Basanti Soren comes from a mining, industrial and cultural hub in Jharkhand. Her district holds a strong position on the mineral map of the country which creates some fundamental problems for the locals. Basanti’s village, Lopongtandi in Ramgarh district is only a kilometre away from the East Parej Coal mine. For years she has witnessed how the mining has left…

Basanti Soren

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“There is peace and tranquility in nature and it cannot be replaced by the riches of mansions.”

 VV-Correspondent Basanti Soren reports from Bansbunwa village, Jharkhand.  Bansbunwa meaning bamboo forest is the perfect name for this bamboo haven.  People from nearby villages like Raouta, Lukaiya, Ulhara, Pindra come to pluck bamboo shoots. 

In the rainy season villagers and people from nearby areas go to these hills to pluck bamboo shoots which are used as vegetable for cooking or pickle.   Community members can then make some money by selling them in the local market.  Mushrooms, edible leaves and fruits from forest are also abundant in the forest. 

MariyamSoren, a resident describes the benefits of living in the forest, “Apart from bamboo shoots and mushrooms, we get leaves to make places and herbs for medicine.”

 Juliana Murmu, another community member informs our Correspondent, “From the forest we get fuel wood, leaves, fruits and flowers…many types of mushroom, materials to make houses and its premises.”

The community members and our Correspondent Basanti Soren want to reinforce the benefits of living within nature and the importance of maintaining it as it is.  This is very important especially now with the economical and industrial development in India which is putting the lives of tribal communities in danger.  Please educate your friends on the value of looking after and preserving our environment.

You can watch videos about how development has destroyed the lives of local communities on our website and a snippet is below.  Preserve the environment for it provides in countless ways.

Written by Manjinder Singh Sidhu