Tribal youth lead ‘Dana-Paani’ drive to save avian lives in Dumka

KUMAR PRABHAT

DUMKA

In a powerful response to the escalating climate crisis, a school in the tribal heartland of Dumka has turned the scorching summer into a lesson on empathy and ecological survival. The Dumerthar School, situated in the Jarmundi block, has sparked a grassroots movement through its unique ‘Dana-Paani’ (Food and Water) campaign, mobilizing young tribal students to become active protectors of the region’s depleting bird populations.

The initiative, envisioned and sustained over several years by the school’s headmaster, Dr. Sapan Kumar, has evolved from a simple campus activity into a vital crusade for biodiversity conservation. Under the drive, students meticulously place earthen pots filled with water and scattered grains across local orchards, forests, and trees surrounding the school area. By taking up the daily responsibility of monitoring and replenishing these stations, the children are developing a deep, lifelong bond with nature and a sense of shared responsibility for the living world around them.

The urgency of the movement is underscored by the devastating local impacts of global warming and rapidly depleting water tables. Dr. Sapan Kumar observed that climate change has hit birds the hardest, pushing several species to the brink of extinction and decimating critical ecological guardians like vultures by nearly 99 percent. He emphasized that saving these birds is fundamentally tied to maintaining the delicate balance of the entire ecosystem, making grassroots intervention absolutely critical.

Operating through institutional student bodies like the school’s Eco Club and the Bal Sansad (Children’s Parliament), alongside the School Management Committee, the campaign seamlessly bridges classroom learning with community action. It sends a profound message of co-existence to the wider tribal society, proving that environmental resilience can be built through simple, collective human effort.

The campaign’s expanding footprint owes its success to a dedicated network of educators and community members, including teachers Anuj Kumar Mandal, Sukhlal Murmu, and Rambilas Murmu. They were actively supported by Shyam Mirdha, Rani Kumari, Puja Kumari, Madhu, Parvati, Anil Murmu, Devnarayan Hansda, Rani Murmu, Surajmuni Murmu, Bitiya Hansda, and Pramila Devi, all of whom stood alongside the children to ensure that the drops of life continue to flow even under the harshest skies.