So who's the junglee?

Saving India's forests from coal mining and other destructive development now lies in your hands. Get yourself a passport and become a citizen of Junglistan.

November 28, 2011 07:23 pm | Updated 07:23 pm IST

YT: Greenpeace activist wearing Tiger and Bear costumes and Monkey mask distributing paspoort of the Junglistan at Azad maidan in Mumbai on Tuesday, 22 November 2011. Greenpeace launches Junglistan Campaign to gather public support for deforestation by the government for the coal mining in the Forests in India.

YT: Greenpeace activist wearing Tiger and Bear costumes and Monkey mask distributing paspoort of the Junglistan at Azad maidan in Mumbai on Tuesday, 22 November 2011. Greenpeace launches Junglistan Campaign to gather public support for deforestation by the government for the coal mining in the Forests in India.

Any of you environment enthusiasts wants to be a ‘Junglee' and become a citizen of ‘ Junglistan'?

Own a passport

If you feel that India is losing its forest cover to unmindful exploitation and unprecedented coal mining, all you need to do is to give a missed call on +918049311109. And within days, a swanky-looking passport issued by the passport office of the imaginary ‘ Republic of Janglistan', declaring you as a ‘ Junglee', will reach your doorsteps.

The first page of the passport reads, “This is to certify that the owner of this passport is a citizen of Junglistan and has pledged their support for the cause of saving India's forests from coal mining and other destructive development which is posing a threat to the existence of Junglistan and its people.

By order of the king of the natural kingdom.” The passport will remain valid only ‘as long as the forests are alive', putting the responsibility of the Junglistan's existence on the ‘Junglee' citizens of the imaginary republic.

“We intend to garner support for green cover especially among the school children and the college youths through this campaign,” Deven Digwal, public engagement campaigner of Greenpeace said in Mumbai recently during the kick-start of the ‘Junglistan campaign'.

The campaign has also been launched in New Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore. “If all goes well, we are looking at launching it in Chandrapur as well. It is at the heart of this campaign.

It is the place in central India where coal mining is eating our forests,” he said. Two activists dressed as Sheroo and Bhaloo handed over the passports to the enrolled supporters at their embassy office at Azad Maidan. The office will stay there for a limited period till November 26.

“In Mumbai we have approached nearly 3000 school children from 15 schools till now. These students are expected to approach at least 20 persons each in their community to garner support for our campaign. All they have to do is to give a missed call on the number,” Mr Deven said.

If anyone of you cares to answer the call for the protection of environment, you can also log on to www.greenpeace.in/take-action/save-our-forest/

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