Idea that brought government to its knees

Bhopal: Tribal forest dwellers in a Chhattisgarh district have found an unlikely hero in a “tippler”, who tipped them off an idea — to go for tree felling on a massive scale — to deal a jolt to the local administration to wake it up from slumber. Lal Singh Tandia (45), a Gond tribal, had triggered a panic wave in the Chhattisgarh forest department when he allegedly instigated local tribals in at least half-a-dozen villages under Udanti-Sitanadi reserve forest in Gariabandh district to go for massive deforestation to draw attention of the authorities towards their long-standing problems.

The effect of his call for defiance was so great that more than 30,000 trees were felled in the tiger reserve by the time he was arrested on December 24 following a two-month trail by a joint search party comprising forest personnel and local police. “We have finally hunted him down,” Udanti-Sitanandi divisional forest officer, Vivekanand Reddy, said over phone on Thursday. Tandia was arrested at Masulkhoi inside the reserve forest and produced in the Kurudi court in neighbouring Dhamtari district, which remanded him to judicial custody. His arrest has now sparked a tribal stir in the district, prohibiting local administration and foresters to venture into the patch.

“Now the angry locals are not even allowing us to assess the scale of deforestation,” Mr Reddy said.

Sources say Tandia, an unassuming tribal, who mostly used to be found in inebriated condition, had simply provided a trigger to brewing resentment among the tribals against the administration for “depriving” them of basic amenities, including road, electricity and drinking water for decades. The “unlikely” rebel leader one day poked fun at the locals of Jortarai village under the reserve forest for making futile efforts such as giving representations frequently to the local administration to fulfill their demands, a district police officer narrated before this newspaper. “You have to do such a thing that would jolt the administration and bring it to your knees. You need to cut all trees in your region to draw attention of the authorities to your problems,” it was the “devastating” idea Tandia gave to the villagers, which led to mindless felling of trees in at least half-a-dozen villages under the reserve forest, a district police officer said.

“Tandia launched a campaign. He even circulated glossy pamphlets, instigating people to cut down trees,” Mr Reddy said.

The local’s agitation has caused a lot to the administration with almost all the trees along Joratarai-Kalari, a 3-km route, felled.

Proving Tandia right, officials now say they have taken note of the problems faced by the locals. “We have brought up the villagers’ demand to the notice of the district administration,” he said, adding, “It is a rare incident. Adivasis are usually known for religiously protecting their forests,” a senior IFS officer posted forest headquarters, Raipur, said.