The geographical area of Kalahandi district is 8,168.6 sqkm which comes to 5.25 per cent of the total land area of the State. Similarly, the district’s population is 3.57 per cent of the total population of the State. The whole district is divided into two revenue sub-divisions, four tehsils and 13 community development blocks. The Karlapat plateau has an altitude of 1,213 meters from mean sea level, including Tangir Dongar at 1,229 meters, Baphalimali at 1,220 meters and Depagiri at 924 meters respectively.
The physiography of the district is very peculiar, which covers valleys, hills, plateaus and plains of river Tel and its tributaries. The tropical evergreen, tropical semi-evergreen and tropical deciduous of dense crop composition with 100 per cent crown coverage are seen. The Tel river is the guiding factor of geo-ecological complex of undivided Kalahandi State.
Dharamgarh revenue sub-division and major portion of Sadar sub division, which includes Bhawanipatana town and the Madanpur-Rampur range, act as the basin of the Tel river. Dharangarh revenue sub-division is known as granary of the district.
The Golamunda forest block comprises of pure teak forest with admixture of other deciduous species being positioned in the western side of the Tel river. Eastern side of the river comprises of pure Sal forests with other evergreen species. The eastern side of the river comprises of Jayapatna, Thuamul Rampur ex-Zamindary or ex-estate forests. The Thuamul-Rampur range comprises of Sal and sandalwood forests. Similarly, the Bari forests, the Karlapat forests and the lanjigada forests, which cover the eastern half of the district, are close to Rayagada district. The north western boundary of Kandhamal district sustains dense Sal forests of tropical ever-green type.
Again the southern boundary of the district touches the northern margin of Koraput district, which encloses the Ambapani-Kandagrah hill range forests of evergreen nature. When its western boundary touches the Nabarangpur district, the eastern margin of the district encloses the Rayagada district. The district sustains very rich ecological complex, where once plenty of big cats like tiger and leopard, especially black leopard, wild buffaloes, deer and various antelopes were noticed. The Karlapat sanctuary is enriched with tiger, leopard, panther, elephant, wild pig, gaur, Sambar, Nilgai, barking deer, mouse deer etc.
The Tel river is a major tributary of the Mahanadi which flows down through Kalahandi district and joins at Subarnapur. The stream system of Tel river is very dynamic. There are nine tributaries of the river. The six tributaries like Hati, Sagada, Ret, Utai Nala, Raul and Kodogo join the river in the right bank. Tributaries like Udanti, Undare and lannt join left bank of the river.
It is unfortunate that the hill forests which come under the ex-princely State of Kalahandi and ex- zamindary forests of Jayapatna and Thuamul Rampur are not given any lawful status as per the provision Indian Forest Act 1927 or Orissa Forest Act 1972. So the forests of water-shed areas of the rivers are mismanaged.
There are two forest divisions in the district, designated as Kalahandi south and Kalahandi north divisions. After independence, there are two forest divisions which were known as Kashipur Forest Division and Kalahandi Forest Division. The eastern side of the Tel river covers the Kashipur Forest Division, now in Rayagada district. The entire western side of Tel river covers the Kalahandi Forest Division.
The writer served a considerable length of period in the Forest Department in Kashipur Forest Division and has some knowledge on the features of the Kalahandi ecology.
If the physiography of the district is taken into account, it is certain that, three-fourth of the district covers hill forests which are under denudation due to loss of forest cover for various reasons. The National Forest Policy 1988 says the proportion of forest cover to be maintained with respect to land mass of the country. It says one third of the total land mass of the country should be under forest cover, but the aim should be two-third of forest-cover in the hills and in mountain regions in order to prevent erosion and land degradation and to ensure stability of the fragile eco-systems. Due to non implementation of the provisions in Chapter II, III and IV of Orissa Forest Act 1972, a large chunk of forest land is now in the books of Revenue Department which are known as Anabadi irrespective of hills and plains. Anabadi means it is not owned by anybody. So the Revenue Department is the sole authority of the land. Although the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980 prevents the use of such land for non-forest purposes, the political whim works better than the ecological needs. So an intensive planning is needed for proper settlement of forest land on the manner and the procedure of the Orissa Forest Act, 1972. The Chapter II of the Act deals with reserve forests.
The hill forests which are ecologically sensitive should be brought under the reserve forests. There are also reserve forests in both Kalahandi south and north forest divisions, but there are no village forests as per the provisions of Chapter III of the Act. The Orissa Village Forest Rules have also been promulgated since 1985, but the rules are not followed. The management of State forest land is an excellent idea of forest management through village communities. Similarly, Chapter IV of the Orissa Forest Act 1972 deals with protected forests. In Kalahandi princely State, most people used to get their annual needs like firewood, small size timbers for repair of their houses, and agricultural implements including minor forest produces. But now the practices have been practically discontinued on the silent approval of the administration.
When the land is in the records of the Revenue Department, how can the forest resources on the land be managed by the Forest DepartmentIJ So, the entire State should be brought under the book of the Forest Department.
(The writer is a former senior forest officer and an environmentalist. Tel no 9937460649)
