“The area was scarred with deep pits and hills of mining waste. Women were afraid to pass by the land since it was so deserted,” recalls Shanti Devi. The area she refers to is the land around Dabla talab, a reservoir that was only source of water in her village of Uttamdesar, before the operationalisation of the Indira Gandhi Canal that passes through the region. For over two decades, the village saw rampant gypsum extraction. It is located in Bikaner district, which has some of the largest gypsum deposits in Rajasthan, a major producer of the mineral.
The quest for gypsum had destroyed the reservoir, which was also a major source of water for wildlife. Several animal species and native grasses disappeared from the area, leaving the ecosystem in ruins.
But since 2022, nearly 84 hectares (ha) of the degraded land have been restored and now serve as a flourishing grazing ground. The transformation came after environmentalist Shyam Sunder Jyani led an initiative to restore Dabla talab.
“In 2007-08, I had tried to curb illegal mining around Dabla talab. But the administration and local community did not provide much support, as mining is a means of livelihood. In 2021, the priest of a temple in the village asked me to help restore the reservoir area,” says Jyani, a professor of sociology at Bikaner’s Government Dungar College.
Jyani roped in the Jasnathi community that is prominent in the village. He drew on the learnings and practices followed by the community, which highlight the significance of grazing lands, forests and biodiversity. In June 2022, Jyani and the residents organised an awareness march in 104 villages in the region, raising around ₹1 crore.
The first step in restoration was fencing the 84-ha area around the reservoir. Next, the residents undertook plantations through familial forestry—a concept pioneered by Jyani, for which he received the UN's Land for Life award in 2021. “Under this concept, families are encouraged to treat trees as members of their households, fostering an emotional connection with nature. We planted hundreds of native trees, including khejri (Prosopis cineraria, the state tree of Rajasthan),” says Jyani. The community also cultivated native grass varieties. Additionally, 12 small ponds were created as water sources for wildlife. They are replenished through a solar-powered system.
“The transformation is striking. We not only see growing trees and grasses but also animals that were last spotted 20-25 years ago, including jackals, deer, foxes, nilgai, hares, black partridges, owls and even wild boars,” says Bhagirath Motsara of the village. Birbal Nath Jakhar, another resident, adds, “We have spotted rare species like caracals, spiny-tailed lizards and Asiatic wild cats—a sign of ecological recovery.”
The revival has inspired neighbouring villages to reclaim their encroached or neglected lands. Where mining once stripped the land bare, rare grasses like sewan (Lasiurus scindicus) now sway in the wind, says Jyani.
This was first published in the 1-15 March, 2025 print edition of Down To Earth