Kochi: Today, women have started taking up many responsibilities that were once monopolized by men. Take for instance the case of “Vasanta Sena” or the Green Army comprising of only women. Started six years back, this exclusive women forest patrolling team is dedicated to protect the Periyar Tiger Reserve and its Sandalwood forests. The Periyar Tiger Reserve near Thekkady is a safe haven for 63 different species of mammals apart from countless birds, reptiles and butterflies.

These women who live in the periphery of the reserve have done a commendable job in freeing this area from poachers and loggers. Many women who have never ventured out of their homes are now active members of the team, bagging laurels from all over.

These women are provided with uniforms, caps and daggers for self defence. The  principal objective of the patrolling is to safe guard its rich wild life and the precious Sandalwood trees, as wide spread logging was once rampant in this area. On an average 10-12 trees used to get stolen every day but once this patrolling was put in place it has reduced considerably. However, poaching and logging continues unabated during night times when the team retreats after the day’s work.
The patrolling starts at 11:00 in the morning and would go on till 5:00 in the evening and they have constituted teams of five members each to scan the whole area. Apart from keeping an eye on poaching and tree felling, patrolling has also helped to reduce forest fires, which are common during summer months, which destroys the fodder of animals. Forest fires are often started by lighted cigarette stubs, thrown carelessly by people and patrolling has helped to prevent large scale loss of green cover due to forest fires.

These daring women often encounter wild animals like elephants and pigs apart from the most deadly of all –the poachers. However, they have developed confidence and composure over the years to deal with these trying situations with élan.
The team has also won the Amrit Devi Bishnoi Award, the highest award in India for wildlife protection in the year 2006, in appreciation of their commendable services. Originally started as a World Bank aided Eco Development project in 1996 it has now evolved to be a model programme in the conservation of ecology.