Forgotten in gold rush, Chhattisgarh villages face uncertain future

THERE IS grain in one corner, cows in the backyard, and chicken running around in Manikchand?s hut in Sonakhan. Yet, when asked about his most prized possession, he brings out a large wooden saucer-shaped vessel and a rusty iron rod with a hook at the end, which hold pride of place atop the only wooden shelf in the house.

?We take the dirt from any stream or nullah, or the Jog river that runs nearby, and fill the vessel. Then we drain the water out, and sift through the earth, to look for tiny pieces of gold at the bottom. Normally, you find them more in the rains? Traders from Pithora or Kasdol come and buy them from us. There has always been gold here. But now who knows what will happen,? says Manikchand, worry etched on his face.
- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/forgotten-in-chhattisgarhs-gold-rush-villages-face-uncertain-future/#sthash.WNijXuNw.dpuf
Read more: Click Here