Keonjhar: Red ants available in huge numbers in the jungles of Keonjhar district have become a source of income for the tribals and have helped them in becoming selfreliant. These tribals earlier used to eat red ants as a food supplement. However, now ants are being bought in huge quantities by the Forest department to feed birds and other animals.
As a result, tribals are also gleefully catching and selling red ants to earn a good sum. Members of Van Suraksha Samiti (VSS) and women self-help groups (SHGs) have started catching red ants (locally known as Kai) from various trees. They are then selling those to the Forest department, locals informed here. Keonjhar is a tribal-dominated district surrounded by hills and forest cover. The tribals consume the red ants residing on Sal, Jamun and Kusum trees. They also prepare chutney from these red ants.
At times they also eat the ants raw with puffed rice. Tribals are selling the red ants in packets of various sizes. The minimum amount is `20 per packet. The local VSSs at Betakhali, Akula, Patakhali, Raisua, Bhaliadala villages under Telkoi forest range are procuring ants from the tribals. The business has been going on since October last year. Officials informed that till date the Forest department has bought five quintals of red ants from the tribals.
Gamahari Munda, a tribal woman, informed that they used to procure red ants for their own consumption earlier. However, now it has become lucrative for her to sell the ants and make some money. She uses the money to buy other necessary items for the family. Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Ashok Das said the department is sending most of the ants to Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar. The ants are used to feed birds, pangolins and other wild animals. Notably, officials of Keonjhar Forest division had earlier taught hundreds of tribal women to prepare vermi-compost. It helped them earn a livelihood. Now, red ants are helping these tribals become more and more self-reliant.
