The Hindu : Reed-cutting forces tuskers out of forests

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 29, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Reed-cutting forces tuskers out of forests

By Our Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA, FEB. 28. The "unscientific" and "indiscriminate" reed-cutting in the Periyar Elephant Reserve that houses the Ranni, Konni and Achenkoil forest divisions has been reportedly forcing wild elephants foray into the human habitations adjoining the forest areas.

There have been frequent reports of crop destruction by wild elephants in the farms adjoining the forests in the Ranni and Konni forest divisions.

Ironically, the authorities concerned found to have taken no pragmatic step to probe into the exact cause of the "wild elephant menace'' being reported from different parts of Pathanamthitta and Idukki districts and take measures to check it.

Experts told the The Hindu that random reed-cutting in the elephant habitats was causing food scarcity, forcing the pachyderms to feed on the crops in the farmlands there. Reed-cutting from the forests in the Periyar Elephant Reserve is being carried out allegedly by the Bamboo Corporation and the Hindustan Newsprint Limited. The contractors employ hundreds of reed-cutters without briefing them on the rules and regulations of reed-cutting.

A reed-cutter from Neyyattinkara said that

he was not aware of any such guidelines.

Though cutting the entire lot of reeds from an area is against the law, many of the reed-cutters appear to be least concerned about its negative impact on the forest eco-system.

Many forest officials engaged in eco-development activities told The Hindu that the rampant extraction of tender reeds from the forests would adversely affect reed growth in the forests. According to them, it is high time a scientific study was initiated to assess the damage caused in the forest environs due to indiscriminate reed-cutting in the past several years.

Thomas P. Thomas, environmentalist and Botany lecturer at the Kozhencherry St. Thomas College, feels that certain areas should be specifically earmarked for reed-cutting so as to restrict the activity only to a limited area and minimise the human intervention in the forests.

The guidelines say that cutting of reeds should be made before its gregarious flowering period and the tender reeds should never be cut. The cutting of reeds from the banks of streams and rivers in the forests is also strictly prohibited. The reed areas are also found to be water sources in the forests.

However, reed-cutting generates jobs. Though the contractors are supposed to engage local people and tribals for reed-cutting, most of the workers are found to be `criminal elements' coming from far-off places who seldom care for the protection of forests and the environment.

Moreover, new roads are being made for transportation of reeds in lorries and these in turn act as entry points for poachers.

It is high time the authorities took steps to check it in the interests of the protection of wildlife and conservation of the forest eco-system.

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