New Delhi:
“Change a child, you’ll change a generation” — it is this belief that has shaped an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer’s wish to inspire children of a lot of villages about Nashik in Maharashtra to cease making use of “galor” (slingshots) and safeguard birds.Anand Reddy, the IFS officer, informed his Twitter followers how he addressed the “dilemma” of seeing a “cute kid” kill a “bird with this slingshot”, and asked, “will you punish the kid?” It all began as an initiative of “Galor Samarpan Abhiyan” a month ago on World Environment Day — June 5. Mr Reddy stated that the response to the initiative considering that has been “hugely heartening” for him.
Mr Reddy started his Twitter post by stating that it is commonplace in the villages surrounding Nashik to see children playing with slingshots. This, he stated, “leads to empty forests — no birds, no chirping, no singing. Only silence.”
Here’s a dilemma..
You see a cute bird. And you see a cute kid. Then you see the kid kill the bird with this slingshot. Will you punish the kid?
This is pretty widespread in a lot of villages in Nashik. It leads to empty forests – no birds, no chirping, no singing.
Only silence! pic.twitter.com/XDg85fcbz2— Anand Reddy, IFS (@AnandReddyYellu) July 5, 2021
So, what did Mr Reddy do to “make these innocent kids stop using galor (slingshot)?”
He recommended a 4-point resolution: “By talking to each child. By telling each kid how painful it is. By making them promise never to use it again. By nudging them to ‘voluntarily surrender galor’.”
He added that these 4 points place with each other efficiently meant “winning their (the kids’) hearts.”
So how to make these innocent kids cease making use of galor (slingshot)?
By speaking to every kid.
By telling every kid how painful it is.
By generating them guarantee under no circumstances to use once more.
By nudging them to “voluntarily #surrender Galor”In brief, by winning their hearts! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ktxTIzjrM3
— Anand Reddy, IFS (@AnandReddyYellu) July 5, 2021
He also posted a brief video on how they “made this into a movement”. The clip shows a group of children marching on a lane in the village, holding a banner that reads in Marathi, “Galor hatwa, pakshi bachwa (discard galor, save birds)”.
Video from a village on how children made this into a #movementpic.twitter.com/yvD7Zi1RpW
— Anand Reddy, IFS (@AnandReddyYellu) July 5, 2021
Happy at the “heartening” response the initiative has received considering that its inception on June 5, 2021, Mr Reddy stated that “kids from 68 villages took the pledge”, and added that “590 galors were voluntarily surrendered”. A photo collage also shows the children taking the pledge not to hurt the birds.
What began as a modest initiative of ‘Galor Samarpan Abhiyan’ on this #environmentday, last 30 days had been hugely heartening for me –
• 590 Galors had been voluntarily surrendered till
• Kids from 68 villages took #pledge
• Some kids even reached out to employees to surrender! pic.twitter.com/BRwtVheYcj— Anand Reddy, IFS (@AnandReddyYellu) July 5, 2021
Now, the children in the villages themselves are taking this initiative forward and even assisting raise public awareness about such environmental concerns.
“The strongest weapon a soldier takes to war is the reason WHY”
Once our green warriors discovered the goal, they worked relentlessly – nights, weekends & in rains to attain out to every single kid.
It was terrific to see correct #Teameffort ! pic.twitter.com/oE6HjOvIid
— Anand Reddy, IFS (@AnandReddyYellu) July 5, 2021
The thread received a large response from Mr Reddy’s followers.
A user felt that more such initiatives had been necessary “across the country so that our environment and wildlife teem with life.”
Such a amazing initiative . It is stated that journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step . We have to have a lot of more such initiatives across the nation so that our atmosphere and wildlife teem with life .
— Swarit Sohaard (@SSohaard) July 5, 2021
Another stated that there was now “hope for a better, kinder tomorrow”.
Thank you, @AnandReddyYellu for efforts & for bringing about this heartwarming adjust in these small kids! ????
There’s now hope! Hope for a far better, kinder tomorrow, and who far better to bring about that adjust than compassionate children… #saveforests#children#savetheplanethttps://t.co/TJBYEeuyMI— Ahimsa Rising Ⓥ (@AhimsaRising) July 6, 2021
A user felt that the work was “truly commendable” and “should be known and implemented across India as ‘Anand Reddy Model’ of winning heart.”
This should be known & implemented across India as “Anand Reddy Model” of winning heart, instead of seizing it, truly commendable, best part it’s happening, not remains in slogans. Catch them young, they will create better environments. Simply wow, ???????????????????????????????????????????????? https://t.co/kiIe5Jj8Qq
— Santanu Bhattacharya???????? (@Santanu1999) July 5, 2021
Some felt that this was the way to make a difference — by winning hearts, not by dominating brains.
Amazing work! This is how a difference is made. By winning hearts, not my dominating brains. https://t.co/N7YN6qBIeV
— Shivam Sharma (@ShivamS2697) July 5, 2021
For one viewer this thread was overwhelming. “It makes me realise just how many issues there are to fix and what a long battle we have ahead of us,” she tweeted.
Every time I come across such a thread I get so overwhelmed. It makes me realize just how many issues there are to fix & what a long battle we have ahead of us. But people like @AnandReddyYellu prove how crucial it is to just do YOUR bit.#YouCanChangeTheWorld 1 location at a time. https://t.co/U1DMg7AOsQ
— Devika Chopra (@ilah108) July 5, 2021
Carrying slingshots have been a norm in many rural settlements. However, thanks to Mr Reddy’s determination, the children in these Nashik villages now know about the negative impacts of killing birds. So, what else do you think can be done to drive the message of wildlife conservation even further? Tell us in the comments section below.