Scholastica Toppo is a lady forest guard in Palamu Tiger Reserve and is in Garu East range. She is not alone. There is another lady forest guard here in Ramandaag compartment called Manju Kumari. Their presence in South division of PTR is a proof of women empowerment. The lady forest guards work shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. There was one more lady forest guard busy taking lesson in camera trapping who was not so queried for her new role in life that is wild life management in PTR.
Toppo is a graduate from Delhi University Delhi while Manju Kumari is an MSc in Physics from Ranchi University Ranchi. Both have joined last year in the month of August. They are learning the jungle sentiments fast said one ranger Ashok Kumar Singh.
Toppo sharing her experiences said her first day in PTR jungle was a day of excitement and not of fear. The vast jungle is like a new world here where its inhabitants the wild life does not betray. Toppo said she had a very close encounter with one elephant here at night when she was coming down from a party of an officer’s house in Daltonganj. The elephant just stood ahead of the vehicle she was sitting in. She said the elephant did not harm anyone. It was almost indifferent to them perhaps a bit confused that how human beings have become so nocturnal like it When in jungle in summer she has her water with her as she is yet to know where is water for human consumption.
Manju Kumari has never thought in her life that she would be so caring for wild life in PTR. Her compartment number 2 in Bareysarn is far safe than compartment number 5 in Bareysarn which is almost Burha Pahar.
These forest lady guards were found busy learning the nuances of camera trapping from their respective rangers Ashok K Singh of Garu ranges both East and West following the retirement of West ranger Rajinder Shukla and Bola Pd Singh of Bareysarn range.
These two rangers said our range offices just two years back used to be a haunted place as there was the acute crunch of human resources but now our range offices brim with life with arou 60 plus newly appointed forest guards here.