Maya Khodve is an activist, videographer and Community Correspondent, who lives in a Nashik slum. Nashik Slum has seen some improvements in recent years as India is developing, such as much improved electricity and gutters - the latter being installed in part because of pressure from one of her videos. Yet, toilets and running water are yet to be installed…

Maya Khodve

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Anandrao Bendukle, 81, had been embroiled in a battle for rehabilitation for the past 20 years against the state. His agricultural land was submerged while making the Kashyapi Dam along river Godavari.

In 1997, when the lands of Kashyapnagar, Dhondegaon, Devargaon and other regions in Nashik district where acquired, the Maharashtra government had promised to give project affected people (PAP) monetary compensation for their lands and ensured jobs in government establishments.

However, the promises have proven to be fake as Anandrao and 300 other farmers of the region still await their compensation. The lack of support from the government had prompted the PAP of Kashyapnagar to file a case with the Nashik district court. But the slow judicial system of India isn't helping their cause either.

"Now my age is also 81. How long do I have to live? I have no faith, this will end too," Anandrao dejectedly tells Maya Khodve, Video Volunteers correspondent from Nashik.

Anandrao was once a proud farmer but today he works as a stone mason. Is this the kind of respect a farmer, who has fed the nation deserved? Call up Principal Secretary of Water Resources Department, Mumbai, Maharashtra on +91-2222023038 and demand that the people get the justice they deserve. 

Community correspondent Maya Khodve reports from Maharashtra for Video Volunteers.

Community Correspondents come from marginalised communities in India and produce videos on unreported stories. These stories are ’news by those who live it.’ they give the hyperlocal context to global human rights and development challenges. See more such videos at www.videovolunteers.org. Take action for a more just global media by sharing their videos and joining in their call for change. we could hyperlink to some VV pages, like our take action page.