While industrialisation and mining activities are showing an upward trend in Jharsuguda district, kendu leaf production unfortunately is going down over the years.
Starting from collection of leaves to their storage in godowns, workers get their wage for some months which meet their basic needs. But the decreasing trend of production in Jharsuguda division by 34 per cent over last four decades has been a matter of concern.
The Jharsuguda division was once an important division in kendu leaf production. Starting from Rengali in Sambalpur and Duduka of Sundargarh , this division was the best in quality kendu leaf production. But during the nineties, with extension of MCl's Ib valley, lakhanpur and Vasundhara coalmine area contributing towards industrial growth, kendu leaf production has been greatly affected.
While its production in 1983 was 17,661.3 quintal (qtl) , it came down to 11800.8 qtl in 2017. If this trend continues, the production will reach the lowest figure in the next decade causing substantial loss of revenue to the Government.
In the industrial process, forest land is squeezed alongside less production of kendu leaf. Command area also has come down to 26,400 hectares. Out of nine ranges in Jharsuguda division, three have lost its identity. Within last three decades, Rengali and Sodamal ranges have been shut down. Similarly, the number of Fadis has also come down from 395 in 2000 to 333 in 2017. Gopalpur range is the most affected due to mining activities of the MCl.
These days, the range is also affected due to pollution by coal dust and quality of leaves going down. With mining activities extending its net to Brajrajnagar, Belpahar, lakhanpur, Hemgir, Vasundhara, Gopalpur areas, kendu leaf quality is also affected by its black colour. Besides, the public has also started shifting their reliance from kendu leaf these days.
While more than 35,000 kendu leaf pluckers were active in the last few decades, the figure has miserably come down to only 28,685 now causing revenue loss to the State.