GENESIS
The Goa Lok Samiti (GLS), a people’s
organization has been active in Goa since April 1981. GLS was the state unit of
National People’s Committee founded by Loknayak Jaiprakash Narayan in 1977. Dr.
J. B. Sardesai and Kumar Kalanand Mani were the key role players of GLS.
GLS felt the need to have a registered
organization to undertake integrated rural developmental activities, as well
as, protection and conservation of environment and ecology.
This need gave birth to a process in 1982, which
brought together like-minded people. A few meetings were organized at Panaji,
Priol, and Ponda to finalise the formation of a registered voluntary
organization.
Unfortunately the process was stuck on the
linguistic issue as to whether the name should reflect Marathi or Konkani
language and on thrust area - should it be Goa or the entire world? Such a
conflict at the initial stage resulted in a split among the founders of the
process and finally one group got it registered separately without taking
everyone into confidence.
The first setback led to a beginning of a second
process, which started in 1983 led by late Mr. Madhav Bir and Kumar Kalanand
Mani. This second attempt gave a final shape to the formation of “ Peaceful
Society” which was registered in March 1984 under Societies Registration
(Central) Act of 1860. Its office was set up at Bandora in Ponda Taluka of Goa.
POST FORMATION: -
PEACEFUL SOCIETY selected five remote villages
in Goa for its preliminary but intensive work, comprising Cotigao and Paiginim
in Canacona Taluka, Maulinge & Kudchire in Bicholim Taluka, Korgaon in
Pedne Taluka and Dhonshi- Bandora in Ponda Taluka.
After an intensive survey of above villages
following activities were undertaken after round of consultation / meeting and
camps of local people;
1. Employment
Generation Programme at Dhonshi- Bandora, and Cotigaon,
2. Balwadi
and Training work at Deusu-Korgaon,
3. Agricultural
promotional work at Deusu-Korgaon, Maulinge-Kudchire, Cotigaon and Paiginim.
4. Protection
of livelihood and shelter of people in Cotigaon whose existence was threatened
due to eviction drive.
The above work helped PEACEFUL SOCIETY in
developing acceptance, its roots and wider role on the range of issues related
to rural development and environment.
A detailed list of “ Work at Glance” speaks about its further
interventions in Goa, Western Ghats Region and at National scenario.
Today, PEACEFUL SOCIETY has come through a long
journey to realize its dreams visualized in 1982 through registration in 1984
to having a played a role as intervention from “ Civil Society” towards
formation of a non-violent, secular and humane society.
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