On World Forest Day, celebrated on March 21, we receive a crucial reminder of the importance of wildlife on Earth. The theme for 2025 is “Forests and Food,” reinforcing how forests contribute to food security, livelihoods, and nutrition. In this context, the Gujarat Government released a story exemplifying Indias eco-village, Dhaj, which maintains a balance between environmental conservation and development.

What is an eco-village?

Eco Village is an initiative aimed at the sustainable development of rural communities while conserving natural resources. It works to reduce villagers’ dependency on natural resources while restoring traditional, organic livelihoods and promoting conservation.

Natural resources are restored by encouraging communities to cultivate appropriate crops for local land and limited water supply, implementing various harvesting methods and irrigation techniques, and promoting energy sources such as solar power and biogas, or gobar gas.

Dhaj: the first eco-Village

Dhaj Village, located in the Mandavi Taluka of Surat, was designated as an eco-village in 2016. Surrounded by dense forests, it is situated 70 kilometers away from the Surat District. In the past, this remote village struggled with basic amenities, lacking essential infrastructure, roads, and electricity. The villagers relied on forest produce for their survival. Currently, houses are equipped with solar power, dairy cooperatives, biogas units, underground rainwater storage, and solid waste management systems.

The Gujarat Ecological Commission introduced the change initiative in collaboration with the local forest department. The department also formed a forest committee to facilitate awareness of the causes.

The Changes

The joint efforts of the local forest department, the forest committee, state government have facilitated the fundamental changes serving the fundamental needs of the villagers including a seamless network helping in seamless connection, communication, healthcare, and education services.

The village has also received assistance in building a permanent pucca house through the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. The Dairy Cooperative for Women provides 10,000 to 12,000 rupees to women enrolled to supply milk to the Sumul Dairy-operated cooperative. The implemented biogas facility has spared the village women from the smoke that causes daily irritation.

Various government schemes, such as the Awas Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, and Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, help the villagers sustain their lives without relying on the forest’s natural resources. The residents of Dhaj village shared anecdotes of relief, according to a DeshGujarat report.

Upcoming Eco-Village

Preparations are underway to develop and implement an eco-village system in Naghoi Village, located in the Olpad Taluka of Surat, read the DeshGujarat release.