Bishrampur (Chhattisgarh), March 1 Puja Sahu, a spirited woman in her thirties, is filled with uncontainable joy as she proclaims, "I am no longer known by my husband's name. I am now known as 'Boating Wali Didi'!"
This newfound identity fuels her sense of empowerment and financial independence, a far cry from a few years ago.
Sahu earns her living by operating a motorboat in an eco-tourism park in the state of Chhattisgarh, which has been transformed by Coal India's South Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL) from a rehabilitated, abandoned coal mine into a thriving adventure hub.
The park features a 1,472-hectare site with a large water body, a floating restaurant, boating, and fish farming, all run by local cooperatives, which boosts the local economy.
The park has been developed by SECL under the guidance of the coal ministry as part of the country's scientific mine closure framework. In line with approved mine closure plans, reclaimed mining areas are being systematically transformed into sustainable community assets.
The Kenapara Eco-Tourism Park is one such example of converting post-mining landscapes into biodiversity zones and livelihood centres, reflecting the Centre's focus on responsible and sustainable mining.
SECL Chairman and Managing Director Harish Duhan said, "Our Mine Closure Eco-Tourism Park demonstrates how scientifically reclaimed mine areas can be transformed into vibrant green assets that promote biodiversity, generate sustainable livelihoods, and create meaningful employment opportunities, particularly empowering local women through self-help groups and eco-tourism initiatives."
Sahu is one of the 12 women of Shiv Shakti Mahila Gram Sanghathan, a self-help group that manages the boating services of Kenapara eco-tourism located here in the Surajpur district of Chhattisgarh.
The boat ride activity is one of the main attractions of this eco-tourism park.
Sahu remembers the days when choices felt like distant dreams. Dependent on others, her world was small, defined by routines she didn't choose. But now, her world has transformed.
"I take immense pride when I say that now I have my own identity," she declares. "People call me 'Boating Wali Didi' and it feels like freedom."
Sahu explained with a broad smile that she now earns a sum of Rs 200 per day and is in control of her own destiny. "Today I have money on PhonePe and I can eat the food of my choice and buy clothes which I like."
Sahu has a message for women in rural areas: "Leave your homes and become financially independent".
Through her own journey of self-reliance, helming a boat on local waters, she has turned dependency into dignity. "By becoming financially independent, we can provide good education to our children and fulfill all our desires," she said.