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Degradation
Of Himalayan
Forests
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Barley
Cultivation in Lahoul-Spiti
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The total forested area of the Himalayan
region is reported to be 30 percent. In reality the Himalayas
have been deforested to a larger extent. The floods in the plains
of the sub-continent are its direct result. Every year, vast areas
in Bangladesh and many parts of our country are submerged resulting
in devastation of standing crops, loss of human life and damage
to immovable property worth millions of rupees. The colossal amount
spent by the Government by way of relief to the adversely affected
people virtually goes down the drain as nothing can halt the floods
and improve the situation except re-afforestation of watershed
areas in the Himalayas that have been denuded of forest cover
by indiscriminate felling over the years.
The Indus Water Treaty with
Pakistan has no provision regarding re-afforestation of Indus'
watershed areas by either India or Pakistan or both. Regrettably,
the Government of India has also not so far entered into any international
agreement with Nepal about re-afforestation of the Himalayas falling
in the latter's territory. Until some effective steps to remedy
the situation are taken, the floods in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West
Bengal will continue to create havoc in these states.
Prior to the 16th century AD
the forests in Jammu & Kashmir formed a part of fiefdoms ruled
by chieftains. After the late Maharaja Gulab Singh
established the rule of law and consolidated the state that the
squatters gave up their holdings in the forests and settled down
in the plains. Earlier, forests were administered by the civil
authority, the Wazir-i-Wazarat (head of district administration).
The Tehsildar under him used to manage the affairs of a
tehsil. The Girdawar used to collect "Rasum"
(forest dues) initially from individuals and later on from village
communities as a whole for various forest produces consumed and
utilised by them. The "Rasum" used to be collected at the
will of the administration and the protection of forest was not
thought of. There was no control over the quantity of forest produce
consumed by the locals so long as "Rasum" was paid.
Thus the forests were only worked with the object of securing
increasing revenue from them. The departmental felling for timber
export began sometime in 1885, originally through traders from
Punjab and later by local contractors. The "Pattas" (written
permits) were issued to traders on payment of a fixed sum per
tree in advance to fell certain number of trees without specifying
the area. As a result, trees were felled at places that were convenient
and economical for extraction. It resulted in heavy illicit felling.
The State Forest Department was set up in 1881. The forests were
divided into compartment blocks which were grouped into various
ranges and effective steps were taken to check illicit felling.
The State Council passed the Forest Regulation No. 1 of 1884.
Survey and demarcation of forest boundaries were initiated. Gradually
the Forest Department expanded to cope with the increasing workload.
In 1904, the departmental working of forests was abandoned and
the practice, obtaining in the other Forest Departments in the
country, of auctioning standing trees was adopted.
With the practice of auctioning standing
trees to private parties on royalty basis, the process of devastation
of forests in the J&K started. Indiscriminate felling of trees
by lessees, in collusion with forest officials, over and above
the yield prescribed by the Working Plan became common. It continued
unabated till forests were nationalised by the Act of the State
Legislature in 1986. After 1947, the number of forest lessees
increased manifold because of increased demand for timber both
inside and outside the state. It resulted in unprecedented exploitation
of virgin forests. However, the maximum gain from uncontrolled
felling has been to forest lessees with the state exchequer getting
very little. This malpractice continued unabated till 1985-1986.
The Government has been consistent
pressing the Forest Department to earn as much annual revenue
as could be raised from the auction of forests It cared least
for the regeneration of forests. The denudation of high ranges
is the result of this unplanned working.
95% of fires that destroy forests
are because of careless or deliberate acts by human beings. Unfortunately,
no effective steps have been taken all these years to prevent
intentional or accidental forest fires. The greedy forest lessees
set fire to forest blocks after exploiting it and then claiming
right to fell trees in other ones. The forest officials collude
with the lessees in this game.
The worst victim
of the explosive population growth and the hunger for land is
forest land which continues to be treated as "nobody's land".
The forest in close proximity of villages and urban centres have
been extensively encroached upon with impunity.
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Thakur
Raghu Nath Singh
Formerly of Indian Administrative Service
Jammu
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