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Protection of forest, a way of life for these tribals

Staff Reporter

They greet the visitors with slogan `If forest survive then we'll survive'

BERHAMPUR: Protection of forests has become part of life at remote villages under north Ghumusar forest division.

In all 167 Vana Sanraksyana Samities (VSS) have come up in the five forest ranges in this forest division comprising areas of Ganjam and Kandhamal districts. According to Divisional Forest Officer Godavarish Panda, the tribal members of VSS owe a great role in the protection of 22 reserve forests of more than 42,048 hectares in this division.

At these 167 villages one is greeted with a namaskar followed by the slogan `Rahile Vana Banchibe Jana' (If forests survive then we'll survive). Even schoolchildren greet each other with this slogan, which speaks of their participation in forest protection.

At villages like Samapalli or Barunapalli, the tribals present lathis used during forest protection to guest as gifts. Each VSS has been given responsibility of joint protection of 200 hectares of forest with the help of forest officials.

The VSS members get non-timber forest produce from the forest protected by them for free. Apart from it they also get royalty from the commercial collection of forest produce like bamboo cutting for paper mills.

Innovative ideas

The forest department has also come up with innovative ideas like award for protection from fire for the VSS in whose area no fire accident occurred. At Dengabhuin village they have promoted an electrification project where the generator is being run using vegetable oil manufactured locally from forest produce.

Cane furniture work is being promoted by the department at Salapataila and Kurudagocha villages of Jagannathpur block.

A vermi-compost unit on commercial basis has started at Mareipet village by the VSS. Units for value addition of herbal produce like Amla has started to appear at villages like Somnathpalli.

Medicinal plants

Cultivation of medicinal plants and mushroom near the villages has become part of VSS activity.

As the collection of forest produce has started to increase, a cooperative called Vanani has been established to market it.

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