The Vana Suraksha Samiti (VSS) of Chindaguda village held a meeting on Monday to discuss about the status of forest growth inside the Gadrasani forest located in the north of the village.

The forest spreads over an area of about 55 hectares in four patches.

The villagers of Chindaguda and Mudosil have been protecting the forest since last 20 years. The protection started in 1996 as a one-man endeavour by Buti Majhi of Chindaguda village.He restricted entry of people and animals into the forest by guarding it day and night accompanied by his wife.

In ten years, the forest grew, but at the same time, it became the target of smugglers. Majhi, thus, approached the villagers to form a committee and the VSS with the support of the Forest Department was constituted in the year 2009.

The members decided in the meeting that they should hold a walk inside the forest accompanied by the forest officials to see the forest growth, the density and diversity of species. Forest officials, a local villager having expertise in raising nurseries along with this correspondent and a member of Bundhia dongar VSS were also present.

President of Gadrasani VSS Dhanmat Bishi informed about the species inside the forest during the walk. “The main patch of the forest with an area of about 30 hectares is Gadrasani. Three other patches adjacent to Gadrasani are also there spreading over an area of about 20 hectares. They are the abodes of different local deities known as Banjaren, Bastaren, Bhanargharen, Jagatren and Damenbai. The villagers worship the deities every year during the Bihan Chinna Jatra, which is held in the beginning of Kharif season” informed Bishi.

It was interesting that the density as well as the diversity of plants (including bushes and creepers) in the areas, inhabited by the deities, was good, but in other places, the forest has become thin.

Bishi and other committee members informed that the trees in the forests where deities are located are never felled, so the patches are dense.

Teak was the only species in some patches. Bishi informed that growth of local species has been restricted due to the growth of teak species in those patches. He also informed that a forest fire last year destroyed a major portion. The meeting of the VSS followed by the walk dealt with all these matters in detail and agreed that, there is lack of watch and ward resulting in loss of density.

“We have to increase the density and diversity by planting the local varieties of trees,” said the members. The forest officials informed that they have saplings of some indigenous species like charkoli, kuliher and mahua etc, which they could supply to the committee for plantation. The members decided that they would plant at least 200 trees this year. They also planned to approach the Panchayat for some funds under the MGNREGS to construct stone contour bunds to check soil erosion.

The committee members have a lot of enthusiasm for conserving the biodiversity but they are not sure what would be the response of the Government departments.