Kaushtubh Nayan / Gaya (Bihar)
The 70-year-old Longi Bhuiyan, of village Jamuniya Aahar Kothilwa located in Lutua Panchayat is known as the ‘Canal man’ of this Naxal-insurgency affected Gaya district of Bihar. An unlettered man, Longi, has dug canals to tap the rainwater for use in irrigation in the past. These days, this unrelenting water conservationist is busy digging a three-kilometer canal for redistribution of the storage tank he had created earlier.
Longi’s aim in life is to provide a complete system of irrigation in Jamuniya Aahar Kothilwa and surrounding villages.
Longi Bhuiyan’s day begins at dawn as he leaves his home with some basic digging tools and baskets made of dry branches of the locally growing trees. Only sometimes does he rues that villagers make fun of his obsession and yet never lend a helping hand, and the government officials do nothing more than praise him.
Longi Bhuiyan at work to di a canal
Longi says that the old canal he dug to bring the rainwater from mountains to the village is intact yet he thought of digging a fresh one to ease the pressure on the storage tank called Kothilwa Pokhar. Since the rainwater gushed from one canal, there was the threat of the dam breach because of the pressure.
He decided to create another canal that will bring the water to the same pond. He feels sorry that people in the village are not able to see this simple problem.
He started digging the 3-km canal in August from Thadgarhi foothills. It will carry water to Kothilwa Pokhar via Dudhpani Mor dam.
So far, Longi Bhuiyan has dug up to about one kilometer all by himself.
Longi Bhuiyan in his field
He says since the Kothilwa storage tank is located at an elevation around the nearby village, a drainage gate will be installed in it.
Water will be diverted to villages through the sluice gates. This irrigation system will revive agriculture on hundreds of acres of land of Luta, Jatahi, Sairmani, Jamuniya villages.
Longi Bhuiyan has placed the demand to install the sluice gates with the local MLA and former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.
Longi's problem is that neither the villagers nor the representatives of the government share his concern for depleting water table and water scarcity. “The people think of me as a mad man or someone obsessed and even a greedy man. But I believe if the people and the government officials pay attention to this problem our area will become self-sufficient for irrigation,” says Bhuiyan.
For his excavation work, he leaves his home early morning with a shovel and some baskets made of local dried plant branches. His wife and a granddaughter stay at home. Bhuiyan says even they don’t approve of his endeavour.
However, unmindful of others’ pessimism and negativity, Longi continues his work.
Dheeraj Sinha, Program officer of MGNREGA, Banke Bazar block, and his staff, have inspected Bhuiyaan’s work.
Longi Bhuiyan engaged in his latest Canal project
Sinha appreciated Longi Bhuyan’s work and said it’s “commendable and is in the public interest.” He promised cooperation from his department and also asked the villagers to join Longi's efforts.
Longi Bhuiyan’s campaign is in line with the action plan of the government, Jal Jeevan Mission.
Bhim Yadav, a resident of Bahera village appreciated Longi Bhuiyan’s passion.
Alakhdev Yadav, the former sarpanch of Lutua, says that the work and thinking of Longi is no less than that of Dashrath Manjhi, a man who excavated a road from the middle of a mountain.
Minor Irrigation Minister Santosh Manjhi had offered to help Longi and als honour him for his pioneering work. He wanted to construct a hospital and name it and also a proposed road after Longi Bhuiyan. Nothing of that sort has happened so far.
Last year, impressed by his work, Mahindra Company gave a tractor to Longi Bhuyiaan. This remains his main source of income. He wishes if the tractor was also fitted with a trailer to fetch him higher rentals.
He cultivates on two bighas of land and sustains his family on the income from it.
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