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Tribals in MP’s Dindori collect borer beetles to protect forests
Tribals in Madhya Pradesh’s Dindori earn ₹42 lakh by collecting borer beetles to protect forests
Tribals in Madhya Pradesh’s Dindori earn ₹42 lakh by collecting borer beetles to protect forests
Tribal families in Madhya Pradesh's Dindori earned nearly ₹42 lakh by collecting over 2.1 million sal borer beetles to curb a major forest infestation.
Published on: Jul 31, 2026, 07:44:09 IST By Shruti Tomar Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Tribal communities in Madhya Pradesh’s Dindori district have earned nearly ₹42 lakh between June and July 30 by collecting more than 2.1 million sal borer beetles under a forest department drive to contain a major infestation threatening sal forests, forest officials aware of the matter said. Tribal communities in Madhya Pradesh's Dindori district earned nearly ₹42 lakh by collecting over 2.1 million sal borer beetles under a forest department drive (HT/representative image)Villagers paid ₹2 per beetle under forest drive
Villagers are being paid ₹2 per beetle under the ongoing trap tree operation, aimed at reducing the adult beetle population before it spreads further, they said. More than 400 to 500 tribal families participated in the initiative. The infestation has affected more than 1.47 lakh sal trees across nearly 30,000 hectares of forest in Dindori, covering the East Karanjia, West Karanjia, South Samnapur and Bajag ranges. Forest officials said the affected trees are at different stages of infestation, with some severely damaged and unlikely to recover. Villagers collect beetles from specially prepared trap trees and submit them to the forest department, often stringing them into garlands before handing them over. Officials said all collected beetles will later be scientifically destroyed under expert supervision to prevent further breeding. Also read: MP to procure 60% of green gram from each farmer after protestsForest department seeks to fell infected sal trees
“We have sought permission from the Union forest and environment ministry to fell more than 1.47 lakh trees to contain the epidemic. This accounts for 15% of the district’s sal forests,” said Subhranjan Sen, principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF). Officials said felling heavily infested trees can help reduce breeding sites and slow the spread of the pest. The proposed trees for felling are all infected, they said. According to experts, sal borer outbreak has returned after nearly three decades. Between 1996 and 2001, the pest destroyed around 3.5 lakh trees across three districts. Forest officials detected the current outbreak in December. Also read: Ken-Betwa project protests explained: Behind 'chita' and 'faansi' demonstrations in Madhya Pradesh “Heavy rainfall last year raised moisture levels to nearly 90% in the Dindori–Amarkantak region, accelerating the spread. Beetles are drawn to sap oozing from wounds, laying eggs there and hollowing trees from within,” said Dr C Mohan, senior scientist at the Tropical Forest Research Institute (TFRI), Jabalpur. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Shruti Tomar I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More Madhya Pradesh Tribal Forest Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments. Home/India News/Tribals In Madhya Pradesh’s Dindori Earn ₹42 Lakh By Collecting Borer Beetles To Protect Forests See LessTribal communities in Madhya Pradesh’s Dindori district have earned nearly ₹42 lakh between June and July 30 by collecting more than 2.1 million sal borer beetles under a forest department drive to contain a major infestation threatening sal forests, forest officials aware of the matter said.
Villagers collect beetles from specially prepared trap trees and submit them to the forest department, often stringing them into garlands before handing them over. Officials said all collected beetles will later be scientifically destroyed under expert supervision to prevent further breeding.
Also read: MP to procure 60% of green gram from each farmer after protests
The proposed trees for felling are all infected, they said.
According to experts, sal borer outbreak has returned after nearly three decades. Between 1996 and 2001, the pest destroyed around 3.5 lakh trees across three districts. Forest officials detected the current outbreak in December.
Also read: Ken-Betwa project protests explained: Behind 'chita' and 'faansi' demonstrations in Madhya Pradesh
“Heavy rainfall last year raised moisture levels to nearly 90% in the Dindori–Amarkantak region, accelerating the spread. Beetles are drawn to sap oozing from wounds, laying eggs there and hollowing trees from within,” said Dr C Mohan, senior scientist at the Tropical Forest Research Institute (TFRI), Jabalpur.
Source: HindustanTimes
Related Posts: Tribal communities,Madhya Pradesh,sal borer beetles,forest department,infestation
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