Jharkhand villagers tie Rakhi as commitment to forest protection

Gumla (Jharkhand), Mar 17 (ANI): Jharkhand Forests Department has launched a campaign to tie Rakhi to trees in order to save forests in Gumla District.

The department took an innovative step of getting nearby villagers to bind strips of cloth around the trees in a ceremony similar to the traditional Raksha Bandhan.

The villagers in Gumla District tied pieces of cloth around tree trunks and branches and set themselves up as protectors of the trees.

This initiation from forest department prevent villagers from cutting down trees.

"We have tied red strips of cloth as Rakhi on trees and will protect the forest like a brother protects his sister. All men and women have come together to save the forest," said Bhanumati Devi, a villager.

"At any cost, we will not allow anybody to cut forest trees and we will not allow axes as well, in the forest," she added.

The forest department's idea of using the Raksha Bandhan to save trees from being felled was basically meant to make the locals invest enough in the forests that they protect.

The initiative was implemented in 25 villages and covered 1,000 hectares of forest area.

"With the help of people and our relatives, we are able to protect trees. We are saving trees so that we will get tree leaves and fresh air. Today, all of us have come together to save forest trees with the help of Raksha Bandhan ceremony. We celebrate this ceremony on March 13," said Jaydeep Muda, a villager.

With the villagers' active participation, the forest department is hopeful that the trees in the dense forests of Gumla district will not be felled. By Girija Shankar Ojha (ANI)