Assam government to bear treatment costs of ‘Forest Man’ Jadav Payeng
Assam minister Jayanta Malla Baruah visited Jadav Payeng at JMCH during his treatment for respiratory problems. The state government said it would bear the costs, citing his widely recognised work in tree plantation and social forestry.
- Oct 04, 2026,
- Updated Oct 04, 2026, 9:06 AM IST
- Jayanta Malla Baruah visited Jadav Payeng at JMCH on October 3
- Payeng was admitted after high fever and later breathing difficulties
- Doctors said his condition remained stable after earlier intensive care
Assam Environment and Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah on October 3 visited Padma Shri awardee and environmentalist Jadav Payeng at Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH), where he is undergoing treatment for respiratory problems.
Payeng, widely known as the ‘Forest Man of India’, was admitted to JMCH on Thursday, October 1, after developing a high fever. Doctors said his condition is stable, although he had earlier required intensive care after his oxygen saturation levels fell and he experienced breathing difficulties.
Baruah visited Payeng after attending the reopening programme of Kaziranga National Park and spoke to the doctors treating him as well as the JMCH superintendent about his condition and treatment.
The minister later told reporters that the Assam government would bear the expenses of Payeng’s treatment.
“His invaluable contribution to tree plantation and social forestry has earned global recognition,” Baruah said in a social media post, wishing Payeng a speedy recovery.
Payeng, who has spent decades transforming a barren sandbar in the Brahmaputra into a sprawling forest, was conferred the Padma Shri in 2015 for his contribution to environmental conservation.
