Editor,
Take a moment and imagine thick green forests, chirping birds, colourful butterflies flying around, and fresh air all around. Sadly, this image is fading fast. Our jungles, once full of life, are being cut down at an alarming rate, and it’s happening closer to home than you might think.
In recent years, large parts of our nearby forests have been cleared out for farming, buildings, and roads. While development is important, it’s coming at a huge cost to nature. Animals are losing their homes, rare plants are disappearing, and the balance of our environment is being shaken.
I still remember my childhood days when we used to go for picnics in the nearby jungle. We would catch fish in the clear streams, and it wasn’t unusual to see birds, squirrels, and other animals all around. Now, those places are gone replaced by buildings, roads, and concrete. The streams where we used to swim and fish have completely vanished.
The green hills we once admired have turned into farmland and construction sites.
Why should we care? Because jungles help us more than we realise. They clean our air, bring the rain, and keep temperatures cool. Destroying them means we’re also harming ourselves with hotter days, less water, and fewer animals around.
It’s time to act, or soon we’ll only see jungles in old photos and stories.
Yes, we are tribals of Arunachal Pradesh and have been using forest produce since ancient times, but that doesn’t mean we can over-exploit our resources in the name of tribal rights. People must understand: with rights comes responsibility.
So the next time you walk past a patch of green, stop and think: What can I do to protect it? Our jungles may be disappearing, but together, we can bring them back.
Kalung Richo