The Better India · 38 days ago

How This One Professor Encouraged 2500+ Villagers to Revive a Deserted Mining Wasteland in Rajasthan

In the heart of Rajasthan's unforgiving landscape, where gypsum mining left profound scars, Shyam Sunder Jyani, an environmentalist and teacher, ignited a movement that harnessed the power of community to revive a devastated wasteland. Rallying over 2,500 villagers, Jyani transformed 84 hectares into a vibrant wildlife sanctuary, weaving a tapestry of resilience and regeneration. This initiative wasn't merely about the land; it was a stand against the forces that sought to desecrate it-a defiant act of reclamation echoing with ancestral wisdom and a commitment to rise above fear. "Our fight was against more than the land alone," Jyani declared, channeling a spirit that withstood threats and adversity. The essence of familial forestry, where trees are cherished as kin, breathed life back into the barren earth, illustrating how consistent, collective action can forge monumental change.

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