Down To Earth | February 25, 2025
Five years ago, the COVID-19 pandemic halted the world, thrusting humanity into a crisis marked by collapsing health systems, shattered livelihoods, and widespread food shortages. Yet, amidst this global upheaval, three forest-dwelling villages in the eastern part of Maharashtra— Dhamditola (Gondia district), Pachgaon (Chandrapur district), and Payvihir (Amravati district)— discovered a vital source of strength and resilience in the very forests that surrounded them.