Nayagarh, June 29: A jamun (Indian black berry) forest sprawling across 20 acres and with 500 trees near this town is on the brink of disappearance due to lack of proper upkeep by the administration.
The forest is located on the bank of the Dahuka river near Jadupur village, five km from Nayagarh town. However, administrative apathy coupled with ingression of water has pushed this large forest to the edge of destruction, locals alleged.
According to reports, there were hardly any trees in the region when Mochi Mohapatra, an elderly person of the village had come forward to plant jamun trees in 1955. He also took proper care of the saplings and preserved them by encouraging villagers to guard them in turns. The hard work paid off and the denuded tract turned into a large forest over the years.
Though, Mohapatra is no more to witness the woodland, which he had nurtured with his sweat and tears, villagers often recall his efforts in afforesting the area.
The forest attracts regular footfalls across the year. Pedestrians enjoy the cool air sitting under the shades of trees during summer while locals collect jamun in rainy season and make a few bucks selling them outside. The site is also sought by picnickers during winter. This apart, the children park and an anicut set up recently by the minor irrigation department near Dahuka dam draw a large number of visitors to the area.
In the mean time, Jadupur villagers have planted fruit saplings of different varieties to carry forward the legacy of Mochi Mohapatra.
However, Dahuka river has become a major threat to the existence of the forest, said locals, adding the water ingress into the forest due to weak riverbank has destroyed a large number of trees. They demanded stone packing on the river bank adjacent to the forest for conservation of soil and restoration of the famous jamun forest. PNN
