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I am working, directing an no-Governmental organization Gram Seva Sansthan,

The Gram Seva Sansthan (GSS) is a voluntary and charitable, grass root level, development constructive organization. Integrated and sustainable development of the entire hilly terrain together with human resources, with the co-operation of the masses is the motto of the Gram Seva Sansthan. GSS is registered as a Society under the Societies Registration Act (1860) and under the FCRA (1976) with the Ministry of Home Affairs.

GSS has active grass root level rural integrated development social research and technical support and working programmes in Water Resource Management, Rural Organizations monitoring, Environment Education and protection, Child Environment, Social Evils Eradication and Dulit Upliftment.

The institute has a competent staff of rural engineers, social specialists. It has a well equipped small puppet workshop for carrying out awareness & communication support and extension work. It has a few computers and the basic application software. The GSS maintains active contacts with the major social research organizations based in Uttrakhand and with a large number of NGOs through India and abroad. GSS has demonstrated and ability to quickly develops GramVan and organize chipco movement in Dwari forest of Gona.villege of Dwari district in the past 18 years. This is events from its works on participatory Water Resource Management, Child Environment, Rural organization Monitoring, Environment Education and Conservation, Social Evils Eradication, and Dalit Upliftment.

Achievements

From the very beginning GSS has a series of campaigns to root out various social evils from this region besides organizing masses for forest protection, water conservation and watershed management. The efforts of GSS resulted in the stopping of naach tradition that degraded females.

In 1986 GSS initiated chipko movement in Dwari and the administration was compelled to review the forest policy. With the support of the MMDs voluntary restrictions were: imposed upon lopping and felling of trees in the surrounding forests and a massive afforestation drive was undertaken to revive the forests. These initiatives paid dividends and appreciably good oak forest has come up in the region.

The advocacy of GSS has borne fruits at present the jungles in the surrounding villages are managed by the MMDs and lopping is regulated and done systematically so that the forest gets ample time to regenerate. These a forestation measures resulted in enhanced water resources in the region. Many new springs have appeared at the slope break below the jungle while many seasonal springs have become perennial.

GSS from the very beginning appreciated the traditional measures taken by the people for resource management in the region. And it was amongst the admirers of traditional chaals (water harvesting / recharge enhancing structures) and with the support of FORRAD it built 50 chaals (traditional recharge pits) in this region for Enhancing recharge of groundwater and thus to increase the yield of the springs.

From the very' beginning GSS has been deeply conceded about the drudgery of women of the region who shoulder most of the workload of agricultural and allied operations besides taking care of the household.

The female groups; Mahila Mangal Dais (MMD)) as these are called over here, are established in almost all the villages of the region to gamer support of the females who comprise majority of the labour force in the hills due to the out migration of able bodied men folk. MMDs were first organized in Gona and Bhatgaon in 1978, and it was followed by MMD at Lodas in 1981. Since then there has been no looking back and at present GSS has organized 30 MMDs in the region.

Aided by Uttarakhand Sewa Nidhi, Almora GSS has strengthened its presence in 12 villages where it runs balwari (child nursery) program. Besides taking due care of the children and providing basic health facilities the ba/wari worKers have helped in bringing about awareness amongst the masses.

To reduce the drudgery of the females of the region who had to walk stirringly long distances to get the flour milled and oil pressed GSS has established a flour mill accompanied by an oil press in its premises.

To add to it smoke emanating from the fuel wood results in many a lung and eye ailments. In order to provide easy access to energy and to improve the socio-economic condition of there females GSS installed 15 biogas plants in this region for demonstration purpose.