International Women’s Day: The real ‘Sherni’ of Kashmir

Srinagar: A plant lover, staunch conservationist, and diligent forest officer. This sums up 34-year-old Shamma Roohi in a nutshell.

 From disapproving remarks to the choice of her career, Shamma has braved it all. “Females don’t venture out in the jungles. This job is not for you. Why are you here?” she recalled the taunts.

 And yet she persevered and is now making a difference as Divisional Forest Officer, Anantnag.

Born and brought up in a village at Yaripora, Kulgam district, Roohi grew up closer to forests and was fascinated by different types of plants and trees. “Even as a child, I was curious to know about wilderness and dense forest glades. That intense desire is what helped me follow my career path,” she told The Kashmir Monitor.

After finishing her schooling, she graduated in science at Women’s College, Anantnag. This was followed by a master’s in botany at the University of Kashmir. In 2011, Roohi cracked the entrance exams for Assistant Conservator of Forests. It was in 2020 after donning several roles in the forest department, she was appointed as DFO, Anantnag.

“I am currently monitoring and working on the initiatives pertaining to Social forestry. Social forestry means making use of unused and fallow lands so that deeper forests are safeguarded from exploitation, by using fast-growing trees to meet the needs of fodder and fuelwood,” she said.

She said this practice also aims to protect agriculture from adverse climatic conditions by improving the environment, increasing natural beauty, and increasing the supply of forest produce for local use.

“Although the concept and practice of social forestry have existed for centuries, it is constantly gaining a new dimension because of its benefits including its potential for tackling the challenges of global warming,” Roohi said.

She said that every year her department plants 3 lakh saplings on average within forests and non-forested areas. The success and survival rate of the plantations is continuously evaluated.

“Going into the field is always fraught with challenges as you have to engage with the local communities to win their confidence. It doesn’t happen in a day. However, we try to engage with the grassroots as much as we can so that they can effectively manage and govern the land on which they depend is vital to creating a healthy environment. Besides, our aim is to promote community empowerment as it offers an opportunity to rebuild forest landscapes that are productive, helping avert some of the risks posed by deforestation,” she said.

Asked what motivates her every day for this demanding job, Roohi believes that having a strong faith in one’s abilities is the key. “Don’t think too much about the naysayers. Kuch toh log kahegey, log ka kaam hai kehna.  You can achieve great heights once you start believing in yourself.”