Deforestation is not an alien concept to us.
We all have grown up learning about it and witnessing it before our eyes, as more and more buildings replace trees and we rarely do anything about it. But, there is one man who is changing this, by single-handedly doing something which may be unimaginable but not unachievable.
Padma Shri awardee, Jadav “Molai” Payeng, single-handedly planted an entire forest in Majuli Island in Assam, after scientists said the Island could die after a catastrophic drought. In 1969, 16-year-old Jadav came face to face with a huge problem, when a major drought after a life-threatening flood left hundreds of snakes dead due to extreme heat.
At that time, scientists had declared the island dead within a few years. In order to solve this, a young Jadav started planting one sapling every day in the middle of a barren wasteland in Assam.
Jadav did this for 35 years religiously, and now his efforts have finally paid off. Known as the Forest Man of India, Jadav was able to raise a forest in a barren part of Majuli Island, spreading across 1,360 acres.
Even now, Payeng starts his day around 3 AM to reach Majuli by 5 AM to care for his woodland and collect seeds from plants to plant saplings.
To honor his hard work and perseverance, Jadav was awarded the highest civilian award, Padma Shri in 2015. For Jadav, his forest is his family and he plans to plant 5,000 more acres of trees on Majuli, creating a 500-mile stretch of flora on the banks of Brahmaputra river
