ASSAM: 'Plant trees to stay alive'...That is Jahar Bhowmick’s stated singular purpose, one that he upholds every day of his simple yet pioneering life. He believes that the prospect of human life is directly influenced by the number of trees planted.
A school teacher by profession in Kokrajhar district, Assam, Jahar Bhowmick has planted and nurtured tens of thousands of trees. Regardless of his schedule, he finds time to plant trees or just be around them. He spreads awareness, particularly among students, on the protection of the environment. It was out of sheer necessity that he had started planting trees. Now, it is his only motivation.
Charaikhola High School is located around 5 km from Kokrajhar town, a school without electricity where everyone suffered during the summer heat. The problem only compounded with each passing year, amid large-scale deforestation.
On a hot and humid day back in 2014, the 48-year-old mathematics teacher came upon the idea to plant trees around the school premises as a respite from the heat.
Ten years later, he is a household name in Kokrajhar. A recipient of the Bodoland Green Award, conferred by the autonomous Bodoland Territorial Council, he has taken his “green mission” to a higher level, with the active participation students.
“In the absence of electricity in the school, we all suffered in the summer heat. Then in 2014, it suddenly came to my mind one day that we can get respite from it by planting trees. The trees that we planted have all grown up and stand tall. The heat is now bearable,” Bhowmick said.
His mission was to plant trees around Kokrajhar. With the investment his vision required, he was unsure of his success, but his nephew urged him to go ahead and continue as long as he could.
“Without thinking too much about it, I started buying bamboo, nets, etc. Then, I approached the social forestry department and it helped me with saplings,” Bhowmick said.
Now, with time to launch the drive, he mobilised students. The team planted scores of trees around the town. This continued over the last few years.
In due course, the mission widened to include nearby villages all the way to Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary. Located in the vicinity of Bhowmick’s school, Chakrashila is the second protected habitat for primate species in India.
“The golden langurs often stray out of the sanctuary in search of food and often get hit by moving vehicles. So, we decided to plant fruit trees at the sanctuary and make it self-sufficient for them,” Bhowmick said.
Inside the classroom, Bhowmick educates children on the importance of protecting the environment. He tells them that the only way mankind can tackle global warming is by planting trees.