THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, Oct 10: Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR) has floated a novel idea of connecting youths with the conservation of wildlife through football. The idea may sound bizarre but it is an instant success, said sources.
PTR has launched wildlife conservation football tournament from this year. Its kickstart was in this recently concluded wildlife week. Until now PTR has been going for stereotyped things like drawing, painting, essay writing on conservation of wildlife for decades.
Widespread participation and success
This year PTR saw a distinct departure. It realised it needed to reach village youths. It chose a football tournament. It was held in all spirit of game and it acted as a cementing bond with the youths.
A total of 28 teams took part in the wildlife conservation football tournament of the PTR. 37 matches were played in all.
The winning team was given 10,000 rupees while the first runner up 8,000 rupees and the second runner up 4,000 rupees in cash along with T-shirts by the north division of PTR.
More than this cash the PTR doled out the trust in the youth and the youth also reciprocated it by joyfully participating in the tournament. A crowd of 1,000 people in every single match played in this tournament in a pure rural scape was the badge for the success of this tournament.
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Deputy Director’s vision behind the tournament
PTR sources said, “The wildlife conservation football tournament was the brainchild of the deputy director north division of PTR P K Jena who undertakes every work in a mission mode.”
“It was Jena who conceived it, planned it, expanded it and worked out for it,” said PTR sources.
This correspondent spoke to Jena to know what inspired/prompted him to have a football tournament in wildlife conservation. Jena explained it in his own inimitable style.
“I have this feeling from day one when I joined here as one of the deputy directors that youths be connected to the wildlife of the Palamu Tiger Reserve,” Jena said.
“Football is a very popular game in the rural landscape here. I went for it. The participation of 28 teams and 37 matches played are hard proof of the interest and enthusiasm of youth groups for having connectivity with the PTR.” reiterated Jena.
Jena went on to say “I just tapped this sentiment. It gave us ample time to convey to the youth groups how far the existence of wildlife is essential to their own living and why everyone of us should go all out to save, protect and conserve wildlife”.
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Shifting mindsets: From hunters to protectors
Asked if the youth groups learnt it, Jena said “They have vowed never to harm the PTR and its wildlife. It’s something most valued and precious.”
It’s all the more important that now villagers inform PTR when they discover any snake in their habitat or deer straying into human hamlets in search of water and food for their rescue. They don’t harm it. It was not so some 15 or 20 years back. Then a deer in human habitat was seen as a God’s gift for a feast!
“These teams know tigers are around in the PTR. They know tigers are a big drawee of the tourists. Too many tourists will mean too many spending of cash by them here on food, accommodation, travelling etc. It adds to the rural economy and their families or communities will benefit to the influx of tourists” explained the deputy director of north division of PTR.
