Dear Reader,

More than two long years after the conflict broke out between the Kuki and Meitei communities in Manipur, tens of thousands are still displaced, left to fend for themselves in camps for internally displaced people. The tragic fracturing of the state has slipped from national attention, even as people from both communities struggle to rebuild their lives far from their homes and possessions. The Migration Story travels to Ningthoukhong in Bishnupur district, where one such relief camp continues to function.

R K Victoria, a Meitei woman from Churachandpur, vividly remembers the night that she had to flee her house with her daughter as raging mobs burned down buildings around them. The Army helped take her to a nearby town, where she was reunited with her husband and son, who had not been at home at the time. Now in their third year at the relief camp, the small family struggles with day-to-day employment in agriculture and in small crafts to regain their independence. While the state continues to provide two meals a day and a paltry daily stipend of Rs. 20, this is not sufficient for them to educate their children well or to plan for their futures. With peace still a distant dream, their future remains uncertain.

A solar intervention might be the answer to human-wildlife conflict in the buffer area of the Pench Tiger Reserve, which straddles the border of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Famous for its tigers, the reserve also abounds in herbivores. For residents of the buffer areas around the park, conflicts arise not just with the tigers but their prey as well—including nilgai, wild boar, chital, and sambar—which regularly feed on their crops in fields adjoining the forest.

Ground Report speaks to residents on both sides of the border about their switch to solar fencing, which allows them to install electrified fences at low cost and minimal risk to themselves. Ten years since Maharashtra launched a scheme to distribute subsidised solar fences in the region, benefiting 10,000 farmers, the rate of accidents and direct engagements with wildlife has reduced. Madhya Pradesh has followed with a similar scheme that has reached 1,500 farmers. However, the fences are not a panacea. Larger animals can break through, and wider wildlife movement is restricted. Animals also adapt to less intrusive interventions such as flashing solar-powered lights. For the safety of all stakeholders, solutions will have to continue to evolve.

The Rs. 215 crore expansion of Varanasi’s iconic Dalmandi Road—from a narrow lane to a 60-foot-wide arterial road—is underway amid protests from local residents, which have been subdued by a heavy police presence. The Dalmandi area is renowned for its vibrant, multicultural market, housed in hundreds of shops across 187 buildings, and has long reflected the secular fabric of the temple city. Janchowk laments the loss of the Dalmandi market — an indication that the municipal and political administration is moving, even if inadvertently, to erasing the city’s historical heritage.

Tamad, located 55 km from Ranchi, hosts a vibrant weekly market that showcases the region’s cultural depth and strong ties to its surroundings. Each Saturday, the Tamad Haat gathers villagers who present an array of fresh produce, handcrafted goods, and forest-derived items, reflecting the enduring interdependence between Adivasi communities and their natural environment.

Beyond commerce, the markets serve as a vital social crossroads where tribal sellers and urban buyers meet, forming an important economic and cultural bridge. For those seeking to understand Jharkhand’s grassroots economy and the lived realities of its indigenous communities, Tamad Haat offers compelling insight into how traditions, livelihoods, and community bonds continue to thrive. मैं भी भारत reports.

For more such stories from the grantees this week, please read on.

Warmly,

Sunil Rajshekhar
IPSMF