Defragmenting The Dampa Tiger Reserve: The Andermanik Frontier

September, ten years ago, we were assigned to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment of the proposed Indo-Bangla Border Road Fencing which transect through the Dampa Tiger Reserve (DTR). After a month preparation, we packed our gears and head to Teirei Rest House. Our team comprised of our PI, Mr Laltlanhlua Zathang, ACF, Mr. B. Malsawmkima (B-a), Ms Laldinthari (Madini) and I. At Teirei, we were joined by Wildlife Guards of the Teirei Range.

Fully packed motor-boat, in the middle is our boss, Pu Tlana. The availability of the motor-boat service in this region depended upon the level of water in the Khawthlang tuipui.

We were divided into three groups, I was the leader of team 1, who stationed at Sailui. Both team 2 and 3 were stationed at Andermanik Anti-Poaching Camp, they were led by Mr B-a and Ms Madini, respectively. Our mission was to conduct a vegetation analysis along the proposed transect of the Indo-Bangla Border Road fencing.

Mr. B-a and Ms. Madini

From Rajiv Nagar, we rode a motor-boat till the Sailui Junction, where my team would camped, the other teams sailed till the Andermanik village. We fortunately spotted a Jhum hut, which relieved us from constructing a shelter. We stayed at Sailui for two nights; we cooked our own food, slept on our own beddings, hence, we didn’t bother our host, the owner of the jhum hut 😁. Our camping site was outside the DTR core area, hence anthropological activities were not prohibited.

Ms Madini and the bridge on the River Khawthlang Tuipui

Andermanik Village ~14 Km from Sailui was, however, within the core area and was about to be relocated, negotiations were going on, then. After completing our task along the Sailui-Andermanik transect, we decided to join our friends at the Andermanik Anti-Poaching camp. Instead of taking the normal path, we decided to walk down the Gundasuri stream, that drains to the Khawthlang tuipui. Our porter, whom I fondly called “Bondu” led the way, he cut the bushes and cleared the path. As we move down the stream, I could spot several pug-marks. Undoubtedly it was one of the natural wildlife corridor. The plan was to reach Andermanik by means of a raft.

In the midst of the Jungle, we encountered these jubilant kids, they swam the whole afternoon. @Sailui
Our host at Sailui
Our team and the kids in the Jungle @Sailui
Our host winnowing the paddy. While her husband was working elsewhere, she was looking after their Jhum field and their kids.
Suron, the obedient boy @Sailui. He was always ready to strike a pose 😀
Suron…among the ripened paddy
My Team at rest…Somewhere between the Sailui and the Andermanik Village
My Men…at the mouth of the Gundasuri stream that we transect
Busy Bondu, the engineer, constructing a bamboo raft

Bondu was the engineer, Pu Samuel-a and Mapuia helped him in collecting the bamboo. I could overheared them saying “rawṭhing chu sât suh, a láng ṭha duhlo…” After completion, we tried once, and found that the raft could not bear our weight, we need to cut more bamboos. During the process, a gentleman from Andermanik was solo-rafting, without much belongings. We hitchhiked him; I rode on his raft, and the other three rode on the raft that we built. After 2 hours of rafting along the Khawthlang tuipui, we finally landed at Andermanik, it was already dark.

A gentleman from Andermanik, whom we hitchhiked
Captain Bondu and crew…rafting the Khawthlang tuipui
My captain! He was swiftly paddling the raft. The bamboo culm he hold would not be shorter than 18 ft, which he frequently dipped, as if he was trying to measure the depth of the river. He didn’t realised that his dipping and retracting of the bamboo-paddle horrified his mate, who couldn’t swim! And that dipping and retracting told how deep the river was!
After a few hours, he suddenly shouted, “Gui…gui” which left me confused. Later on, I realised that he was spotting a Tuipuisatang (Water Monitor Lizard – Varanus salvator) at a distant shore! To him, it was a nutrition that perish!
A Selfie! lewll
It was dark, when we arrived at Andermanik. These two youths left, as we landed.
Inside the Anti-Poaching Camp, Andermanik…Bondu, Tlangaupa and Pu Muankima.
They were all surprised to see us at the camp. Since there was no mobile phone signals, and we were also void of radio, we couldn’t inform them.
Reuniting with my comrade @Andermanik

We stayed at Andermanik for a night and the next day, we left for Rajiv Nagar, by foot. It took us around 4 hrs to cover ~ 16.41 Km of steep and slippery paths, up and down the gorges. Knowing the consequences and the biodiversity threats that was awaiting, we proposed that if at all the border had to be fenced, it should be done at the zero boundary, not even an inch inside the Tiger Reserve. Wildlife corridors should be reserved as plenty and wide as possible. We did the best we could. After all it was our first assignment since leaving the university, two months back! When we were approached for this project, our result was not even declared! But we were energetic and dedicated, we were satisfied with our efforts, since we gave our best.

Inside the Andermanik, the Village that fragmented

Prior to its relocation, Andermanik was the only village inside the core area of the DTR. There were 200 houses, 3 primary schools, six grocery shops and a BSF Duty post. Like other Chakma community, their main religion was Buddhism and solely dependent on Jhumming for their sustenance.

A Chakma family
It was very rare to see people fetching water with a plastic container in this part of the land.
The Chakma way of fetching water
A motherly care
The Andermanik playground
Public urinal… It is a common thing in Mizoram
Mother and Child…and a cat
Power supply was not available. Some villagers harnessed the solar energy and watched a television.
A busy mother at work
Harvesting the Nawinâwk (Basella alba) leaves. They gave us some few, tried and tested, excess amount of Dangpuithu (Sidol) spoil the menu.
Communication was a problem. Since they could speak their own dialect only.
A country made daba smoker
“Pinon” in the making
A Chakma boy wearing a traditional Teng-chara
Protector of the Forest…Strike Forces and Wildlife Guards…and Bondu, my friend.
A view from the Anti-Poaching camp. In 2012, I met Pu Samuela, and he told me that Andermanik Village was relocated and those places like this were transformed into a playground of the fauna, the floral community dominated the landscape and transformed into a fawning and a stotting place for the quadrupeds.
Us

We tried our best not to imposed habitat fragmentation, but it was beyond our power whether the fencing should or should not be constructed. We were told, “It’s a matter of national security.” Though the Andermanik Village that fragmented the reserve was relocated, how would a fencing and a motorable patrolling path not fragmented the Tiger Reserve?

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