TIRUCHI: : In an attempt to involve tribals in protecting the ecology of the Pachamalai hills, the Forest Department has evolved a pilot project conceptualising the convergence of women's

self-help groups (SHGs) and "joint forest management" initiatives.

The project seeks to involve SHGs in forest conservation and regeneration in view of the rapid degradation of the ecology of Pachamalai in Tiruchi and Perambalur districts, which includes over 5,000 hectares of reserve forest besides a huge area of deemed forest coming under the Tamil Nadu Hill Area (Preservation of Trees) Act, 1955.

The denuding of the forest cover by the rampant felling of trees in both reserve forest and patta lands and "clear filling" of land (mowing of trees in large tracts to convert them into cultivable lands) posed a problem in the hills. Tapioca cultivation in large areas has already contributed to heavy soil erosion and rundown in the slopes. With an increasing human encroachment, the wildlife habitat of the hills, which include bisons, deer, pythons, panthers, monkeys and birds, was being increasingly disturbed.

To arrest the trend and conserve the hill ecology, Tiruchi Forest Division officials have hit upon the idea of utilising the SHGs promoted by the district administration by mobilising their members into village forest tribal committees. The committees are entrusted with the task of protecting the forest wealth even while providing gainful employment to the locals in the process. About 100 to 200 acres of forest area have been attached to each of these committees. Importantly, the committee members were allowed to collect the minor forest produce and medicinal plants available in their assigned areas for their own benefit. The committee members, in turn, were required to desist from felling trees, "clear filling" and letting their cattle graze in the forest areas.

Of the 56 tribal villages in the hills, 21 have been covered so far. As many as 38 SHGs with nearly 500 members have been involved in the scheme. The Forest Department has dove-tailed the Special Central Assistance to Tribals with the project to extend financial assistance to the SHG members for income generation — essentially agriculture and allied activities. Already about Rs.21.75 lakhs has been disbursed to the SHG members. "The initiative is primarily an experiment aimed at involving the women in conservation," the District Forest Officer, K. V. Giridhar, told The Hindu .

The tribals were also being encouraged to take up alternate crops such as cashew and tamarind. The department has proposed to provide training to the SHGs in dairy development, harnessing of minor forest produce, cashew and tamarind cultivation, collection and processing. It has also been planned to allot government promboke lands to the committees for taking up afforestation programmes.

The Forest Department has forwarded proposals for extending the project for 10 more villages next year and also for taking up community development works. "We hope to cover all tribal villages in the next two to three years," Mr. Giridhar said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous | Engagements |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Updates: Breaking News |