Last year marked the national tiger census, which is carried out throughout the Tiger reserves of India at an interval of 04 years. I along with Satyendra Sahu was lucky to be nominated by Avril Khambatta Thakur(President Himalayan Explorers) to participate in the census at Sunder ban Tiger Reserve. Satyendra had no issues; on the contrary he was very excited to participate in the event which happens once in 04 years under the aegis of NTCA. I was equally excited but had issues about leave and hence requested President Himalayan Explorers to write to DGITBP, so as to be sent on official duty.
I was detailed by ITBP HQ to participate in the National Tiger Census at Sunder ban Tiger Reserve on official duty. I liaised with Mr. Tapas Das, (IFS), Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Field Director Sunderban Tiger Reserve, and apprised him telephonically about my schedule.
I reached Kolkata on 27th of December 2021 at 2300hrs. It was a long journey from Bhopal to Kolkata via Nagpur, Chennai, and Kolkata. On 28th morning I called for a taxi and left for Gadkhali (The Gateway to Sunderban Tiger Reserve). It was just 100Kms, but took 3 and half hours to reach Gadkhali, due to very bad road condition beyond Canning. From Gadkhali I took at motorized boat to reach an Island called Viraj Nagar. From the jetty took a Jugad to reach Mr. Anil Mistry’s (hard core conservationist, also known as the Tiger Man of Sunderban) Tura Eco Resort at Amlamathi (Bidda Forest Range, Bali Ganger Ghat). The cottage was fabulous, no words to define.
On 29th morning Mr. Tapas Das, (IFS), Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Field Director Sunderban Tiger Reserve, sent a forest department boat with two men to escort me to Chamta range of the core forest of Sunderban Tiger Reserve. The sailing time from Bali Ganger Ghat to Chamta was 06 hours. Rajesh Mandal a young boy, a casual labour with the forest department was full of energy and deep knowledge of the Sunderban Tiger Reserve. Throughout the journey he kept on briefing me about the various forest range’s, different islands, confluence of the various rivers we came across, Sunderban Tiger’s behaviour, men animal conflicts and the most vulnerable group of people who fall prey to the Sunderban Tiger’s. We sailed through Dobanki forest range, Netidopani to Chamta where I was given a warm welcome by the forest department. After lunch we went to the 360 degree watch tower from where we can monitor a vast span of the jungle and specially a huge rain water harvesting pond. Thermal Imaging cameras were fitted near the pond which is also the territory of a tiger. We were lucky to sight the young tiger approaching the pond to quench his thirst, but shy away due to the noise of the daily wage labourers who were stationed there to do the mangroves plantation. The life of the forest personal is very tough, more tough then any force personal deployed in the border battalions or border outpost. The life of these personal was without family, no mobile network, no satellite phones, totally marooned in an island surrounded by Crocodiles, monitor lizard and last but not the least, the men eater tigers.
30th morning we started early at 0700hrs in three boats to the beat 6 & 7 of the Chamta range. Two boats were loaded with Mangroves saplings and one with the forest personal and the daily wage labourers for planting the saplings.
Mission was to monitor the cameras fixed for capturing the tiger and plantation of the mangroves saplings. While we were busy doing these task, we were getting the information of the tigers straying inside the habited islands, their painless restrain, capture and then release in the remote islands.
After reaching the beat 6 of the Chamta range, the ranger, the deputy ranger and the other forester with rifles got down of the boat in thigh deep slush and struggled their way towards the tree line, they stood facing towards the mangroves Jungle cordoning the area for the planters to carry on the plantation. I admire the plantation drive taken by the planters in such a difficult terrain where every step was a struggle. From 0900hrs to 1400hrs these men carried on plantation without a single break. Both the beat 6&7 were planted. In between the small boats ferried to Chamta to fetch mores saplings. In my life time I have never witnessed such sincere work of plantation. On enquiring them about the plantation drive, I was informed that is the central government funded project and started since last two years. Again it struck my mind “MODIJI HAI TO MUMK IN HAI”.
Author
Dr. Vinod Laxminarayan Thakur Commandant/ Vet, Central Frontier Bhopal, ITBP
