Villagers Spread across the Kela Devi reserve in Karauli district here have enforced a unique code of conduct to preserve and revive the forest and wildlife. They have banned meat eating and felling of trees throughout 673 km reserve through an elected body of villagers.

The Kela Devi santuary is the largest forest reserve of Rajasthan. It also acts as a buffer for the adjoiningm Ranthambore Tiger reserves.

The regulatory body, called 'Kulhari bandh' ( ban axe) panchayat, controls the activities of more than 50 villages spread within the sanctuary. It has outlined a series of rules and strict penalties.

A person found in the possession of axe is fined by Rs. 500 by the panchayat. If the offense is repeated the person is excommunicated.  Meat eating has been banned to save wildlife specially rabbit and deer.

This when most of the villagers are from meat eating tribes like gujars and meenas.

"The writ of Kulhari bandh panchayat runs across a group of 17 Gram panchayats. The panchayat meets regularly to discuss the preservation of forets and penalise people found guilty violating its code"  sad Asstt. conservator of kela devi forest Lal singh chaudhary.

The idea of regulatory body was sown a couple of years ago. Over the years the forets had been stripped off  its green cover because of excessive felling of trees by locals and grazing pressure from outside.

" The forest department sought the co-operation of villagers to protect the forest. The villagers argued that they would stop felling trees if the forest department restricted the entry of cattle and sheep from western Rajasthan to the reserve".  according to Chaudhary. " we launched a campaign to keep away the sheep.  The villagers responded by constituting the Panchayat and enforcing the code of conduct,"  Chaudhary said.

Said Mantoo lal Gujar of Lakhrooki village located in the heart of the sanctuary: "the ban did not work initially but as the panchayat penalised people, excommunicated a few of offenders, the villagers fell in line."

The result have been fascinating. " It's  almost like a renaissance. the forest was on the brink of extension, it has now been completely revived," said Chief wild life warden M.L. Dayama.  

In september this year (2001 ) Dayama and his team,  accompanied by a few ngo's carried out a Padyatra of the reserve.  "We didn't come across a single tree that had been lopped and felled." Dayama said.  The villagers too are  pleased with the results. Gujar said earlier the villagers used to migrate to nearby areas with their cattle in search of fodder. "Withe the revival of trees, there is plenty of fodder available throghout the year. The migration has stopped" He said.