Latehar (Jharkhand): 

And how did she do this? In these forests, natural streams hold water through the hottest months and the soil too holds firm. So Mary has tried to conserve this water by creating stone dams - locally called Patthar Dams - where water can be available throughout the year.

Who thinks about saving a forest from harsh summer when people cry and crib to get their bucket full? Mary Surin does in Jharkhand’s Palamu Tiger Reserve forests. Every summer when forests turn hot cauldrons, animals and trees struggle to get water, one woman in a small tribal village called Badhaniya stood tall with a steely resolve to provision water for them. She also ensured the human population, which struggles through the dry spell, also get their share.

With no formal training or financial backing, it was her will to act, that made the gargantuan work possible. A resident of Barwadih block in Latehar district, Mary who has studied only till Class 8, was happy being a housewife managing her home and farmland like most rural women. But last year, she decided to use her mind into something for the larger benefit of people and wildlife. She began a grassroots campaign to conserve water, prevent forest fires, and protect wildlife.

“We had no resources so we used what was around us, stones and soil. We cannot just leave everything on fate. The forest gives us life. We should do something for her,” says Mary.

A Simple Idea with Deep Impact:

She convened a meeting in her village and in the presence of elders, proposed a simple idea - to build small check dams using stones from the forest. These makeshift structures, she suggested, would slow the water, trap the soil, and allow the moisture to seep into the ground. Not that the idea was new, but none had thought about it, and certainly not without government help. So she got the support of the majority and also took help of the PTR officials before starting the work.

“We did not want to wait. It was already late so without awaiting for machines or government help, we started gathering stone, formed teams and began building a check dam without any map or design. It was purely on the basis of our own understanding and advice of PTR authorities," explains Mary.

Mary led the construction of seven stone dams in one month which were all done by hand without using a tinge of cement. "Each dam took us about four to five hours to complete. By now we have built over 35 stone dams in the forest drains near Badhaniya," she says with a sense of victory.

In early 2024, when Mary noticed how quickly the rainwater from her village was being wasted after being drained away carrying precious topsoil with it, she thought of somehow conserving it. Saving the water that was flowing down till the Koel river, nearly 22 kilometers away, leaving the land dry, became Mary's purpose.

The dams have now become the reason of happiness for villagers. As water collects behind the dams and stays much longer, soil erosion has also slowed down. Animals like deer, elephants, and monkeys reach the streams for perennial water and drink to their heart's content. Local farmers say their fields retain moisture longer and irrigation costs have lessened.

Firefighting Before the Flames:

But water conservation was only a part of Mary’s mission. She was equally disturbed with instances of forest fire around Palamu Tiger Reserve. Being extremely vulnerable to wildfires, especially during the summer months, large tracts of forest would go up in flames, endangering wildlife and choking the air with smoke. Mary thought a lot about how her dams could prevent forest fires.

"If water keeps the soil moist and maintains humidity in certain patches of the forest, they could also prevent fires from spreading. Because where there is water, there is life. And where there is moisture, fire does not spread so easily,” she explains.

Once Badhaniya villagers were on the same page with her, she started spreading awareness about prevention strategies in the periphery villages encouraging people to avoid burning waste near the forest, and reporting signs of smoke early. Her campaign got momentum and appreciation from forest officials.

Recognition from the State:

Mary’s consistent effort made immense change in the way people looked at their forests. In the same year, in 2024, she was honoured by Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren for her contribution to environmental conservation. Officials from the Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR) have since then acknowledged her as a valuable partner in saving forests.

“This is commendable. Imagine one woman can lead a community towards conservation of forest resources,” says Prajeshkant Jena, Deputy Director of PTR. “The Eco Development Committee is always there to support such initiatives," he adds.

Mary’s husband, Ilyas Topno, has been her biggest support. A farmer, he too feels change is visible. “Earlier, all the rainwater merged with the river but as we started conserving, we see new green patches even in the months of May and June. The cattle get water and forests seem lively," he says with enthusiasm.

A Different Story from a Forgotten Place:

Badhaniya had made headlines mostly for the wrong reasons like the 2009 Maoist attack during elections which had taken the lives of CRPF jawans. Even six villagers lost their lives. Located in the Budha Pahad corridor, a stronghold of Maoists, the region had been relegated to the margins under the shadow of fear and neglect.

But today, Mary is hogging headlines and giving Badhaniya a new identity. As a model of grassroots environmental action, Mary has proved that change is dependent on how the people in an area want to adopt it. “The forest has been our biggest support system. When everything fails, the forests sustain us. Is it not our responsibility to save it?” she questions.

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