Daily Times

Anyone having witnessed tree planting ceremonies would have noticed the near perfection in the act leading to putting up of a sapling by a VIP or a celebrity. Nicely laid out plots; immaculately dug holes in artistic patterns; shining shovels; watering pots and some healthy-looking plants – all adding up to the freshness of the greening ceremonials.

What many of us would hardly notice is a string of “before” and “after” events involving a few actors whose hard work drivesthese planting events. I am drawing your attention to the nameless, faceless jungle coolies who despite being nameless and faceless have many names and faces – known only to foresters and jungle dwellers. Jungle labor; coolies; baildars; malees, labhanas, rakhas – these are only some of the titles which are linked with these un-sung heroes of the green world.

To capture the full range of the efforts and hard work which our jungle labor puts selflessly in planting events, one will need to visit the site of these tree plantation events a few days before the actual event. Jungle lands where plantation ceremonies are held are usually blank oparts of the forests – covered with thorny and scrub growth. As soon as, portion of a jungle is selected for holding plantation events, a gang of jungle labor is dispatched to clear and prepare the site for the big event.

Up-rooting thorny growth, jungle clearance, removal of earthen gravel, levelling of animal burrows and hideouts (typically encountering snakes, scorpions, wasps) leaves the “not -so-velvety” hands and feet of the jungle labor, full of bruises, scars, stings and blood stains. Heaps of the jungle refuse are then shown the flame so that all green material is burnt and added as fertility-laden fire ashes to the soil. Since tree-planting season ensues in late spring or mid-summers (monsoon), a ruthless sun continues to beat over the backs of our jungle labor as they spend hours after hours in a bath of sweat preparing the site and spot for the ceremony.

After land clearing, comes the stage of site preparation ; drawing immaculately laid-out lines for plantation; digging several feet deep planting holes; mixing earth and soil for producing conducive conditions for baby plants; watering and wetting the newly-dug holes; smoothening the rough edges inside these holes ; and finally hauling hand-driven trolleys to carry planting material from nurseries to the site of plantation.

In the process of preparing plantation site, these sturdy jungle coolies play the most primitive, cardinal and elementary act which Mother Nature has been playing ever since creation of life on our planet. They work with essential building blocks of nature – soil, water, fire and the sun – to shepherd and nurture life guised as baby plants and seedlings.

This is part one of the lesser-known and unacknowledged efforts of the jungle labor. More tedious and back-breaking phase comes for the lesser children of the jungles when the tree planting ceremony and flash of inauguration are gone with the VIPs

To live through and fully imbibe this saga of life, one would need to visit the plantation site a day before the actual event. Combined aroma form freshly burnt jungle refuse and lavishly watered planting pits juxtaposed against unending ha-ho-hey yells from tireless labor, cast a spell where one can see nature, literally smiling over this unison act involving plants, animals and humans.

This is part one of the lesser-known and unacknowledged efforts of the jungle labor. More tedious and back-breaking phase comes for the lesser children of the jungles when the tree planting ceremony and flash of inauguration are gone with the VIPs.

Newly planted saplings are like babies – literally meaning. These need to be cared for; nurtured; watered; protected and groomed If these are to be changed into healthy growing trees of future.

And here, the tragic part in my story starts. For some inexplicable reasons, governments in Pakistan tend to treat plantation efforts just like any physical development alike street paving or road construction. Moneys are given only once for launch of tree planting events but beyond year two, hardly a penny is given for maintenance and upkeep of newly planted areas in state forests.

Once again, it ends up as the duty of the same jungle labor and collies (who grew these new plantations in the first instance) to ensure plantation survival beyond year two, when jungle maintenance funds dry up. Just like caring mothers, these jungle collies (semi-regular employees of forest departments hired on daily wage basis), make every effort to ensure survival of these baby plants through hectic jungle cleaning, daily watering and protection from rodents even though, they are rarely paid for this work. Failure of plantations lead to disciplinary action against concerned foresters who may have reasons to force jungle collies to save new plantations even without money.

But I would think that more than any worldly considerations or pressure, it is the less-known heavenly traits alike mother nature, which drive these selfless, sturdy and un-sung heroes of jungles – coolies, rakhas, labor – to protect the ignored plantations and seedlings just as a mother would protect her young against all odds.

I wish, some future VIP or celebrity, attending tree planting ceremonies, would have the kindness to put one of the many garlands, reserved for such occasions, around these priceless humans – jungle labor and collies, to acknowledge their selfless service for the green cause.

The writer is a retired forester and jungle wanderer