These days, huge money is spent by the State Forest Department for rehabilitation of degraded forests. The degraded forests mean the natural ecological systems, which were capable of renewing themselves once. Managing them sustainably is now a big challenge before the authorities.
Man is primarily responsible for degradations of forests. The steps taken to check erosion of forest lands are not enough. When the ecosystems are repeatedly damaged and are under constant threat, it is sure to trigger a crisis.
In every moment, erosion of soil and formation of new soil take place. The soil erosion is generally caused through rain and wind. The soil particles are displaced from one place to other, particularly through these two agencies. In this process, water channels and streams of rivers are formed, including the deltas. By this process, the whole landscapes of the earth are formed.
But the presence of grasses, trees and thick vegetations over the earth surface always reduces the rate of soil moisture degradation and deterioration, which checks soil erosion. They also help form new soils in a natural process. If proper management of soil and soil moisture are not made, there would be constant soil erosion, paving the way for desertification.
So, the need of the hour is perfect planning and a management policy should be carefully prepared for existence of life in the earth. Huge money is flowing to the States for conservation of soil and soil moisture and the funds must be used efficiently and transparently to achieve the objectives.
Erosion by rain can broadly be classified as splash erosion or sheet erosion, where soil particles are displaced in the form of sheets. The second stage of sheet erosion is gully erosion and the third stage is accelerated erosion. So these three stages should be brought under scientific treatment in a planned manner. If the soil conservation measure is taken up efficiently to prevent rain drop erosion or the sheet erosion, the questions of gully erosion or the accelerated erosion will not arise.
If we take the case of Odisha, there are nine categories of forests, which cover total 61,204.10 square kilometers of area. There should be perfect planning for each forest division for tackling soil erosion and conservation of existing forests. There are 49 forest divisions in the State, excluding the Nandankanan. For each division, a specific scheme for rehabilitation of degraded forests needs to be carried out. Similarly, the stages of soil erosion and the categories, including the gravities of soil eroded, should be dealt with separately and in a planned manner. The rehabilitation of degraded forests includes strict conservation of existing forest growth and creation of new forests through massive trees planting and soil conservation practices. Even every blade of grass should be protected in these areas and the ground should be perfectly covered by vegetations. The areas come under sheet erosions should be planted with local ground floras with inter-planting of indigenous tree species to provide crown covers to the lands under soil erosions.
Similarly, scientific operations like “gully plugging” and gully control measures should be carried out to keep the soil erosion under control. Every gully, small to big, should be treated through construction of masonry dams, masonry – cum – vegetative dams or through purely vegetative dams, which can reduce the force of flow of water in the hilly lands. The degree of the hill slopes in the lands under soil erosion should also be taken into accounts, while tackling the gully lands meticulously. If the measures are taken in a scientific manner, erosion can be stopped. Where there is acceleration of soil erosions, there are different types of soil conservation measures to prevent them and renewal of indigenous floras and faunas is necessary there. If new succession of plants in such lands is encouraged, the acceleration of soil erosion in such gravely affected lands can easily be kept under control. Generally, the hill slopes are most affected by the three types of erosions. The acceleration of soil erosions in hills also gives rise to the landslides and avalanches, which commonly happen in the Himalayan States. While raising of plantations on hills slopes under erosion can be a solution, the soil preparation measures in a scientific process should be carried out. The bench terracing operations to form terraced lands for raising forest crops and agricultural crops should be carried out to prevent soil erosion and for productive purposes of the lands. Our tribal communities as well as forest dwellers know perfectly well, what is terracing and how the hilly lands can be brought under agro practices.
Now, the State Soil Conservation Department, the Agriculture Department and the Forest Department are carrying out soil conservation measures for raising different types of agro- forestry crops in hilly areas through soil conservation practices. The rain water which generally flows down through gullies channels and streams without proper utilisation for the mankind can successfully by utilised for our agro forestry practices.
These days, massive soil conservation works are going on in Ghatagaon areas of Keonjhar district for rehabilitation of degraded forests for the wildlife management of the State. Not only Ghatagaon forest, but all the forest blocks of the State are now under the scheme. As is learnt, tractors and cranes are used for carrying out soil conservation practices in the forest block of Ghatagaon. As per sources, the registered numbers of tractors mentioned in the work voucher of the Forest Department were found to be the registered numbers of two wheelers on verification. If this is the fact, the honesty maintained in soil conservation in the tribal lands can be well imagined. All these matters should be dealt heavily. The State Vigilance Department should take appropriate steps to curb corruption and book the culprits. The unscrupulous forest employees spoil the objectives of social welfare by resorting to unfair means.
Similarly, compensatory afforestation programmes are underway for raising plantation of different mining lands, particularly in tribal lands for upliftment of tribal and forest dwellers’ economy. But nothing is done systematically or in a planned way with much sincerity to meet the aims and objectives of the forest managements.
Poor people are generally associated with Kendu leaf operations. But if a lion’s share of the money is siphoned off by the unscrupulous employees, what benefit will go to the poor peopleIJ