“The trees are giving me life,” said Benudhar Swain, a 86-year-old resident of Bartana village in Mayurbhanj’s Betanoti block. According to him, his area was once rich in dense forests. The sounds of various animals and birds were heard around the village. “But where is that forest now?” asks Benudhar.
Benudhar was a farmer. He farmed and raised his family, but his other work was to create and care for the forest. The forests that are available now near the village are largely due to the deeds of the previous generation. Benudhar complains that today’s children no longer understand the value of the forest. “They are cutting them down for money. Not even a single deer are being seen in the forest these days.”
I told DFO sir a long time ago, bring two bears to our forest. People will not go to the forest out of fear or cut down trees, and the forest will survive.”
Benudhar has two sons. One of the boys works in the forest department. At different times, elephants enter the village from nearby forests. They come to his yard, eat paddy, and leave. They never harm anyone nor destroy anything. In the past, villagers relied on the forest for their livelihood, coexisted with the animals and trees for centuries. There were no problems. But now the forest has been cleared. “Where will the animals go! All are dead and gone. There are only wild boars and hares now. That is why I told the DFO sir to leave two leopards here in the forest but he said there is no more food for the tigers in the forest, they will enter the village and feed on the goats and cows.”
“People in the village are cutting down trees and selling them whenever they need money,”- Benudhar said. But his hand does not go to cut down the trees.
“The trees are all like my babies. Like my own sons, I have raised them. I could not kill them. No matter what are the odds, I could never go to cut them.Once upon a time, I faced terrible financial difficulties, but I still could not axe them myself. However, I was forced by the situation. I gave 20 rupees to the others to cut them. What else could I do!”
Now in his old age, Benudhar is no longer able to work as he used to, but he is healthy and able to walk. “I am 86 and I will live for another 20 years. Because these trees give me life.”
