Villagers living on the periphery of Bandipur National Park often lose their livestock to wild animals. The Mariamma Charitable Trust, run by wildlife artist Sunita, helps these villagers get compensation for their losses, reports Shashidhara Gargeshwari
![]( "Helping hand: The Mariamma Charitable Trust receives many applications from villagers seeking compensation for cattle loss. Photo by the author")
The travails of villagers who live on the peripheries of the forest are many. Among them is the trouble their livestock face from wild animals that stray into the villages. Profitable agriculture is a mirage for farmers dependent on rain.
Though dairy farming is a secondary occupation, fact is most of the villagers rely on livestock for their livelihood.
Most often, cattle that graze on the boundaries of the forest stray further into the wild in search of vegetation. While doing so, they fall prey to wild animals. Farmers often have to run from pillar to post in the Forest Department seeking compensation from the government.
Because rules clearly suggest that domesticated animals need to be kept out of the forest limits, the farmers are most often helpless.
Often, people living in the fringe areas of forests avenge the killing of their cattle by harming wildlife. It was to resolve this problem that the Mariamma Charitable Trust was started.
The Trust is being run by wildlife artist Sunita and operates under the Bandipur National Park limits.
The Trust has been helping owners of cattle that fall prey to wildlife in 14 villages of Mangala Gram Panchayat limits get compensation to the tune of Rs 3,000. It has resolved as many as 235 cases.
Also, it has taken it upon itself to provide free health check-ups, financial aid for those in need of greater medical treatment, and educational support for poor students.
Activities
The Trust is also ensuring that stray dogs in the region that often attack deer and other animals from the forest are vaccinated to prevent spread of rabies. The dogs are also sterilised. Among the Trust's other range of activities are supply of boxes for honey collection for members of the Jenukuruba community.
Funds for all these activities are raised by way of a firm called Temple Tree Designs, which markets handicrafts made by rural and tribal communities, paintings, etc.
Sunita, who is the founder of the Trust, in collaboration with Baba Arts artist Shakti Prasad of Gundlupet, also uses her wildlife photography on shirts, jackets, key chains, coffee mugs, caps, etc. Following permission from the Forest Department in Bandipur to open a shop, in 2010, a souvenir shop was opened here.
"There have been some cases where people have tried to hoodwink us by trying to claim compensation. This comes to light when we go there for a spot inspection. If a wild animal has preyed on cattle, there are telltale signs: pugmarks at the spot, etc.
"Sometimes, carcasses of cattle are flung inside the forest in an attempt to fool us," explains Trustee Indra Kumar.
The Trust's representative Nagaraju goes to the spot to inspect the scene. Aids such as GPS, photography, etc are used to document the case. Following an investigation into the case, compensation is released. Indra Kumar points out that the Forest Department also helps in resolving such cases.
The Trust has so far spent Rs four lakh as compensation from 2007 till now. The income from T T Designs is used for the same. T T Designs also markets its products outside the region.
Sunita, born in Bangalore, pursued her education in Shimla and New Delhi. Her core interest lies in wildlife art.
She left for the United States in 1984, eventually returning to India in 1995. Today, she has settled down in Mangala village.
"I bought ten acres of land here and have forested the region. Slowly, I got acquainted with Dr A R Pai and Sureshwaridevi who run the Ammembala Clinic that offers free treatment for the rural poor. It was at that time that I noticed that farmers struggled to get compensation for cattle that fell prey to attacks from the wild.
"They were often clueless about whom to approach for photographic documentation of their dead cattle. Because I had a camera, they would come to me. Often, out of desperation, farmers would resort to harming wildlife. In an attempt to conserve wildlife and help people here, I started the Charitable Trust in the name of Mariamma Devi, a village deity," Sunita explains.
The travails of villagers who live on the peripheries of the forest are many. Among them is the trouble their livestock face from wild animals that stray into the villages. Profitable agriculture is a mirage for farmers dependent on rain. Though dairy farming is a secondary occupation, fact is most of the villagers rely on livestock for their livelihood.
Most often, cattle that graze on the boundaries of the forest stray further into the wild in search of vegetation. While doing so, they fall prey to wild animals. Farmers often have to run from pillar to post in the Forest Department seeking compensation from the government.
Because rules clearly suggest that domesticated animals need to be kept out of the forest limits, the farmers are most often helpless.
Often, people living in the fringe areas of forests avenge the killing of their cattle by harming wildlife. It was to resolve this problem that the Mariamma Charitable Trust was started.
The Trust is being run by wildlife artist Sunita and operates under the Bandipur National Park limits.
The Trust has been helping owners of cattle that fall prey to wildlife in 14 villages of Mangala Gram Panchayat limits get compensation to the tune of Rs 3,000. It has resolved as many as 235 cases.
Also, it has taken it upon itself to provide free health check-ups, financial aid for those in need of greater medical treatment, and educational support for poor students.
Activities
The Trust is also ensuring that stray dogs in the region that often attack deer and other animals from the forest are vaccinated to prevent spread of rabies. The dogs are also sterilised. Among the Trust's other range of activities are supply of boxes for honey collection for members of the Jenukuruba community.
Funds for all these activities are raised by way of a firm called Temple Tree Designs, which markets handicrafts made by rural and tribal communities, paintings, etc.
Sunita, who is the founder of the Trust, in collaboration with Baba Arts artist Shakti Prasad of Gundlupet, also uses her wildlife photography on shirts, jackets, key chains, coffee mugs, caps, etc. Following permission from the Forest Department in Bandipur to open a shop, in 2010, a souvenir shop was opened here.
"There have been some cases where people have tried to hoodwink us by trying to claim compensation. This comes to light when we go there for a spot inspection. If a wild animal has preyed on cattle, there are telltale signs: pugmarks at the spot, etc.
"Sometimes, carcasses of cattle are flung inside the forest in an attempt to fool us," explains Trustee Indra Kumar.
The Trust's representative Nagaraju goes to the spot to inspect the scene. Aids such as GPS, photography, etc are used to document the case. Following an investigation into the case, compensation is released. Indra Kumar points out that the Forest Department also helps in resolving such cases.
The Trust has so far spent Rs four lakh as compensation from 2007 till now. The income from T T Designs is used for the same. T T Designs also markets its products outside the region.
Sunita, born in Bangalore, pursued her education in Shimla and New Delhi. Her core interest lies in wildlife art.
She left for the United States in 1984, eventually returning to India in 1995. Today, she has settled down in Mangala village.
"I bought ten acres of land here and have forested the region. Slowly, I got acquainted with Dr A R Pai and Sureshwaridevi who run the Ammembala Clinic that offers free treatment for the rural poor. It was at that time that I noticed that farmers struggled to get compensation for cattle that fell prey to attacks from the wild.
"They were often clueless about whom to approach for photographic documentation of their dead cattle. Because I had a camera, they would come to me. Often, out of desperation, farmers would resort to harming wildlife. In an attempt to conserve wildlife and help people here, I started the Charitable Trust in the name of Mariamma Devi, a village deity," Sunita explains.