#bhilala

Of nearly twenty-six million Indian displaced by projects since 1951, over 40 per cent are adivasis. In Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, that ratio has been even higher. That and the fact of being summarily displaced from their traditional homes is dismal enough. But there are also sound economic reasons for their not wanting to move to Gujarat. 'There are innumerable things that we get from the forests here which we would have to pay for in Gujarat,' points out Luaria. 'Who will compensate us for that?' He has a point. It is not even remotely possible to translate into cash terms some of the many items the Bhil and Bhilala tribals obtain from the forest. 'Our firewood comes from the forest. Our chara (fodder) comes from there, our herbs and medicines come from there, the mahua flowers we collect (for making wine) come from there. Our fish come from the river down here. Which rehabilitation scheme of theirs will even look at all these as our earnings, as items to be recompensed?'