In Odisha, most of the forests are deciduous and during the season starting from late autumn through winter up to early spring, trees experience leaf fall. In this season the air remains dry, the soil loses moisture and the atmospheric temperature is high. The fallen litters including dry leaves are very vulnerable to catching fire and facilitate its spreading. Most of the forest fire incidents occur during this season.
Such incidents in Similipal forest is not new, but the recent spurt of week-long forest fire during end of February and early March is enormous in proportion and devastating, may be due to preceding scanty monsoon rain and prevailing high atmospheric temperature. In 2018 and some previous years also forest fire razed Similipal miserably. It is disturbing that Odisha tops the list of forest fire affected States, according to the recent report by the Forest Survey of India. It is stated that the fire spread areas cover villages even in the core and peripheral zones where the density of wildlife is supposed to be more and cause insurmountable loss and damage to the wild fauna and flora.
The Similipal forest and the adjoining areas with good forest coverage as an ecological niche play a pivotal role in maintaining the water cycle, thermal and ecological balance. The average mean elevation of Similipal plateau is 900 meters.
The highest peaks are Khairiburu (1,178 meters), and Meghasani (1,158 meters). It is the biggest watershed of northern Odisha, giving origin to major rivers like Budhabalanga, Khairi, Salandi, Palpala, Bandhan, Deo and innumerable perennial rivulets and streams meandering through the forest. Amongst several waterfalls Barehipani (217 meters) and Joranda (181 meters) are enchanting.
Interestingly there is a degree of resemblance of floral and faunal composition of Similipal on the Eastern Ghats with those of the Western Ghats and North-East India, while being a representative eco-system within the Mahanadian bio-geographic region. About 55 species of mammals, 29 species of reptiles, 231 species of birds and 1,076 plant species are listed in this plateau. Among the fauna tiger, leopard, elephant, gaur, sloth bear, hyena, ratel, sambar, mouse deer, chital, chousingha, deer, hill myna, peacock, giant squirrel, flying squirrels, Indian tree shrew, reptiles like king cobra and other snakes, etc are appealing. Similipal is also the abode of the rare black and melanistic tiger.
In its river and stream waters it has marsh crocodile, mahaseer fish, and numerous other aquatic species. Among the flora Sal is the climax tree species. Champa, Arjuna, Asana are some of its associated species. The rich orchid flora with about 90 species out of more than 120 in Odisha is the indicator of Similipal’s eco-health and naturalness.
Similipal forest enjoyed the status of a sanctuary from 1979 with an area of 2,200 sq km. A national park was created in 1980 with an area of 303 sq km only within the sanctuary area, which was later enhanced to 845.70 sq km in 1986.
The Similipal Tiger Reserve created in 1956 was included in the first list of nine Project Tiger areas launched in India in 1973. The Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve, notified in 2001, is one of the three elephant reserves created in Odisha.
The Mugger Crocodile scheme was started in 1979 at Ramatirtha near Jashipur. The eighth biosphere reserve of the country was declared in Similipal forest on 22.06.1994 taking a vast stretch of forest land measuring 5,569 sq km. Now there are 18 biosphere reserves in India. The UNESCO included Similipal in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves in 2009.
The densely forested Similipal Biosphere Reserve (BR) area constitutes the core, the buffer and the transition zones. There are four villages in the core and 65 villages in the buffer.
The transition zone covers 1,200 villages with a population of about 5 lakhs. The core (1194.75 sq km), buffer (1555.25 sq km), and transition (2819 sq km) together compose a vast area of 5,569 sq km. The Core zone allows management and research activities that do not affect natural processes and wildlife.
This zone is to be kept free from all human pressures external to the system.
The Buffer zone adjoins the core zone. Only those activities which protect and promote the core zone are allowed here. It includes research, education, limited recreation, tourism, controlled grazing, fishing, etc. The Transition zone is the outer most part of the biosphere reserve. Here conservation knowledge and management skills are applied primarily to foster alternate livelihood and reduce dependence on consumptive use of the forest. Eco-development activities are permitted in this zone to meet local people’s need only but not for commercial purpose. The national park is established in the core zone. As per the provisions of national park, no human habitation is allowed inside it in order to facilitate movement of wild animals freely.
The State Government has successfully relocated villagers from Jenabil, Baghagahan, Upper Barhakamara, Kabatghai and Jamunagarh inside the Similipal Tiger Reserve area between 2010 and 2016. From Bakua 61 families have volunteered to move out.
The threats to the Similipal forest are loss of diversity due to forest fire, collection of timber and fire-wood, indiscriminate vegetation clearance and tree felling, invading of exotic species, Akhanda shikar (annual mass hunting ritual) and animal hunting, natural calamities, etc. Due to loss of density and fragmentation of the forest and increased human pressure the man-animal conflict is increasing.
The causes of forest fire may be natural such as lightening, friction of trees and even soaring temperature or man-made. Poachers set fire to scare and divert the wild animals in order to make them easy for poaching and hunting and do not douse the fire later. Akhanda Shikar, though the scale is reduced now, is the traditional annual ritual of animal hunting; the tribes set fire for making their operation easier. Partially burnt bidi or hukka is thrown on the forest floor unmindfully.
The local villagers set fire to clear the dry litter on the floor for easy collection of mohua flowers, sal seeds, plucking of kendu leaves, etc. Such fires are generally brought under control by natural rains. The tribes also collect honey and other such products in the forest using fire.
Forecasting fire-prone days, creating fire lines, clearing sites of dried biomass and crackdown on poachers and hunters are some of the methods to prevent fire.
The forest fire lines which are strips kept clear of vegetation help break the forest floor into compartments to prevent fires from spreading. Manual control of fire by branches and twigs, water spray, blowers are the traditional practices. Now with advanced technologies the fire points are identified from satellite data making it easy to locate the spots. The crown fire and to some extent ground fire could be controlled by aero-foam and water spray. Whatever may be the efficiency, the rapid action teams, the handful trained staff of forest department alone cannot give justice to the job of fire control in the vast stretches of forests. Participation of the local community, Van Surakhya Samitis, eco-development committees, non-Government organisations, women’s organisations, incentives to village committees for exemplary work, mass awareness are essential in forest fire control and management.
Similipal has a separate identity as the place of domestication of tigress Khairi under the patronage of the-then Forest Conservator Padmashree Saroj Raj Choudhury. The tiger population that increased after the Project Tiger was launched has started decreasing and for the last few years the number remains confined to mere 20 plus or minus. This is only one example to cite here. More studies to update the biodiversity status and the carrying capacity of the Similipal forest to sustain the wildlife, more particularly the key-stone species, livelihood support of local tribal and non-tribal communities, and the anthropogenic pressure including seasonal and man-made forest fire incidents are warranted. Based on the studies, appropriate conservation and management strategies have to be worked out. As Similiapl BR is considered one of the rich natural habitats to support tiger along with other key-stone species, a bold and robust decision has to be taken to declare the entire area inviolable for wildlife. This will also help protect the livelihood of the tribes who are used to live with wildlife from time immemorial.
(Dr Patro is president, Orissa Environmental Society, email: snpatro11@gmail.com)