Amid depending upon shifting cultivation and rearing of animals the Asura’s— a primitive tribe of Jharkhand — wants that Government should play a vital role in reviving their ancient iron smelting tradition.
The latest metallurgy techniques have given a final death blow to the industry of iron smelting by the Asurs. Now very few of the Asurs’ who are well known about the indigenous iron smelting are surviving, said Chamru Asur residing at Sakhuapani in the pat area of Netarhat plateau.
“We (Asur) were the ones who first made iron in the world. We are traditionally iron-smelters but iron-smelting has now practically become a thing of the past. Introduction of modern iron technology and implementation of Government’s forest conservation policy has given a huge blow to our traditions which is on the verge of extinction now”, he added.
Studying under Jharkhand Media Fellowship-2012 found that government should take every possible steps to conserve the Asur’s old iron smelting tradition or knowledge which can be open a new panorama in their development.
The study found that Asura’s tradition is much safer, cheaper and eco-friendly; the ore and fuel used by Asurs are not affecting the environment.
Now Asur depends upon shifting cultivation, hunting, and collection of food, fishing, and rearing of animals and finding hard time to survive.
lack of irrigated lands in the pat area of Netarhat forced Asura to depend upon monsoon. We can cultivate only one crop in a year which not enough to meet our both ends need, said Punam Asur. “We have land but we cannot grow crops in absence of irrigation facilities”, she added.
We are facing too an acute drinking water scarcity as all sources like small rivulets, wells and reservoirs have completely dried up in this summer, said Punam. “Drinking water has always been a problem in this region, we forced to trek 5 to 7 kms with pots to fetch water from streams ones or twice daily”, she added.
We are surviving in dearth of basic amenities. The situations are same in other villages like Amkipat, Jobhipat, Chaurapat, Polpolpat including others, said Salma Asur.
Rampant bauxite mining is on rise in our lands but government is not concerned about us and our basic needs, alleged Salma.
[This Article has been written under Jharkhand Media Fellowship-2012.]