Canal of woes
Film director Sahjo Singh's latest Sons Mati, has been selected for Panorama '95. The film is based on the story of Sona Bel of west Rajasthan, who is fight-ing to get back her ancetral land. Sona Bal is being deprived of her rights due to the improper chakb&ndi (consolidation of land) necessitated due to the construction of the Rajasthan Canal. Taking advantage of this the rich farmers have taken over all the fertile land, leaving the less fertile areas for the unfortunate poor. Says Singh, "The situation is so grim that opportunists from outside the area have bought over large tracts of fertile land, while the majority of the locals who were supposed to benefit from the Canal are left with impoverished land".