Set up on this day in 1917 by the British, the Indian Territorial Army (TA) constituted what is believed to be the world’s first ecological battalion in 1982.
The Territorial Army’s Ecological Task Force (ETF) was first conceived by the Indian government in 1980 to revive and restore wastelands in difficult terrains. Since its inception, the ETF has undertaken several ecological endeavours, from preventing desertification of deforested hills to converting deserted mines into forests, according to a report in The Better India.
According to a report by DNA:
This formidable battalion has managed to plant and nurture nearly 6.42 crore saplings in the past 30 years.
The report claims that the ETF planted approximately 5.2 million trees between May 2008 and March 2015 in the east.
Creative, Cost-Effective Efforts
In 1982, when a deforested mining area in the Shiwalik Hills was in grave danger of desertification, the first battalion of the ETF was formed to prevent this. The 243-member Garhwal Rifles battalion undertook this afforestation project over the next few years, suffering cruel terrain and weather conditions, reported The Better India.
Similarly, in 1983 the Rajputana Rifles battalion was deployed in the Thar desert to create a green cover along the length of the Indira Gandhi Canal’s left bank. In a record span of seven years, the 668-member force created a greenbelt of over 63 lakh plants, reported The Better India.
The ETF has developed creative ways to make their endeavours cost-effective. From using bio-fertilisers to recycling waste and even raising their own nurseries, the ETF has managed to create a self-sustaining system. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Defence commissioned a Ganga Task Force from among members of the ETF.
Due to their effort in restoring the ecological balance of especially difficult terrains, these army men have earned the moniker “Green Warriors”.
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