Jharkhand's 'Lady Tarzan', a green saviour

New Delhi: Meet Jharkhand's 'Lady Tarzan', who is spearheading a green movement in east Singbhum's Naxal-affected forests. With the help of the area's tribal women, Chami Devi has successfully planted over a million trees and built watersheds to increase the ground water level.

Orphaned children are part of the young brigade of Chami Devi. She is now fondly called the 'Lady Tarzan' of the region.

Mobilsing women was not easy for Chami Devi. She had to brave the wrath of both the Naxals and local villagers.

With the help of the area\'s tribal women, Chami Devi has successfully planted over a million trees and built watersheds to increase the ground water level.

Neither did the Naxals nor the initial oppositions by locals deterred Chami Devi from doing what she had determined. From being a simple Adivasi girl, she has earned the title of being the Tarzan lady and it's because of her efforts that the forests near Jamshedpur are only becoming greener and greener. What started as a result of one person has now become movement of a sort.

As Chami's followers grow, the challenges at hand are also increasing. The region is notorious not only for Naxals, but the timber mafia too. Protecting these trees is a priority. But Chami’s initiative could well become a model for protecting the 23 lakh hectares of Jharkhand's rich jungle cover.

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