Recently, the State Government has launched a scheme to create a Sabuja Balaya (green belt) in the State within four years by spending `1,763 crore. Although the plan is yet to be known in details, there are certain areas which must be taken into consideration before the mammoth plantation drive kicks off.
There are various types of lands whose characters need to be analysed before undertaking plantation there. If appropriate and need-based species of plants are not planted, the whole exercise might prove vain.
The mangrove forests of the river mouths of coastal zone are threatened to be destroyed due to construction of several ports in the 529 km coastline of the State. The mangroves prevent calamities like cyclonic storm and sea erosion from doing much harm to the human settlements.
They reduce the ferocity and strength of the wind and the sea surge. Equatorial area is the most vulnerable to climatic disasters. The mangrove eco-systems in these regions are very important being a major source of protection, though the authorities have failed to feel their worth as yet and hence, have failed to save them.
The Andaman and Nicober islands are coming within the equatorial belt, while the Andaman Sea is the origin of all types of cyclone which directly affect States like Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Again, the south east wind helps the cyclonic wind to blow towards the eastern coast of India. The coral reefs in the Andaman and Nicober sea, which are rock like substances of various colours formed in the bottom of the sea and almost of calcareous substances of certain invertebrate animals, are also on a course of destruction. The destruction of biological qualities of oceanic ecosystems is one of causes of formation of frequent cyclones.
The coral reefs were once present in Gopalpur sea coast, but at present, these reefs have vanished. The increasing activities of sea ports have led to the destruction of the coral reefs. The coral reefs are a part of the mangrove forests or of mangrove eco- systems.
Other than mangrove forests and coral reefs, there are evergreen eco-belts of various natures within the seacoast depending on the edaphic factors of the climatic region. In Odisha, such ecological systems have been thoroughly destroyed due to rising of various commercial institutions within the sea belt. Rehabilitation work of such forests should be undertaken through the “Sabuja Balaya” programme by the Sabuja Odisha Commission. The sustainability of the climatic forests should be maintained first for protection of human beings as well as animals.
December 10 is observed as the Human Rights Day in international level. Disaster management is also part of human rights issues. The maintenance of coastal eco- systems too comes under human rights since it is an issue pertaining to human existence and safety. So the State Government should take all efforts to maintain the coastal eco- systems.
Similarly there are several bald- headed hillocks within our State, which were once rich tropical forests. Due to indiscriminate felling and mining, the hillocks were rendered bald and barren. The availability of soil moisture is also a problem within these areas. The rapid evaporation of soil moisture due to bareness of the topography creates problems which brings further problem for maintaining atmospheric moisture. Such a situation brings aridity and leads to a rise in atmospheric temperature. Hence, the rehabilitation of bald- headed forest blocks should be tackled first to maintain atmospheric health.
Similarly, the plain forests are also being destroyed heavily by land grabbers and tribals and other forest dwellers. Due to mining and industrial operations, the tribals and other forest dwellers are losing their habitat and hence, in order to resettle them, they are destroying more and more forests. The forest dwellers should be settled first while the issue of unauthorized encroachers should fixed under the Sobuja Balaya operations.
In many cases, cashew plantations are raised removing the natural forests which were considered once uneconomic. Cash crops like cashew nut and economic plants like eucalyptus and acacia are raised. This is an ecological blunder. The act of removal of indigenous species and planting of exotic species should not be entertained under the Sahuja Balaya mission.
The ecologically favoured species are only to be entertained in this scheme. There should be intensive planning for working out the scheme. Similarly, soil conservation measures as well as moisture conservation measures should be taken up before raising of any species within the areas suffering from aridity and parched condition. The writer has noticed there are several plantations raised without taking up proper soil and moisture conservation measures, which end up in failure of the scheme and mere wastage of money.
Community rights should be given priority during operation of the project. Similarly, the rights and livelihoods of the local people should not be ignored to make the scheme successful. Unless a scheme like this is people- oriented, it cannot succeed. The officials to be engaged in the operations of the plantation should be pro-people to achieve the desired results.
The State Government has proposed to invest Rs 438. 20 crore under the scheme, while from other sources, Rs 1,325.32 crore will be invested in the programme. In the first year, Rs 85.40 crore will be spent from the Government coffers, while Rs 238 crore will be spent in the scheme from other sources. If the programme becomes successful, it will go a long way in achieving the required green cover and tackling pollution related problems.
Recently, at a conference in Bali of Indonasia islands on world trade of food stuffs, Union Commerce and Industries Anand Sharma laid stress on right to food to every individual in every developing country. This is definitely a very good idea. But how far it is undertaken in India itself needs to be studied. There is a large section of people, who are living within forest areas and are deprived of the right to food. let alone food, the fast devastation of natural forests has threatened their very existence.
Under such a scenario, rehabilitation of degraded forests and barren forest lands should be taken up under programmes like the Sabuja Balaya mission to ensure that the forest dwellers do not lose their habitat and livelihood. Almost all the hill and forest blocks of Odisha, including some plain forests, are found having deposits of minerals like iron ore, bauxite, chromites,
manganese ore, coal etc. Such lands should be brought under the Sauja Odisha mission for proper management of their greenery and be planted with more fruit beating trees,
which are usually needed by forest dwellers and animals of the land.
(The writer is a former senior forest officer and an environmentalist)