PART- VI: JK Forest Deptt knows that 15998.64 hectares of its land has been encroached yet helpless!

GREEN GOLD IN DANGER: PART-VI

1351 sq kms of dense forest degraded in between 2001-2003

*As per the law, only dry trees can be cut and we have banned the export of high quality timber outside the State. But the demand of the timber even within the State is increasing every day, making people break the laws.

*Every year, fire in the Government timber depots has become common resulting in huge losses to the State exchequer.

Ajmer Alam Wani

JAMMU, AUG 29: The Jammu and Kashmir State which is known world wide for its natural beauty has already lost more than 13 per cent of its forest area since partition of the country in 1947. The total forest area of Jammu and Kashmir State, is 20230 sq km of which the Kashmir region has 8128 sq kms, Jammu region 12066 sq kms and the Ladakh region has 36 sq kms. According to Forest Report 2003 issued by Forest Survey of India, forest cover was 24214 sq kms which is less than the 2001 assessment. The Forest Department in its report has admitted that 1351 sq kms of dense forest has been degraded either to open forest, scrubs, or non-forest. On the other hand during the year 2007-2008 the total forest land encroached was 15998.64 hectares which is alarming and increasing by years. The people living near forests have continuous tendency of encroaching upon forest lands the total area of encroachment registered ending 3/2008 in Jammu region was 6903.64 hectares and in Kashmir region 9094.78 hacters which amounts to a total of 15998.64 hectors. Studies have revealed that the low productivity of agriculture fields and booming population are the main reasons of encroachments, including diversion of forest land for development activities like roads, hydro electric projects, etc. This is a serious problem with which forest department is confronted with. If sources are to be believed than on an average, Jammu And Kashmir State has lost 74.37 sq.kms of its forest area every year since country divided in 1947. Jammu and Kashmir is a state where 48 per cent of the rural population is directly or indirectly dependent on forests, so the economic consequences could not be long delayed. The forest wealth of the State includes trees like Deodhar, Blue Pine and Silver Fir. A normal Deodhar tree is 120 feet tall and is worth over Rs.1, 00,000 in the market has borne the main brunt of exploitation. Sources revealed that more than 40, 00,000 Deodhar trees have been extracted from the dense forests, directly affecting the livelihood of poor households. Even in pre-1947 era, the abundant forest wealth was one of the main sources of revenue for the State. The state not only met its own needs but was also the main source of raw material of wood for northwestern India before Partition. It was also responsible for the spiraling growth of the industries mainly the sports and furniture established in 1920s. The Chenab flowing through the area was a vital means of transportation of timber from forests. But after 1947, high altitude areas of the segment, once a green zone, fell victim to ruthless deforestation and poor planning. Partition did not decrease the demand for timber; it continued to increase. As per the law, only dry trees can be cut and we have banned the export of high quality timber outside the State. But the demand of the timber even within the State is increasing every day, making people break the laws. The State falls on the unstable geological formation of the rising Himalayas. Deforestation is described as the root cause of various ecological problems, whether landslides or shrinking water bodies. The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway 1A was constructed by cutting the hilly areas without planting trees along the sides, which made it susceptible to frequent landslides. Thus soil erosion started and the areas were no longer suitable for cultivation. The village economy was no longer self-sufficient and some areas close to the highway were even washed away, particularly in the Ramban belt midway on the highway. Checks devised by the authorities failed to prevent the illegal timber extraction in the remote areas. The State Government granted licenses to the forest contractors to fell trees. Trees were felled and later sold in the open markets. Ironically, the forest contractors settled in towns owed their economic prosperity to the timber trade, while the local population in the forest rich belts remained steeped in poverty. The local involvement in the timber trade was restricted to manual labour and shifting timber sleepers after they were cut. In 1979, increasing criticism led the Government to nationalize the sale of timber. Only the State Forest Corporation (SFC) was allowed auction the timber. The forest contractors were allowed only to extract the trees, which were then deposited in the forest depots and sent to the urban centres for public auctioning by the State Forest Corporation. A triangular nexus between the contractors, bureaucracy and local politicians defeated the entire exercise. The forest contractors sold part of the timber in the illegal markets, while the checks failed to crack down on this illicit practice. Every year, fire in the Government timber depots has become common resulting in huge losses to the State exchequer. From time to time it has been alleged that most Forest Depots are set on fire to cover up the shortfall of the timber in the official records.

Division-wise forest area under encroachment as on ending 3/2008

S. No.	Name of Division		Forest area under encroachment 2001-3/2008 (Ha)
	A/Srinagar Circle	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2006-07	Ending March 2008
1	Pir Panchal	890	450	450	890.20	511.64	725.37
2	Sindh	230	151.00	150.50	150.50	150-00	489
3	Bandipura	270	164	304.45	158.85	304.45	158.85
Total		1194	1390	765	1345.15	966.09	1373.22
	B/South Circle
1	Anantnag	1065	1060	1060.11	1060.11	1414.18	1740
2	Lidder Division	295	25	-	295.00
3	Shopian	768	950	-	1000.00	1000.00	1021.6
Total		1664	2128	2035	1060.11	2709.18	3148.36
C/North Circle
1	J.V.Baramulla	196	221.64	-	196	410.64	410.64
2	Langate	542	95	996	542	2619.50	2619.50
3	Kehmil	1070	1007	794.44	1067	1006.00	1006.00
4	Kamraj	737	419	395	663	537.06	537.06
Total		2284.90	2545	1742.64	2185.44	4573.20	4573.20
Total Kashmir Province		5142.90	6063	4542.64	4590.70	8248.47	9095.47
D/East Circle
1	Jammu	17.25	185.40	-	17.25	17.25	186.6
2	Kathua	37.45	37.45	37.45	37.45	37.45	38.00
3	Udhampur	14.20	14.20	14.20	14.20	14.20	14.20
4	Ramnagar	-	-	231.55	-	235.10	35.06
5	Billawar	221.55	221.55	221.55	221.55	221.55	224.15
Total		273.30	290.45	458.60	504.75	525.55	498.01
E/Chenab Circle
1	Batote	444.80	444.85	464.86	489.00	411.47	411.10
2	Kishtwar	278.55	278.55	278.55	278.55	278.55	278.55
3	Doda	385.70	385.65	385.65	385.70	385.70	385.70
4	Ramban	208.35	204.90	208.00	1533.10	1533.10	1533.10
5	Marwah	4.50	4.50	4.50	4.50	4.50	4.50
6	Bhaderwah	-	-	638.90	-	-	-
Total		1038.85	1321.90	1318.45	1979.96	2613.32	2613.50
F/West Circle
1	Poonch	225	1837	1837	183	183.70	183.70
2	Rajouri	-	-	2201.65	-	2057.03	2057.05
3	Reasi	125.44	125.44	125.44	125.44	125.44	125.44
4	Mahore	879.00	879.00	879.00	879.40	879.40	879.00
5	Nowshera	502	53.40	536.40	536.40	546.94	546.94
Total		2327.09	1731.44	2894.64	5579.49	3792.25	3792.13
Total Jammu Province		3639.24	3343.79	4671.89	8064.20	6931.54	6903.64
Grand Total		8782.4	9406.79	9214.53	12654.90	15179.30	15999.47