Long live tree : my brother

Hundreds of female including college students have created a brotherly-bond with trees after they tie Rakhi with trees located in the Budharaja reserve forest on Monday. They also took oath to protect the trees like their own brothers. It was a part of the activities under taken by the Budharaja Jangal Surakhya samiti that works for the conservation of the Budharaja forest.

‘This is perhaps the best opportunity to create awareness among the people about the conservation of forest and protection of trees. We are fighting for the conservation of the Budharaja forest for a long time but this idea of tying ‘rakhi’ on the trees came only in the year 2008. The response becomes over whelming. This year many people including youngsters and college students have taken part in the function and they have also promised to protect the trees” eminent environmentalist Rushi Patra told

On the eve of ‘Rakhi Purnami’, the samiti organized a festival at Budharaja forest range where females and college girls have taken part spontaneously. “They also tied rakhi on the trees. After tying Rakhi, I develop a sisterly relation with trees. So I promised to protect the trees till my last breathe”, a 20 years old girl Sangita said.

Eminent citizens including former vice-chancellor of Berhampur University Prof AP Padhi and former administrator Raghunath Mishra who present on this occasion have appreciated the members of the Jangal Surakhya samiti for such a noble work to protect the forest. “It is really a noble work and idea behind this is also equally noble. I congratulate organizers and members of the Samiti for under taking this work. I am hopeful people of other parts also fellow this idea to protect their forest”, Prof AP Padhi said.

Sources said, the Budharaja hillock is located in the heart of the Sambalpur town which comprises of about 126 hectors of forest land. The forest which bears the credit of witnessing many important event of the heroic act of Veer Surendra Sai, the eminent freedom fighter of the country has converted into a barren land during 1980s and 1990s because of the constant attack of timber mafias. the ruining condition of the temple and a trench located on the hill-top which bears the memory of great fighter,      has caused wariness among the locals who took a decision to form a committee to restore the past glory of the forest.

 “Over the past 20/21 years we have again converted the forest into a total green. Now it is become difficult to find out the changes if you have not seen the condition of the forest 20 years back. I am thankful to the locals and my fellow members who converted our dream into reality’, another active member of the team Meghu Munda said.

After tying Rakhi the females behave as if they are the real protector of the jungle. “Forget of cutting a tree from the forest when the females do not allow any one to touch the tree”, Budharaja temple trust board member Loknath Panda said.