Bokaro, April 12: Youths in the Maoist hub of Dharmapura are defying rebel diktat with an unusual weapon: vegetables.

As unemployed youths in their mid-twenties, they defied Maoists who tried to enlist them. Now, by growing vegetables, they are earning a comfortable amount right under the noses of the rebels.

A core group of 12 earns around Rs 5,000 each day by selling vegetable produce, each member getting an equal share of the proceeds — the success of the green mission in Dharmapura village, about 15km from Bokaro steel city, in Chas block — inspiring others in the district.

In Dharmapura, their 40-decimal plot is now lush with 5,000 saplings of brinjals and tomatoes.

Hunger, rebel fear and lack of opportunities at home had forced youths to migrate to Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh as labourers.

But a chance meeting with horticulturist Anil Kumar of Bokaro’s Krishi Vigyan Kendra in early 2010 turned their lives around.

Inspired by the horticulturist, the youths built check dams to collect wastewater, which they then used to irrigate the arid land.

On doing this, the youths — Gautam Singh, Dileshwar Kumar, Sanjay Prasad, Banshidhar, Mahanand, Gopal and others — said their quality of life had improved unimaginably.

“On Kumar Sir’s advice, we made a small check dam and laid pipes connecting the dam to the field,” said Gautam.