The man planted the first tree in the barren sandy land 15 years ago and had plans to transform the area with thousands of more to be planted in the coming years.
It is now after one and a half-decade that the guy is being praised for his efforts. After all, it is something really commendable to plant around 10,000 trees and that too single-handedly.
Satyendra Gautam Manjhi, a modest man from the small village of Imaliyachak, in the Indian state of Bihar, said he was motivated to start planting trees after being visited by Dashrath Manjhi, known as “the man who moved a mountain.”
The story of how he spent over 20 years carving way at a mountain to make a road to his village has encouraged a generation, including the hero of this story. Satyendrav says that Dashrath asked him to start planting an orchard, and that’s precisely what he did.
“Dashrath Manjhi suggested planting an orchard in this area,” the Bihar man said. “Initially, this place was barren sandy land, and there were literally no plantations. It was a lot of trouble at the start. Watering the plants was the most difficult part as I had to fill pots from my house, which was pretty far away.”
Making the execution even harder, wild animals came to play and destroyed the planted trees. It was then when the guy decided to four-wall it with thorny hedges. Planting those hedges wasn’t an easy feat. However, the hard work paid off well, as even after the passing 15 years, they still protect the plantation.
Over time, Manjhi’s orchard, which is full of guava trees of the Allahabad variety, grew, and the sandy wasteland he started on became a green oasis full of fruit trees. The news spread wide, local authorities appreciated his untiring efforts and offered him a state commission.
Satyendra Gautam Manjhi told ANI News Agency, “When Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar came to know about my contribution to environmental protection, I was made a member of the Child Protection Commission.”
Now the orchard has approximately about 10,000 trees. His efforts not only brought him high regard from the locals and the state but also benefited him at large in monetary terms. He sells the guava at a considerable profit while also becoming a humanitarian commission member has laid him with great benefits. Satyendra doesn’t want to stop here. He wants to become an inspiration to many the way Dashrath Manjhi was to him.
