of the VRO service centres.

Being for centuries a Muslim dominated state, and the base of several christian denominations ( Baptists, Lutherans, Catholics, etc.,) adds to the cosmopolitan character of the region. Buddhist shrines and monasteries favoured by the royal indigenous dynasties, made it also the international famous pilgrim centre and university-centre of ancient India, even before the start of the Christian era.

The Environmental appearance of the region also has touristic value, more than economic value: the high Deccan Plateau (1500-3000ft or 500-1000m) has a certain coolness, but makes it a dry, stone land with fantastically shaped pre-primary gneiss and granite rocks. Water is hard to find, outside the Krishna river-basin and a couple of tributaries. Rainfall is irregular and scarce (60-70cm p.a.): for drinking waterwells must go to great depth (50-100m or more). We are spared cyclones, but not drought therefore. Green rice cultivating oasises are rare. So most people cultivate only some semi-arid crops like castor or millet. Not so long ago there was atleast the balance of hill forests, but after independence there too have gone; so goats and sheep scrounge for food.

The region has the largest number of landless people; though Vinoba Bhawe (Gandhi's successor) in 1951 launched a voluntary land gift programme in our region, he cam etoo late, and could do too little. The clamour for land continues and local terrorist movements (Naxalites) occupy a large segment in the north of our Region. On the land that could be gifted and distributed, it is still difficult to make a living; one of the unique programme of VRO is on a land-area of 1500ha-( for 500 families) where we continue dream, and though alone, hold out hope for thousands of landless.

The Role of this region in the VRO village develoopment context, is in many ways unique. It is our national advertising region in a way. International and national visitors pass through our region, and can in a continuous chain of villages, observe the "Movement-character" of VRO. But also the diversity of the programme and the regional charge-impact.

Along the national highway of 150km, the VRO programme unrolls like a long widening stream of impressive renewal of village life. The moreso, that we are paractically alone to have developed this part of the region, with consistency and creative initiative. The Village Technology-achievements of VRO are best seen and understood, practised and produced, than anywhere else. The greatest variety and survival of the treeplanting programme is here and the largest number of all-India training centres of VRO are also located in this region, which doesn not mean that work is goind easy in this region. WE have our problems too, apart from the environmental challenges. The VRO programme took a long time to get off the ground, longer than any where else, in fact, Peoples participation in the work was difficult to generate, Lambadis work casually and preferably in small groups, not as a whole community. Being moreover deprived of support and security, hlding on to that land like climbers hanging from a cliff, neither governmental or non-governmental assistance is easily forth coming or continuing. Being an area also of very low literacy and few institutions of higher learning outside the capital city, it was and remains harder here to find and train local volunteers, with a "Social Service" motivation. A feature also common with traditional Muslim villager, more family bound than others, reluctant to live and work in ourside communities, as we usually do.

Anticipations: The exceptional dynamics of this region gives hope thta, before long, a new trust in the western and northern direction will begin. Survey have been started of villages in the Vikarabad, Warangal, and Khammam districts and people start coming to our weekly meetings, while gradually making initial choices for community-development through community action. It will still need the appearance of a charismatic VRO representative to break through but it is clearly on the horizon. We have been fortunate also in the recent political and administrative initiatives of the Government, which have been inspired in more than one way by our VRO innovations and achievements.

The fact that the Head office of VRO has been shifted to our region, augurs well also for more inspirational central guidance and assistance and more frequent personal contact with the village communities.

HISTORICAL EVENTS

1974: The roots of Hyderabad region lie in Nagarjunasagar where a small Lambadi village was started in December, '74.

The Hyderabad area got its "Regional" Identity officially in 1983 only. In between lie 10 years of casual but continueous contacts with the tribala went on. It was till then a 'remote' transit area, with no visible villages along the deserted single trac road, where only tappers could be seen.

1974-76: But through the frequent inevitable travelling, we got to know the people, forcibly stopping our vehicles to beg while dancing, but also gradually interesting, we would follow them to the interior sites where they lived.

The good offer of an english lady to Fr.Windey, brought us permanenty to Hyderabad in our Himayathnagar - Liasion Office.

1976-80: The Bhoodan people invited us to take charge of the Bhoodan land in Vinobanagar (3000 acres for 500 families). This was our first operational base. The first 4 years at vinobanagar, were the turning point of our action in the region. Then every year the A/B/C and D parts were developed with the help of Dutch engineers. It became our central training facility and technological experimentation centre, in fact our most challenging demonstration centre for the whole organisation.

1981-82: From there the detailed vilgae surveys began with Mr. Prasad and others. It revealed tragic village situations and brought urgent appeals, which made us decide to establish road side service centres.

1983-84: The founding of these centres were made easy by the village people, who freely offered 'land-for-service'. So started the 4 main centres at Rajulaloya (52km), Vinjamur Thanda (75km), Devatpalli (92km) and needastali (116km) all within the period of one and half years.

1985-94: In these 10 years the VRO 'exploded' literally in the area, in an irresistable demand from an awakening tribe that had decided to try and change their condition by following the VRO village vision. A unique group of German 'visionaries' made it possible to respond fully. At the same time a growing number of special semi-professional training centres were built up for child care teachers, (VCDG) for forestry trainees, (Vinobanagar), for youth-formation (92km), for village technology training (Vinobanagar).

1995-96: The Hyderabad region became the Head-Office region also, with a new temporary office, where the acting Operational Director could work with a few central staff.