Forest Man of India to expand his 1360-acre jungle in Assam
LUCKNOW: Jadav M Payeng, 56, better known as the Forest Man of India, has a new mission – to expand the 1360-acre forest he created in Assam.
Payeng, who lost his cattle to Royal Bengal tigers, feels that forests are home to animals and also give life to human beings. “Trees give us oxygen to survive, hence it is necessary to keep planting saplings all our life. This is what I intend to do,” said the man who lives with his family in the middle of the forest he created.
How his house happens to be in the middle of the jungle makes for an interesting story. Back in 1979, Jadav was hurt because of the death of some snakes owing to floods. When he came to know that had there been trees in the area, the snakes would have lived, Jadav made up his mind to plant saplings and started with 50 seeds and 25 bamboo plants right from near his house. Gradually as the plantation area expanded, Jadav’s house came to be located in the middle of the forest.
The forest man, who was in Lucknow to attend ‘Dana Pani’ (an environmental awareness event by Swayam Siddha), feels that among all living species, it is only man who is unaware of his dependence on trees and is actively engaged in cutting down forests.
“Snakes know trees well, cows and even elephants know the importance of trees, but man keeps on cutting them. All our lives we gather knowledge. Similarly, we need trees for our oxygen till the time we are alive,” Jadav told Hindustan Times.
The man, who studied till class 10, has a vision for environment education in the country.
“If school children are explained about the importance of trees and are made responsible for planting saplings, it will lead to a green India,” said Jadav, who spends all the money he gets from various awards in expanding his forest.
His forest has Royal Bengal tigers, deer, wild boars, vultures, various bird species including pelicans, one-horned rhinoceros, snakes and – among visitors – elephants.