Once fighting for Bodoland, 35 men divert their efforts to grow a forest

Prinson Daimari is overwhelmed with pride every time he visits the lush green forest with birds’ nests perched on the treetops inside the Bhairabkunda reserve forest in Udalguri district of Assam in northeast India.

The 52-year-old stands under a canopy of trees and recalls those days when he, along with his 34 colleagues, spent countless hours shovelling the boulders and stones from beneath the earth to make the barren, sandy land fertile. For a first-time visitor, it is hard to believe that the same stretch of barren land now boasts of a dense forest spread across 750 hectares, rich in biodiversity, with elephants frequenting the area even during the day.

“We have virtually spent our prime years in converting a barren and uneven land filled with rocks and stones, into a picturesque forest inhabited by venomous reptiles and wild animals,” Prinson said with a smile on his face as the sun’s rays peeked through the tall bamboo trees. “We have not only created a forest but have also set a successful example of environmental conservation through our hard work.”