I would not accept Padma award if govt. doesn’t take up farmers’ cause: Simon Oraon

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IndiaTomorrow.net,
Ranchi, Jan 31: One can contrast octogenarian farmer Simon Oraon with many others selected for Padma awards. Environmentalist and waterman Oraon from Bero area of the Jharkhand capital city isn’t much happy at his selection for Padma Shri award because he is seeing farmers around him in miserable condition.

Even while Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das has congratulated Oraon, also known as waterman of the state, Oraon has set a condition for accepting the award announced by the President of India last Monday.

“My only submission is that the government should take up the cause of farmers more seriously. If they are not willing to do that, I would not accept the award,” a class IV drop-out Oraon was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

“I am not going to use this award for my own publicity. There are still many small farmers who are languishing for want of better irrigation facilities. The present government has announced much, but nothing is happening on the ground. Availability of irrigation water is a major problem in many areas. Also, I am there because of support from a large number of farmers and my village mates. Therefore, I have decided to leave it to them on whether I should accept the award or not. I will call a panchayat for the same,” said Oraon who has transformed nearly half a dozen villages around his own village into vibrant vegetable producing hub from patches of barren land.

He is also credited with constructing several check dams and digging up ponds in six villages around his own village Bero in Ranchi.

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