Defenders of the Planet by Balipara Foundation

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Defenders of the Planet We meet some green heroes in the Northeast who have dedicated their lives to conservation of nature and wildlife Manjum Mahanta and Meeta Borah

ortheast has always been home to some of the rarest species of plants and wildlife, but the ever growing human habitation across the region has started to endanger both over the years. With the emergence of issues like global warming, it has become pertinent to retain the green cover that the region is most known for. We look at some passionate conservationists who are leading the way with regards to conservation in the region.

Purnima Devi Barman

A wildlife biologist, Purnima Devi has been working for the last 10 years for conservation of the highly endangered greater adjutant stork. Popularly known as ‘Hargila Baidow’ in Assam, she has been awarded the President’s Award for her conservation work. She also received UNDP India Biodiversity Award 2016 from the United Nations, Royal Bank of Scotland RBS ‘Earth Hero Award’ under Save the Species category, Whitley Award also known as Green Oscar. Apart from this, she was also a nominee of 2018 Indianapolis Prize, out of 32 highly devoted conservationists. As a young girl, Purnima once saw a tree owner ruthlessly cutting down a tree with a greater adjutant stork still nestling in its nest. The incident greatly

saddened her and also ignited a spark within to save these gentle giants. After completing her masters, she decided to pursue a PhD in ‘breeding biology of the greater adjutant storks.’ She has been working to protect the breeding colony of the greater adjutant (Leptoptilosdubius) since 2008. ‘Due to habitat loss and poaching, it is today an endangered species. Globally only 1200 greater adjutants are left, and the population is declining.’ Her efforts have helped increase nests from 30 in 2008 to 171 in 2014. At present, the average nest number is 150, making this the largest breeding colony in the world.

Land expansion, construction and felling trees posed a serious threat to the greater adjutant. But even more so, it was disliked by the locals as it was a scavenger bird and considered ‘dirty’. As they live in trees amidst human habitation and drop bits and pieces of rotten food and excreta below, they were unpopular with village folk. She started a movement in three villages of Kamrup District of Assam to change their opinion of the bird, and soon enough, amidst all challenges, she was successful in building the feeling of ownership for the Hargila among local communities.

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Purnima’s work is not without challenges. She regularly climbs an 80 feet bamboo platform (machan) to observe the storks from close quarters and study their behaviour. ‘It was challenging to integrate the birds into the lives of villagers and create an emotional connect between both. Each year, I conduct baby shower ceremonies for the incubating greater adjutant stork just like it is done traditionally for pregnant Assamese women. I initiated a feeling of ownership, and made them understand that saving these birds was their responsibility.’ She has even managed to create an artificial breeding platform for the first time and a pair of birds successfully nested at the platform and incubated. ‘Initially the movement was to conserve the species. But now, we are also starting a breeding plant for the species to increase.

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We are also taking up projects to ensure the conservation message is widespread across the State.’

Omi Gurung

Omi refers to himself as a ‘reformed shopaholic and ardent upcycler’. This multitalented green hero is a fashion designer, design consultant, social entrepreneur, motivational speaker and a life coach. Popularly known as ‘The Green Man’ of Sikkim, his brand OMI creates awareness to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Omi Gurung

Jadav Payeng

He was conferred with Balipara Foundation Young Naturalist Award 2016 for his contribution to sustainable fashion in the Eastern Himalayas. He started his brand in 2013. ‘Fashion industry is the second most polluting industry in the world. As a fashion professional, I visited different sectors or verticals of the fashion industry and discovered how fast fashion is slowly killing us. The Rana Plaza incident that occurred on 24 April 2013 in Bangladesh really shattered me. No one should be killed for fashion. In the same year, I started my brand and made a promise that the brand will educate and create awareness about the environmental, social and economical impact of fashion to the world. Today, OMI is known to be a conscious brand. We work tirelessly towards sustainable fashion out of textile waste.’ The brand reuses old textile materials or discarded clothing items along with deadstock fabric. ‘We buy deadstock fabric from different apparel stores in Siliguri, Kolkata, Delhi and Bangalore. We also often use handloom fabric in our designs. We have a few weavers from different parts of India who directly supply handloom fabric

to us.’ With people becoming more environmentally conscious, Omi’s brand is really flourishing. ‘We mostly create handcrafted products in a limited quantity. And that’s the USP of our products, be it clothing, accessories or home decor items. When you buy something from us, you are not just buying an item but you are empowering us and taking home a work of art.’ This green hero feels that everyone can do their bit for the environment by buying less and wearing more. ‘Nearly 95% of all textile material are recyclable but nowadays, we are buying up to four times more than what we did a few years ago. We are exploiting resources and manpower. Online shopping is the devil and discounts are a regular affair. We only wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time. Do you know it takes 2720 litres of water to make a simple t-shirt. That’s normally how much a person drinks within a three year period. Buy less, wear more. Choose quality over quantity. And most importantly, learn to care and repair your clothes. Be a conscious consumer of fashion.’ Omi feels motivated to continue on his path when he sees how it affects the people around

him. ‘It is a good feeling to be acknowledged for the work you do. And the very fact that your work inspires many to do their bit for the environment is a great catalyst to your confidence and self esteem.’

Jadav Payeng

Known as the forest man of India, Jadav Payeng popularly known as ‘Molai’ planted a forest on a barren island in Majuli all by himself. Back in 1978, Payeng, a resident of Kokilamukh in Jorhat, found a lot of dead snakes on a barren island in the Brahmaputra, an after effect of the floods. After the water receded, the snakes died due to the scorching heat of the sand. ‘I was shocked to see dead snakes on the sand dunes. It was simple that if the trees disappear, the same will happen to us. Moreover, I felt pity for the animals suffering from the floods.’ A conservationist by choice, Payeng decided to plant trees on the island with the thought that it will cater to the needs of the wild animals someday. ‘I had no idea that it would turn into a forest but I planted as many trees I could. I was helped by my community people. After people started to give recognition to my forest, and

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praised me for my job, I realized that I have done something to finally help wild animals and that is what they call conservation.’ However as the forest grew, came a new set of problems. ‘The villagers started to complain as the wild elephants from the forest began to stray to the villages on the edge of the forest and damaged crops and agricultural fields. Tigers were also hunting small village fowls and peasants making the situation worse. Angry villagers told me that they would destroy my forest.’ Payeng then began to plant more trees, especially banana trees, a favourite food for elephants in his forest. Finding adequate food within the forest, the elephants stopped coming out to the villages, and soon enough, the population of animals such as deer grew, providing enough game for the wild tigers. Moreover, Payeng also sought help of the forest department in this matter who immediately responded to his proposal. They helped make barriers for the wild animals to stop them from entering nearby villages. Payeng has proved that where there is a will, there is a way. He shares that the animals who have found a home in his forest keep him motivated. ‘I feel like I have given them a home to stay peacefully. Every time I visit the forest and see the birds, elephants, deers, I feel good. Also, people have recognized my work which gives me confidence that I am doing the right thing.’ He doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. ‘I have spent my life nurturing the forest. It is the work of my entire lifetime. I do not want commercialization of this place. Last year, a man wanted to make the forest a tourist destination. I have no problem

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‘I had no idea that it would turn into a forest but I planted as many trees I could. I was helped by my community people. After people started to give recognition to my forest, and praised me for my job, I realized that I have done something to finally help wild animals and that is what they call conservation.’

with tourist visiting the place but constructing restaurants and resorts or even camp sites pollute the environment. Hence, I want

to keep the Molai forest as raw as possible.’

Dr Tage Kano

Usually when we talk about conservation, we tend to focus on bigger wildlife species like the rhino or tiger but Dr Kano is a founding member of an organization called NgunuZiro that carries out conservation effort for even the smallest of species— the butterfly. NgunuZiro was formed with a view to work for sustainable development of Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh and has been organizing the Ziro Butterfly Meet since 2014. A paediatrician by profession, he completed his MBBS from Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi and MD (Paed) from Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal. He also pursued an additional masters course in Applied Community Change and Conservation from Future Generations University, WV (USA). Dr Kano is currently working with the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Arunachal Pradesh. Since its maiden edition, the Butterfly Meet has grown by leaps and bounds. ‘In the first meet, only a handful of members of NgunuZiro participated. However, we were lucky to photograph one of the rarest butterflies – Kaisere-Hind (Teinopalpus imperialis), considered to have been extinct in India. That happened to be the first photography of the live species in India. That news hit the

headlines, drawing the attention of butterfly enthusiasts all over the world and catapulted Ziro into the global butterfly map. Since then, we have had participants from all over the country. In 2016, we hosted the North-East Butterfly Meet at Ziro and had participants from countries like Hong Kong and USA. It was in that meet that we were able to get a specimen of what we now know as the Apatani Glory. The day flying moth was photographed way back in 2010 and was known to be a new species. It could not be proved scientifically as we could not get any physical specimen. With the help of James Young of Hong Kong Lepidoptera Society and Monsoon Jyoti Gogoi who now works with Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), our friend Punyo Chada

who first photographed it, we could establish it as a new species of day flying moth. We recently concluded the 5th edition at Yazali where a large numbers of butterfly experts and enthusiasts participated. Among the experts was Isaac Kehimkar, the author of “The Butterflies of India” who is popularly known as the Butterfly Man of India. This was the first time that the meet was organized outside Ziro. The meet could document as many as 173 different species of butterflies, in and around Yazali.’ The Ziro Butterfly Meet has been able to create awareness about the role of smaller creatures like butterflies and bees in the ecosystem. They have also been including students from different schools in Ziro to instil the spirit

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of conservation in the coming generations. ‘During our meets, we have also been able to establish Talle Wildlife Sanctuary as one of the best butterfly habitats in the world with the documentation of three most sought after butterflies – Kaiser-e-Hind, Bhutan Glory and Brown Gorgon. Apart from these rare species, we have documented and identified more than 200 different species of butterfly from Ziro.’ Organizations like NgunuZiro are doing a great deal to turn locals into conservationists in Arunachal Pradesh. ‘During 2009-10, we had carried out a wildlife survey in Talle Wildlife Sanctuary, involving traditional local hunters as experts and school teachers as their assistants. The project involved setting up camera traps in selected sites. The hunters agreed to participate with an air of sarcasm, but at the end of the project, they were converted into hardcore conservationists. Today, many of them are engaged as nature guides for tourists.’ They are also promoting ecotourism in Ziro valley and organizing training on homestay management, tour guides, cooking, outdoor logistic management, and the like, for the benefit of the youth. They also organize nature camps for school students. Dr Kano feels like more should be done with regards to conservation in the region. ‘Nature education activities should be incorporated in the school curriculum. A system should be created to give academic credits to students who participate in events like Ziro Butterfly Meet. It would also be worthwhile for the government to have a policy to engage the local people and the youths in conservation activities.’

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In 2016, we hosted the North-East Butterfly Meet at Ziro and had participants from countries like Hong Kong and USA. It was in that meet that we were able to get a specimen of what we now know as the Apatani Glory

Bibhuti Lahkar

A wildlife conservationist, his inclination towards wildlife and conservation started at an early age. And so, it is not surprising that he decided to pursue Bachelors in Zoology and Masters in Ecology. Lahkar is the only conservationist from Asia to receive the World Heritage Hero Award by International Union for Conservation of Nature. Since his college days, he has been associated with ‘Aaranyak’ and has grown from ‘volunteer’ to a core team member over the years. His research in Manas National Park from 2000 to 2005 was in ‘Ecology and Management of Grassland with special reference to Grass and Bird Communities.’ Grasslands extinction can lead to the extinction of animals like pygmy hog. He also studied habitat utilization patterns of Asian Elephants and current status of human-elephant conflict in Manas National Park. ‘Humanwildlife conflict is at present one of the burning issues of wildlife conservation. It is a sensitive issue and it should be addressed with proper scientific measures. The main cause of human-wildlife conflict is habitat destruction

and habitat fragmentation. So, first we have to ensure protection of wildlife habitat and sensitize people about understanding the root causes of conflicts with wildlife and take measures that will prevent both human loss and wildlife death.’ Lahkar has worked on the Manas Tiger Reserve Information System, a GIS based database of different attributes. He is most known for population monitoring of critically endangered grassland dependent pygmy hog and Bengal Florican, and monitoring and control of invasive species in the grasslands of Manas National Park. He has also helped facilitate alternative livelihood opportunities to women groups in fringe villages around Manas. Also, ensuring sustainable livelihood for families of conservation volunteers working for Manas Tiger Reserve. He is very focussed on involving the community. While working in different projects, he has ensured that the young generation and local NGOs are trained and get the right exposure.

These youths now work as tourist guides in the park or have started homestays for tourists near the park. Lahkar states that huge pressure on the natural resources of the protected areas due to increasing human population, constant changes in field of conservation, people’s necessity for development, poaching, habitat destruction and illegal felling of trees, competition for space and resources between human and wildlife are major concerns when it comes to conservation. He feels that everyone can do their bit to ensure a greener tomorrow. ‘Human beings are part of nature. It is a legacy that must be enjoyed by future generations. I understand the ecology of a protected area or wildlife and the natural functioning system of a biodiversity rich area. So, I can say that every little bit helps. We can all play strong role in sensitizing and spreading the message of wildlife conservation. Every contribution will reap big benefits in the long term.’

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Rituraj Phukan

From the time he was a little boy, Rituraj was always eager to observe nature and simple things like the blooming of flowers, birds flying around, and the like. He shares, ‘conservation is not a career for me, it is a childhood fascination that has grown into a lifelong engagement.’ He gave up his well-paying and secure government job to pursue a career in conservation. He is associated with multiple organizations. He is the Secretary General of Green Guard Nature Organization, a grassroots-based nature conservation NGO. ‘I work with fringe forest communities to explore and establish sustainable solutions for management of mananimal conflict. Recently, we were one of the three organizations from India globally recognized

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as “Elephant Champions”.’ He is also the Chief Operating Officer of Walk For Water, a Hyderabadbased organization, working with the most water stressed communities in India. ‘My mission is to ensure that World Water Day emerges as the most important day on the environment calendar after World Environment Day and Earth Day.’ Rituraj is also a Climate Reality Leader, trained under Nobel Laureate Al Gore. He serves as a Mentor and District Manager with The Climate Reality Project. But that is not all. He is also the Assam Coordinator for Kids For Tigers, the Sanctuary Tiger programme. ‘I work with middle school students to facilitate an understanding that connects conservation of the primary forest

habitats with water security and climate change mitigation.’ He is also the Ambassador for the Marine Arctic Peace Sanctuary, which is a proposal to protect all the areas north of the Arctic Circle. Of course, working in conservation is not a cakewalk and he has had to face quite a few challenges along the way. ‘The most challenging thing has to be working with people! We believe that the real measure of success is the involvement of local communities in conservation and that, by itself, is the biggest challenge, as it is very difficult to keep people motivated. There are so many emotions involved and so much energy in a group of people, to keep them focused on the goals and objectives are difficult.’ But he still feels that we can all do our bit

for the environment. ‘I believe in making a personal commitment and therefore I have been a vegan for two years now. The wastage of food and water, littering of public space and the use of singleuse plastics can be significantly reduced if the masses are made aware of the harmful effects and consequences. In many countries, social transformation has been achieved by inducing behavioural change and media plays a critical role in nudging people towards imbibing environmentally conscious habits.’ He feels that we can never have too many conservationists. ‘We should have a conservationist in every house who will ensure that there is no wastage in the household! We need young conservationists in every locality to ensure that there are no heaps of litter in the neighbourhood! Singleuse plastics have transformed once pristine villages into unsightly dumps. We need a conservationist in every village so that the neat and clean rural countryside of our childhood days are restored.’ Presently, Rituraj is working to build up a Citizens Climate Lobby team for India. ‘That way, we have a consensus among policy makers for a carbon tax regime after the next general elections. The importance of a carbon tax has been magnified by the new Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, which gives us a small window of 10 to 12 years for decisive action in order to avoid a temperature rise of 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels. In other words, the time to save our future generations from catastrophic climate change is now!’ He will also travel to the north polar region, as part of the Climate Force Arctic expedition.

‘We should have a conservationist in every house who will ensure that there is no wastage in the household! We need young conservationists in every locality to ensure that there are no heaps of litter in the neighbourhood!’

‘The global team of scientists, experts and activists on the expedition will document Arctic warming as well as brainstorm on the road map for sustainable development.’ He is also working on biodiversity impact chapter in a new book that will soon be published in the US. ‘I am also looking forward to the completion of two other book projects and building up on my writing engagements.’ Another

future project is the Nature Needs Half movement. ‘The movement believes that we need to leave half the planet alone for sustaining its life systems. The movement has slowly built up collaborative networks for protection of 50% of wild nature by 2050; Green Guard Nature Organization and Walk For Water are partners in this endeavour.’

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