The Hindu : Kerala News : All-women team protects tiger reserve

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Monday, Dec 17, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala

All-women team protects tiger reserve

Team bagged the award for wildlife protection in 2006

82 women take turns to protect trees, animals
Animal sightings in fringe areas have increased

Thekkady: They have no education to boast of and are simple housewives from poor backgrounds. But they are women on a mission — protecting the fringe areas of Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Thekkady.

The all women forest protection team called ‘Vasanta Sena’ has been patrolling the PTR for the past five years and has made the area almost poacher free, says Padma Mohanti, Deputy Director, PTR. “Protecting the trees helps in protecting the forests. If there are no trees, the forest will vanish and eventually we too will disappear,” the sena members, who belong to tribal and non-tribal community and charge nothing for their services, told a group of women journalists from the State who visited the PTR recently.

Eighty two women, who comprise ‘Vasanta Sena,’ take turns to protect trees and animals in the problem-prone fringe areas of the PTR, which is home to as many as 63 species of mammals, 323 species of birds, 44 species of reptiles, 28 species of amphibians, 38 species of fishes and 160 species of butterflies and 1,986 species of flowering plants.

In recognition of their services, they were awarded the Amrit Devi Bishnoi Award, the highest award in India for wildlife protection for 2006. The award, instituted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), carries a certificate of merit and a cash prize of Rs.1 lakh. The women have been given green uniforms, comprising a jacket, cap, shoes.

Gracy, chairperson of Vasanta Sena, told reporters, that it was difficult at first to convince men not to cut trees. The men slowly understood that without trees, forests would vanish and in time, they too, she said.

In the beginning, they admitted, they were scared of the wild animals, but no longer.

Noorjehan, who had never stepped out of her home earlier, was encouraged by her husband to join the Eco Development Committee (EDC). She began participating in their meetings and volunteered to be part of the Vasanta Sena.

The women also collect lot of plastic bottles thrown by visitors inside the forest area. Regeneration of forests and animal sightings in the fringe areas have increased. They are allowed to collect dry firewood from the forest.

The women said they have sighted wild bear, pigs and even tigers during patrolling. — PTI

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