Prospects of setting up a paper mill in Bijapur have now become bleak due to inadequate availability of bamboos required for making of paper.
The quantity of bamboo required for the paper mill is in short supplied, since the local populace consumed the terminal buds and young plants of the bamboo also known as Basta a popular dish in Tribal areas of Bastar thereby affecting the growth of bamboo. The tender buds of the bamboo trees are widely consumed by the Tribal of this region as a vegetable called ‘Basta’. Poachers in the Jungle also make heaps of young bamboo plants and set fire on them while hunting as it is burns rapidly. The State Government considering adequate produce of Bamboo in Bijapur division was planning to set up a paper mill in Bijapur but the gradually shrinking area of Bamboo plantation the plan is still in doldrums.
According to the data available from the forest department, four divisions in Bastar circle has more than 60 thousand hectare of land secured for bamboo plantation. Naxal threat is the other major factor due to which bamboos are not being supplied to the village depot. local populace of Batar use bamboo to make baskets, curtain and other materials of daily use. Bastar forest range officer Govind Singh said that villagers are told not to pluck the terminal buds of the growing bamboo tree for Basta. He said that villagers are being taught that consuming buds of the bamboo cause damage to the plant hence affecting the crop production. Singh said that now arrangement have been made that if terminal buds of bamboo found being sold in local village market then the buds will be confiscated. Meanwhile security committee of the forest would keep vigil and remain watchful.