Manning the Frontlines

Kaziranga’s Women Brigade Awarded

When a group of 35 women was recruited in December 2009 as frontline staff in different wildlife divisions of Assam with an aim to have a young and qualified workforce at ground zero to guard forests and wildlife, some nature lovers were a little skeptical about their ability to perform as it was for first time that the fairer sex was given a chance to prove their mettle. All eyes were on this greenhorn women brigade that was deployed on 24 x 7 jungle duty.

They have proved their critics wrong. Within a year, four of these girls – Bibha Sonowal, Forester grade 1, along with Forest Guards Anita Das, Swarnalata Bhuyan, and Pallabita Bora, posted in Bagori range of Kaziranga National Park, have come into the limelight by winning the prestigious ‘Sanctuary-RBS Wildlife Awards 2010’ in the category of Young Naturalist Award which is an international award given by the Royal Bank of Scotland in collaboration with Sanctuary Asia, the renowned wildlife magazine based in Mumbai. The award has been given in recognition of their successful performance in anti-poaching and other activities inside the Park.

“We were so excited to hear that we were selected for an award! Our group of four women from Assam was the only women recipients at the award function held at the Tata Theatre, NCPA, in Mumbai which was given to different personalities working on wildlife protection. The Department made all the arrangements for our travel and accommodation to attend the award ceremony. It was really an encouraging moment and we will remember it throughout our life,” says Swarnalata Bhuyan, a recipient of the award and a young widow with a six year old boy.

Swarnalata shared the tragic story with Eastern Panaorama of how her interest to join the forest department had grown. Her husband Bubul Das, an employee of the Kaziranga National Park was killed in a rhino attack while he was on duty five years ago leaving her alone with her six month old baby. She was definitely at a loss. However, since then she was in search of an opportunity to serve in the National Park which bears the memories of her late husband. When she came to know about the Department of Environment and Forests seeking to recruit some women as frontline staff for the first time last year, she instantly submitted her application and was recruited along with other women recruits.

“The Young Naturalists Award bears a citation and a cash award of Rs. 10,000/ each,” she says. The news has definitely made the Park authorities happy and proud.

“I am so happy that their work has been recognized at such a high level within such a short period of their employment. They were the first women recruits as frontline staff and such recognition is sure to boost their energy and spirit for the conservation process. These girls are very active and perform all activities at par with their male counterparts. This will definitely encourage other young women to join the Forest Department and work as frontline staff,” says Dibyadhar Gogoi, Divisional Forest Officer, Kaziranga National Park. Gogoi, who is elated about the performance of the five young women recruits employed in Kaziranga National Park has been very instrumental in their exposure to the activities which include target practice, raid operations, wireless set handling, offering service to tourists and others.

The women brigade is also engaged in formation and functioning of Eco-Development Committees - a concept to involve people of fringe villages of Kaziranga National Park in the process of conserving its unique bio-diversity as well as curbing poachers’ activities; apart from their regular jobs. This has yielded very positive results.

Citing examples of their achievements, Gogoi says that during a recent raid conducted by the women frontline staff, they recovered ammunition smuggled inside the Park by poachers.

Prior to their recruitment, these young women recruits underwent a rigorous three months long crash induction training course and were trained by experts from Assam Forest Protection Force, National Security Guard, Assam Police and Assam Olympic Association in different fields including physical fitness, arms, yoga and martial arts. There were also provisions for class room teaching that included Wildlife Management, Forest Engineering, Social Forestry, among others.