Tribals are protectors of forests: Lawyer

Nagpur: It is absurd to say that the tribals are destroying wildlife as they are the protectors of forests where they have been living since ages, said Nirup Reddy, a lawyer at the Supreme Court, on Tuesday.
He was speaking as the chief guest at Sankalp Divas programme organized by Sampoorna Bamboo Kendra at Scientific Society Hall, Laxmi Nagar, to mark the death anniversary of Vinod Kale. Educationist Babasaheb Nanandpawar, businessman Bhushan Madan and Akhil Bharatiya Sah-Sampark Pramukh of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Sunil Deshpande were present.
Reddy said forest produce is the main source of livelihood of tribals and it is imperative that their rights should be protected at any cost. Products they make from bamboo give them an alternate source of income and therefore should be promoted, he added.
Secretary of Sampoorna Bamboo Kendra Deshpande talked about social and emotional learning. “We term tribals as adivasis. But they are no different from us. They are honest and take care of their families as a result of which there are no old age homes or orphanages in the forests, unlike cities.”
Deshpande said more opportunities should be created to provide tribals job opportunities in bamboo industry and not in the units where machineries are widely used.
Nandanpawar shared some childhood memories of Kale and said he was proud that he taught him. Youths take inspiration from the organizations working for the betterment of tribals people. More youth organizations should come forward to work for the tribals, he said.
Bamboo industry is the one which give tribals money and its promotion will do a lot of good to them, he added.
Kale had established the organization where bamboo products were made which gave tribals money.
Treasurer of the association Ajay Thombre briefed about the event and welcomed the guests by presenting them with rakhis made of bamboo. One of the rakhis made earlier was tied to the hand of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said. The rakhi was named ‘shrusti bandh’.
(Reporting by Janhvi Shirsat)