It was 1965 when heavy floods forced the Payengs to move to the other side of the river, 12 km away from their

home. The family, with their children, were suffering too much, and when they moved back, they left their five-
year- old Jadav in the care of a court-master for schooling. Jadav Payeng gave up school after class 10, and

got back to his village to look after the livestock left by his deceased parents.
When he arrived, he witnessed a terrible sight. The land was eroded and there was a sandbar in place of the
green land and forests of his childhood. Snakes and reptiles were lying dead on the desert. This sight shook
him. Suddenly, he realised the truth. “Today, it is the snakes and tomorrow it will be us.” he thought to himself.
That moment, he made the decision to make a change, at least to try. He was only 15.
He was determined. He visited the villagers nearby and asked for their opinions. The villagers gave him seeds
and shoots of bamboos. BU METNE BAŞLIK BULABİLİR MİSİNİZ ?