Ripunjoy Das

Whenever we talk about a tea garden manager the general view since the days of the British is that of a tough looking person who is generally disliked by the workers. Very few can imagine a kind hearted tea manager. Meet Anand Wats, manager of Baghjan tea estate in Upper Assam’s Tinsukia district who proves otherwise.

Apart from being a successful manager, Wats is also a true naturalist who has not kept the passion and love for nature within himself, but also devoted time to give lessons to hundreds of his workers and their children on nature, its significance, the importance of insects, birds, reptiles, small animals etc which are found in abundance in the tea estates and their adjoining areas.

“As a company man from the world’s largest tea company – McLeod Rossell India Limited which owns the Baghjan tea estate – my priority is definitely to keep a constant watch on the production and fiscal output, but as a lover of nature, I always try to be a commoner,” he said.

Apart

Wats is living his dream as a naturalist planter which he always wanted to be. He had the opportunity to blend his passion with his job. “What could be better?” he asks.

from his normal schedule, he often indulges in taking ‘classes’ for workers on how to save nature from destruction. Children who are often found hunting are taught the importance of wildlife and the residential birds and small animals.

“It is not that to have such sessions we have to have a complete infrastructure or room. This is occasional chit chats which I have whenever I get an opportunity. Scaring away kids may keep them out from hunting for a couple of days, but if we can explain things properly, the habit can just vanish from them,” he added.

Born in Mumbai in 1959, Wats spent most of his childhood days at Kolar Gold Fields in Karnataka where his father worked as a doctor and also in Shivaji Park, Mumbai where the family stayed near the beach. As a kid, Wats used to bring home sea shells, crabs and many other aqua life which he would collect from the beach.

“Seeing my passion for nature and wildlife and particularly seeing my interest in snakes, my father once said that if you want to catch a snake catch by its head not by the tail. This my father did when I was trying to catch a snake at the age of five and I have very shabby memories of the incident”, he said.

“Several years later we moved to Kolkata once again to a house with a garden which is so rare now-a-days.  The house often had rescued baby birds, squirrels, a tortoise and even 2 kraits and a sand boa, which were handed over to Alipore Zoo. These were confiscated from snake charmers.

“In 1969, I went to Mayo College, Ajmer in Rajasthan. The school had a huge campus and many forms of desert wildlife abounded there. Peacocks were often seen around the campus.  There were plenty of snakes and the school had a Natural History Society of which I was a member. The school museum run by a Mr. Chatterjee, had an excellent collection of specimens. Mr. Chatterjee always encouraged my love for nature and nurtured my interest in wildlife. I remember my geometry box had a small common cat snake kept in it at all times so no one would steal it,” he says.

After school he had the opportunity to work as a voluntary worker at Alipore Zoological Gardens at Kolkata. He was particularly interested in reptiles and spent hours educating people about snakes and the important and useful role they play in the web of life. It was during his school and college years that he had the opportunity to meet some of wildlife’s greatest names, Dr. Salim Ali and Gerald Durrell, both of whom were his childhood heroes and sources of inspiration. Another person who played a part in influencing him was Romulus Whitaker. After graduating from Osmania University, Hyderabad, he decided to join the tea industry and in 1981 he joined Jokai India Private Limited and was initially posted at Panitola,”

“We have seen our sahib to catch several snakes and rescue the young ones of animals. Whenever he moves in and around the various lanes of the garden in his gypsy, he keeps his specially designed stick to catch snakes or reptiles, his camera, search light, etc with him. Most of us call him ‘saap dhara sahab’ (snake catcher sahib),” Mintu Kurmi, a worker at the garden said.

“Gradually, we are realizing the importance of the snakes, insects, reptiles etc. Our sahib has taught us all these things. We now realize that every creature, no matter how miniature it may be, has its importance in maintaining the ecological balance,” Kurmi said.

In 1985, he joined the Bishnauth Tea Company a part of the present Williamson Magor Group and was posted at Pertabghur Tea Estate near Biswanath Charali.  He had just recently been married and his wife joined him there. Soon his old habits were revived and he housed had rescued Civet cats, baby birds, squirrels, hares and even a jackal pup. His wife was instrumental in looking after everything he brought in, except, the snakes to which she adamantly said, “NO!  It is either me or the snakes!” Wats is living his dream as a naturalist planter which he always wanted to be. He had the opportunity to blend his passion with his job. “What could be better?” he asks.

Narrating his tale further, Wats said, “Over several years in tea, I have seen how this rich and wonderful land has disinvested itself off its beautiful green and pristine forests. Now, there are only few fragmented pockets which is not only affecting wildlife, but also the environment around. There are constant man-elephant conflicts. Tea gardens give shelter to these gentle giants but hardly offer any food. The surrounding paddy fields during the season provide some respite but, what are these creatures to do? Generations have used the same corridors, now there are none. We often read about leopards being killed by people when they stray into villages, tea gardens etc. Now tea gardens have become shelters for these cats where prey such as goats, cattle and dogs are easily available.”

“When I was posted  at Margherita, I had the opportunity to meet Rajib Rudra Tariang, an energetic young Professor of Zoology at Margherita College, who nurtured the same passion for nature and wild life as me. Opportunity came to hold workshops on issues like ‘Wild Life Conservation’ and interact with students and make field trips with students to spread awareness on the urgent need to preserve the environment and ecology. The estate workers and staff also soon took keen interest. It is wonderful to see the enthusiasm and keenness they all show and undoubtedly it is education and awareness that will bring about a change in the mindset that is so prevalent. Several of my postings have been in interesting places, where wildlife abounds such as Attarekhatat and Paneery in the Mangaldai area in Assam, Chuapara and Matelli in North Bengal where elephants and leopards were often seen.  Namdang and Margherita Tea Estates in Margherita sub-division where the bio-diversity is far greater than many areas.  Many unique and rare species of snakes have been found in this area and I had the opportunity to photograph several species of pit vipers, which I have seen nowhere else in Assam.  The Dehing Patkai Wild Life Sanctuary in Margherita area though highly degraded still has and struggles to hold a long list of creatures ranging from wandering big cats, elephants, several primates, reptiles, giant squirrels, flying squirrels of two species and a huge host of bird species,” he says

He and Mr. Tariang have had the opportunity to release several species of rescued snakes there, ranging from pythons, cobras, rat snakes, trinket snakes and more.  Also, a rescued slow Loris and red giant flying squirrel were released there.

Now, in his recent posting at Baghjan Tea Estate, he is fortunate to be located next to Dibru-Saikhowa National Park where he frequently wander the peripheries on weekends. “I have been fortunate to locate tiger pug marks and see see herds of elephants which indicatehope. Presently, I am working on a check-list of birds in and around the Baghjan area. This includes Dibru-Saikhowa National Park as well as the Maguri Bheel area. The recent poster on snakes of Assam an initiative by Tariang had some contribution on my behalf in the form of a check-list and some photographs. McLeod Rossell India Limited has contribute funds to make this small, but important project and it is a part of their vision to contribute to protecting the environment,” he says.

Assam is fortunate to be blessed with bio diversity, many wonderful and diverse cultures and an environment which is unique to our country. Unemployment poses a major problem and perhaps part of the solution lies in utilizing these rich resources by developing good infrastructure for tourism and eco tourism. The unstinting support from his wife, Rangoli, who gifted him a camera recently and who has always patiently and lovingly cared for all the animals in their temporary shelter which is “our home” as he says, prior to their release in the wild has been a major reason why he can live his dream.