Post by kuldeepadhana on Sept 22, 2006 23:33:58 GMT -5
Nanak Ram Gujjar
Haripura, Rajasthan
Saving a National Park from forest Officials
Nanak Ram belongs to the cattlerearing Gujjar community which has co-existed with the abundant flora and fauna of the Sariska forests. For generations the Gujjars have lived on the income from the milk, ghee, butter, etc., of their cattle and the forest has met their day – to – day needs. But in the past few decades, growing industrialisation has taken a toll. Illegal quarrying has reduced the thick forests to scrubland.
A few years ago, the government sealed off a large part of the forest and called it the Sariska National Park and Sanctuary. This was an attempt to save the natural habitat of the tigers whose dwindling number was becoming a cause for concern. As a result of these measures the Gujjars could not carry on living the way they had for many centuries. Government policy overlooked the cultural fabric, the empathy with which they had co-existed with the forest. Though they could have cleared parts of the forest and cultivated crops, they preferred to grow nothing more than a few vegetables to meet their daily needs. And thus the peaceful co-existence of the domestic with the wild was unfortunately destroyed. The arrival of the forest guards, officials and the bureaucratic machinery saw the end of the age-old symbiosis. The villagers were often harassed by the forest officials and guards for, ostensibly, encroaching on the protected forest. Nanak Ram led the protest against these unfair and bizarre policies and helped his community to have faith and muster up enough courage to meet the situation head on.
Even as Nanak Ram began conducting meetings in the 22 villages in the area that faced this problem, he found help in the Tarun Bharat Sangh, a voluntary organisation that was trying to preserve the Sariska forests without destroying the human habitats and settlements. Joining hands, they had meetings with forest officials, presented memorandums and petitions to pave the way for a constructive dialogue.
The Sangh had meanwhile helped strengthen the life support systems of the villages, concentrating on medial help and educational facilities. And in 1986, when the region faced a severe drought, the villagers got together with the Sangh and built over 400 tanks to harvest rainwater.
Meanwhile, there was no real improvement in the situation between the villagers and the government. Promises had been made but not honoured They realised that they had to make a direct appeal to the forest officials – one that would touch them deeply. So they decided to hold prayer meetings simultaneously through 11 villages. For the first time forest officials interacted with the villagers as individuals and they related to each other as human beings. A certain understanding came about so that they could plan how to work together to protect the forests and the wildlife. In 1991, when the villagers helped the officials to put out a huge forest fire before it could do too much harm, this relationship was cemented into one of mutual trust and respect.
The Tarun Bharat Sangh decided to introduce a Joint Forest Prize to honour forest officials and fellow villagers who had taken the initiative to protect the forests. Nanak Ram and the villagers now had another major battle ahead – to try to stop the illegal quarrying, which was actually destroying vast areas of the forests. After filing a writ petition in the Supreme Court against this, they walked from Himmatnagar in Gujrat, through Rajasthan, to Delhi to help save the Aravalli hills from illegal quarrying and mining.
Saving forests from forest officials
Mobilising people to oppose oppression and injustice
Haripura, Rajasthan
Saving a National Park from forest Officials
Nanak Ram belongs to the cattlerearing Gujjar community which has co-existed with the abundant flora and fauna of the Sariska forests. For generations the Gujjars have lived on the income from the milk, ghee, butter, etc., of their cattle and the forest has met their day – to – day needs. But in the past few decades, growing industrialisation has taken a toll. Illegal quarrying has reduced the thick forests to scrubland.
A few years ago, the government sealed off a large part of the forest and called it the Sariska National Park and Sanctuary. This was an attempt to save the natural habitat of the tigers whose dwindling number was becoming a cause for concern. As a result of these measures the Gujjars could not carry on living the way they had for many centuries. Government policy overlooked the cultural fabric, the empathy with which they had co-existed with the forest. Though they could have cleared parts of the forest and cultivated crops, they preferred to grow nothing more than a few vegetables to meet their daily needs. And thus the peaceful co-existence of the domestic with the wild was unfortunately destroyed. The arrival of the forest guards, officials and the bureaucratic machinery saw the end of the age-old symbiosis. The villagers were often harassed by the forest officials and guards for, ostensibly, encroaching on the protected forest. Nanak Ram led the protest against these unfair and bizarre policies and helped his community to have faith and muster up enough courage to meet the situation head on.
Even as Nanak Ram began conducting meetings in the 22 villages in the area that faced this problem, he found help in the Tarun Bharat Sangh, a voluntary organisation that was trying to preserve the Sariska forests without destroying the human habitats and settlements. Joining hands, they had meetings with forest officials, presented memorandums and petitions to pave the way for a constructive dialogue.
The Sangh had meanwhile helped strengthen the life support systems of the villages, concentrating on medial help and educational facilities. And in 1986, when the region faced a severe drought, the villagers got together with the Sangh and built over 400 tanks to harvest rainwater.
Meanwhile, there was no real improvement in the situation between the villagers and the government. Promises had been made but not honoured They realised that they had to make a direct appeal to the forest officials – one that would touch them deeply. So they decided to hold prayer meetings simultaneously through 11 villages. For the first time forest officials interacted with the villagers as individuals and they related to each other as human beings. A certain understanding came about so that they could plan how to work together to protect the forests and the wildlife. In 1991, when the villagers helped the officials to put out a huge forest fire before it could do too much harm, this relationship was cemented into one of mutual trust and respect.
The Tarun Bharat Sangh decided to introduce a Joint Forest Prize to honour forest officials and fellow villagers who had taken the initiative to protect the forests. Nanak Ram and the villagers now had another major battle ahead – to try to stop the illegal quarrying, which was actually destroying vast areas of the forests. After filing a writ petition in the Supreme Court against this, they walked from Himmatnagar in Gujrat, through Rajasthan, to Delhi to help save the Aravalli hills from illegal quarrying and mining.
Saving forests from forest officials
Mobilising people to oppose oppression and injustice
