Caught between the lines
Channel: VideoVolunteers
Date: 2014-08-20

Bastar is one of the districts worst affected by the current naxal conflict in the state of Chattisgarh. There has been no development for the tribals from Abujhmad region. Their traditional handicrafts business is also diminishing. With Abujhmad's sources of livelihood curtailing, 25 such families have already migrated to Silpi village.  

One of artists from Abujhmad shifted to Silpi after her husband died. In order to provide for her young children, she migrated to Silpi looking for better opportunities. She now earns her livelihood by selling handicrafts made out of bamboo, an art she learned in Abujhmad. In Silpi, the Chhatisgrah Handicraft Development Board also runs a training camp which is opening new avenues of opportunities for people from Abujhmad region. This is helping them connect with their traditional art-form & providing them with a source of livelihood. 

The tribals from Abujhmad are heavily dependent on the forests they live around as they are their primary source of livelihood. Caught between the tussle between the naxals and rampant industrialisation, these sources of livelihood are not just limited but diminishing fast. CC Bhan Sahu feels that we need to conserve these forests in order to restore the community's socio-economic balance.