Fighting drought with an obsession for tree planting

Locals ridiculed, then praised one Indian man's decades-long passion that 'saved' an arid district.

Sheopur:  Neighbors used to call him “mad”. His obsession once drove his wife to leave him. But those who once ridiculed him are now reaping the rewards of Jairam Meena’s lifelong passion: planting trees.

In 35 years, Meena reckons he has planted some 1.1 million trees in Sheopur, this drought-prone district in Madhya Pradesh state. Locals reckon his efforts have helped to buttress ground water levels and lessened the effects of seasonal droughts.

Not bad for a man who never finished school.

“It is an amazing contribution from a man for the environment," said Rakesh Kumar Damor, who works on forest issues with the local district authority.

Damor said saplings Meena planted more than three decades ago have grown into large, shade-providing trees. Forestry officials believe Meena’s decades of tree planting have been so beneficial to local communities, they now invite him to be a speaker to educate people about environmental protection and tree-planting.

Vegetation can play a significant role in helping soil to absorb and retain water as well as prevent soil erosion. Foliage also helps the soil to maintain its moisture, improving groundwater levels, soil quality and lessening overall ground temperatures.

The benefits are crucial in an area that is heavily dependent on traditional farming for basic livelihoods. During the summer months of May and June, soaring temperatures and dwindling rainfall often make earning a living nearly impossible, said Ram Swaroop, a 60-year-old villager.

Sitting under the protective shade of a leafy tree on a recent sweltering day, Swaroop said drought traditionally hits this area the hardest.

Sheopur sees less rain than the rest of the state, he says, yet he believes the area has avoided a major drought since 2003 — all thanks to Meena’s trees.

“Since then, we have not seen a drought here,” Swaroop said. “[Meena] made it possible.”

Durgalal Vijay, the local representative in the state legislative house, also credits Meena for “saving the district” from drought.

Vijay believes the trees have helped to preserve groundwater levels in the area, maintaining easy access to drinking water.

“Village women used to walk far to fetch water, but now there is no such situation here,” he said.

The head of 90 villages in the area, Deendayal Meena, who is of no relation, said villagers are “indebted" to Meena for "his great contribution in protecting the environment”.

Planting for the future

Meena’s passion for planting trees sprouted at an early age. When he was a small boy, his grandfather asked him to plant a peepal tree outside the family home. He recalls being fascinated by watching the tree mature over the years.

“I used to see the tree growing up, and it gave me a natural calling for planting as many plants as possible,” Meena told ucanews.com in an interview.

These days, Meena figures that his Hindu faith contributes heavily to his love for nature. He says his mission in life is to nurture the environment.

Early on, however, Meena’s obsession with trees earned him only ridicule. Meena's 80-year-old mother, Jendi Bhai, said she initially wanted her son to drop his "mad love" for the environment and concentrate on school.

“When he did not listen to me, I used to beat him, but still there was no change in him,” she said.

Sabulal Meena, a villager who is also not a relation of Jairam Meena but has known him for years, said locals used to ridicule Meena for his arboreal obsession. Sabulal recalled Meena being thrown off the local bus because he and his saplings were said to be causing a disturbance for other passengers.

But Meena persisted. Now in his 50s, his routine is much the same as it was when he was a young boy.

“I cannot imagine a day without planting saplings and watering them,” he said.

Meena’s day starts early at 3:30 in the morning, when he walks to the village temple and spends an hour praying for the welfare of his village, he says, to “save them from all evils”.

By 5am, he has left home on his bicycle with a bag full of saplings and two full watering cans.

During this three-decade-old routine, Meena has planted medicinal and fruit trees on the sides of roads, outside government buildings, schools and hospitals, on the banks of small village streams, and on the edges of private farmland.

Eventually, the rejection and ridicule turned to acceptance and praise. But not before what was one of the most trying periods of his life. Six months after he was married, his wife, Ramsiya Bai, left him, fed up with Meena’s priorities.

“[I was] worried about the future of the children to be born to us, if the husband has no time for the family,” she said in an interview.

She wanted him to “give more time for farming and generate more income, but he was only bothered about planting trees”.

However, her views softened. Three months later, she returned to her husband.

Today, the couple have three daughters and a son. The family lives off the wheat and vegetables they plant on their 2.4-hectare plot. And now, the whole family helps Meena in his tree-planting mission.

“I want to continue planting trees until the day of my death, which will be my contribution to this world," Meena said.

Source: UCAN