As the entire country is celebrating the 76th year of Independence, we also need to spare a thought for our priceless green wealth – our precious forests with their flora and fauna. Are they free? Free from trespass on their land, free from infringement on their rights. Does freedom for us, humans, mean having the right to indulge in wanton destruction of our forests in the name of development, depleting the green cover and bringing harm on ourselves, not to mention destroying habitats of wildlife? We need to ask ourselves these questions, and more.
Today, on the 76th Independence Day, we present the touching story of a forest officer’s effort to free a forest and its inhabitants from the onslaught of unplanned and insensitive development, that works on the premise that some lives matter less than others.
The officer in question is DFO, South Betul, Madhya Pradesh, Mr. Vejayanantham TR, and Indian Masterminds spoke to him to find out how he managed to preserve the serenity of a forest by rejecting the proposal for a road through it, which could have disturbed the free movements of the animals.
AN APPLICATION TO DIVERT FOREST LAND
It all started when the 2018-batch Indian Forest Service officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre was posted in Panna Tiger Reserve as Deputy Director. He received a FCA application in November 2021 to divert forest land that included hundreds of hectares of dense forests.
FCA or Forest Conservation Act, 1980, is an Act of the Parliament of India to provide for the conservation of forests and to control further deforestation of forest areas. Section 1 of the Act clearly prohibits the state government, except with prior permission from central government, from issuing orders directing that any forest land or any portion thereof may be used for any non-forest purpose.
MORAL DILEMMA
The forest department gets applications all the time to divert forest land from various agencies like railways, roadway authorities, etc., for developmental purposes.
“These development activities are much needed for the livelihood and development of people in any corner of India. FCA cases come to DFO for recommendation/rejection of diversion at field level. The field visit to finally recommend or reject the project creates a moral dilemma for any DFO, as we need to promote development of the district with minimal damage to forest and wildlife,” Mr. Vejayanantham said.
THE FIELD VISIT
On their field visit for assessment, the officer and his team understood that the road was to be built in such a way that it would go through the dense jungle on the left side of a dam.
“That jungle was full of wildlife and dense trees. Literally a pristine forest,” Mr. Vejayanantham said.
He also noticed that, on the right side of the dam, there was a village and a small road was already there. “Our team decided that we should suggest that the road should pass through this village and not through the dense jungle. This will save the forest and, at the same time, promote development of the village.”
WIN-WIN DECISION
This suggestion was taken up by the concerned authorities and the discussion reached the concerned minister’s table, as well. In a District Development Committee meeting, where the minister was also present, Mr. Vejayanantham and his team again recommended not to divert the forest land and, instead, consider extension of the proposed road by about 500 meters to go through the village, to save the forest.
“Our recommendation was accepted immediately. That night, I slept really peacefully. Till now, I consider that day as one of the best days in my career,” Mr. Vejayanantham said.
REAL INTENTION MATTERS
Looking back today, Mr. Vejayanantham, who has since left Panna and is now posted in South Betul, told Indian Masterminds: “Ground knowledge of the area and especially map reading came in handy when we decided to extend the road. If we put things in the right way, and with the right intention, everyone will definitely accept. No one really wants to destroy forest and wildlife unnecessarily.”
But, then, exceptions will always be there, even if to prove the rule. There are those who do not bat an eyelid to cut down an entire forest in the name of development. They should take a close look at our dedicated forest officials and staff who toil day and night to protect our forests, NGOs working for forest conservation, and extraordinary members of the public like Assam’s Jadav Payeng who is known as the ‘Forest Man of India’ for single-handedly creating an entire forest on a sandbar of the river Brahmaputra, to understand that if there is actually a will, there will always be a way.
Indian Masterminds wishes all its readers/viewers a Happy 76th Independence Day!
