Tiger reserve opens school to fight shrubs
- Officials of Palamau sanctuary go to children to uproot enemies of
forest
SUMAN K. SHRIVASTAVA

A forest tracker teaches children at the biodiversity school in Betla.
Ranchi, May 22: Hindi teachers may not begin with Ka for kamal
anymore. Instead, they would recite, "Kahua, karam, kajo, kari — isey
bachaney ki ayi bari (It is time to save trees such as kahua, karam,
kajo and kari)".

The green focus in the mode of teaching may soon be visible in schools
across Jharkhand, thanks to an effort of Palamau Tiger Reserve (PTR).

Officials of the reserve today started a biodiversity school in Betla,
about 175km from here. PTR project director R.N. Prasad inaugurated
the school, which is intended to make children living in forest
villages understand degradation of environment and take steps to stop
the process.

Palamau Tiger Reserve forest range officer Lalan Prasad Gupta, the
brain behind the school, said there was a need for such education. "We
can fight some enemies of forests, such as man, cattle and fire, but
we are unable to fight two enemies — lantana camara (pudus shrubs) and
parthenium (locally known as gazar grass)."

These shrubs came to India with the British. The imperialists left but
the shrubs are slowly conquering the forests and stopping germination.
"We may not have next generation of trees if these shrubs are not
weeded out soon," he said, adding that the focus is to have enough
hands to fight the war against the shrubs.

"We have realised that child is the father of the man. So it is better
to begin with children. We are focusing on children from the poor
strata of the society but we are not luring them with midday meals. We
are going to their parents and asking them to send their children to
the school and help prepare a force to save the fast-degrading forest."

To make things easier, the reserve has decided not to go to the
government with the school project. "In fact, the school will not
burden the state exchequer. We have the required infrastructure ready.
Besides, forest trackers will take classes," said the PTR range officer.

The school will run for three hours in the morning. Lessons on the
forest will be for an hour while the usual syllabus would be taught
for two hours, the range officer said. The children would also be
taken on study tours inside the jungle for first-hand lessons on
wildlife and medicinal plants.

The project director said a proposal would be sent to the state
government to replicate the project in other parts of the state.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080523/jsp/jharkhand/story_9309170.jsp