Report by Shuchi Giridhar
The Great Nicobar Island of India has experienced loss of forest cover over the last few years. This is due to the government having cut down forests to build an international container terminal, an airport, a solar plant, and a township there. Ecologists were worried about the project affecting marine life on the coasts.
The Nicobar Islands are nesting places to sea turtles and megapodes. So, around 14,785 hectares of Aravalli terrain in Haryana has been notified as ‘protected forest land’ to make up for these losses.
This 14,785 hectares of land has been divided between the districts of Gurgaon, Nuh, and Rewari with 1,139 hectares in Gurgaon, 10,074 hectares in Nuh, and 3,572 hectares in Rewari.
This has increased Haryana’s forest cover by 43% – increasing the forest cover from 34,500 hectares to 49,285 hectares. Another 11,200 hectares of Aravali terrain in the three districts will be made ‘protected forest land’ soon.
Earlier, since the land was under Gram Panchayats, no action could be taken. There were reports of illegal mining, illegal felling, and encroachment in the Aravalli land in the past. The Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Rewari, Shri Sunder Singh Sambhariam said that they informed the authorities and wrote to the local office of the Mining Department about these activities. He also said that since the Aravalli terrain is now under government protection, he and his team could take strict action against those found taking part in unlawful acts.
The Aravalli terrain surrounding Haryana is an arid land and is useful for settlement. It has low groundwater levels, ideal for commercial activity. But it has one of the lowest amounts of forest cover in India, due to which it would not only make up for the Nicobar forest, but also increase forestation in that specific area. The area is also experiencing growth of pressure due to urbanization.
The fauna and flora in the Aravalli forest greatly differs from the biodiverse Nicobar forest. The vegetation in the Aravalli terrain is stark and dry compared to the tropical vegetation in the Nicobar rainforest. The benefits derived from the Aravalli forest will differ from the benefits derived from the Nicobar forests. The benefits will only be known with time, according to the survival rate of the saplings planted for the afforestation drive.
Now that the area is under protection there are some rules that have been enforced in this region. They are –
• No individual or group of people can cut, saw, collect, or remove timber or any forest produce from the forest unless they have the permission of the current DFO of that Division in writing.
• They also cannot set fire to grass, trees or timber or kindle a fire on this land, and cut or remove grass without a licence from the DFO or his/hers representative.
• No one may shoot, hunt or fish on this land without a licence from the DFO.
• A DFO may examine any forest produce such as timber that is being removed from the forest to make sure that it has been acquired according to the above laws.