Her commitment towards the conservation of the Doon valley, especially its beautiful Rajpur area, is obvious whenever one meets her and talks to her. It is the focus of her life and this dedication to the cause is what makes Reenu Paul so special . For the last four to five years, her efforts in this sphere have become enhanced and she is making the people of Dehradun increasingly aware of the role that they can play in protecting their city from things that will take away its unique beauty and ecological wealth, its historical  value and cultural ethos.

Paul is now known well in the region as the curator of the annual Rajpur Nature Festival the 2018 edition of which concluded recently. It is held, jointly with the Forest Department, under the aegis of the Rajpur Community Initiative, a Citizens’ Initiative formed by Reenu Paul.

Talking to The Pioneer about her mission and vision, she spoke about her journey as a conservationist of nature, ecology, beauty, culture, history and community life:-

When did your work in this sphere  begin?

Ever since I completed my studies in Law from Lucknow, I found in myself this tendency of activism.Later, I went into teaching at RLEK and ICFAI. I also taught for a while at National Law School, Bengaluru.

However, when we settled in Rajpur in Dehradun, I could see clearly the role I could take on to conserve and protect this specially picturesque area of the valley against the many threats it faces.

This is how I began planning the initiative called Rajpur Nature Festival which is being held every year from 2014 onwards. I have been getting support from some residents of this place as well as from some officials of the police and administration.

However, sometimes it becomes a difficult  task to undertake the protection of the environment and of places.There are many vested interests that come in the way.However, this is my mission and I cannot give it up!

How does this festival support your conservation initiatives?

It is all about conservation and enhancement. It gives the local community the opportunity to gather and enjoy the feeling of social life amid the green surroundings of the Christian Retreat Centre.

There is economic, cultural and social activity.There are stalls promoting organic products and lifestyle, dance and music by the local people.

 More and more people are now gathering at this fest and this is a measure of its success. It makes people aware of the need for more such efforts at their own level.

The Tibetan community in Rajpur is a great asset and very helpful in conserving its character. At the festival, we have been promoting their culture, music and art .They come forward actively to support all our work.

Besides the festival, what are your other initiatives?

It is a constant effort. Against  encroachments,  checking felling of trees, protecting water bodies cleaning up the garbage. There seems to be such insensitivity towards keeping the area protected and beautiful where people can live in peaceful co-existence.

If people of the city realise that they can exert themselves if they get together on any issue, things will begin to change. What we require is the Heritage Act in our state. If that comes into existence, trees, rivers and water bodies will get protection. It is long overdue now.

Do you get  help from  the Police and administration?

At times, we get a lot of help from them. But not always. When the police takes a positive stand regarding our issues, it is indeed very helpful and heartening.  If citizens become more aware, things will surely improve sooner. The change is happening but at a slow pace. Restoration of old buildings and preventing them being demolished is also part of our initiative. Demolishing old structures is taking away from the character of Rajpur.

What is your take on technology robbing us of our social life?

We have been making a conscious effort to get the people of the Rajpur community together on various occasions so that social life is regenerated. Loneliness can lead to many problems and thus we must ensure that there is more communication among people.  Such efforts must be extended to all parts of the city. When people communicate personally with each other, they will also  be more unified against things that are spoiling the valley.The feeling of being a unique community is very important.

Did you feel better equipped for activism due to being a lawyer?

Surely, it is a great help to me. When I am fighting against encroachments, my knowledge of law comes in very handy. I have also been a practicing lawyer. Now, all my experience and knowledge is making activism enriching for me. I look forward every day to contribute towards the social, ecological, cultural and community life in the valley. There are many people who have come to support me in this journey. And I feel that many more will join in. The younger generation is now becoming quite aware of the need to protect our heritage, be it natural or historical. Our fight is a lot about  protecting  our natural resources. I will keep carrying on this work.It may not stop the  damage, it may delay it.

However, my mission is to actually put a stop to many things that keep threatening to take away from the good things that we were blessed with by nature in this beautiful valley. We should all be proud of our heritage and contribute towards its conservation and enhancement.