STATE FOREST REPORT

WEST BENGAL 2006 - 2007

GOVERNMENT OF WEST BENGAL DIRECTORATE OF FORESTS OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS KOLKATA

CONTENTS
Page No.

1. 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 2. 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 3. 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 4. 4.1 4.2 5. 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 6. 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.4.1 6.4.2 6.4.3

INTRODUCTION Population of West Bengal, since 1901 Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Population in West Bengal. (Census, 2001) Area, Population Density in West Bengal (Census,2001) Important Demographic Features of West Bengal LANDUSE, CLIMATE AND SOIL Annual Range of Temperature in the Districts of West Bengal Annual Average Rainfall in West Bengal Agro-Ecological Classification of Soils in West Bengal Agro-climatic zones of West Bengal Soil Problems in West Bengal FOREST LAND, FOREST COVER AND VEGETATION Legal Status of Forests in West Bengal since 1901 Districtwise Area under Forests by Legal Status in West Bengal Districtwise distribution of Geographical Area and Recorded Forest Area in W.Bengal. Comparative statement of Forest cover Forest Area under Major Forest Types in West Bengal. Principal species under Major Forest Types in West Bengal. Degraded notified Forest Land in West Bengal. DIVERSION OF FOREST LAND UNDER FOREST (CONSERVATION) ACT, 1980 Diversion of Forest Land in West Bengal for Non-Forest use since the enforcement of Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 Statement showing the position of cases approved for Diversion of Forest Land, under FCA, 1980 and Compensatory Afforestation done as on 31.03.2006. FOREST ORGANISATION IN WEST BENGAL IFS and WBFS Cadre strength in West Bengal. Categorywise number of sanctioned posts in the Directorate and present strength. Administrative units under the Forest Directorate. Number of Ranges and Beats under Forest Directorate. REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE Revenue from major heads during 2006-2007. Statement showing unit-wise Revenue for 2006-2007. Statement showing unitwise expenditure for the year 2006-2007. Statement showing schemewise expenditure for the year 2006-2007. State Plan Schemes. State Plan (Committed) Schemes. Centrally Sponsored and Central Sector Schemes.
i

1-3 1 1 2 3 4-13 6 7 8 11 12 14-18 14 15 16 16 17 17 18

19-21 20 21 22-32 24 27 30 31 33-47 33 34 38 42 42 43 44

6.4.4 6.5 7. 7.1 7.2 7.3 8. 8.1 8.2 9. 9.1 9.2 10. 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 11. 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8 11.9 11.10 11.11 11.12 11.13 11.14

Non Plan Schemes. Actual Expenditure under Major heads during 2002-2003 to 2006-2007. FOREST PROTECTION, FIRE AND ENCROACHMENT Number of Illicit felling cases detected, seizures done and persons arrested. Forest Fire Report 2006-07. Status of Encroachment of Forest Land in West Bengal. WORKING PLAN AND GIS Status of Working Plan in West Bengal as in 2007. Forest and Tree Cover of West Bengal 2006 AFFORESTATION AND FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES Afforestation Activities during 2006-07 (Schemewise). Progress of Afforestation through successive Plans. JOINT FOREST MANAGEMENT Forest Protection Committees in West Bengal. Eco-Development Committees in West Bengal. Performance for consolidation of Joint Forest Management in South Bengal. National Afforestation Programme. Status of Forest Development Agencies till 31.03.2007. Self Help Groups in Forest Fringe Villages. West Bengal Forest Protection Welfare Society BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

45 47 48-51 48 49 51 52-61 53 59 62-70 69 70 71-85 76 77 78 80 82 83 85 86-97 86 87 88 88 88 89 89 90 91 91 92 93 94 95 96 96 97

Status Report on Management Plans of PAs. Protected Areas in West Bengal. Tiger population in West Bengal. Population of Major Flagship Species. Census Figures of Major Wild Animals. Details of Persons killed / injured by wild animals during 2006-2007. Death of Wild Animals during 2006-2007. Seizure of Wild Animals and Animal Body Parts during 2006-2007. Animals rescued and rehabilitated by Wildlife Wing Headquarters. Budget for Wildlife and Habitat Development. Statement showing fund released by the Govt of India and its utilization. Details of villages within protected areas. Chemical Immobilization of Elephants in West Bengal. Payment of Ex-gratia Relief for animal depredation in West Bengal for the period 2006-07. 11.15 Information regarding ivory seizures in West Bengal during 2000-02 to 2006-07. 11.16 Death/Injury of wild animal caused by Train accident. 11.17 Death of Wild animal caused by Road accident

ii

98-103 12. 12.1 12.2 13. 14. 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 15. SOIL CONSERVATION Soil Conservation Structures (Major ones only) Extention Forestry Division FORESTRY RESEARCH 108-110 FORESTRY TRAINING Forestry Training Centres in West Bengal Regular Training programmes conducted during 2006-07. Report on other training programmes conducted by Development Circle during 2006-07. Other Courses at F.T.(N), Dow Hill & F.T.(S), Jhargram during 2006-07 WEST BENGAL FOREST DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION LIMITED - A short profile and resume of activities ECO-TOURISM 122-127 17. 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5 17.5.1 MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION Outturn of Timber and Firewood Outturn of Minor Forest Produce District and Division wise Saw Mills and other Wood Based Industries Length of Forest Roads in West Bengal Parks and Garden maintained by the DFO, Parks & Gardens (North) Parks and Beautification areas under the control of U & R.F. Division 122 123 124 125 126 127 108 109 109 110 111-116 117-121 16. 99 102 104-107

iii

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION West Bengal supports approximately 7.81 per cent of the population of India on only 2.70 per cent of the countrys geographical area. West Bengal has the highest population density of 904 persons per sq.km. (80.2 million as per 2001 census), though the decennial growth rate in the State has decreased from 24.73% (during 1981 to 1991) to 17.84% (during 1991 to 2001). Table 1.1 POPULATION OF WEST BENGAL, SINCE 1901. Year 1 1901 1911 1921 1931 1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 Population in millions All India West Bengal 2 3 16.9 238.4 18.0 252.1 17.5 251.3 18.9 279.0 23.2 318.2 26.3 361.1 34.9 439.2 44.3 548.2 54.6 685.2 68.0 846.3 80.2 1027.0 Table 1.2 SC AND ST POPULATION IN WEST BENGAL Districts Burdwan Birbhum Bankura Midnapur Howrah Hooghly North 24 parganas South 24 parganas Kolkata Nadia Murshidabad Uttar Dinajpur Dakshin Dinajpur Malda Jalpaiguri Darjeeling Coochbehar Purulia West Bengal SC population 18,60,754 8,89,894 9,97,408 15,76,337 6,58,707 11,88,881 18,40,397 22,18,376 2,74,835 13,65,985 7,03,786 6,76,582 4,32,660 5,54,165 12,48,577 2,58,881 12,42,374 4,63,956 1,84,52,555 ST population 4,41,832 2,03,127 3,30,783 7,98,684 9,168 2,12,062 1,98,936 84,766 9,810 1,13,891 75,953 1,24,865 2,42,317 2,27,047 6,41,688 2,04,167 14,246 4,63,452 44,06,794

Table: 1.3 Area, Population and Density in West Bengal (Census, 2001)

Sl. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

District Darjeeling Jalpaiguri Cooch Bihar Uttar Dinajpur Dakshin Dinajpur Malda Murshidabad Birbhum Burdwan Nadia North 24 Parganas South 24 Parganas Hooghly Howrah Purulia Bankura Medinipur Kolkata

Area in Sq.Km

Population 2001 ( in million )

Rural
3149 6227 3387 3140 2219 3733 5324 4545 7024 3927 4094 9960 3149 1467 6259 6882 14081 185 88752 1.09 2.80 2.25 2.15 1.30 3.05 5.13 2.75 4.35 3.62 4.08 5.82 3.35 2.12 2.28 2.96 8.63 57.73

Urban
0.52 0.60 0.23 0.29 0.20 0.24 0.73 0.26 2.57 0.98 4.85 1.09 1.69 2.16 0.26 0.23 1.01 4.58 22.49

Total
1.61 3.40 2.48 2.44 1.50 3.29 5.86 3.01 6.92 4.60 8.93 6.91 5.04 4.28 2.54 3.19 9.64 4.58 80.22

Population density per Sq.km.

2001
511 546 732 777 676 881 1,101 663 985 1,172 2,181 694 1,601 2,918 406 464 685
24,757

TOTAL :

904

Source : Census of India,2001, Series-20, West Bengal.

Table: 1. 4 Name of District (1) West Bengal Burdwan Birbhum Bankura Purba Midnapore Paschim Midnapore Hooghly Puruliya 24Parganas(N) 24Parganas(S) Kolkata Howrah Nadia Murshidabad Uttar Dinajpur Dakshin Dinajpur Malda Jalpaiguri Darjeeling Cooch Behar Important Demographic Features of West Bengal Villages Police Developme Panchayat Gram Sub Panchayat 2001 samity division Station nt blocks 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) 66 456* 341 333 3354 40782 6 32 31 31 277 2529 3 18 19 19 167 2473 3 21 22 22 190 3830 4 21 25 25 223 3035 4 4 3 5 5 2 4 5 2 2 2 3 4 5 27 22 20 36+ 36 45 19 19 26 9 8 11 17 16 11 29 18 20 22 29 14 17 26 9 8 15 13 12 12 29 18 20 22 29 14 17 26 9 8 15 13 4** 12 290 210 170 200 312 157 187 254 98 65 146 146 134 128 8701 1915 2683 1581 2139 734 1346 2210 1504 1638 1798 756 708 1202 Munici palities 2004 (8) 120 9 6 3 5 8 11 3 27 7 2 10 7 4 2 2 4 4 6 MC 2004 (9) 6 2 1 2 1 1 1 -

Source: Statistical Hand Book West-Bengal 2004, Bureau of Applied Economic & Statistic, WB

CHAPTER- 2
LANDUSE, CLIMATE AND SOIL Owing to the characteristic geographical position alongwith the altitude varying from sea level to 3,700 meters, West Bengal enjoys a varied types of soil, rainfall, temperature and agro-ecological zones.

LAND USE The overall land use pattern in the state of West Bengal depends mostly on the physiographic condition of the area. Total geographical area of the state is divided into two major classes i.e. (a) arable land, that includes net sown area and fallow land (b) non-arable land, which includes forest, area not available for cultivation and other uncultivable land excluding current fallow. The percentage of arable land is about 66.8 % and about 33% land is under non-arable category, which includes forest area to the tune of 13.38% of total geographical area. Agricultural activities are mostly restricted to the Gangetic plains having fertile cultivable land. The percentage of net sown area is higher (above 70%) in Uttar and Dakshin Dinajpur, Nadia, Murshidabad, Cooch Behar, North 24-Parganas, Hoogli, Burdwan and Birbhum districts. High percentage of forest cover exists in the Districts having hills and mountain ranges and also in the coastal areas. Protected forests also cover considerable areas in Purulia, Bankura, Medinipur, Burdwan and Birbhum districts. The maximum area under forest (44.68 %) is found in Darjeeling district. CLIMATE In general, the climate of West Bengal varies from subhumid to perhumid with uniformity of temperature. The tropic of cancer runs across the middle of Nadia, Burdwan, northern parts of Bankura and Purulia districts. In spite of its position in equatorial zone, the Himalayan Mountains in the north, Bay of Bengal in the south and extensive network of rivers, canals, tank etc. do not allow extreme climatic conditions to prevail in the state. Heavy rainfall occurs in the northern part of West Bengal and gradually decreases towards south forming an area of moderate rainfall zone around central part of West Bengal. The annual rainfall is maximum (>3000 mm) at the foothill region on the north (sub-Himalayan West Bengal). Whereas, the coastal region in the south receives around 1500-2000 mm of rainfall, and it decreases to 900 mm in SouthWest. The average annual rainfall in the state is about 1,900 mm of which 1,600 mm occurs during monsoon months. In the Northern part of the state that includes the mountain region (Himalayas), temperature ranges from freezing point to 10C in winter. It hovers around 12C to 18C in the plains. January is the coldest month and winter starts from the end of November and extends to February. Darjeeling has a normal mean temperature ranging from 5.8C to 17.0C where snowfall also occurs occasionally. Rest of the area has mean winter temperature ranging from 9 C to 14C. The summer season begins from the month of March and temperature starts rising upto June. May is the hottest month. The summer temperature shows variation from 20C in Darjiling district to about 48C in Purulia district. Temperature in the rainy seasons is more or less uniform in the plains and it varies from 21C at Kolkata to 30C at Canning. This uniformity indicates the influence of southwest monsoon in lowering temperatures.

SOIL In the Himalayan region the soils are predominantly shallow to moderately shallow but also deep at places, well drained, coarse-loamy to gravelly loamy in texture. These soils occur on steep side slopes. They are classified as Typic Haplumbrepts and Typic Udorthents. In the foothills of Himalayas and in piedmont plains the soils are deep to very deep, imperfectly drained and coarse-loamy to fine loamy in texture and are placed in Aquic Ustifluvents and Fluventic Eutrochrepts. Soils of the alluvial plain which includes Indo-gangetic alluvium (recent, active and old) are also very deep, imperfectly to poorly drained, fine-loamy and also coarse-loamy in texture and with moderate flooding problem in some cases. These soils are classified as Aeric Haplaquepts, Typic Fluvaquents, Typic Haplaquepts, and Typic Ustochrepts. Undulating plain area is represented by very deep, fine-loamy and coarse-loamy soils with moderate erosion and classified as Aeric Ochraqualfs, Typic Ustifluvents and Typic Haplustalfs. The western part of the state i.e., predominantly Chhotanagpur plateau area have soils shallow to very shallow, well-drained and gravelly loam and coarse-loamy in texture with moderate erosion whereas soils in the remaining part are deep to very deep, well drained, fine loamy in texture. They are classified as Lithic Haplustalfs and Typic Haplustalfs. Coastal plain is represented by soils of both sandy as well as fine in texture, very deep with salinity problems in some places. Soils are placed in Aquic Ustipsamments and Vertic Haplaquepts. Whereas soils of delta plain are very deep, imperfectly to poorly drained, fine in texture and has the problem of inundation and salinity and classified as Aeric Haplaquepts and Typic Haplaquepts.

Table 2.1 Annual Range of Temperature (oC) in the Districts of West Bengal 1997 Max Min 1 27 36 37 40 40 41 43 43 37 46 38 39 43 41 39 39 38 11 42 12 38 8 42 9 13 10 8 43 8 41 40 40 39 8 45 9 41 9 38 9 39 10 9 9 9 11 11 9 38 9 10 32 9 41 10 10 43 41 36 38 41 41 38 38 38 9 40 10 9 39 42 8 38 7 8 46 43 9 9 8 9 9 8 7 8 13 10 39 44 42 40 34 39 39 43 39 34 39 9 43 7 7 43 41 7 40 9 43 9 8 42 40 8 41 7 7 9 8 8 7 8 7 7 7 7 9 11 7 39 7 7 37 38 7 39 6 7 39 7 37 38 7 7 39 6 37 37 38 41 33 44 45 40 44 43 41 43 43 43 6 39 8 37 37 8 7 37 1 36 10 9 9 8 9 12 8 9 12 11 10 9 10 9 12 7 39 8 37 37 8 7 36 7 35 7 37 38 37 37 41 44 43 44 45 39 43 40 43 43 40 40 1998 Max Min 7 38 1999 Max Min 10 36 2000 Max Min 4 30 2001 Max Min -1 23 2002 Max Min 1 25 2003 Max Min 1 23 5 5 8 8 4 5 5 6 7 7 7 7 6 8 6
Source: District Statistical Handbook 2004, Bureau of Applied Economics and Statistics.

District

Darjeeling

Cooch Behar

Jalpaiguri

Uttar Dinajpur

Dakshin Dinajpur

Malda

Birbhum

Burdwan

Bankura

Purulia

Purba Midnapore

Paschim Midnapore

Howrah

Hooghly

Murshidabad

Nadia

24-Parganas(N)

24-Parganas(S)

Kolkata

Table 2.2 Annual Rainfall in West Bengal (Monthly Average) Normal 1451 1556 1271 1640 1616 1470 1416 1551 1647 1424 1467 2085 1625 1661 3571 2981 2898 1422 1033 2961 2526 1434 3123 2727 3733 3205 2141 1557 1381 3232 2636 2786 1383 1455 1656 1607 1955 2259 1943 1753 1362 1487 1635 1424 1375 1529 1620 2540 2109 2109 4195 3948 4498 1590 1543 1600 1602 1710 1645 1792 1553 2273 1514 1382 1351 1752 1407 1599 1224 1471 1513 1640 1919 3924 2841 3067 1220 1530 1197 1361 1481 1118 1465 1308 1385 1711 1365 1466 1668 1663 2087 1363 1296 1455 1785 1505 2259 1660 1612 1198 1262 2155 1195 1172 1826 1965 1579 3073 2490 3274 1079 1235 1323 1437 1213 1705 1211 2015 1338 1522 1264 1512 1422 1839 1277 1516 1224 1513 1193 1446 1605 1313 1703 1436 1513 1129 1316 1892 1143 1372 1261 1156 1329 3017 3015 2149 1276
Source : Economic Review 2007-2008

District

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

(Millimetres) 2006

Burdwan

Birbhum

Bankura

East Midnapore

West Midnapore

Howrah

Hooghly

24-Parganas(N)

24-Parganas(S)

Kolkata

Nadia

Murshidabad

Uttar Dinajpur

Dakshin Dinajpur

Malda

Jalpaiguri

Darjeeling

Cooch Behar

Purulia

Table 2.3 AGRO-ECOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS IN WEST BENGAL

Climatic Factors Soil Chracteristics Extent Range

Sl. No. Occupies an area of 0.26 m. ha. representing 2.9 per cent of the total area of the State.

Types of Soil

1.

AgroEcological Subregion Warm Perhumid

Brown Forest Soil of the Himalayas

Mountainous region of Darjeeling District.

2.

Warm to hot Perhumid

Terai soils of the Himalayan foot hills

Climate warm perhumid, characterized by mild summers and cold winters at an altitude of 150 to 600mts. Above MSL associated with high rainfall. Warm summer, cool winter, high rainfall

Occupies an area of 0.17 m. ha. representing 1.9 per cent of the total area of the State.

Northern fringe of Jalpaiguri district, Siliguri and part of Cooch Behar.

3.

Hot Perhumid

Alluvial plains of Teesta, Torsa, Mahananda etc.

Warm summer, mild winter associated with high rainfall. Length of Growing period 270 to 300 days.

Soils on steep hill slopes are shallow, excessively drained with severe erosion hazard potential. Soils of the foothill slopes and valleys are moderately deep, well drained, loamy in texture with moderate erosion hazards. Soil with low water holding capacity, moderate to high in organic matter and available Potash but low in available Phosphorus. Low pH causing excess of Manganese and Aluminium deposition in soil but low in Molybdenum and Boron in some places. Partly developed, mainly formed of young alluvium on alluvial fans of the foothills. Shallow to moderately deep and at places deep with medium to fine texture. Faces severe flood hazard and runoff problem associated with low water holding capacity of the soil resulting in low pH due to percolation of the alkaline salts and consequent low decomposition of organic matter. Hence, soil contains high amount of undecomposed organic matter; low in available N and P. K is moderate to high. Moderately deep to deep, coarse to fine, loamy in texture, formed by recent alluvial deposits. Low water holding capacity resulting in low pH low decomposition of organic matter, low N; low CEC. Faces problems of water logging and severe flood hazards.

Occupies an area of 0.85 m.ha. representing 9.6 per cent of the total area of the State.

Districts of Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri (Southern part) and Islampur subdivision of Uttar Dinajpur (Duars).

Contd. Table 2.3

4. Hot moist sub-humid

Indogangetic Plain (Bengal basin).

Hot moist summer and mild winter, average rainfall 1389 to 1908mm. LGP 210 to 240 days.

Occupies an area of 4.39 m. ha. representing 55.7 per cent of the total area of the state

Into-Gangetic plain covering districts of Malda, West Dinajpur (Southern part), Murshidabad, Nadia, Howrah, Hooghly, 24-Parganas (Northern part),

Alluvium of Damodar, Kangsabati , Ajoy, Rupnaraya n Deep, fine loamy to fine textured soils containing high amount of basic salts of Na., Ca., Mg. etc. and high amount of organic matter with moderate amount of NPK. By and large salt impregnated due to tidal flow of sea water through creeks and sub tributaries. Imperfectly to poorly drained with moderate to very high salinity hazards. Can be divided into four categories, viz. i. Saline Soils; ii. Saline-alkaline Soils; iii. Alkaline Soils; iv. Degraded Alkaline Soils.

Soil formed from the alluvium deposited by Ganga and its tributaries. Varies greatly in their morphological (loamy to clayey loam), physical and chemical properties depending upon their geomorphic situation, moisture regime and degree of profile development. Possesses back swamps in old flood plains with high water table and somewhat poor drainage. pH 5.8 to 8, soil low in available N; P and K moderate. Soil formed by alluvial deposts of rivers originating from Chotanagpur plateau. Soil well drained containing basic and ferruginous concretions. PH 5.5 to 7.2; low in organic matter containing low to moderate N and P while moderate to high K content.

Purulia(South-eastern part), Burdwan (Eastern part), Birbhum, Bankura and Midnapore (Eastern part).

5. Moist Subhumid

Saline Soils (Physiologi cally Dry Soil).

Hot dry summer moderate winter, Av. Rainfall 1270 to 1520 mm. LGP 150 to 180 days. Warm humid summer, mild winter, mean annual rainfal covers 8090% of evapotranspiration rate. LGP* 240 to 270 days.

Occupies an area of 0.68 m.ha. representing 7.6 percent of the total area of the State.

Coastal parts of the districts of 24-Parganas (South and North) comprising mostly Sundarban areas of South 24-Parganas and Coastal Midnapore.

Contd. Table 2.3

6. Hot dry sub-humid

Red Lateritic Soil

Hot dry Summer; Cold dry winter. Rainfall 1270 to 1392 mm. LGP 150 to 180 days. Hot dry Summer; Moderate to severe dry winter. Rainfall 900 to 1270 mm. LGP 150 to 180 days. Topography undulating with low soil depth, surface encrustatious are common; pH low to neutral; low in organic matter. Poor capacity for retention of rainwater leads to severe run off and soil erosion.

Shallow to deep, reddish to yellowish red, loamy to clayey and imperfectly to well drained. pH 4.8 to 6.6, soil low in organic matter and available phosphorus and minerals.

Occupies an area of 1.98 ha. representing 22.3 percent of the total area along the outliers of the eastern part of Chotanagpur plateau merging to Bengal Basin of Indogangetic Plain.

Districts of Purulia and Western parts of Burdwan, Bankura, Birbhum and Midnapore.

Gneissic gravelly soil

North-western part of Purulia, Asansol sub-division of Burdwan, parts of West Midnapore, Bankura and Birbhum

* Length of Growing period

Source : 1. Soils of West Bengal for Optimising Land Use, 1992 (NBSS & LUP). 2. Krishi Sahaika,1982 (Indo-German Fertiliser Corpn. Ltd.)

The physiography of West Bengal can be divided into two major regions: A. Himalayan Region B. Gangetic Plains A. Himalayan Region : This is sub-divided further into two parts: i) Darjeeling Himalayas: This zone consists of Darjeeling district (except the Siliguri Sub-Division). The hills are comparatively of recent origin, generally steep sided and prone to landslides. Soils are brown, loamy in nature, rich in nutrients, organically rich and acidic in reaction. Most of the rivers originate here. ii) Sub-Himalayan : This zone comprises of the plains districts of Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar and Siliguri Sub-Division of Darjeeling district. Soils are mostly sandy, highly acidic, heavily leached and poor in base and plant nutrients. Since most of the hilly river flow through this region, these areas are flood prone. B. Gangetic Plains: The Lower Ganga Plain in West Bengal forms a part of the Indo-Gangetic Plains. 14 districts of West Bengal are contained in this physiographic region. This region is further divided into four micro physiographic zones. These are : Barind tract comprising Cooch Behar, Malda, North and South Dinajpur districts. Moribund Delta comprising of Murshidabad and Nadia districts. Proper Delta consisting of the districts of Burdwan, Kolkata, Hoogly, Howrah, South & North 24Parganas. Rarh plain is spread over Purba and Paschim Medinipur districts, Bankura, Birbhum and Purulia. Agro climatic zoning refers to the division of an area of land into land resource units, based on numerical expressions of crop climate quantified in the form of agro-climatic indices, having an unique combination of landforms, soils and climatic characteristics with a specific range of potentials and constraints for land use. Table 2.4 Agro Climatic Zones of West Bengal Sl. No. Region Barind 1 2 Alluvial Districts West Dinajpur, Malda Nadia, Burdwan, Hooghly, Howrah, Midnapore (except western part), Murshidabad, Kolkata, North 24-Parganas and South-Western Part of Darjeeling District. South 24-Parganas. Parts of Purba and Paschim Midnapore, Birbhum, Bankura and Purulia. Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and south-western part of Darjeeling Darjeeling

3 4 5 6

Coastal Rarh & Eastern Plateau Terrai Hills

However, the agro-climatic region approach failed due to i) non-consideration of minute differences in soils and environmental conditions, ii) lacking uniform criteria and iii) using state as a unit of division.

Table 2.5 SOIL PROBLEMS IN WEST BENGAL 2.5.1 : Soils under Limiting Depth Classes Class Distribution Purulia Very shallow (0-25 cm.) Shallow (25-50 cm.) Moderately Shallow (50-75 cm.) Parts of Darjeeling, Purulia, Midnapore, Bankura. Parts of Darjeeling, Midnapur, Purulia, Bankura, Burdwan, Birbhum T o t a l : Area affected (,000 ha.) 30.7 318.4 125.2

474.3

2 .5.2 : Soils Under Limiting Drainage Classes Class Distribution Parts of Midnapore, Hooghly, Very Poorly Drained 24-Parganas (S). Poorly drained Parts of 24-Parganas, Nadia, Murshidabad, Jalpaiguri, CoochBehar, Malda, Midnapore, Howrah, Hooghly Parts of Burdwan, Birbhum, Howrah, Malda, West Dinajpur, Midnapore & Purulia. Parts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Bankura and Purulia. T o t a l :

Area (,000 ha.) 173.4 2453.3

Imperfectly Drained

1747.6

Excessively Drained

64.7 4439.0 Area (,000 ha.) 57.4

2.5.3: Soils Under Limiting Erosion Classes Class Distribution Parts of Darjeeling, Purulia, Severe Birbhum, Bankura and Midnapore Moderate Whole of West Bengal excepting 24-Parganas (S & N) Nadia, Howah & Hooghly. T o t a l :

1303.1

1360.5

2.5.4 : Soils Under Limiting Salinity Classes Class Distribution Parts of South 24-Parganas Very Strong &Purba Midnapore. Parts of South 24-Parganas and Strong Purba Midnapore. Parts of South 24-Parganas and Moderate Purba Midnapore T o t a l : 2 5.5 : Soils Under Limiting Textural Classes Class Distribution Coastal part of Sandy Midnapore. Gravely loam Clay

Area (,000 ha.) 241.0 5.7 131.0 377.7 Area (,000 ha.) 13.7 488.4 1550.7

Purba

Parts of Darjeeling,Paschim Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia. 24-Parganas (S),Purba Midnapore, Nadia, Murshidabad, Burdwan T o t a l :

2052.8 Area affected (,000 ha.) 448.8

2 5.6 : Soils Under Limiting Water Logging Classes Class Distribution Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, West Moderate Dinajpur, Midnapore, Burdwan, Birbhum, Murshidabad. Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Slight Behar, West Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Birbhum, Midnapore, Hooghly, Burdwan, Nadia, Howrah. T o t a l : 2.5.7: Soils Under Limiting Flooding Classes. Class Distribution Parts of Jalpaiguri, Cooch Moderate Behar, Uttar Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, Burdwan, 24-Parganas, Midnapore. Severe Parts of Hooghly, Midnapore, Murshidabad, Nadia & 24Parganas T o t a l :

808.3

1257.1 Area (,000 ha.) 1043.2

907.2 1950.4

Source : Soils of West Bengal for Optimising Land Use, 1992 (NBSS & LUP).

CHAPTER 3
FOREST LAND, FOREST COVER, AND VEGETATION The state of West Bengal extends from the Himalayas in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the south. It lies between 20o 31 N and 27o 12 N latitude and 85o 50 E and 89o 52 E longitude covering a geographic area of 88,752 sq.km. Five States (Sikkim, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa) and three countries (Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh) surround West Bengal Sikkim to the North, Bhutan to the North-East, Assam and Bangladesh to the East, Nepal, Bihar and Jharkhand to the West and Jharkhand and Orissa to the South-West. The exteme south end into the Bay of Bengal. Total recorded forest land in the state is 11,879 sq.km, of which 7,054 sq.km. is Reserved Forest, 3,772 sq.km. is Protected Forest and 1,053 sq.km. is Unclassed State Forest, thus constituting 13.38% of the geographical area of the state. The forest cover including the forests created outside the recorded forest area is 15.68% of the geographical area as assessed by the GIS Cell of the W.B. Forest Department in the year 2006 on the basis of Satellite Imagery procured from NRSA, Hyderabad in digital data format. While computing the forest cover of the State, the protocol developed by RRSSC, Kharagpur under Dept. of Space, GOI, NRSA, Hyderabad in earlier studies was followed. Estuarine water bodies like rivers & creeks in mangrove forest and river flowing through the recorded forest land in Jalpaiguri and other districts have been included while computing the forest cover. Similarly large portions of farm foresty plantations, raised out side forest land, having forest like micro-ecosystem, have been enumerated as forest cover. As perclassification of satellite imageries, the vegetation cover of the state is more than 27% of the geographical area as in 2006. The vegetation cover include village orchards/groves, tea garden and horticulture plantations. Table 3.1 LEGAL STATUS OF FORESTS IN WEST BENGAL SINCE 1901 Year 1901 1911 1921 1931 1941 1951 1961 1964 1971 1981 1991 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Reserved Forests 2,401 2,471 2,530 5,209 5,199 6,845 6,979 7,000 7,054 7,054 7,054 7,054 7,054 7,054 7054 7054 7054 7054 Protected Forests 4,856 4,431 4,408 1,661 1,645 17 3,451 3,512 3,772 3,772 3,772 3,772 3,772 3,772 3772 3772 3772 3772 Unclassed State Forests 115 78 78 31 31 128 483 520 1,053 1,053 1,053 1,053 1,053 1,053 1053 1053 1053 1053 Private Protected Forests 598 593 Tea Garden Forests 398 398 325 263 258 258 257 244 Other Private Forests 5,271 5,654 5,950 5,133 4,995 5,007 204 118 Area in Sq. Km. Total Forest Area 13,491 13,032 13,291 12,297 12,128 12,255 11,972 11,987 11,879 11,879 11,879 11,879 11,879 11,879 11,879 11,879 11,879 11,879

(Source upto 1964 : West Bengal Forests, Centenary Commemoration Volume, 1964)

Table 3.2 Districtwise Area under Forests by Legal Status in West Bengal (in Sq.Km.) Sl. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 District Darjeeling Jalpaiguri Cooch Behar Bankura Purba Medinipur Paschim Medinipur Burdwan Purulia Birbhum Hooghly Nadia Murshidabad Malda Uttar Dinajpur Dakshin Dinajpur 24-Parganas (N) 24-Parganas (S) Howrah Calcutta Total All India Reserved Forests 1,115 1,483 80 8 3 112 8 3 5 1 8 8 43 4,177 7,054 (59.38%) 423,311 Protected Forests 217 42 1,311 1,166 192 729 54 3 7 5 4 42 3,772 (31.75%) 217,245 Unclassed State Forests & others 89 90 15 91 535 82 35 97 5 7 6 1 1,053 (8.87%) 127,881 Total Area 1,204 1,790 57 1,482 1,709 277 876 159 3 13 8 20 18 43 4,220 11,879 (100%) 768,437

Classification of Recorded Forest Land (Legal status) Reserved Forest : An area notified under the provisions of Indian Forest Act,1927 having full degree of protection. In Reserved Forests all activities are prohibited unless specifically permitted (Sec.20 of IFA,1927). Protected Forest : An area notified under the provisions of the Indian Forest Act having limited degree of protection. In Protected Forest all activities are permitted unless prohibited (Sec. 29 of IFA,1927) . Unclassed Forest : An area recorded as forest but not included in Reserved or Protected forest category. Ownership status of such forests varies from state to state.

Table 3.3 Districtwise Distribution of Geographical and Recorded Forest Land in West Bengal District Darjeeling Jalpaiguri Cooch Behar Bankura Midnapore Burdwan Purulia Birbhum Hooghly Nadia Murshidabad Malda Uttar Dinajpur Dakshin Dinajpur Calcutta Howrah 24-Parganas (S) 24-Parganas (N) Total : Geographical Area (Sq. Km.) 3,149 6,227 3,387 6,882 14,081 7,024 6,259 4,545 3,149 3,927 5,324 3,733 3,140 2,219 104 1,467 10,159 3,977 88,752 Recorded Forest Area (Sq.Km.) 1,204 1,790 57 1,482 1,709 277 876 159 3 12 8 20 10 8 4,221 43 11,879 % age of Recorded Forest Area 38.23% 28.75% 1.68% 21.53% 12.14% 3.94% 14.00% 3.50% 0.10% 0.30% 0.15% 0.54% 0.32% 0.36% 0.00% 0.00% 41.54% 1.08% 13.38%

Table-3.4
Comparative statement of Forest cover as enumerated through GIS/RS Survey Period 1988 1991 1994 1997 2000 2004 2006 % Recorded Forest land 13.38 13.38 13.38 13.38 13.38 13.38 13.38 % Forest cover 14.32 14.97 15.06 15.16 15.30 15.52 15.68

Table 3.5 Forest Area under Major Forest Types in West Bengal Sl. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Area (in million hectares) Forest Type Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests Sub-tropical Broadleaved Hill Forests Montane Wet Temperate Forests Littoral and Swamp Forests Alpine Forests T o t a l : West Bengal 0.459 0.430 0.005 0.005 0.279 0.005 1.183 All India 23.245 29.149 0.287 1.613 0.671 1.790 56.755

Table 3.6 Principal species under Major Forest Types in West Bengal Sl.No 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Forest Type Tropical Moist Deciduous forests Tropical Dry Deciduous forests Sub-tropical Broadleaved hill forests Montane Wet Temperate forests Littoral and Swamp forests Alpine forests Principal Species Shorea robusta, Michelia champaca, Lagerstroemia parviflora, Terminalia belerica, Chukrasia velutina. Shorea robusta, Anogeissus latifolia, Boswellia serrata, Terminalia belerica, T.tomentosa etc. Schima wallichi, Castanopsis indica, Phoebe attenuata, Castanopsis tribuloides etc. Quercus spp., Acer spp., Machilus spp., Michelia spp. etc. Ceriops spp., Avicennia spp., Rhizophora candelaria etc. Tsuga brunoniana, Picea spp., Abies densa, Quercus spp., Juniperus spp., Rhododendron spp and Betula utilis.

Table 3.7

DEGRADED NOTIFIED FOREST LAND IN WEST BENGAL SL.NO 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 DISTRICT 24 Parganas North 24 Parganas South Bankura Bardhaman Birbhum Cooch Behar Darjeeling Dinajpur (North) Dinajpur (South) Hoogly Howrah Jalpaiguri Kolkata Malda Midnapur Murshidabad Nadia Purulia TOTAL UNIT( in .Sq.K.m) 2.37 37.02 191.02 77.08 0 6.9 44.6 0 0 0 0 13.43 0 0 232.82 0 0 172.34 777.58

Source: Wastelands Atlas of India, 2005. Published by Ministry of Rural Development, Deptt. of Land Resources Govt of India Govt of India and NRSA, Deptt. of Space., Govt of India.

CHAPTER -4
DIVERSION OF FOREST LAND UNDER FOREST(CONSERVATION) ACT,1980. Prior to the enactment of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, the easiest way to procure land for different non-forestry activities viz.: creation of human settlements, agriculture, construction of dams, bridges, roads etc. was through diversion of forest land. In order to check further depletion of the Forest cover and protect the Forests, the Govt. of India enacted the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and amended it from time to time with insertions of stringent stipulations. As per the act, any such diversion requires prior approval of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India. As a result, the quantum of diversion of forest land for non-forestry purposes has dwindled appreciably. In West Bengal an area of 8334.8915 ha. of forest land has been approved for diversion for different non-forestry purposes till March, 2007 (Table 4.1). Out of the above area diversion was not executed over 3.2443 ha. and an area of 1805.00 ha. was approved by GOI for raising tree plantation with intercrop under World Bank Aided W.B. Forestry Project (hence, not included in Table 4.1) as this area was not actually diverted for any non-forestry purpose. In effect during1980 to March 2007, net diversion of forest land for non forestry purpose was 2442.9672 ha. In addition 5,888.61 ha. area was permitted to be used for collection of the boulders form the middle of the river beds, impeding the flow of the rivers passing through the forests of North Bengal causing havoc. However, such permission did not involve any physical diversion of forest area. As part of Compensatory Afforestation, 2,966.32 Ha. of plantation in areas received against diversion and 504.76 Ha. of plantation in degraded forests have been raised, till March 2007.

Table 4.1 Diversion of Forest Land for Non-Forest use in West Bengal since the enforcement of Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980
(Area in Hectares) Diversion Area Not approved executed for diversion 1981-82 29.7720 0 1982-83 87.1900 0 1983-84 15.3250 2.4400 1984-85 13.3091 0 1985-86 306.0000 0 1986-87 23.7657 0.0178 1987-88 16.7020 0 1988-89 18.9250 0 1989-90 94.4800 0.0300 1990-91 5770.3572 0.6742 1991-92 47.5003 0.0823 1992-93 78.1065 0 1993-94 322.3000 0 1994-95 295.4520 0 1995-96 3.6600 0 1996-97 1.6459 0 1997-98 63.5778 0 1998-99 51.5800 0 1999-2000 3.0200 0 2000-01 1.0000 0 2001-02 285.9000 0 2002-03 10.0700 0 2003-04 47.1600 0 2004-05 302.4900 0 2005-06 338.05 0 2006-07 107.5530 0 Total 8334.8915 3.2443 Year Area for Boulder collection 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5751.0000 0 0 0 0 0 0 60.5600 29.8900 0 0 0 0 47.1600 0 0 0 5888.6100 Other Temporary Diversion 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0700 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0700 Net Diversion

29.7720 87.1900 12.8850 13.3091 306.0000 23.7479 16.7020 18.9250 94.4500 18.6830 47.4180 78.1065 322.3000 295.4520 3.6600 1.6459 3.0178 21.6900 3.0200 0.9300 285.9000 10.0700 0 302.4900 338.05 107.5530 2442.9672

Table 4.2 Statements showing the up to date position of cases approved for diversion of Forest Land, under Forest (Consvn.) Act, 1980 and Compensatory Afforestation done as on 31.03.2007 1. Purpose of Diversion : Nos. 6 Irrigation Project (i) 4 Hydel Project (ii) 13 (iii) Minning 7 (iv) Construction of Road 2 Laying of Railway lines (v) 32 (vi) Laying of Transmission line/Pipe line 24 (vii) Others Total (Nos.) : 88 2,442.9672 Forest Area Diverted (ha.) Compensatory Afforestation Stipulated (ha.) : (i) On Forest Land 725.77 (ii) On Non-Forest Land 2,976.16 Total : 3,701.93 Compensatory Afforestation done till 31.03.2007(ha.) : (i) On Forest Land 504.76 (ii) On Non-Forest Land 2,966.32 Total : 3,471.08 Balance area to be afforested (ha) : (i) On Forest Land 221.01 (ii) On Non-Forest Land 9.84 230.85 Rs14,63,39,652 Rs23,53,69,945

2. 3.

4.

5.

Total : 6 Fund spent till 31.03.2007 7 Fund received from user agencies

CHAPTER - 5 Forest Organisation in West Bengal The present administrative set up of the Forest Directorate of the State stands as follows: -

Organisational Structure of Forest Directorate

CIRCLE DIVISION

CadrePosts

Non Cadre Posts

PCCF/WB

CF,Headquarters CF/ Personnel Mgmt. Cell

Asstt. CCF

DFO, Publicity DFO,Pers.Mgmt. DFO, Law Cell

Addl. PCCF,Dev.& Planning

CF,Project CF,Marketing

DCF/Plan. DCF/Plan. DCF, Jalpaiguri

& & DFO,Utilisation DFO, Cooch Behar SF DFO,Jalpaiguri SF DFO,Minor Forest Produce DFO,Kharagpur SF DFO,Rupnarayan Soil Consvn. DFO, Panchet Soil Consvn. DFO, Durgapur SF

CF,North CCF, North CF, Hill DCF, Kurseong DCF, East Midnapore CF,Western CCF, West CF,Central DCF, Bankura (N) DCF, DCF, West Midnapore DCF,Bankura (S) DCF, Baikunthapur DCF, Darjeeling

CF,SF (N)

DFO, Siliguri SF DCF,Birbhum DFO,Raigunj SF DFO,Howrah SF DCF, U & R. Forestry DCF, Burdwan

CCF, Social Forestry

DCF,Kurseong Soil Consvn. CF, Soil C. (N) CCF, Soil Conservation CF, DCF, Kangsabati Soil-I DCF, Kalimpong Soil Consvn. DCF, Purulia DFO,Jalpaiguri Soil Consvn.

DFO,Purulia E.F
DFO, Kangsabati Soil-II

From prepage

PCCF, Res &Trg DCF, Silviculture (N) CF/Research CCF, Research & Monitoring C.F., Monitoring DCF,Monitoring (S)
`

DCF,Silviculture (S) DCF, Silvicultural (Hill) DCF, Monitoring (North)

DFO, W. Plan (S-I) DCF, Working Plan (N) DFO, W. Plan (S-II) DIR, For. Trg.Centre (North)

Addl. PCCF, Res, WP & Trg. CCF, W.Plan & Training

CF, W. Plan

CF,/ Dev FD,BTR DFD, Reserve (E) DFD, R Buxa Buxa Tiger Tiger

DIR, Forestry Training Centre (South)

(W)

CCF,Wildlife

DCF,Wildlife-I

CF, Wildlif (N)

DCF,Wildlife-II DCF, Cooch Behar

PCCF/ Wildlife & Bio-diversity

CF, WL.(HQ) CF & Jt.Dir, Sunderban Biosphere (Hqrs )

DCF, Wildlife DCF,24DFO,24DCF, Nadia-Murshidabad DCF,

CCF, South & Dir, SBR

R
FD,Sund erbans Tiger Reserve DFD,

Table 5.1 IFS CADRE STRENGTH IN WEST BENGAL 1. Senior posts under the State Government Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife and Bio-diversity Conservation) Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, (Development and Planning) Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, (Research, Working Plan & Monitoring) Chief Conservator of Forests (West) Chief Conservator of Forests, (Working Plan and Monitoring) Chief Conservator of Forests, (Social Forestry) Chief Conservator of Forests, (Wildlife) Chief Conservator of Forests (North) Chief Conservator of Forests (South) and Director (Sunderbans Bio-sphere Reserve) Chief Conservator of Forests (Research) Chief Conservator of Forests (Soil Conservation) Conservator of Forests (Territorial Circles, namely North, Hill, West & Central) Conservator of Forests, Wildlife (North) Conservator of Forests, Wildlife (Headquarters and South) Field Director (Buxa Tiger Reserve) Field Director (Sunderbans Tiger Reserve) Conservator of Forests and Joint Director (Sundarbans Bio-Sphere Reserve) Conservator of Forests, Social Forestry (North) Conservator of Forests, Social Forestry (South) Conservator of Forests (Project) Conservator of Forests (Research) 69 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Conservator of Forsts, Marketing Conservator of Forests (Personnel Management) Conservator of Forests (Development) Conservator of Forests (Working Plan & GIS) Conservator of Forests (Monitoring and Evaluation) Conservator of Forests, Soil Conservation (North) Conservator of Forests, Soil Conservation (South) Conservator of Forests (Headquarters) and Nodal Officer (Forest Conservation) Deputy Conservator of Forests (Territorial Divisions namely Baikunthapur, Bankura (North), Bankura (South), Birbhum, Burdwan, Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Kurseong, Malda, Midnapore (East), Midnapore (West), Nadia-Murshidabad, 24Parganas (South) and Purulia. Deputy Conservator of Forests, Soil Conservation Deputy Conservator of Forests (Working Plan) Deputy Conservator of Forests (Silviculture) Deputy Conservator of Forests, Monitoring (North) Deputy Conservator of Forets, Monitoring (South) Deputy Conservator of Forests (Planning & Statistics) Asstt. Chief Conservator of Forests Deputy Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Deputy Conservator of Forests and Deputy Field Director (Buxa Tiger Reserve East) Deputy Conservator of Forests and Deputy Field Director (Buxa Tiger Reserve West) Deputy Conservator of Forests (Sunderbans Tiger Reserve) Director (West Bengal Forest School) Deputy Conservator of Forests, (Urban and Recreation Forestry) Deputy Conservator of Forests (Wet Land Research)

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 15

3 1 3 1 1 2 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 69

2. Central Deputation Reserve @ 20% of 1 above 3. State Deputation Reserve @ 25% of 1 above 4. Training Reserve @ 3.5% of 1 above 5. Posts to be filled by promotion in accordance with Rule 8 of Indian Forest Service (Recruitment) Rules, 1966, not exceeding 33 1/3% of Items 1,2,3 & 4 above. 6. Leave Reserve & Junior Posts Reserve @ 16.5% of Item 1 above. 7. Post to be filled by Direct Recruitment (Items 1+2+3+4+6-5) 8. i. Direct Recruitment Posts ii. Promotion Posts Total Authorised Strength

13 17 2 33 11 79 79 33 112

WBFS Cadre Strength in West Bengal A Senior Duty Post ( D.F.O. / Dy. C.F. ) B Junior Duty Post (A.D.F.O. / A.F.O. ) C Deputy Reserve Post 10% of Total ( A + B ) D Leave Reserve & Training Reserve 5% of total ( A+ B ) Total Post : 22 88 11 5 126

Table 5.2
CATEGORY WISE NUMBER OF SANCTIONED POSTS AND ACTUAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL IN THE DIRECTORATE OF FORESTS AS ON 31.03.2007 Sl. No. 1 01. 02. 03. 04. 05. 06. 07. 08. 09. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. Category of Posts 2 Indian Forest Service West Bengal Forest Service Administrative Officer Sub-total Accountant Asstt. Statistician Basic Grade Typist Computing Supervisor Computor Grade-I Typist Head Clerk-I Head Clerk-II Lower Division Clerk Statistician Supervisory Grade Typist Upper Division Clerk Sub-total Accountant:CF Level: DFO.Level (UDC) Divisional Level Agriculture Extension Officer Asstt. Foreman (Mech.) Asstt. Saw Doctor Attendent Asstt. Soil Chemist Bana Majdoor Bana Shramik Band Saw Operator Basic Grade/GradeI/SupervisoryTypist Bearer Boatman Boiler Driver Boiler Fireman Bunglow Chowkidar Bengali Translator Cashaub Chowkidar Cleaner/Truck Cleaner Cook Cook-cum-Bearer Crane Operator Cross-cut-Operator C.T.Mobile Medical Unit Chairman Compounder Dakwalla Darwan Sanctioned Strength (Nos.) 3 112 126 1 239 2 1 7 2 7 6 6 2 26 1 2 26 88 8 55 55 2 4 5 1 1 1193 3025 10 30 3 102 3 3 88 1 1 2 31 4 2 3 6 1 8 1 105 36 Personnel in Position (Nos.) 4 96 103 1 200 2 1 7 2 5 6 6 2 21 0 2 26 85 3 36 36 3 1 1193 3025 3 19 3 76 2 53 1 1 21 2 3 4 1 78 27 Contd.table-5.2

17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43.

Sl. No. 1 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 91. 92.

Category of Posts 2 Deputy Ranger/Forester Draftsman/Head Draftsman Driver/Touring Vehicle/Truck Driver Driver-cum-Mechanics Duftary Duplicating Operator Electrician Engine Driver Electric Workman ECG Technician Fitter Forest Guard Forest Ranger Forest Watcher Forest Worker G.D.A. (Medical Unit) Gate Operator/Head Gate Operator Grass Cutter Game Watcher Game Guard Head Clerk Head Forest Guard Installation Guard Kiln Supervisor Klin Operator Laskar Latheman Lower Division Clerk/Clerk Typist/Jr.Asstt. Laboratory Assistant Laboratory Attendant Mahut Majhi Mali Medical Officer Mosalchi Muharrir Grade-I, Grade-II Museum Darwan Night Guard Night Watchman Nurse Oil Man-greaser Orderly/Peon Orchid Cultivator Office Supdt. Pharmacist Power Saw Doctor Pump Driver Rd. Roller Driver Record Supplier

Sanctioned Strength (Nos) 3 1268 35 144 3 13 1 1 9 6 1 2 2444 580 13 17 2 5 36 2 4 56 231 12 1 3 17 1 305 3 1 25 44 151 2 1 2 1 11 5 2 9 572 1 1 2 6 1 3 2

Personnel in Position (Nos.) 4 1070 16 108 11 1 1 7 6 1 1573 460 7 6 2 3 15 2 34 128 2 1 1 13 1 181 2 1 16 36 116 1 1 2 10 3 511 1 3 2 Contd.table-5.2

Category of Posts 2 Renepont Operator Road Roller Cleaner Road Roller Mate Research Officer Reopeway Motor/Motor Driver Road Khalasi Saw Doctor Serang Skilled Mazdoor Station Helper Stenographer Sub-Station Operator Sweeper Sukhani Tractor Driver Tractor Mate Taxi dermist Ticket Seller Technical Asstt. Tractor Mount Roller Driver Unskilled Mazdoor Upper Division Clerk/ Sr. Assistant 115. Veterinary Officer 116. Veterinary Surgeon 117. Watcher 118. X-Ray Assistant 119. Zamadar Sub-total PARKS & GARDENS WING 120. Garden Supervisor 121. Head Uddyan Rakshi 122. Horticulture Officer 123. Senior Horticulture Officer 124. Senior Mali 125. Supdt. Horticulture Officer 126. Uddyan Rakshi 127. Uddyan Shramik Sub-total LLOYD BOTANIC GARDEN : 128. Black Smith 129. Carpenter 130. CT 131. Darwan 132. Head Mali 133. Herbarium Cleaner 134. Horticulture Officer 135. Junior Mali 136. Lebel Writer 137. Man Mazdoor 138. Night Guard 139. Orchid Supervisor

Sl. No. 1 93. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101. 102. 103. 104. 105. 106. 107. 108. 109. 110. 111. 112. 113. 114.

Sanctioned Strength (Nos) 3 2 3 3 1 7 3 1 7 29 10 48 2 51 5 1 5 1 1 1 3 52 250 1 1 45 1 2 11,299 22 30 4 2 70 1 120 280 529 1 1 1 6 1 4 1 1 1 11 1 1

Personnel in Position (Nos.) 4 2 1 5 7 25 10 46 33 4 1 1 1 1 6 235 1 16 1 2 9,377 10 23 2 39 95 194 363 1 1 4 1 10 1

Contd.table 5.2

Sl. No. 1 140. 141. 142. 143. 144. 145. 146. 147. 148.

Category of Posts 2 Orderly Plant Collector Peon Sardar Senior Mali Store Keeper Sweeper UDC Women Mazdoor Sub-total GRAND TOTAL :

Sanctioned Strength (Nos) 3 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 25 65 12303

Personnel in Position (Nos.) 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 12 36 9988

Table 5.3
Administrative Units under Forest Directorate Circle Territorial Wildlife Social Forestry Marketing Soil Conservation Functional Total : 4 5 2 1 2 7 21 Division 15 11 9 1 7 15 58 Range 178 104 62 5 61 62 472 Beat 445 202 106 -131 -884

Table 5.4
NO. OF RANGE AND NO. OF BEAT UNDER DIRECTORATE OF FORESTS Sl. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 Name of Division Asstt. Chief Conservator of Forests, West Bengal. Divisional Forest Officer, P.M.C., West Bengal. Divisional Forest Officer, Law Cell, West Bengal. Dy. Conservator of Forests, Planning & Statistics (P) Dy. Conservator of Forests, Planning & Statistics (S) Divisional Forest Officer, Utilisation Dy. Conservator of Forests, Jalpaiguri Divisional Forest Officer, Cooch Behar Social Forestry Dy. Conservator of Forests, Baikunthapur Divisional Forest Officer, Jalpaiguri Social Forestry Dy. Conservator of Forests, Darjeeling Dy. Conservator of Forests, Kurseong Divisional Forest Officer, M.F.P. Dy. Conservator of Forests, East Midnapore Dy. Conservator of Forests, West Midnapore Divisional Forest Officer, Kharagpur Social Forestry Divisional Forest Officer, Rupnarayan Soil Cons. Divisional Forest Officer, Panchet Soil Cons. Divisional Forest Officer, Kharagpur Social Forestry Dy. Conservator of Forests, Bankura (S) Dy. Conservator of Forests, Bankura (N) Dy. Conservator of Forests, Malda Divisional Forest Officer, Parks & Gardens (N) Divisional Forest Officer, Siliguri Social Forestry Divisional Forest Officer, Raigunj Social Forestry Divisional Forest Officer, Publicity Divisional Forest Officer, Howrah Social Forestry Dy. Conservator of Forests, Birbhum Dy. Conservator of Forests, U.R.F. Dy. Conservator of Forests, Burdwan Dy. Conservator of Forests, Kurseong Soil Cons. Dy. Conservator of Forests, Kalimpong Soil Cons. Divisional Forest Officer, Jalpaiguri Soil Cons. Dy. Conservator of Forests, Purulia Dy. Conservator of Forests, Kangsabati Soil-I Divisional Forest Officer, Purulia E.F. Divisional Forest Officer, Kangsabati Soil-II Dy. Conservator of Forests, Silviculture (N) Dy. Conservator of Forests, Silviculture (S) Total No. of Range 2 -3 1 1 5 15 12 17 7 11 10 6 14 23 12 11 10 6 15 13 8 5 6 8 2 6 10 9 8 7 8 8 12 9 7 10 5 7 Total No. of Beat 3 -4 -1 3 44 16 39 15 20 26 8 37 60 38 23 26 17 50 43 16 -9 14 0 12 24 -26 18 21 13 24 18 21 17 0 --

Sl. No. 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58

Name of Division Dy. Conservator of Forests, Silviculture (H) Director, West Bengal Forest School Director, Training (S) Dy. Conservator of Forests, Working Plan (N) Divisional Forest Officer, Working Plan (S-I) Divisional Forest Officer, Working Plan (S-II) Dy. Conservator of Forests, Monitoring (N) Dy. Conservator of Forests, Monitoring (S) Dy. Field Director, Buxa Tiger Reserve (E) Dy. Field Director, Buxa Tiger Reserve (W) Dy. Conservator of Forests, Wildlife-I Dy. Conservator of Forests, Wildlife-II Dy. Conservator of Forests, Cooch Behar Dy. Conservator of Forests, Wildlife (Hqrs.) Divisional Forest Officer, 24-Parganas (N) Dy. Conservator of Forests, 24-Parganas (S) Dy. Conservator of Forests, Nadia Murshidabad Dy. Conservator of Forests, Wetland Research Dy. Field Director, Sunderbans Tiger Reserve TOTAL

Total No. of Range 7 2 1 9 6 6 10 9 11 11 12 11 14 7 7 10 9 2 10 472

Total No. of Beat --0 0 0 0 0 0 28 35 23 11 34 0 12 23 22 0 14 884

CHAPTER 6
REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE

The revenue of the Forest Directorate, Government of West Bengal is generated through sale of Forest products, Tariffs and Royalties, Rents, taxes, levies, fees and other charges. During the year 2006-07 total revenue earned was Rs. 4,044.88 lakhs. The maximum revenue was generated by the Buxa Tiger Reserve Rs.1,386.11 lakhs. During the year 2006-07 the Directorate has spent an amount of Rs. 15,378.79 lakhs for development of forest and allied activities under different schemes. Rs. 12,141.14 lakhs was spent under Non Plan, Rs. 1,944.38 lakhs under State Plan and Rs. 1,243.27 under different schemes like CSS/CS, State Plan Committed and Non Plan development etc. The details of revenue generated under major heads during the year 2006-07 as follows

Table - 6.1 Revenue from major heads during 2006-2007. Heads Timber & polls Fire wood Grazing Bamboo MFP Other Total Rs. in Lakh 2744.16 118.64 21.59 0.31 13.79 1146.39 4044.88

Table - 6.2 Statement showing Unit wise Revenue for the year 2006-2007 (Rs. in Lakhs) ======================================================================== Accounting Units | Timber | Firewood | Grazing | Bamboo | Minor F.P. | Others | Total ======================================================================== Headquarter: ~~~~~~~~~~~ 1.General Dirn 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 38.05 38.05 2.Publicity Dn 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 38.05 38.05 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Monitoring: ~~~~~~~~~~ 3.Monitor (S) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.15 0.15 4.Monitor (N) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.15 0.15 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WP&GIS Circl: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5.WP&GIS Circl 6.W.Plan (S-I) 7.W.Plan (S-II) 8.W.Plan North 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.28 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.28 0.00 0.00

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.28 0.28 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Marketg Crcl: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 9.Utilisation 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 115.25 115.25 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 115.25 115.25 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Res. Circle: ~~~~~~~~~~~ 10.Research Dir 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 11.Silva(South) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.56 0.56 12.Silva(North) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.26 0.26 13.Silva (Hill) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.13 0.13 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.95 1.95 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Contd...

Page-2 (Rs. in Lakhs) ======================================================================== Accounting Units | Timber | Firewood | Grazing | Bamboo | Minor F.P. | Others | Total ======================================================================== Devlpmt Crcl: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 14.Devlpmt Dirn 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.15 0.16 15.F.T. (North) 16.F.T. (South) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.0 3.13 3.13 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.29 3.29 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SC(S) Circle: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 17.S.C.(S) Dirn 6.47 4.71 0.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.66 18.Kangsabati-I 9.09 0.00 2.29 0.00 0.03 2.50 4.27 19.Kansabati-II 5.48 5.48 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 20.Purulia Divn 5.50 5.50 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 21.Extn For Div ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 5.93 2.50 0.03 0.00 2.39 15.70 26.55 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SF(S) Circle: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 22.SF (S) Dirn 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 23.U.R.F. Divn 2.35 2.35 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.08 6.45 24.Howrah SF Dn 10.69 17.22 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 25.Burdwan Divn 95.55 95.55 0.31 0.00 0.00 0.07 13.43 26.Birbhum Divn 9.97 23.78 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 19.88 0.15 0.00 0.00 0.31 118.56 138.90 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Western Crcl: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 27.Western Dirn 75.06 123.70 0.00 0.00 0.00 40.42 8.22 28.W.Midnapore 37.89 114.77 0.00 0.31 19.05 31.40 26.12 29.E.Midnapore 43.26 72.78 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.24 29.28 30.Kharagpur SF 18.69 69.42 0.00 0.00 0.00 6.85 43.88 31.Rup P & S-I ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 107.50 78.91 19.05 0.31 0.00 174.90 380.67 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contd...

Page-3 (Rs. in Lakhs) ========================================================================== Accounting Units | Timber | Firewood | Grazing | Bamboo | Minor F.P.| Others | Total =========================================================================== Central Crcl: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 0.03 0.03 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 32.Central Dirn 55.99 70.92 0.94 0.00 6.42 4.86 2.71 33.Bankura (N) 87.31 89.36 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.16 0.89 34.Bankura (S) 129.96 145.92 4.61 0.00 0.00 0.00 11.35 35.Panchet SC 8.32 6.90 0.97 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.45 36.Durgapur SF ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 15.40 11.60 0.94 0.00 6.42 280.19 314.55 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FD/STR: ~~~~~~ 37.DFD/STR 0.00 5.08 0.00 0.00 0.00 50.75 55.83 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 0.00 5.08 0.00 0.00 0.00 50.75 55.83 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sunderban BR: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 92.37 92.37 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 38.JD/SBR Dirn 52.00 55.34 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.34 0.00 39.24-Parg (S) 7.55 2.30 4.67 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.58 40.24-Parg (N) 10.23 60.11 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 49.88 41.Nadia-Mursbd ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 50.46 3.34 0.00 0.00 4.67 156.90 215.37 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WL (Hqr): ~~~~~~~~ 42.WL (Hqr) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.21 0.21 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.21 0.21 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WL(N) Circle: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 0.00 0.00 0.03 0.00 0.03 0.00 0.00 43.WL Dir (N) 0.00 0.00 3.17 27.35 0.00 0.88 23.30 44.Wildlife-I 0.00 0.00 0.00 9.84 10.15 0.00 0.31 45.Wildlife-II 0.00 0.00 0.00 33.33 226.42 0.27 192.82 46.Coochbehar ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 216.43 1.15 0.00 0.00 0.00 46.37 263.95 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contd...

Page-4 (Rs. in Lakhs) ======================================================================== Accounting Units | Timber | Firewood | Grazing | Bamboo | Minor F.P.| Others | Total ======================================================================== Buxa T.R.: ~~~~~~~~~ 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.00 47.B.T.R. Dirn 0.77 0.00 0.00 4.90 1329.81 7.84 48.B.T.R (West) 1316.30 56.21 21.97 0.38 0.00 0.00 0.00 33.86 49.B.T.R (East) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 1350.16 8.22 0.77 0.00 0.00 26.96 1386.11 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Hill Circle: ~~~~~~~~~~~ 50.Hill Dirn 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 51.Darjeeling 77.86 6.88 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.66 87.40 52.Kurseong Div 81.99 0.13 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.54 84.66 53.Minor F.P.Dn 0.00 13.69 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 13.69 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 159.85 7.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 18.89 185.75 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Northrn Crcl: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 54.Northrn Dirn 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.61 150.15 55.Baikunthapur 9.71 160.47 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.07 565.15 56.Jpg Division 46.25 611.47 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.02 57.Jpg SF Divn 1.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 47.70 66.06 58.Cochbehar SF 18.36 0.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 763.00 0.68 0.00 0.00 0.00 75.34 839.02 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SF(N) Circle: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 0.26 0.26 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 59.SF (N) Dirn 2.34 2.34 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 60.P & G(North) 8.21 8.21 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 61.Siliguri SF 36.42 6.72 0.00 0.00 0.05 0.00 29.65 62.Raiganj SF 31.31 4.66 0.00 0.00 0.75 0.00 25.90 63.Malda Divn ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 55.55 0.00 0.80 0.00 0.00 22.19 78.54 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SC(N) Circle: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 64.S.C.(N) Dirn 0.11 0.11 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 65.Kurseong SC 0.03 0.03 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 66.Kalimpong SC 0.32 0.32 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 67.S.C.(N) Divn ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.46 0.46 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------======================================================================== GRAND TOTAL 2744.16 118.64 21.59 0.31 13.79 1146.39 4044.88
=============

Table - 6.3 Government of West Bengal Forest Directorate ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Statement showing Unit wise Expenditure for the year 2006-2007 (Rs. in Lakhs) ======================================================================== Accounting Units | State-Plan | S.P. (Comm) | CSS & C/Sec | Non -Plan | N.P. (Dev)| Total ========================================================================Headq uarter: ~~~~~~~~~~~ 1.General Dirn 58.26 0.00 15.04 432.47 0.00 505.77 2.Publicity Dn 5.50 0.00 5.60 19.82 0.00 30.92 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total: 63.76 0.00 20.64 452.29 0.00 536.69 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Monitoring: ~~~~~~~~~~ 3.Monitor (S) 7.00 0.00 0.00 62.75 0.00 69.75 4.Monitor (N) 6.99 0.00 0.00 50.27 0.00 57.26 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 13.99 0.00 0.00 113.02 0.00 127.01 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WP&GIS Circl: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5.WP&GIS Circl 0.31 0.00 0.94 20.36 0.00 21.61 6.W.Plan (S-I) 10.05 0.00 11.39 66.44 0.00 87.88 7.W.Plan (S-II) 6.41 0.00 4.24 52.16 0.00 62.81 64.29 0.00 81.20 8.W.Plan North 9.29 0.00 7.62 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 26.06 0.00 24.19 203.25 0.00 253.50 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Marketg Crcl: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 9.Utilisation 0.00 0.00 0.00 78.72 0.00 78.72 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 0.00 0.00 0.00 78.72 0.00 78.72 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Res. Circle: ~~~~~~~~~~~ 1.18 0.00 47.68 1.83 10.Research Dir 50.69 0.00 0.00 3.74 15.69 121.51 11.Silva(South) 0.00 140.94 0.00 4.84 13.92 12.Silva(North) 94.46 0.00 75.69 0.00 15.20 2.27 13.Silva (Hill) 0.00 144.58 127.11 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 46.64 0.00 12.04 371.99 0.00 430.67 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Contd...

Page-2

(Rs. in Lakhs)

======================================================================== Accounting Units | State-Plan | S.P. (Comm) | CSS & C/Sec | Non -Plan | N.P. (Dev)| Total ======================================================================== Devlpmt Crcl: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 22.54 0.00 22.54 0.00 0.00 0.00 14.Devlpmt Dirn 102.87 0.00 82.25 2.40 0.00 18.22 15.F.T. (North) 62.90 0.00 51.10 0.00 0.00 11.80 16.F.T. (South) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 30.02 0.00 2.40 155.89 0.00 188.31 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SC(S) Circle: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 49.52 0.00 49.21 0.23 0.00 0.08 17.S.C.(S) Dirn 348.44 0.00 287.16 4.11 0.00 57.17 18.Kangsabati-I 286.73 0.00 226.42 12.18 0.00 48.13 19.Kansabati-II 340.61 0.00 304.67 3.38 0.00 32.56 20.Purulia Divn 109.32 0.00 106.68 0.00 0.00 2.64 21.Extn For Div ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 140.58 0.00 19.90 974.14 0.00 1134.62 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SF(S) Circle: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 60.63 0.00 60.48 0.11 0.00 0.04 22.SF (S) Dirn 591.21 0.00 491.04 0.00 0.00 100.17 23.U.R.F. Divn 176.38 0.00 155.99 5.64 0.08 14.75 24.Howrah SF Dn 281.05 0.00 228.83 4.11 0.00 48.75 25.Burdwan Divn 383.13 0.00 301.92 2.52 0.07 78.69 26.Birbhum Divn ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 241.76 0.00 12.38 1238.26 0.00 1492.40 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Western Crcl: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 59.21 0.00 0.00 59.21 0.00 0.00 27.Western Dirn 573.82 0.00 494.48 0.00 14.69 64.65 28.W.Midnapore 520.29 0.00 410.49 0.00 7.17 102.63 29.E.Midnapore 388.36 0.00 317.62 0.00 1.85 68.89 30.Kharagpur SF 348.00 0.00 284.84 0.00 7.05 56.11 31.Rup P & S-I ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 292.28 0.00 30.76 1566.64 0.00 1889.68 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Contd...

Page-3 (Rs. in Lakhs) ======================================================================== Accounting Units | State-Plan | S.P. (Comm) | CSS & C/Sec | Non -Plan | N.P. (Dev)| Total ======================================================================== Central Crcl: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 33.71 0.00 33.71 0.00 0.00 0.00 32.Central Dirn 505.50 0.00 451.19 14.55 0.00 39.76 33.Bankura (N) 513.30 0.00 473.25 6.28 33.77 0.00 34.Bankura (S) 324.36 0.00 284.74 7.08 32.54 0.00 35.Panchet SC 154.24 0.00 123.64 3.79 0.00 26.81 36.Durgapur SF ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 132.88 0.00 31.70 1366.53 0.00 1531.11 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FD/STR: ~~~~~~ 37.DFD/STR 133.16 0.00 174.01 368.25 17.71 693.13 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 133.16 0.00 174.01 368.25 17.71 693.13 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sunderban BR: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 79.20 1.00 23.81 54.39 0.00 0.00 38.JD/SBR Dirn 619.18 37.20 152.63 345.34 0.00 84.01 39.24-Parg (S) 118.65 0.00 107.33 0.00 0.00 11.32 40.24-Parg (N) 310.51 0.00 250.58 36.63 0.00 23.30 41.Nadia-Mursbd ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 118.63 0.00 213.07 757.64 38.20 1127.54 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WL (Hqr): ~~~~~~~~ 42.WL (Hqr) 25.40 0.00 7.80 175.71 0.00 208.91 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 25.40 0.00 7.80 175.71 0.00 208.91 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WL(N) Circle: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 0.00 0.00 43.WL Dir (N) 42.40 0.00 39.65 2.75 0.00 39.95 44.Wildlife-I 376.34 0.00 222.08 114.31 0.00 29.01 45.Wildlife-II 379.97 0.00 197.02 153.94 60.29 46.Coochbehar 687.85 0.00 499.21 128.35 0.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 129.25 0.00 399.35 957.96 0.00 1486.56 Contd...

Page-4 (Rs. in Lakhs) =========================================================================== Accounting Units | State-Plan | S.P. (Comm) | CSS & C/Sec | Non -Plan | N.P. (Dev)| Total ======================================================================== Buxa T.R.: ~~~~~~~~~ 47.B.T.R. Dirn 2.66 0.00 3.36 35.38 0.00 41.40 48.B.T.R (West) 54.16 0.00 51.72 349.29 0.00 455.17 49.B.T.R (East) 139.89 0.00 57.15 324.05 0.00 521.09 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 196.71 0.00 112.23 708.72 0.00 1017.66 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Hill Circle: ~~~~~~~~~~~ 0.00 0.00 0.00 35.73 0.00 35.73 50.Hill Directn 55.38 2.50 11.65 235.25 0.00 304.78 51.Darjeeling 52.Kurseong Div 53.10 0.65 12.35 315.32 0.00 381.42 53.Minor F.P.Dn 23.85 0.00 0.00 93.98 0.00 117.83 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 132.33 3.15 24.00 680.28 0.00 839.76 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Northrn Crcl: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 41.52 0.00 0.00 0.00 41.52 0.00 54.Northrn Dirn 370.20 0.00 333.75 0.00 10.32 26.13 55.Baikunthapur 410.49 0.00 376.21 0.00 11.51 22.77 56.Jpg Division 84.44 0.00 77.04 7.40 0.00 0.00 57.Jpg SF Divn 245.59 0.00 194.72 0.00 29.92 20.95 58.Cochbehar SF ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 77.25 0.00 51.75 1023.24 0.00 1152.24 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SF(N) Circle: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 59.SF (N) Dirn 36.88 0.00 36.88 0.00 0.00 0.00 60.P & G(North) 179.27 0.00 174.02 0.00 0.00 5.25 61.Siliguri SF 88.48 0.00 76.96 0.00 0.00 11.52 62.Raiganj SF 135.43 0.00 98.40 23.60 0.00 13.43 63.Malda Divn 144.30 0.00 108.10 0.00 36.20 0.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 66.40 0.00 23.60 494.36 0.00 584.36 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SC(N) Circle: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 37.54 0.00 35.78 0.86 0.00 0.90 64.S.C.(N) Dirn 240.57 0.00 178.87 16.41 0.00 45.29 65.Kurseong SC 183.45 0.00 125.27 42.04 0.00 16.14 66.Kalimpong SC 144.36 0.00 114.33 15.08 0.00 14.95 67.S.C.(N) Divn ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total 77.28 0.00 74.39 454.25 0.00 605.92 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------======================================================================== GRAND TOTAL 1944.38 3.15 1234.21 12141.14 55.91 15378.79 ========================================================================

Table - 6.4 Statement showing Scheme wise Actual Expenditure during the year 2006-2007 under
6.4.1 : STATE PLAN SCHEMES

(Rs in Lakhs) Schemes/Projects 2402-Soil & Water Conservation: 1. Protective Affn & Erosion Cont [FR] 2. Eco-Cons of Sensitive Zones [FR]
Total: "2402" 2406-Forestry & Wildlife:

BE 26.00 9.00.
35.00

Net Grant 26.00 9.00

35.00

Actual Expenditure during 2006-2007 Normal TSP SCP Total 5.40 1.00
6.40

3.00 1.00
4.00

18.00 7.00
25.00

26.40 9.00
35.40

1. Forest Resources [FR] 2. Forest Consolidation [FR] 3. Development of Forest Comm [FR] 4. Buildings [FR] 5. Forest Protection [FR] 6. Working Plan [FR] 7. Management Information System [FR] 8. Integrated Forest Prot Schemes [FR] 9. Maintenance of Forests (12th Finance) 10. Coastal Shelter Belt Plantation [FR] 11. Plantation of Quick Growing Spp[Fr] 12. West Bengal Forestry Project[FR] 13. Research & Seed Propagation[FR] 14. SCP for Economic Plantation[FR] 15. Agro Silviculture[FR] 16. Timber Opn by Mech Logging[FR] 17. Economic Rehab of Fringe Popln[FR] 18. Intensification of Management[FR] 19. Amenity to For Staff & Labours[FR] 20. Publicity-cum-Extension[Fr] 21.Protection & Improvement of WL[FR] 22.Tiger Reserve in Sundarbans[FR] 23.Tiger Reserve in Buxa[FR] 24.Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary[FR] 25.Control of Poaching & illegal Trade 26.Singhalila National Park[FR] 27.Neora Valley National Park[FR] 28.Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary[FR] 29.Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary[FR] 30.Gorumara Wildlife Sanctuary[FR] 31.Natural History Museum[FR] 32.Creation & Improvement of P&G[FR] 33.Urban Forestry[FR] 34.Greening of Rural Areas[FR] 35.Lloyd Botanic Garden,Darjeeling[FR] 36.Decentralised People's Nursery[FR] 37.Strip Plantation/Farm Forest[FR] 38. Mangrove Treatment [FR] 39.Community Development
Total: "2406"

5.00 5.00 25.00 60.00 30.00 5.00 10.00 150.00 300.00 27.65 119.35 0 30.00 0 2.00 5.00 70.00 20.00 10.00 8.00 150.00 60.00 60.00 15.00 15.00 3.00 3.00 6.00 3.00 3.00 2.00 8.00 5.00 10.00 5.00 21.60 73.26 8.74 15.00
1348.60

5.00 5.00 25.00 71.40 29.00 5.00 10.00 64.14 450.00 20.15 128.54 225.19 10.00 13.50 35.18 27.50 65.00 7.00 3.40 8.00 150.00 60.00 60.00 15.00 15.00 3.00 3.00 6.00 3.00 3.00 2.00 8.00 55.00 10.00 5.00 24.16 58.10 0 0
1688.46

5.00 3.00 19.00 55.47 29.00 5.00 9.94 55.93 456.94 1.65 20.86 84.11 9.76 0.00 34.88 27.50 15.32 7.00 0.00 8.00 140.55 60.00 35.72 10.00 9.50 2.25 2.25 6.00 2.25 2.25 2.00 8.00 82.42 10.00 5.00 3.10 57.06 0 0
1286.71

0.00 2.00 4.20 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 61.50 16.27 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 10.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 5.00 5.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0 0
103.97

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 17.17 46.18 103.80 0.00 11.91 0.00 0.00 39.68 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 20.44 0.00 0 0
239.18

5.00 5.00 23.20 55.47 29.00 5.00 9.94 55.93 456.94 18.82 128.54 204.18 9.76 11.91 34.88 27.50 65.00 7.00 0.00 8.00 140.55 60.00 35.72 15.00 14.50 2.25 2.25 6.00 2.25 2.25 2.00 8.00 82.42 10.00 5.00 23.54 57.06 0 0
1629.86

Schemes/Projects 2551- Hill Areas: 1.Prot Afforstn & Erosion Control[FR] 2.MFP-Agro-Silviculture[FR] 3.Protn & Improvement of WL[FR] 4.Forestry Treatment[Fr] 5.Economic Rehab of Fringe Popn[FR] Total: "2551" 2415-Agricultural Research: 1.Forestry Research [FR] 2.Training of Staff[FR] Total: "2415" 4406-Capital Outlay 1.Infrastructural facilities-RIDF[FR] Total: "4406" GRAND TOTAL: STATE PLAN:

BE 30.00 2.00 2.00 14.80 1.50 50.30 8.00 4.00 12.00 1500.00 1500.00 2945.90

Net 30.00 2.00 2.00 17.80 1.50 53.30 8.00 4.00 12.00 219.10 219.10 2007.86

Normal 29.97 2.00 2.00 17.52 1.50 52.99 7.77 3.98 11.75 107.04 107.04 1464.89

TSP 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 24.70 24.70 132.67

SCP 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 82.66 82.66 346.84

Total 29.97 2.00 2.00 17.52 1.50 52.99 7.77 3.98 11.75 214.40 214.40 1944.40

6.4.2 : STATE PLAN (COMMITED) (Rs in Lakhs) BE 3.15 0.75 3.90 Net Grant 3.15 0.75 3.90 Actual Expenditure during 2006-2007 Normal TSP SCP Total 3.149 0.00 3.149 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.149 0.00 3.149

Schemes/Projects 2551-Hill Areas: 1. West Bengal Forestry Project [FR] 2. Protection & Improvement of WL [FR] Total: "2551"

6.4.3 : CENTRALLY SPONSORED AND CENTRAL SECTOR SCHEMES (Rs in Lakhs) Net Grant 185.11 55.87 193.01 14.84 121.30 82.70 43.35 102.59 36.18 54.71 23.60 42.35 165.97 51.00 0.00 92.35 1264.93 1264.93 Actual Expenditure during 2006-2007 Normal TSP SCP Total 163.54 55.87 196.22 32.36 121.30 75.75 0.00 108.39 36.18 54.60 23.60 42.12 163.77 50.00 51.22 53.28 1234.20 1234.20 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 163.54 55.87 196.22 32.36 121.30 75.75 0.00 108.39 36.18 54.60 23.60 42.12 163.77 50.00 51.22 59.28 1234.20 1234.20

Schemes/Projects 2406-Forestry & Wildlife: 1.Cons & Dev of Wetlands in W.B. [FR] 2. Cons & Mgmt. of Sundarban Mangroves 3. Integrated Forest Prot Schemes [FR] 4. Med Plants Cons & Area Dev Prog [FR] 5. Tiger Reserve in Sundarbans[FR] 6. Tiger Reserve in Buxa[FR] 7. Singhalila National Park[FR] 8. Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary[FR] 9. Neora Valley National Park[FR] 10. Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary[FR] 11. Dev. Of National Parks & Sanctuary[FR] 12. Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary[FR] 13. Elephant Project [FR] 14. Gorumara National Park [FR] 15. RVP-Teesta 16. Biodiv. Cons in SundarbanUNDP[FR] Total: "2406" Grand Total: "2406"

BE 250.00 108.00 310.00 9.00 300.00 300.00 30.00 70.00 60.00 65.00 45.00 150.00 65.00 79.00

6.4.4 : NON PLAN

Schemes/Projects 2402-Soil & Water Conservation: 1.Strengthening Soil Con Orgn [FR] 2.Protective Affn Erosion Control [FR] 3.Soil Cons in RVP-Kangsabati [FR] 4. Soil Cons in RVP-Teesta [FR] 5. Soil Cons in Himalayan Region [FR] 6.Flood Cont in FPR- Ganga Basin [FR] 7.Pilot Project for Afforestation [FR] Total : "2402" 2406-Forestry & Wildlife: 1.Direction & Administration 2.Training of IFS Probationers [FR] 3. Training of WBFS Probationers [FR] 4.Surveys [FR] 5.Forest Resources [FR] 6.Forest Consolidation [FR] 7.Communication [FR] 8.Buildings [FR] 9.WL Wing (i) Conservancy & Regn [FR] 10.(ii). Working Plan [FR] 11.(iii) Forest Protection [FR] 12.Management Information System [FR] 13.Economic Plantation [FR] 14.Plantation of Quick Growing Spp [FR] 15.Farm Forestry-cum-Fuelwood Pltn [FR] 16.Mixed Pltn etc.-Rural FW Pltn [FR] 17.West Bengal Forestry Projects [FR] 18.Area Oriented FW & Fodder Proj [FR] 19.Social Forestry Project [FR] 20.Timber Operation by Govt Agency[FR] 21.Minor Forest Produce [FR] 22.MFP:Agro Silviculture [FR] 23.MFP:Silvo-Pisciculture [FR] 24.Timber Operation by Mech. Logging[FR] 25.Other Expenses 26.Economic Rehab of Fringe Popln [FR] 27.Intensification of management [FR] 28.Amenity to for Staff & Labours [FR] 29.WL Unit-Prot & Improve of WL [FR] 30.Nature Cons-Protn & Imp of WL [FR] 31.Sundarbans Tiger Reserve [FR] 32.Buxa Tiger Reserve [FR] 33.Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary [FR] 34.Control of Poaching [FR]

BE 1533000.00 18806000.00 14208000.00 10040000.00 3466000.00 65000.00 4882000.00 53000000.00 777121000.00 560000.00 735000.00 816000.00 1196000.00 702000.00 8141000.00 26859000.00 17971000.00 3141000.00 10066000.00 448000.00 1344000.00 239000.00 322000.00 382000.00 27518000.00 50000.00 94493000.00 31470000.00 2981000.00 1482200.00 1101000.00 5028000.00 36405000.00 6468000.00 339000.00 841000.00 70288000.00 331000.00 11613000.00 6419000.00 70000.00 155000.00

Net Grant 1533000.00 18856000.00 15569000.00 8679000.00 3466000.00 65000.00 4882000.00 53050000.00 785297000.00 520000.00 735000.00 816000.00 1196000.00 702000.00 6942000.00 32026000.00 20405000.00 2141000.00 11234000.00 448000.00 94000.00 89000.00 322000.00 382000.00 28646000.00 50000.00 88086000.00 31656000.00 1620000.00 1350000.00 1101000.00 3858000.00 27959000.00 4290000.00 414000.00 1389000.00 70591000.00 331000.00 11613000.00 6419000.00 70000.00 155000.00

(Figures in Rs) Actual Expenditure 1124393.54 16892090.98 10796871.67 8496855.97 3346764.61 44000.00 4964654.78 45665631.55 737107816.45 72394.00 243867.00 805999.94 1180896.80 726665.20 8124463.98 31483019.97 20464984.09 2140999.64 11179074.05 414607.00 93916.00 89000.00 322000.00 382000.00 27997081.28 50000.00 85405748.57 31514540.17 1604888.68 1350999.31 1187982.00 3936796.70 27268458.55 4289970.03 383445.00 1163919.88 67646906.49 330987.50 8993501.46 3704862.90 70000.00 154304.00

Schemes/Projects

BE

Net Grant

35.Singhalila National Park [FR] 49000.00 49000.00 36.Neora Valley National Park [FR] 49000.00 49000.00 37.Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary [FR] 70000.00 70000.00 38.Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary [FR] 49000.00 49000.00 39.Gorumara Wildlife Sanctuary [FR] 49000.00 49000.00 40.Parks & Garden Wing [FR] 66101000.00 65669000.00 41.Lloyd Botanic Garden, Darjeeeling [FR] 4736000.00 4462000.00 42.Creation & Improvement of P & G [FR] 1250000.00 3700000.00 43.Urban Forestry [FR] 497000.00 497000.00 44.Greening of Rural Areas [FR] 125000.00 125000.00 45.Wildlife Unit [FR] 1616000.00 1816000.00 46.Reward for Cont of Wild Animals [FR] 9450000.00 9450000.00 Total: "2406" 1231136200.00 1228932000.00 2551-Hill Areas: 1.Econ Rehab of Fringe Population [FR] 87000.00 87000.00 2.Prot Afforstn & Erosion Control [FR] 80000.00 80000.00 3.West Bengal Forestry Project [FR] 254000.00 254000.00 4.Prot & Improvement of wildlife [FR] 45000.00 45000.00 Total: " 2551" 466000.00 466000.00 2415-Agricultural Research: 1.General Direction Trg of Staff [FR] 160000.00 160000.00 2.Forestry Research [FR] 1518000.00 1518000.00 Total: "2415" 1678000.00 1678000.00 GRAND TOTAL: NON-PLAN 1286280200.00 1284126000.00

Actual Expenditure 49000.00 49000.00 70000.00 49000.00 49000.00 64619373.77 4091894.10 3599998.72 497000.00 125000.00 1811518.80 9633926.60 1166530808.63 86956.00 79974.90 254000.00 0.00 420930.90 0.00 1495371.91 1495371.91 1214112742.99

Table 6.5 Actual Expenditure under Major Heads during 2002-2003 to 2006-2007 (Figures in Rupees)
Major Head 2002-2003 (N.G.)-> 2402 2406 2551 2415 4406 TOTAL 2003-2004 (N.G.)-> 2402 2406 2551 2415 4406 TOTAL 2004-05 (N.G.) 2402 2406 2551 2415 4406 TOTAL 2005-06 (N.G.) 2402 2406 2551 2415 4406 TOTAL 2006-07 (N.G.) 2402 2406 2551 2415 4406 TOTAL Non Plan State Plan (Annual Plan) 168,464,231 4,952,302 99,647,161 5,328,867 1,696,250 ---111,624,580 48,264,000 1,194,326 40,740,515 1,658,749 397,380 ---43,990,970 113,656,752 1,101,859 40,673,988 901,391 609,588 22,297,991 65,584,817 164,691,237 1,951,072 73,795,274 1,765,999 737,824 60,575,471 138,825,640 200,785,675 35,39,999 162,984,195 52,99,297 11,74,537 2,14,40,000 194,438,028 Centrally Sponsored (New Scheme) 175,141,751 5,432,441 105,592,861 ---------111,025,302 134,208,200 15,336,683 111,513,995 ---------126,850,678 155,325,906 11,837,378 145,286,418 ---------157,123,796 145,377,927 3,296,790 105,469,273 ---------108,766,063 126,493,316 -----123,419,760 ---------123,419,760 Non Plan Developme nt 20,722,100 ---14,218,713 ---------14,218,713 7,283,100 ---7,361,683 ---------7,361,683 5,127,200 ---5,882,240 ---------5,882,240 9,152,950 ---9,150,680 ---------9,150,680 79,11,400 ---55,91,400 ---------55,91,400 State Plan (Committe d) 490,000 ------412,465 ------412,465 412,200 ------470,199 ------470,199 412,200 ---------422,200 ---422,200 424,800 ------424,686 ------424,686 3,90,000 ------3,14,940 ------3,14,940 Centrally Sponsore d Scheme Committe d 5,305,480 ---2,779,539 ---------2,779,539 4,764,000 ---1,903,110 ---------1,903,110 ------------------0 ---------------0 ---------------0 Total

1,067,180,031 35,486,107 1,024,584,032 398,512 1,538,151 ---1,062,006,802 1,200,935,696 35,567,994 1,059,155,044 376,863 2,679,164 ---1,097,779,065 1,162,863,234 34,963,648 1,053,570,715 367,005 1,375,106 ---1,090,276,474 1,223,514,600 34,294,495 1,132,674,884 377,472 1,794,569 ---1,169,141,420 1,284,126,000 4,56,65,632 116,65,30,809 4,20,930 14,95,372 ---121,41,12,743

1,437,303,593 45,870,850 1,246,822,306 6,139,844 3,234,401 ---1,302,067,401 1,395,867,196 52,099,003 1,220,674,347 2,505,811 3,076,544 ---1,278,355,705 1,437,385,292 47,902,885 1,245,413,361 1,268,396 2,406,894 22,297,991 1,319,289,527 1,543,161,514 39,542,357 1,321,090,111 2,568,157 2,532,393 60,575,471 1,426,308,489 1,619,706,391 492,05,631 145,85,26,164 60,35,167 26,69,909 214,40,000 153,78,76,871

CHAPTER - 7
FOREST PROTECTION, FIRE AND ENCROACHMENT West Bengal is one of the few states in the country where per capita forest area is the lowest (0.01 ha.) and density of the population around fragmented forests is the highest. Evidently, there is tremendous pressure on forests. Coupled with socio-economic problems of poverty, underemployment and unemployment in the forest fringe areas, the major threat to forest comes from illicit collection of fuelwood, fodder and small timber from the forests by the villagers to sustain their livelihood. This problem has, however, been tackled by and large over a major part of forested tract in the State by formation of Forest Protection Committees and through the process of consolidation of Joint Forest Management. But in areas where there is a problem of organised gangsterism in the field of timber and poaching of wildlife, protection is provided through intensive patrolling of the areas by protective personnel. Vigilance by departmental protective staff has been intensified in such areas through organization of mobile squads being assisted by 200 men strong specially constituted battalion of State Armed Police. Action has been taken to stop illegal activities by wood-based industries operating in regions vulnerable to operation of gangsters. A post of Inspector General of Police, Forest Protection has been created in the Department of Forests to have the required liaison with the Police Administration to extend their support over district and state level to combat organized gangsterism in illicit operation of timber. An extensive net work of R.T. have been built up connecting Beats/Ranges to the Divisional Headquarters in order to ensure required reinforcement at times of emergency to combat organized plunder of timber and other produces, and poaching of Wildlife. Table 7.1 Number of Illicit felling cases detected, seizures done and persons arrested :
Sl. Particulars No. 01. Illicit Felling Cases detected (in Nos.) No. of POR No. of COR No. of UDOR 02. Volume of Timber seized (Cu. m.) 03. Value of Timber seized (Rs. in lakh) No. of vehicles seized a) Truck b) Van c) Boat d) others No. of vehicles confiscated a) Truck b) Van c) Boat d) others No. of Persons arrested No. of Persons convicted in court No. of forest personnel assaulted 2001-02 14829 516 5738 8575 12445 1023 2002-03 12969 443 5952 6574 9329.98 534.62 2003-04 12674 578 5861 6235 12711.6 8 973.04 2004-05 13547 1042 6238 6267 10310.1 926.35 2005-06 13332 684 7046 5602 8419.325 668.05 2006-07 13719 549 8079 5091 10401.59 760.467

04.

05.

101 -171 -N.A.

70 -140 -N.A.

70 478 71 782 7 141 12 103 4482 227 5

112 237 142 448 12 35 18 269 3064 256 4

91 259 172 492 7 -10 -3162 39 7

88 175 91 455 11 14 44 60 1957 27 8

06. 07. 08.

4201 95 15

4910 140 25

Fire
Forest fire is the most important cause after illicit deforestation which does incalculable harm to the forest area. Apart from destruction of plantations, it damages biodiversity including killing of wild animals thereby causing habitat destruction. Though, forest fire can be natural as well as man made, but carelessness of man is the cause of about 95% of the forest fires. Based on the intensity, aggressiveness, and place of occurrence fire can be of many types. The major types seen in the state are creeping fire, ground fire and surface fire caused by local people unknowingly during the dry spell of the year. In order to minimize the incidences of fire, action is being taken in the state under Integrated Forest Protection Scheme sponsored by Government of India. The works preformed under the scheme is to sensitize the Forest Protection Committees (FPC) about the ill effects of fire and fighting of fire along with local staff of the area, creation of water sources such as earthen dams, other soil moisture conservation structures, wells etc. which would on one hand benefit the FPC and help to fight fire in the area on the other, creation of new firelines and maintenance of old ones etc. Besides above, watch towers are constructed at strategic locations and fire watchers are also engaged during the fire prone season for tracking of fire early.

Table 7.2 Forest Fire report 2006 - 07 Division Bankura (North) BTR (E) Burdwan Cooch Behar Darjeeling Durgapur S.F. East Midnapore Jalpaiguri Kurseong Kangsabati I Kangsabati II Kalimpong (G & S) Panchet S.C. Wildlife - I No. of cases 11 2 1 3 6 6 5 4 26 1 1 5 3 72 Area affected (ha.) 118.00 3.50 5 50 51.90 32.50 526.65 28.095 43.15 2 10.00 105.75 8.00 625.00 Estimated loss (Rs. in lakhs) 0.30 0.79 4.64 0.40 0.10 0.50 0.05 1.58

Encroachment.
The gradual increase in population went on building pressure on the forest land for agriculture and other purposes. Consequently, the forest land faced a constant menace, due to encroachment during sixties and seventies. After the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 came into force the problem was, however, greatly checked. For diversion of forest land for any developmental purpose, compulsory afforestation on the land made available in lieu, has been made binding. The Honble Supreme Court of India also expressed great concern with the state of affairs relating to illegal encroachment on forest lands in various States/Union Territories and in their order of 23.11.2001 in I.A. No. 703 in W.P. (Civil) No. 202 of 1995 restrained the Central Govt. from regularisation of encroachments in the country and in W.P.(Civil) No. 202 of 1995 in I.A.No. 502 of 2000 and I.A. No. 703 of 2001 in the case T.N. Godavarman Thiru Mulkpad Vs. U.O.I. & others directed the Chief Secretaries of the different States on 18.02.2002 to file a reply in relation to the steps required to be taken by them to prevent further encroachment of forest land and in particular to the land in hilly terrains, national parks and sanctuaries etc. The apex court also directed to indicate as to what steps had been taken to clear the encroachments from the forests, which had taken place at an earlier point of time. In response to the observation and direction of the Honble Apex Court, the Ministry of Environment and Forests suggested a time bound action plan for eviction of illegal encroachments on forest lands. The Chief Secretaries, Forest Secretaries and Principal Chief Conservators of all States/U.T.s were requested to prepare the baseline information containing a comprehensive list of encroachments in the State/U.T.s with current status of eviction and to send the same to the ministry preferably by June 30th, 2002. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests were directed to provide detailed progress report of the action taken, area evicted and area reclaimed/planted etc. every quarter commencing from July, 2002 onwards.

Table 7.3
STATUS OF ENCROACHMENT OF FOREST LANDS IN WEST BENGAL AS ON 31.03.2007

District
Jalpaguri

Forest Division
Baikunthapur Jalpaiguri Buxa Tiger Reserve (East) Buxa Tiger Reserve (West)

Area under Encroachment (Ha.) -141.200 98.514 -42.440 1.520 -63.950 34.900 979.990 2300.391 1378.828 1191.510 600.894 2133.850 1275.850 82.801 7.840 519.310 559.020 511.330 54.728 641.070 4.000 0 141.880 6.930 3.330 -262.000 -9.500 -13048.376

Darjeeling

Darjeeling Kurseong Kalimpong (G & S) Wildlife I Wildlife-II

Cooch Behar Bankura

Cooch Behar SF Bankura (South) Bankura (North) Panchet Soil Consvn.

Midnapore Paschim

East Midnapore West Midnapore Rupnarayan Planning & Survey Kharagpur Social Forestry

Purba Midnapore Purulia

Kharagpur Social Forestry Purulia Kangsabati-I Kangsabati-II

Burdwan Murshidabad Nadia Birbhum Dakshin Dinajpur Hooghly Howrah Malda 24-Parganas (N) 24-Parganas (S)

Burdwan Durgapur Social Forestry Nadia-Murshidabad Nadia-Murshidabad Birbhum Raigunj Social Forestry Howrah Social Forestry Howrah Social Forestry Malda 24-Parganas(North) 24-Parganas(S) Sunderbans Tiger Reserve

GRAND TOTAL :

CHAPTER- 8 WORKING PLANS AND GIS The forests of the State of West Bengal boast of rich biodiversity and are managed under prescriptions of approved Working Plans / Management Plans prepared in conformity with the National Working Plan Code 2004 as well as National Forest Policy 1988 on the basis of principles of sustainable forest management and recognized and innovative silvicultural practices commensurate to the peoples basic needs. Working plans have formed the basis of forest management practices over last 100 years. The National Forest Policy, 1988, states that no forest should be permitted to be worked without the government approved management or working plan, which should be in prescribed format and in keeping with the National Forest Policy. The division-wise status of Working Plans as in 2006-07 indicating period, different working circles and their areas is tabulated at the end of this chapter. GIS in Forest Management Development and application of an interdisciplinary approach integrating satellite remote sensing; geographic information system (GIS) and GPS can solve specific problems of decision making in resource management. Satellite remote sensing techniques can be used to generate spatial data on vegetation and land use types while GPS locates the sample plots. The spatial and non-spatial data can be combined to produce thematic maps that are useful in forest management. These advanced technologies facilitate a regular feedback to policy makers and planners engaged in the field of forestry on the state of forest resources and degradation of land. Processing of GIS data models can help prepare working plans by identifying specific land characteristics and analyzing its potential. GIS is useful, for example, for detecting changes in vegetation cover, predicting the susceptibility of land to erosion, for suitability of timber harvest, identification of high-risk zones of forest fire incidents and preparing remedial measures. The history of the application of remote sensing technology in forestry sector in the State can be traced to 1989. Initially the Forest Directorate in West Bengal entrusted the work of classification of forest to Regional Remote Sensing Service Center (RRSSC), Kharagpur. RRSSC worked on the imageries procured from the National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA), Hyderabad, for the years 1988, 1991, 1994 & 1997 to generate the forest cover map of the entire State. The GIS Cell was created in July 1999 in the office of the Conservator of Forests, Working Plan & GIS Circle at Kolkata. Initially the Cell had started functioning with one license of PC ARC Info and ERDAS Software (DOS version). At present the work in the GIS laboratory on interpretation of satellite imageries is being carried out on desk top PCs by a trained Forest Range Officer and personnel hired on contract from the Centre of Oceanographic Studies, Jadavpur University. The works undertaken and executed by the GIS Cell: 1. In-house digitization of all districts & PS maps of the State. 2. In-house digitization of mouza maps of 3 districts of South West Bengal. 3. Procured satellite imageries in digital form (bands 1,2,3 & 4) from NRSA, Hyderabad for the entire State, pertaining to the years 1997, 2000, 2002 and 2005. 4. Creating classified forest maps for all districts of the State as in 2005. 5. Working Plan & GIS Circle brought out the first GIS based forest atlas of the State in 2002 using Indias own Satellite series IRS-ID showing Divisions, Ranges & Beats jurisdiction. Standard False Colour Composite (FCC) and classified maps of all districts of West Bengal have been generated in the 1:5,00,000 & all forest divisions in 1: 9,00,000 scales.

6. For the first time Stock map of Jalpaiguri Forest Division has been digitized and is being included in the draft Working Plan of the division which shall be sent shortly to the Regional Chief Conservator of Forests, Bhubaneshwar for getting it approved. Table 8.1 Status of Working Plan in West Bengal as in 2007 Sl No. 1 Working Working Sanction Order No. Remarks Plan in Plan Progress period Darjeeling 12th 1997-98 to 13-FCWP/WBAmended version submitted to 2017-18 DAG, dt 15.12.97 RCCF and approval received vide No. 13-FCWP/WB-DAG, dated: 24.07.2007. Kalimpong 9th 1997-98 to 13-FCWP/WBAmended version submitted to 2017-18 KLG, dt. 21.11.97 RCCF and approval received vide No. 13-FCWP/WB-KLG, dated: 24.07.2007. th Amended version submitted to Kurseong 6 1997-98 to 13-FCWP/WB2017-18 KURSEONG dt. RCCF and approval received vide No. 13-FCWP/WB12.12.97 Kurseong, dated: 25.07.2007. th Jalpaiguri 9 1997-98 to 13-FCWP/WB- JP 2nd PWPR submitted to RCCF, 2007 dt 07.08.2000 Draft Working Plan ready for submission. Baikunthapur 3rd 2000-01 to 9(31)2/2000-FCE, dt CF/NC requested for 1st 2009-10 22.05.01 PWPR. No response as yet. Buxa Tiger 8th 2000-01 to 9(31)4/2000-FCE, dt Field Director/BTR requested Reserve 2009-10 20.07.01 for 1st PWPR. No response as yet. Coochbehar 4th 2000-01 to 9(31)3/2000-FCE, dt 1st PWPR submitted by 2009-10 22.05.01 CF/WLN, 2nd PWPR in progress. nd West 2 1997-98 to 13-FCWP/WB1st PWPR submitted by JD Midnapore 2016-17 MDPR(W), dt SBR, 2nd PWPR in progress. 7.8.98, 27.6.00, 30.9.02 Mid term review report East 2nd 1995 to 13-FCWP/WBMidnapore 2015 MDPR(E), dt 2.1.97, submitted to RCCF and he has approved the mid-term 7.8.98, 27.6.00, appraisal vide no 1330.9.02 FCWP/WBMDPR(E), dt 28.07.2007 Kharagpur 2nd 1995 to 13-FCWP/WBMid term review report SF 2015 MDPR(E), dt 2.1.97, submitted to RCCF and he has 7.8.98, 27.6.00, approved the mid-term 30.9.02 appraisal vide no 13FCWP/WBMDPR(E), dt 28.07.2007 Forest Division

4 5 6 7 8

10

11

Rupnarayan (P&S)

2nd

1995 2015

to 13-FCWP/WBMDPR(E), dt 2.1.97, 7.8.98, 27.6.00, 30.9.02 to 13-FCWP/WB- dt 30.7.04 to 13-FCWP/WB- dt 30.7.04 to 13-FCWP/WB- dt 30.7.04 to 13-FCWP/WBPURULIA dt 8.10.97, 13FCWP/WB- dt 30.7.04 to 13-FCWP/WBPURULIA dt 8.10.97, 13FCWP/WB- dt 30.7.04 to 13-FCWP/WBPURULIA dt 8.10.97, 13FCWP/WB- dt 30.7.04 to 13-FCWP/WBBVM, dt 15.9.94 to 12-FCWP/WBBDN, dt 15.9.94 to 12-FCWP/WBBDN, dt 15.9.94

12 13 14 15

Bankura (North) Bankura (South) Panchet Soil Conservation Purulia

2nd 2nd 2nd 1st

1997-98 2016-17 1997-98 2016-17 1997-98 2016-17 1997-98 2016-17

Mid term review report submitted to RCCF and he has approved the mid-term appraisal vide no 13FCWP/WBMDPR(E), dt 28.07.2007 Mid term review work in progress. Mid term review work in progress. Mid term review work in progress. Mid term review work in progress.

16

Kangsabati SC-I

1st

1997-98 2016-17

Mid term review work in progress.

17

Kangsabati SC-II

1st

1997-98 2016-17

Mid term review work in progress.

18 19 20

Birbhum Burdwan Durgapur SF

1st 1st 1st

1990 2010 1989 2009 1989 2009 1989 2009 2003-04 2012-13 1997-98 2007-08 1997-98 2006-07

21 22 23 24

Howrah SF NadiaMurshidabad 24-Parganas Sundarban Tiger Reserve Coochbehar SF Malda

1st 1st 1st NA

25 26

1st 1st

to 12-FCWP/WBBDN, dt 15.9.94 to 9(31)/99-FCE, dt 30.8.04 to 13-FCWP/WB- 24PRGN, dt 8.10.97 to 9-89/FCE dt 1.3.02 1st PWPR has been submitted by JD SBR, for 24 Parganas South Division Work for 2nd PWPR in progress. Under review by CCF/WP & T.DFO/WP (N) to resubmit draft WP with corrections 2005-06 to WPAC has approved 2nd PWPR submitted by DFO2014-15 WP(S-1) with modifications. Draft Working Plan is in progress.

CF CC requested for 1st PWPR. No response as yet. CF CC requested for 1st PWPR. No response as yet. Included in Burdwan WP. As per WPAC meeting on 26.09.05, CF/CC to write PWPR. CF SFS requested for 1st PWPR. No response as yet.

27

Siliguri SF

NA

28 29

Raigunj SF Glenberg Tea Estate44

1st

2nd PWPR to be initiated by CF/SF (N) (Addl. PCCP WP & T No. 4478/WP & T/2M682/06, dt. 7.9.06). No response yet. 2nd PWPR in progress. 2006-07 to 9(31)5/2006-FCE, dt Only WP outside the forest 2016-17 30.03.06 Directorate.

Real time Forest cover mapping using IRS satellite data in West Bengal*
Introduction The State of West Bengal has a total geographical area of 88752 sq.km., which is 2.7% of the total geographical area of the country. Population density of the state is 767 per sq.km. as compared to that of the country at 273 per sq.km. (1991 Census). After the promulgation of Estates Acquisition Act of 1953, all the recorded forests of the state other than those under lease agreements with tea gardens have been brought under the management of Forest Department, West Bengal. Subsequently the Tea garden forests had been vested with Forest Department as Resumed Forests. At present, all the recorded forests of the State are classified as Reserved Forests, Protected Forests and Unclassed State Forests, under the Indian Forest Act, 1927. The recorded forestland of the State (11879 sq.km.) is 1.54% of the recorded forest land of India (770078 sq.km.) West Bengal has one of the oldest history of scientific management of its forests which dates back to mid-nineteenth century. Detail working plans were prepared by the British Foresters for management of this natural resource, which depended heavily on economic aspect of value addition, but did not totally overlook the aspect of Bio-diversity Conservation. In late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the art and science of artificial regeneration with fast growing spp. Like Teak, Sal, Champ, etc. were raised during this period. The trend continued till mid seventies. Meanwhile, in South Bengal, in the districts of Bankura, Midnapore, Purulia and elsewhere, large scale Eucalyptus and Acacia auriculiformis (Akashmoni) plantations were raised during sixties and seventies, as part of degraded forest regeneration. Sal (Shorea robusta) plantations were also tried in degraded sal forest areas, however, with limited success due to heavy biotic pressure from fire and grazing in the young grown forests. Beautiful patches of Eucalyptus and Akashmoni plantations provided ground cover to all those barren / degraded forest areas, which could not be otherwise regenerated with slow growing, miscellaneous spp. and was definitely a giant step towards the future success of farm forestry in South West Bengal. National Forest Policy of 1952 had one of the objectives as conservation of wild flora and fauna of the country. In West Bengal, the concept of preservation of wildlife & its habitat is deep rooted, as Senchal Santuary was notified as early in the forties vide No.10699 dt. 18.11.40, Jaldapara Sanctuary was notified vide no.10694-For. dt.18.11.40 & 10549-For. dt. 13.11.41, Gorumara & Chapramari Sanctuaries were notified vide nos.5181-For. dt. 02.08.49, 10694-For. dt. 18.11.40 & no. 8403-For dt.30.08.41 respectively, all those notifications being issued under the Indian Forest Act of 1927, prior to promulgation of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. However, with the advent of the later Act, the preservation of floral & faunal biodiversity received a tremendous boost & statutory support. Early eighties saw the global resurgence of Biodiversity conservation and renewed interest in the preservation of the endangered flora & fauna of the world. In keeping with the international & national trend, West Bengal too shifted its priority in forest management towards conservation of natural flora & fauna in the forests & the wetlands. National forest policy of 1988 and the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 put severe restriction on the harvesting of the natural forests. The late eighties & early nineties saw increased activities in wildlife management in West Bengal. Large tracts of forest areas, having ecological importance and significance, had been declared as protected areas in the form of National Parks, Sanctuaries

and Tiger Reserves. Policy decisions were taken to hand over administrative control of these protected areas (PA) to Wildlife Wing for more intensive management from wildlife conservation angle. Till date, nearly 34% of the total recorded forest areas of the State have been declared as P.A., as compared to 16.5% for the entire country. Background of current study. Forest Survey of India had started evaluating the forest cover of the country, based on LANDSAT imagery & through visual interpretation of the satellite data. Such rapid appraisal of forest cover, on national basis, led to inaccurate results on vegetative cover. In order to find the actual status of forest cover of the state, prior to launching of Social Forestry project in 1981 and initiation of Joint Forest Management (JFM) with peoples participation, and to monitor the changes over the years, West Bengal Forest Department took up collaborative project on Forest vegetation mapping, using satellite imagery, with RRSSC, Kharagpur, Department of Space, Govt. of India. Forest mapping was done with December, 1988 data from IRS-1A, using supervised classification, and it showed that total forest and vegetation cover in the state had gone up from the recorded 13.4% to 14.32%. Subsequent, periodic change detection studies have been carried out with November/December, 1991data from IRS-1A and November/December, 1994 data from IRS-1B & 1997 Nov/Dec data from IRS-1C through the infrastructure of RRSSC, Kharagpur, Deptt. of Space, Govt. of India and through the Remote Sensing / GIS Cell of West Bengal Forest Deptt., during January, 2000 data from IRS 1D and March, 2004 from IRS-P6 satellites. The output shows a considerable improvement in the forest and vegetation cover of the state over the last 20 years. During 1995-96, works of wetland survey in the state had been taken up and the same has been completed for eight Districts of the state which have large boundaries of wetlands. These wetlands have been categorized and mapped into (i) wetlands having areas more than 10 ha each (ii) wetlands having areas less than 10 ha. each. Establishment of GIS Cell in West Bengal Forest Department The GIS Cell in West Bengal Forest Department was first opened during July-August 1999 by C.F., Working Plan & GIS who had specialization in RS/GIS. With the help and guidance of Regional Remote Sensing Service Centre, Deptt. of Space, Kharagpur, NATMO and Remote Sensing Cell of WB S & T Deptt., a few GIS and Image Processing Software were procured. These included ARCINFO, ERDAS Imagine, Autocad Map 2000, Arcview and Image Analyst software. Four workstations were set up and a few students of IISWBM, Calcutta who had done their dissertation in GIS/RS, had been inducted into the Cell on contract through a special arrangement with the IISWBM. Since there is a ban on creation of post in State Govt., the arrangement with this premier Management Institute of Calcutta provided a ready solution to the problem of the mapping Cell with specialists, while creating no future liability on the State Exchequer. It, at the same time, provided a platform for the budding professionals to deliver their best and build up their career. The entire activities were planned and executed with the Budget available under State Plan Schemes of Forest Resource Survey and Forest Consolidation. Special arrangement was also made with NATMO, GOI, Calcutta for scanning of a large number of maps required for digitization purpose. Instead of outsourcing of any job, the entire work of digitization and classification was carried out in this Cell in house, under the guidance and supervision of Mr A K Raha, IFS, C.F., WP, Forest Deptt., and thus the triennial assessment of States Forest Cover, as in 2000, was completed using its in-house facilities and expertise. Subsequently, a full fledged GIS Cell has also been opened in the Office of the Director, Sunderban Biosphere Reserve in October, 2001. The GIS Cell has one license each of ARC-INFO, ARCVIEW 8.1 and TNT Mips GIS Software, and ERDAS and EASUPACE Image Processing software. Satellite Data (Scene) for the Districts of 24-Pgs (N) & (S), Nadia & Murshidabad have been procured from NRSA, Hyderabad for the period 1981, 1986, 1989, 1994, 1997, 2001 and 2003. High resolution IKONOS satellite data have also

been procured during 2003, for parts of Sunderban Reserved Forest, for more critical analysis of the mangrove forests. The District maps with latitude / longitude information were registered, Geo-referenced and digitized with Polyconic Projection. Other important features like Roads, Railways, Rivers etc., were digitized as separate layers. The Digital Data on CD-ROM, obtained from NRSA were imported into .img format using ERDAS Imagine software. The imported Scenes were then registered and geo-referenced with respect to the known features of the digitized coverages. Satellite Imageries were then extracted for each district, as thematic land use maps. Basic and available standard information like Population, Area, Profession, afforestation, FPC details etc., were then attached to the digitized coverages as GIS data base. Methodologies of present study Latest series of Indian Remote Sensing Satellite, IRS-P6 was launched in last part of the year 2003. The Missions main objective is to provide continued satellite remote sensing data services for integrated land and water resources management, at micro level, with enhanced multi-spectral and spatial coverage. The IRS-P6 satellite, weighing around 1250 kg. Has been launched from Srikarikota by the indigenously built Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), at an altitude of around 800 km. The Satellite is carrying three sensors, the LISS-III and LISS-IV multi-spectral sensors and the AWiFS. Resolution of LISS III in visible. NIR and SWIR bands is 23 m, that of LISS IV in visible and NIR bands is 5.8 m and AwiFS has a resolution of 56 m in visible, NIR and SWIR bands. The GIS Cell of Sundarban Biosphere Reserve had requisitioned one Scene (Row 55, Path 107) of AwiFS data for December 2005 for change detection study of Sundarban Biosphere Reserve. However, since AwiFS data has a very large swath of 700 km, the entire geographical area of West Bengal was covered by the single scene. NRSA, Hyderabad had supplied the Digital data of the Scene, on 2 CDs in the month of February 2006. The Digital data were downloaded as FCCs using ERDAS Imagine, image processing software. Each quadrant FCC was then registered with Geo-referenced vector coverage data, containing State and district boundaries of West Bengal. The next step was to carry out supervised classification using Maximum Likelihood Classifier algorithm, and based on ground knowledge, ground truth verification and earlier maps. While doing classification, the Forest areas were specially masked for the districts of South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, Bardhaman, Birbhum, and Jalpaiguri districts, in order to segregate Forest cover from the tree cover. Moreover, since North and South Dinajpur, Malda, Nadia, Murshidabad, Coochbehar and Hooghly contained very small percentage of recorded Forest land, which could not be digitized for the purpose of masking, so the forest cover for these districts were assumed to be equal to the recorded forest land. However, the FCCs for these districts were classified using the same algorithm, for generation of tree/vegetation cover. The entire exercise was completed in a period of six months and the data base was finally prepared in September 2006. Similarly, the grasslands of Jaldapara and Buxa, which are maintained as typical habitats of Rhino and tiger, have been categorized as Forest cover. The permanent water bodies like rivers and creeks in Sundarban mangrove forest and those portions of the large rivers flowing through the recorded Forest Land in Jalpaiguri district, were included while computing the Forest cover of the State. The rationale behind this is that historically, all such water bodies enclosed within recorded Forest boundaries, were also recorded and quoted as Forest Lands. These wetlands are integral part of the Forest/grassland/mangrove ecosystem and should not be construed as degraded forest which can be planted up to increase the Forest cover. This strategy has been adopted by West Bengal Forest Department to ensure a uniform platform for comparison of Forest cover with the past and to facilitate change detection. Initially, Forest Survey of India, Dehradun had left out almost 50% of

mangrove forest (water bodies) while computing the Forest cover of the State. However, the State Govt. have been able to convince FSI about the logic behind apparent discrepancies in Forest cover calculated by the State agency and Central agency and it appears that FSI will reconcile the same in their next State of Forest report. Similarly, consolidated patches of Eucalyptus/Akashmoni (Acacia auriculiformis)/Casuarina (Casuarina equisetifolia) plantations, raised on private/vested wastelands under Social/Farm Forestry programmes, and having forest-like micro-ecosystem have been enumerated as Forest cover though these may be located outside recorded Govt. Forest. Such type of Forest cover is more prevalent in West Midnapore, Bankura and Bardhaman districts. Tree cover, calculated under this project includes the village grove, tree conglomerates around households, tea gardens, orchards and horticulture plantations. Though districts like North 24 Parganas, Nadia, Murshidabad, Howrah, Hooghly and North Dinajpur have hardly any recorded Forest land, yet all these districts have appreciable tree/green cover mostly contributed by the village groves and trees around households in the rural areas. The Forest cover, as calculated on the basis of December 2005, AwiFS satellite data, by Sundarban Biosphere Reserve comes to 15.68% of total geographical area of the State, as compared to the year 2004 figure of 15.52%. The Tree cover is estimated at 30.74% which shows that the only prospect of increasing the Forest cover in the State, to reach a target of 33%, lies in large scale Social Forestry programme. In a densely populated state like West Bengal, there is no scope of increasing the quantum of Forest land any further. The marginal drop in vegetation / tree cover may be due to smaller resolution of AwiFS data as compared to LISS III data, which led to non-detection of small patches of tree cover less than 1/4th hectare. Another reason may be the slowing down of social forestry programme after the completion of externally aided Social Forestry Project which ended in 1990s.

* extract from the apuc2006 conference paper of Shri A.K. Raha IFS.

Table 8.2 Forest and Tree Cover of West Bengal 2006 (Data: Dec. 2005)
District Geographical area 9961 4094 10375 3706 6259 6882 7024 4545 6227 3149 3387 1467 3149 3174 2184 3733 3927 5324 185 88752 Forest cover 2336 25 2204 13 1163 2214 419 249 1821 1407 44 0 3 18 -20 13 8 0 11957 Wetland 1909 10 ------43 ----------1962 Total Forest Cover 4245 35 2204 13 1163 2214 419 249 1864 1407 44 0 3 18 20 13 8 0 13919 Non-forest Tree Cover 722 1231 1019 825 465 -494 554 1430 905 764 618 789 473 293 855 1073 852 -9816 Total Tree Cover 4967 1266 3223 838 1628 2214 913 803 3294 2312 808 618 792 491 293 875 1086 860 0 27281 % Forest Cover 42.62 0.85 21.24 0.35 18.58 32.17 5.97 5.48 29.93 44.68 1.30 0.00 0.10 0.57 0.00 0.54 0.33 0.15 -15.68 % Tree Cover 49.86 30.92 31.07 22.61 26.01 32.17 13.00 17.67 52.90 73.42 23.86 42.13 25.15 15.47 13.42 23.44 27.56 16.15 -30.74

24 Pgs. (S) 24 Pgs. (N) W. Midnapore E. Midnapore Purulia Bankura Burdwan Birbhum Jalpaiguri Darjeeling Cooch Behar Howrah Hoogly N. Dinajpur S. Dinajpur Malda Nadia Murshidabad Kolkata

TOTAL

Comparative statement of Forest Cover as mentioned through GIS/RS is given below : Survey Period 1988 1991 1994 1997 2000 2004 2006 % of Recorded Forest Land 13.4 13.4 13.4 13.4 13.4 13.4 13.4 % forest cover 14.32 14.97 15.06 15.16 15.30 15.52 15.68

Comparative assessment of Forest Cover in West Bengal from 1988 to 2006 1991
Forest Cover Forest Cover% Forest Cover Forest Cover% Forest Cover Forest Cover% Forest Cover Forest Cover%

District 2231 1815 1159 370 175 4123 1640 42 1670 62 13287 26.37 18.51 5.27 3.84 41.39 26.34 1.23 53.05 -14.97 1824 1179 367 196 4122 1646 44 1679 62 13370 26.50 18.84 5.22 4.33 41.38 26.44 1.29 53.31 -15.06 1872 1194 360 190 4122 1682 44 1681 62 13451 27.20 19.08 5.13 4.18 41.38 27.01 1.30 53.38 0.23 15.16 2193 1311 388 183 4040 1475 44 1681 62 13581 31.87 20.95 5.52 4.03 40.56 23.69 1.30 53.38 0.23 15.30 15.84 2251 15.98 2244 15.94 2204 15.65

1988

1994

1997

2000
Forest Cover

2004
Forest Cover% Forest Cover

2006
Forest Cover%

Forest Cover

Forest Cover%

East & West Midnapore Bankura Purulia Burdwan Birbhum 24-Parganas(S) Jalpaiguri Coochbehar Darjeeling Others Total

2079

14.76

2164 2043 1295 448 175 4198 1661 44 1652 97 13775

15.37 29.69 20.19 6.35 3.85 47.14 26.67 1.30 52.46 0.36 15.52

2217 2214 1163 419 249 4245 1864 44 1407 97 13919

15.74 32.17 18.58 5.97 5.48 42.62 29.93 1.30 44.68 0.36 15.68

1697 1114 297 172 4045 1602 35 1609 62 12712

24.66 17.80 4.23 3.77 40.61 25.72 1.03 51.11 -14.32

Remarks and conclusion. Till the initiation of the Social Forestry Project, with World Bank Fund in 1981-82, Forestry was considered mostly as activities confined to recorded Forest lands alone, while the people in general, and the forest fringe area people in particular, were considered as aliens in the field of Forest Conservation. However, with the initiation of large scale Social/Farm Forestry Project in South West Bengal, coupled with the on-going Land Reforms measures under which large tracts of vested wastelands were distributed as patta, greening of wasteland became a peoples movement. Large tracts of lateritic wasteland, which comprises the land of the pattaholders, were brought under group Farm Forestry with Eucalyptus and Acacia auriculiformis (Aakashmoni) plants which performed exceedingly well in these barren, lateritic lands. Early return from Eucalyptus plantations as pulpwood and their good coppicing characteristics, made the Farm Forestry programmes more attractive for the poor villagers and patta holders who started adopting Farm Forestry as an alternative and more profitable land use practice. These group Farm Forestry and large Farm Forestry plantations created the ambience of forest cover as these were almost similar to the plantations of fast growing species raised by the Forest Deptt., in adjoining forest lands. Subsequently, with the launching of World Bank aided West Bengal Forestry Project, Joint Forest Management received a booster and around 3500 Forest Protection Committees have been protecting around 400,000 ha. of forest land in South West Bengal. Hence, the change in tree cover in these South West Bengal Districts namely West Midnapur, Bankura, Purulia was remarkable and is primarily due to restoration of forest cover in degraded forest land as well as large scale farm forestry. However, with the W.B. Forestry Project ending during late 1990s, there had been a temporary set back in the field of farm forestry and strip plantations outside the forest land. With initiation of afforestation programme through Forest Development Agencies (FDA), with fund from Central Govt., the JFM Support Activities etc. the same is again being restored to previous years level.

CHAPTER 9
AFFORESTATION AND FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES Out of a total geographical area of 88,752 sq. km., the state of West Bengal has 11,879 square kilometers under recorded forests, which constitutes 13.38% of the total geographical area of the state. However, satellite imageries of the state have indicated that the forest and tree cover of the state, which includes forest cover as well as tree cover on farm land, institutional land, orchards, homestead land etc. is reasonably high, though less than the ideal national target of 33%, as envisaged in the National Forest Policy1988. The population density of the State is 904 per sq.km. against a national average of 324 per sq. km. as per 2001 census. The productive per capita forest area is as meagre as 0.015 ha. against an average of 0.45 ha. for the less industrial part of the world. Hence, a multifaceted programme of forestry development in the State for a sustainable eco-system, with judicious use of forest resources for economic stability of fringe dwelling community, with their active involvement in forest development, is the need of the hour. With concerted efforts through scientific forest management it has been possible to enhance the total forest cover to 15.68% (inclusive of the farm forests created outside the recorded forest area). Special importance has been given on productivity gains through establishment of seed production areas; clonal propagation of improved planting stock and use of better management practices. Quality clones are being increasingly raised in the modern nurseries established in different parts of the state for use in plantation programmes under different plan schemes. The use of biofertilizers and compost is being encouraged for their environment friendly characters. In view of the National Forest Policy 1988, conservation of Forests has been given priority with special emphasis on fuelwood & fodder development on available wastelands through peoples participation to avert an ecological crisis and fuelwood and fodder famine. Major thrust areas of forestry development in the State have been as follows. i) Afforestation on available forest and private/ vested land including wasteland, and restoration and rejuvenation of Sal forests of South-West Bengal involving local fringe population by forming Forest Protection Committees and extending the same management system, gradually to productive forests of other parts of the State. Soil and Water Conservation. Conservation of forest eco-systems, and the environment of ecologically fragile zones with special emphasis on estuarine Sundarbans, Darjeeling Himalayas and the undulating lateritic tract of the south-west. Wildlife conservation and habitat improvement with the requisite thrust on ecodevelopment activities in and around Protected Area Network. Socio-economic development of forest fringe population in for conservation of forest through PRA-based microplans. Research on clonal propagation of tree-species including NTFP bearing trees, doses of optimal inputs including application of biofertilizers. Raising awareness of people on conservation of wildlife and forests through creation of Nature Interpretation Centre, Ecotourism facilities and publicity campaign during Forestry Week (Aranya Saptah) and Wildlife Week (Vanya Pran Saptah).

ii) iii)

iv) v) vi) vii)

Afforestation and Forestry Development Schemes In consideration of the above, the following afforestation and forestry development schemes have been taken up in the forestry sector of the State during 2006-2007. 1. Protective Afforestation : Very high rainfall and weak rock formation lead to frequent land slip, soil erosion and gulley formation in mountains. Deforestation and faulty agricultural practices aggravate the situation. In laterite zone, accelerated erosion takes place due to the absence of tree cover followed by uncontrolled grazing, causing formation of deep gulleys and ravines during monsoon. Soil erosion also results in deposition of silt and scree in riverbeds causing flash floods. In order to take care of the problems enumerated above, afforestation and soil conservation works are taken up in the vulnerable areas of North Bengal and South Bengal. 2. Eco-Conservation of Sensitive Zones : This is a scheme, which has been taken up to restore the ecological balance in highly erosion prone areas of Darjeeling and Purulia districts. The nature of treatment under this scheme includes afforestation, gully plugging, construction of earthen dam, check dams, stream bank protection etc. 3. Economic Plantation : The degraded forest areas of the Duars and Terai have to be separated as per provisions of approved Working Plan. Some areas in alluvial zone also have been identified for raising plantations of mixed hard wood species. There is also need to take care of all younger plantations created during the closing years of 10th five year plan. 4 Coastal Shelter Belt Plantation : Mainly plantations in coastal areas are taken up under this programme with the object of mitigating fury of cyclones along the coast. This programme is taken up mainly in Purba Medinipur district. Apart from creation of new plantations, maintenance of older plantations is also taken up under this programme. 5 Plantation of Quick-growing species : Under this scheme, plantations of fast growing species are created in the lateritic areas in South West Bengal. Maintenance of older plantations is also done under the scheme. 6 Mangrove Treatment : The scheme aims at the rehabilitation of mangrove forest in Sunderbans by taking up afforestation on blank patches of tidal mudflats. 7 Silvo-pasture : In order to keep down weed infestation, inter-planting by grass, legumes and other fodder crops is taken up between plantation lines during the first three years.This helps in plant growth apart from giving some production in terms of fodder. This is mainly done in high rainfall areas of North Bengal, particularly in productive forests. Creation & improvement of Parks & Gardens, Urban Forestry and Greening of Rural areas : Due to rapid industrialisation and population growth, all the available open spaces are gradually being covered up. Need for taking care of the aesthetic and recreational aspects of people is being increasingly felt in rural, semi-urban and urban areas. There are more than 60 such parks and beautification spots in West Bengal. Renovation and maintenance of older parks are also done under this scheme. 9. Decentralised Peoples Nurseries : Seedlings are raised through Kishan Nurseries under this programme to cover up the blank degraded areas outside the Forest areas at low cost and to financially uplift the poor, small and marginal farmers at the same time. 8

10. Strip Plantation : The scheme is meant for the creation of plantations on roadsides, canal banks and sides of the railway lines. 11. Forest Resource Survey : Under this programme survey of forest resources is done using Geographical Information System. The forest resource position of the state is continuously updated for future planning. 12. Forest consolidation : The recorded forest area of the state is only 13.4 % of the total area of the State. It is, therefore, important to maintain the boundaries of forest areas. Under this scheme maintenance of forest boundaries is done through periodic survey and demarcation. 13. Development of Forest communications : The scheme aims at improving communication in forest areas to improve the status of forest protection, quick transportation of harvested forest produces and better access to the remote forest fringe villages. 14. Buildings : Forest personnel have to live in forest areas for forest protection and execution of developmental works. Construction of staff quarters, barracks, checkposts etc. is therefore necessary for different categories of staff and officers. Such constructional works are taken up under this scheme. 15. Forest Protection : The objective of the scheme is to strengthen forest protection. It includes activities like providing mobility to field staff, procurement of arms and ammunitions, expansion and upgradation of R.T. Network etc. 16. Working Plan : For working of forest areas, working plans need to be prepared and got approved by the Govt. of India. The Working Plan divisions are entrusted with the writing and revision of working plans. All activities connected with the exercise are funded from the scheme. 17. Management Information System : For successful management of any resource, a comprehensive and informative database is necessary. In terms of the adopted policy of the State Govt., all district headquarters are proposed to be covered by a wide area net-work with the Headquarters of the Directorate. 18. Research & Seed Propagation : The scheme focuses on seed and tree improvement, establishment of seed stands and seed orchards, vegetative propagation trials, progeny trials, seed testing, grading and certification, species provenance and introduction, improvement of nursery practices, agro-forestry, silvi-pasture and ecological studies. 19. Wildlife & Bio-diversity : Species conservation depends first and foremost on the habitat conservation. Bulks of the wildlife schemes are directed towards this end and have specific wildlife and bio-diversity focus. Special efforts are made for protection of flagship, keystone, rare and endangered species in the protected areas of the State. 20. Community Development : The foundation of Joint Forest Management (JFM) has been firmly laid in south West Bengal through formation of Forest Protection Committees (FPC) and micro-planning process. Under the scheme, efforts are made to extend JFM to other parts of the state through community development works in order to address the problem of biotic interference, which is responsible for forest degradation. 21. Allied Works Components : Apart from the afforestation schemes certain additional works have been included in the State Plan, namely, survey and demarcation of external forest boundaries, improvement of forest roads, construction of small earthen dams and other water-bodies for ground

water recharging, gully control and watershed stabilisation, social amenities, income generation and employment for the sustenance of joint forest management. 22. Monitoring & Evaluation : The plantations raised under various state plan schemes and some central sector schemes require regular monitoring. The fund provided under this scheme is utilised to monitor and evaluate the success of the plantations using scientific sampling methods. 23. Training : This scheme is meant for training of forest staff in wildlife, soil conservation, general forestry management, computer application, research, Seed technology, Social Forestry and other sectors connected with fringe area development programmes. 24. Timber Operation : One of the thrust areas is judicious harvesting of forest resource compatible with ecological, economic and environmental needs. As contractor system has been abolished in West Bengal, this operation is done wholly departmentally all over the State. Presently the areas of both North Bengal and South Bengal are covered under this scheme. Such harvesting of final and intermediate yield as per provisions of approved Working Plan not only creates substantial employment in rural areas but also generates revenue for the State Exchequer. 25. Economic rehabilitation of fringe population : It is being largely felt that forests cannot be protected without enlisting the support of forest fringe dwellers. Participatory Management of forests has taken deep root in some agro-ecological zones of the State. In addition, there is need to implant the same in the right frame. Such efforts need to be nurtured through appropriate JFMsupport activities on adopted micro-plans continuously. 26. Intensification of Management : With rapid urbanisation and rise in demand of forest produce, protection of forests is becoming increasingly difficult. This task is becoming more complex due to opening up of the roads in new directions. The scheme takes care of initiations in strengthening the infrastructure through acquisition of tools for modernisation of data collection, storing and retrieval system in different spheres of activities. 27. Amenities to forest staff and labour : This is a scheme for providing amenities to forest staff and forest villages. There are more than 10,000 forest staff spread all over West Bengal in more than 200 locations. 28. Publicity-cum-Extension : This scheme aims at generation of awareness about forests, wildlife and biodiversity conservation throughout the state. 29. Nature Conservation- Protection and Improvement of Wildlife : This scheme is meant for improvement of wildlife in the State. It includes improvement of wildlife habitat in different forest areas of the State and improvement of Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks. About 34% of forest area of the State are under protected area network. 30. Tiger Reserves in Sunderbans and Buxa : These are 50% Centrally Sponsored Scheme meant for overall development of two Tiger Reserves. Eco-development works, infrastructual development works and other developmental programmes are taken up under this scheme. Allocation of funds from the Govt. of India depends on availability of matching grant by the State. 31. Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary : This Scheme is meant for improvement and preservation of wildlife habitat in Jaldapara sanctuary. This is a very important scheme for preservation of the prime rhino habitat of the State. 32. Control of Poaching : Control of poaching of rare and endangered animals viz. tiger, rhino, elephant etc. needs to be accorded highest priority. Similarly poaching of prey base species

like deer etc. also has to be kept at bay. The provision under the scheme is to take care of such activities. 33. Development of Singallila National Park : This is a scheme meant for management of biological resources of Singalila National Park. This National Park is located at the highest altitudinal zone of the State and has representation of a number of rare and endangered fauna. 34. Development of Neora Valley National Park : This is a scheme meant for management and improvement of bio-ecological resources of Neora Valley National Park. This is unique that the National Park has a rich diversity of flora and fauna spreading over altitudanal zone of 2000 m to 3000 m. 35. Development of Mahananda, Senchal and Gorumara Wildlife Sanctuaries : These schemes are aimed at management of Mahananda , Senchal and Gorumara wildlife sanctuaries which harbour a large number of rare and endangered species. 36. Lloyd Botanical Garden : The scheme is for the development of prestigious Lloyd Botanical Garden situated in Darjeeling. This is the only Botanical garden located in the high altitude region of the Himalayas. This garden has the potential of being developed as a model garden for the flora of montane and temperate areas of the eastern Himalayas. 37. Forestry Research : Forestry research is an essential component of forest management. The scheme aims at improving the quality of planting stock, selection of suitable species in different agro-climatic zones. 38. Setting up a centre for Wildlife & Sustainable Forest Management : The scheme was started with the objective of setting up of a Centre for Wildlife and Sustainable Forest Management and running courses on wildlife management and other related subjects jointly with IIT, Kharagpur. 39. Rural Infratructure Development Fund.(R.I.D.F.) : This is a NABARD assisted programme taken up with a view to improving economic standard of fringe dwellers through afforestation and other developmental works, like construction and maintenances of roads, construction of irrigation channels, schoolbuildings, community centres, ring wells, dug wells etc. Centrally Sponsored Schemes : 1. Integrated Afforestation & Eco-development Project (IAEDP) : Govt. of India has sanctioned three schemes in West Bengal under this project as 100% Centrally Sponsored Schemes on watershed basis. These are (i) IAEDP in Sunderban Biosphere Reserve, (ii) IAEDP in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar districts of Soil Conservation (North) Circle, (iii) IAEDP in Darjeeling district under Hill Circle. The objectives of the scheme include regeneration and eco-development of degraded forests and adjoining areas, augmentation of the availability of timber and non-timber forest produces from the regenerated areas, securing peoples participation in plantation and regeneration efforts to ensure sustainability and equitable distribution of forest produces from the regenerated lands and employment generation for the most needy section of society. JFM is the central and integral part of all these plantation projects. The project also provides fund for JFM activities, soil and moisture conservation measures, technology extension, micro-planning, monitoring and evaluation, fencing and overheads. No new plantations are being done under this scheme since 2002-03, as the scheme has been included under the National Afforestation Programme being implemented through Forest Development Agencies.

2.

Bamboo Plantation Scheme : This is a 100% centrally sponsored scheme operative in various districts of West Bengal. The objectives of the scheme envisage conservation, improvement and increase production of bamboo while providing regular income to the tribal and rural poor living in and around forests. The enormous diversity and design exhibited by the products made of bamboo reflects its indispensability for tribal and rural communities. Besides, many bamboo species are excellent soil binders and thus contribute in checking soil erosion.
Since 2002-03, the scheme has been included under the National Afforestation Programme being implemented through Forest Development Agencies.

3.

4.

Integrated Forest Protection Scheme : This scheme was introduced in 2002-03 in place of Forest Fire Control & Management Scheme. The main objectives of the scheme are prevention and control of forest fire and improvement in the status of forest protection. Since 2003-04, the pattern of the funding of the scheme has changed. The scheme, which was fully sponsored by central government earlier, is now funded by the govt. of India to the extent of 75 %, the remaining 25 % share being provided by the state government. Coastal ShelterBelt Plantation : This is a 100% centrally sponsored scheme for the coastal areas of Purba Midnapore district. Objectives of this scheme include raising plantations along the coast to combat cyclones and thereby protect coastal areas. River Valley Project Teesta & Kangsabati : Works under these projects are being carried out in catchments of Kangsabati and Teesta. These works are done on watershed basis for which management plan is submitted to the Govt. of India. Work is in progress in priority watersheds. In other watersheds, maintenance work is in progress. State Level and Watershed Level Committees have been formed to monitor the work. Tiger Reserves in Sunderban and Buxa: This project is taken up for protection and development of Tiger Reserve and Eco-development activities in forest fringe villages. Development of National Parks&Sanctuaries: This scheme is taken up for protection and development of wild life and bio-diversity in National Parks and Sanctuaries of North Bengal. Eco-Development around Protected Areas: This Scheme aims at Socio-economic development of the forest fringe population to reduce pressure on Biodiversity in the protected areas . Elephant Project : This scheme is taken up for development of elephant habitats , reduction of man-elephant conflicts ,capacity building of elephant squads and also for economic uplift of the forest fringe people of the Eastern Duars Elephant Reserve and Mayurjharna Elephant Reserve. Conservation and Management of Mangrove: This schmes aims at afforestation of Sunderbans estuary with mangrove plants.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11. Sunderban Biosphere Reserve; This scheme aims at Eco-development activities and JFM support activities amongst the Forest Protection Committee members and development of eco-toursium. 12. Grants in Aid under 12th. Finance Commission: This Schemes aims at maintenance of older plantations, purchase of patrolling vehicles, arms and ammunitions and also for afforestation.

13.

Jaldapara Wildlife Santuary: This Schemes is meant for improvement and preservation of wildlife habitat in Jaldapara wildlife santuary.This is an important scheme for preservation of the prime Rhino habitat of the State. Mahananda Wildlife Santuary: This scheme is aimed at management of Mahananda Wildlife Santuary, which harbours a large number of rare, and endangered species of wildlife. Chapramari Wildlife Santuary. This scheme is meant for improvement and preservation of wildlife habitat in Chapramari Wildlife Santuary in Jalpaiguri district. Singalila National Park. This is a scheme meant for management of biological resources of Singalila National Park, which is located at highest Altitude Zone of the State, and it has representation of a number of rare endangered fauna. Gorumara National Park. This is a scheme meant for improvement and preservation of wildlife habitat in Gorumara National Park, which is famous for one horned Rhino and Bison. Neoravalley National Park. This is a scheme meant for management and improvement of Bio-ecological resources of Neoravalley National Park which is unique for its rich diversity of flora and fauna spreading over altitudinal zone of 2000 mts. to 3000 mts. Conservation & Management of Wetlands in West Bengal :The scheme has been started with the objective of ensuring conservation of the wetland faunal and floral association in the Sundarbans, Rasik beel and Ahiron beel wetlands. Medicinal plants Conservation & Area Development Programme : The objective of this scheme is to promote in-situ & ex-situ conservation of medicinal plants, through survey and inventory of medicinal species, development of better techniques for plantation and assisted natural regeneration of medicinal plants, documentation of medicinal plants in the state and extension activities. National Afforestation Programme : The National Afforestation Programme (NAP) was formulated by merger of four 9th Plan centrally sponsored schemes of the Ministry of Environment & Forests viz. Integrated Afforestation and Eco-development Project (IAEDP), Area Oriented Fuelwood and Fodder Project (AOFFP), Conservation and development of Non-Timber Forest Produce Scheme (NTFP) including medicinal plants scheme and Association of Scheduled Tribes and Rural Poor in Regeneration of Degraded Forest (ASERP), with a view to reducing multiplicity of schemes with similar objectives, and ensuring uniformity for funding pattern and implementation and institutionalization of peoples participation and project formulation and implementation. The scheme is being operated through Forest Development Agencies with fund support from National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India as a 100% centrally sponsored scheme. The objectives of the scheme are : Regeneration and Eco-development of integrated forest and adjoining areas on a watershed basis ; Augmenting the availability of fuel wood, fodder and grass; Securing peoples participation in plantation and regeneration efforts Promotion of agro-forestry and development of government property and resources; Conservation and improvement of NTFP. Raising coastal shelter belt to mitigate the adverse impacts of cyclones Development of water resources thorough afforestation and water harvesting programme;

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

i) ii) iii) iv) v) vi) vii)

viii) ix)

Extension of improved technology as the clonal propagation and use of root training ; Employment generation for the disadvantaged section of the society, particularly women, SCs/STs and landless rural labourers.

Table 9.1 Afforestation Activities During 2006-2007 (Schemewise) Sl.No. Plantations/Scheme Plantation Notional Area of Raised (Ha.) Seedling Distribution (Ha.)
232.5 41.5 30 120 775 274.5 50 4.5 559 240 110 405 5232 240 780 50 266.25 75 2743.03 28.5 52 164 1865.7 105 150 880 59 15382.48 51.6 505 630.2 76 482.5 368 282 694 99.5 3188.8

1 Protective Afforestation 2 Eco-conservation 3 Economic Plantation 4 Coastal Shelterbelt Pltn. 5 Quick Growing spp. 6 Forestry Treatment 7 Mangrove Treatment 8 Greening of Rural Areas 9 Strip Plantation (Deptt.) 10 D.P.N. 11 Other Wildlife Schemes 12 RIDF 13 R.V.P. Teesta/ DVC 14 FDA (NAP) 15 Elephant Project 16 Conservation & mgmt. of Mangroves 17 Establishment of SBR 18 Compensatory Afforestation 19 Farm Forestry 20 Grants - in - Aid 21 Consolidation of J.F.M. and Enrichment of Forest Productivity (W.B.F.D.C.) 22 Development of Hill Areas 23 NTFP 24 SGRY 25 RSVY 26 Social Forestry Project 27 NFFWP 28 NREGS 29 Others TOTAL

Table 9.2 Progress of Afforestation through successive plans Sl. No. 01. 02. 03. 04. 05. 06. 07. 08. 09. 10. 11. 12. 13. PLAN PERIOD AREA AFFORESTED IN PLAN PERIOD (HA.) 9,570 14,625 17,700 13,341 32,920 50,015 14,000 165,026 294,568 63,352 67,908 299,630 25,076 16,723 16,842 15,349 26,849 13,481 10,104 14,592 13,352 15,382

FIRST (1951-56) SECOND (1956-61) THIRD (1961-66) (1966-1969) FOURTH (1969-74) FIFTH (1974-79) (1979-80) SIXTH (1980-85) SEVENTH (1985-90) (1990-91) (1991-92) EIGHTH (1992-97) NINTH (1997-2002) (1997-98) (1998-99) (1999-2000) (2000-2001) (2001-2002) 14. TENTH (2002-2007) (2002-2003) (2003-2004) (2004-2005) (2005-2006) (2006-2007)

CHAPTER 10 JOINT FOREST MANAGEMENT West Bengal is the pioneer state in India in initiating Joint Forest Management. This movement of JFM had its genesis at Arabari in Midnapur District of West Bengal where 618 families of 11 villages were motivated in early 70s to rejuvenate 1,186 ha. of degraded sal forest by roping in their participation through a set of activities of employment generation and sharing of NTFP from such forests. This was followed by the adoption of the Govt.s decision in 1989 to share 25% of usufructs and net profit of the intermediate and final yield respectively.This and subsequent resolutions of Government gave institutional support to the existing participatory system of Forest management. In1996, E.D.Cs were also constituted seeking co-operation of the fringe people in protection and development of Wildlife Protected Areas (Sanctuaries and National Parks). All the Government Notifications on the resolutions on JFM including the composition of FPCs and EDCs, the duties and functions of members of FPCs and EDCs, usufructuary benefits etc. have been published in local vernacular and circulated amongst the targeted communities of the JFMmovement. Successful execution of the West Bengal Social Forestry Project in the 1980s opened up avenues for Forest Department personnel for interaction with communities in fringes of forests and building up of rapport. The JFM movement gained momentum with the implementation of WorldBank-aided West Bengal Forestry Project during 90s. The main objective of which inter-alia was to promote peoples participation in management and development of forests. Subsequently, India Eco-Development Project implemented in Buxa Tiger Reserve and UNDP in Sunderban Tiger Reserve came as a boon to carry on with the process of consolidation of JFM . As on March 2007, there are 4,084 FPCs in the State (3,603 Nos. in South West Bengal, 430 in North Bengal and 51 Nos. in Sunderbans) comprising of total number of 5,62,202 members protecting the total forest areas over 5,41,751.797 ha. The total number of EDCs in the State are 109(89 Nos. in North Bengal, 20 Nos. in South Bengal including 14 Nos. in Sunderbans) comprising of 20,700 members protecting 86,035 ha. of Protected Areas. In all FPCs and EDCs, the spouses are joint members. The process of formation and subsequent consolidation of JFM led to reckonable success in rejuvenating the degraded forests and bringing about economic upliftment of fringe population constituting the FPCs and EDCs through series of measures including implementation of people oriented development programmes. The factors which are considered important for success of JFM in the State are: 1) Realisation of the natural resource managers regarding the failure of custodial system of management in containing degradation of forests and their growing perception that only participation of stake-holders can bring in a change in an otherwise bleak scenario. Empowerment of the people at grass-root level through inclusion of Panchayet Raj Institution at different levels of management. Adoption of micro-planning through PRA as a tool for involvement of communities in developmental activities, management of NWFPs, silvicultural and harvesting operations.

2) 3)

4)

Community/Ecodevelopment activities by way of infrastructural development, vocational training and input support for increased productivity of land-based systems, creation of assets for supplemental income and generation of adequate employment in forestry and allied activities on a sustainable basis. Sharing of usufructs with participating communities as envisaged in the resolution, resulted in credibility to the Govt.s intention to carry forward the mission of JFM. Marketing of timber and other forest produce to ensure optimum realisation of usufractory share reflected Departments concern for the communities. Persistent efforts by forest personnel, NGOs and natural leaders of FPCs to motivate and build awareness through face to face communication, group meetings, workshops, awareness campaigns etc.

5)

6)

Forest Departments resource being limited, integration of activities of other departments namely Panchayet and Rural Development, Backward Class Welfare, Agriculture, Minor Irrigation, Animal Resources Development, Cottage & Small Scale Industries etc. in JFM areas is essential. Again for maintenance of assets and taking up village development activities in FPC areas, FPCs are persuaded to create community funds of their own and many of the FPCs have already accumulated substantial fund. Self-Help Groups (SHGs) among the members of FPC in some areas have been formed to take up various vocational and income generation activities utilizing fund from their own savings as well as bank loans where necessary and available. Such Self-Help Group activities are found to be very inspiring particularly for women folk as they are able to earn or/and supplement the livelihood of their families. There is no denying that performance of FPCs have tended to vary amongst regions endowed with different bio-physical parameters but there is also appreciable difference in the level of performance of FPCs characterised by similar resource parameters. JFM-Support Activities The people around forests are integral part of forest-eco-system and their livelihood needs is to be reckoned as very important for ensuring long term conservation of resources. While direct benefit flow to the members of FPC/EDCs from forest resources by way of sharing of usufructs and employment generation is limited, there is scope of improvisation of traditional activities and allied land-based or skill-based activities like :i) ii) iii) iv) v) vi) vii) viii) Agricultural development through creation of irrigation facility and supply of improved inputs. Animal husbandry through improvement of breeds and veterinary care. Promotion of small scale cottage industries. Vocational trainings for income generation activities namely mushroom cultivation, salleaves platter making, pisciculture, tailoring, weaving, sericulture, bee-keeping, muri making etc. Agro-forestry and farm forestry practices including intercropping in plantations raised by Forest Deptt. Self-employment group oriented activities both for men and women (Self-Help Group activities) Dairy farming, Poultry farming, Piggery, Pisciculture etc. Development of marketing facilities. Value addition of NTFP resources.

Community oriented activities have been mostly relied upon as they have the following endowments:More effective, as they directly involve the FPCs & EDCs. Benefit maximum number of people. Leads to infrastructure development. Helps in creation of assets for sustained income generation. Leads to all round development of the village. Inspite of the fact that, individual beneficiary oriented schemes tend to have higher investment per FPC family and are fraught with risk of transfer of assets in some cases such schemes have to be taken up for execution, as a very large part of FPC beneficiaries belong to the group of landless and small / marginal farmers. Monitoring The impact of JFM activities in forest conservation and economic upliftment of fringe dwellers vary widely and as such proper monitoring and assessment of such factors and activities which lead to the success of JFM and the indicators which bring out the impact of JFM need to be determined and assessed for sustenance of JFM. It is appreciable that factors like social and cultural aspects, economic status, organizational capacity, characteristics of bio-physical system etc., influence the changes at different levels. It is therefore, a challenging task to determine suitable indicators or parameters to monitor the impact of JFM. Such indicators of assessment may be both qualitative and quantitative. But qualitative assessment could be subjective and may not help in meaningful monitoring and long term evaluation. So a proper monitoring methodology needs to be evolved taking suitable indicators and verifiers into consideration and quantifying them. For monitoring of JFM, where information relating to FPCs are concerned, their numbers, total members, area protected, status of protection, works implemented, employment generation and sharing of usufructs should figure in monitoring format. Other aspects, relating to status of forest regeneration and conservation of bio-diversity, duties and responsibilities of FPC members and the staff, liaison of the forest department staff with the FPCs, involvement of women members in JFM, formation of Self-Help Groups, maintenance of community fund, training etc., should also be reflected to assess the level of performance of stakeholders namely FD and FPCs. The criteria/indicators for monitoring at different levels-FPCs, Division, State and National, might differ according to requirements and purpose of monitoring and formats are to be developed accordingly. For better appreciation of members of FPCs as regards to overall achievement in forest conservation and development, a system of participatory monitoring at FPC level is required to be developed using measurable indicators like offence cases relating to pilferage of forest produce, grazing, incidents of forest fire etc. These indicators relating to various areas could easily be compared to focus the level of performances of varies protection committees at Beat or Range levels. Apart from continuous monitoring, socio-economic survey and bio-diversity survey are also required to be taken up at periodic intervals for knowing the impact of JFM activities and status of conservation and development of the forest resources through JFM. As far as the state of West Bengal is concerned some indicators have been developed for ascertaining the performance of FPCs with reference to the lateritic tract. These need to be refined over the years to have a rational number of indicators which would be amenable for participatory monitoring.

Some criteria have also been developed for institutional and socio-economic impact monitoring of FPCs/EDCs in Buxa Tiger Reserve under IEDP. Such criteria/indicators have the desirable endowments as below: i) ii) iii) iv) v) vi) vii) Easily measurable. Reveal meaningful trend. Precise and unambiguous. Meaningful to local people and FD. Drawn from existing knowledge and records. Easily comprehensible by FPCs and EDCs. Reasonably reflective of impact of project activities.

Problems and Conflicting Issues : 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) Variability of site-productivity bringing in inequity in sharing of usufructs. Political rivalries among people and inequities existing amongst groups of FPC members. Population growth and unemployment. Inadequate motivation of staff or absence of motivation. Lack of will to be transparent. A strong compartmentalized development approach. Outreach of development activities falling short of targeted fringe-population. Heterogeneity in population and occupational structure. Organised timber theft, antisocial activities, insurgence and terrorism in certain areas and smuggling and cross border activities along international border etc. Key issues for consolidation of JFM and its sustenance Motivation & training of stake holders FD-staff and FPC members. Initial period of euphoria on success of installation of JFM in some agro-ecological tracts is over. There is stark realisation that there is need for strengthening of activities in weak areas particularly in northern part of the State as well as to sustain our efforts on the score in other tracts. FD-staff have to be tolerant, patient, compassionate, transparent backed up by appropriate knowledge of natural resources and harvesting practices to get into the role of an agent of social and environmental change. B.

A.

Carrying on the process of reorientation of the mind-set of forestry professionals at different levels. It has been difficult to have the role of foresters reversed from that of custodial managers to that of managers managing natural resources in participation with stake-holders being respectful of their development needs and rational use of available resources. A consistent regular training programme of all levels of forestry-staff need be institutionalized strongly raping in the services of competent institutions including credible NGOs working at the grass-root level on this score.

C.

JFM-Support activities -Pooling of resources is a key factor in scaling up support activities to improve the quality of life of the stake-holders belonging to landless, small and marginal farmers. Depending on external-aid to sustain such activities may only yield freak localised result. To have the desired sustainable impact, pooling in of internal resources supported by development of community fund has been identified as a key area of activity. It has been possible to pool in

resources through flow of funds in this sector from allocations of the Deptt. of Forests, Backward Communities Welfare Deptt., and other allied Govt. Departments including formulation of an innovative project in forestry sector by WBFDC Ltd. D. Gender sensitization to ensure participation of women groups Women of each household have been designated as joint member of FPC/EDC. But this did not pop up their degree of involvement in FPC/EDC working. Some FPCs are exclusively controlled by women-groups and their positive participation has changed the complexion of working of FPCs in localised areas. Many of self-help groups having representation of women tended to take on the mantle of leaders in such areas. The spread of such groups with the help of CARE-INDIA and scheme funded by NABARD has been planned to be implemented over the next few years. A boost on women empowerment has also been given by adopting the participation of women to 33% of the total members of the Executive Committee of FPCs through adoption in the govt. resolution. E. Sharing of Usufructs Timely sharing of usufructs both from the intermediate and final-yield particularly in southWest Bengal has established credibility of the State Govt. in pursuing with the desired zeal and mission of the policy of JFM in managing natural resources of the State. FPCs in the Hill areas of Darjeeling are yet to perceive this primarily due to delayed registration and partly due to dislocation in yield-harvesting from forests because of absence of approved management plans. In the recent past management plans of the forests of the Dooars and the Terai have been approved and extraction of intermediate and final yield as per plans will help the State Govt. in meeting its commitment towards sharing of usufructs with the targeted FPC-beneficiaries. F. Reorganisation of the Forest Directorate : There was realisation that an intense communication between FPC-members and the beat staff of grass-root level is essential to install and support JFM-process. This coupled with the need for distribution of work-load and pooling in of financial resources, the Forest Directorate has been re-organised with a bottom-up approach. The Beat and Rangeboundaries have been made co-jurisdictional with Gram Panchayets and Panchayat Samities. Divisions and Circles have been made to administer compact areas of a district or a region. This has brought in accountability of different levels with regard to a well-defined geographical area and removal of overlap of jurisdiction by some functional divisions in the sector of social forestry and soil conservation. G. A strong marketing initiative Marketing of timber, pulpwood, mining props etc., has been organized on a very sound footing through roping in coal-mining companies in public sector and pulpwood and paper mills in private sector to ensure optimal realization from the product-mix of harvested areas. This marketing initiative needs to be sustained over the years to keep the interest of FPCcommunities alive. But marketing of NWFP-goes on still in an unorganized fashion. There is need for proper assessment of the NWFP resources particularly of important components with reference to different forest ecosystems and estimation of sustainable harvests by FPCs. Dissemination of market information to collecting FPCs backed by creation of storage and processing facilities is extremely desired to consolidate gains of JFM.

However, the present level of motivation, conviction and commitment between two major stake-holders : the forest fringe dwellers as well as the Forest Department is well supported in many areas by motivated tiers of Panchayet, who have been responsible for building up an atmosphere of mutual trust and understanding and a strong intention of the State Govt. to pursue the process is destined to take the JFM in the State a long way ensuring effective conservation of forests and a steady improvement in quality of life of fringe population. Table 10.1 FOREST PROTECTION COMMITTEES IN WEST BENGAL (As on 31.03.2007) No. of Members Female Total S.C. S.T. Others Total 412 195 250 309 306 171 43 103 1657 2801 2449 1293 1508 4085 3777 2565 16478 7621 3909 1503 3443 4214 50839 40703 19308 29170 133 204 410 5525 5846 708 839 1548 734 10131 9135 4736 7033 945 874 769 3479 647 1958 224 1334 2759 9186 14906 4406 8199 3007 2699 1386 7474 1128 1243 440 561 721 31522 16662 10166 13938 65592 25393 12819 8527 10731 14938 6261 899 3784 10962 169 65 161 404 359 769 371 253151 4085 3777 2565 16478 7621 3909 1503 3443 4214 50839 40703 19308 29170 144390 56797 28229 21422 24508 30130 19591 2218 12041 24664 4065 221 1109 2004 1134 1385 973 562202

Division

Darjeeling Kalimpong Kurseong Jalpaiguri Baikunthapur Cooch Behar Cooch Behar SF B.T.R.(E) 17 B.T.R.(W) 24 E. Midnapur 362 West Midnapur 474 Kharagpur SF 100 Rupnarayan 231 P&S Bankura(N) 547 Bankura(S) 598 Panchet SC 227 Purulia 210 Kangsa.SC-I 245 Kangsa.SC-II 305 Burdwan 68 Durgapur SF 26 Birbhum 167 24-Pgs.(S) 40 S.T.R. 11 Siliguri SF 1 Malda 11 Raigunj SF 22 Howrah SF 4 Darjeeling SF * 34 Nadia-Msd. 6 TOTAL 4084
* The

Total No. of F.P.C 69 63 43 63 68 25 23

Area Protected (ha.) 13496.82 26429.00 12730.91 20248.16 10513.56 6681.61 3623.65 9285.13 15694.85 44148.05 52179.31 13286.29 27790.13

Male 3673 3582 2315 16169 7315 3738 1460 3340 2557 48038 38254 18015 27662

43613.19 138990 43499.26 52568 28119.55 26679 29833.15 20584 17426.46 23639 26114.72 29561 17758.04 16965 2757.10 2006 9503.00 11761 43734 12383 12844 3958 57.667 220 220.25 830 510.74 1637 191.51 815 8867.00 1268 594.69 958 541751.797 520940

5400 144390 57304 21494 4229 56797 13357 18047 1550 28229 10757 4653 838 21422 6939 5956 869 24508 5707 8070 569 30130 10899 4293 2626 19591 8505 4825 212 2218 604 715 280 12041 4207 4050 12281 24664 13185 517 107 4065 3642 254 1 221 0 156 279 1109 420 528 73 1710 876 430 319 1134 537 238 117 1385 112 504 15 973 402 200 41262 562202 184435 124616

Protected and Unclassed State Forest Areas of Darjeeling District has been handed over to D.G.A.H.C. under Darjeeling SF Division

Table 10.2 Eco-Development Committees in West Bengal as on 31.03.2007

Name of Division Name of P.A. Mahananda WLS Wildlife-I Senchal WLS Singalila N.P. Gorumara N.P. Wildlife-II Neora Valley N.P. Chapramari WLS Buxa Tiger Reserve (E) Buxa Tiger Reserve (W) Sunderban Tiger Reserve Cooch Behar Birbhum Raigunge S.F. Jaldapara WLS Ballavpur WLS Kulik WLS TOTAL : 26 3 3 109 14,336 200 86 86,035 5,719 240 193 17,004 886 31 21 3,696 6,605 271 214 20,700 2,944 41 172 8,342 1,771 231 30 4,640 1,890 -12 7,718 S.T.R. 14 12,350 3,993 490 4,483 4,047 108 328 B.T.R. 07 9,901 439 257 696 42 162 492 14 23,328 1,454 173 1,627 223 612 792 No. of EDC 14 11 01 09 06 01 Area Protected (Ha) 10,415 2,925 350 5,590 5,594 960 No. of Members Male Female Total 1,053 972 18 1,407 1,479 37 145 193 05 71 1,413 11 1,198 1,165 23 1,478 2,892 48

SC 161 44 -386 279 04

ST 332 115 08 460 803 08

Others 705 1,006 15 632 1,810 36

Table 10.3

FPC share and usufructs from final harvest of resuscitated forests in south West Bengal.
Felling Year 1999-2000 445 50,989 56,479 45,662 45,662 51,047 60,150 424 520 1,454 1,454 1,510 2000-2001 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-06 1,944 56,979 2006-07 1,967 57,864

Particulars

1998-99

No. of FPC

339

No.of

35,530

Benificiary Sal 2902 4.02 4.555 5.80 4.3001 3632 3632 3076 3632 2945 3626 2691 3870 3266 Pltn Sal Pltn Sal Pltn Sal Pltn. Sal Pltn. Sal 3980 Pltn. 3814 5.0925 Sal 4,790 Pltn. 4,111 5.920 Sal 4,750 Pltn 4,248 6.3457

Area felled

Sal

Pltn

(Ha.) 5.4875

2065

1893

F.P.C. Share

2.87

released (Rs.

in crores)

F.P.C. Share

Rs. 807.00

Rs. 788.00

Rs. 806.00 Rs. 1,270.00

Rs. 942.00

Rs. 1,075.00

Rs.846.00

Rs. 1039.00

Rs. 1,096.65

per capita

N.B. : Total FPC share released from 1995-96 upto 2006-07 = Rs. 50.607 crores.

10.4 NATIONAL AFFORESTATION PROGRAMME: A PARTICIPATORY APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF FORESTS ( CENTRALLY SPONSORED SCHEME ) OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES FOR THE TENTH FIVE-YEAR PLAN The scheme entitled as National Afforestation Programme (NAP) has been formulated by merger of four 9th Plan centrally sponsored afforestation schemes of the Ministry of Environment & Forests, namely, Integrated Afforestation and Eco-Development Projects Scheme (IAEPS), Area Oriented Fuelwood and Fodder Projects Scheme (AOFFPS), Conservation and Development of Non-Timber Forest Produce including Medicinal Plants Scheme (NTFP) and Association of Scheduled Tribes and Rural Poor in Regeneration of Degraded Forests (ASTRP), with a view to reducing multiplicity of schemes with similar objectives, ensuring uniformity in funding pattern and implementation mechanism, avoiding delays in availability of funds to the field level and institutionalising peoples participation in project formulation and its implementation. The Scheme will be operated by the National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board, Ministry of Environment and Forests as a 100% Central Sector/Centrally Sponsored Scheme (except for the AOFFP component). 1. 1.1 Objectives of the Scheme. Short term objectives : Regeneration and eco-development of degraded forests and adjoining areas on a watershed basis. Augmentation of the availability of fuelwood, fodder and grasses from the regenerated areas. Securing peoples participation in planning and regeneration efforts to ensure sustainability and equitable distribution of forest products from the regenerated lands, and to promote the partnership concept in the management and administration of forests and common property resources. Promotion of agroforestry and development of Common Property Resources. Promotion of fuel saving devices to encourage efficient use of fuelwood and to reduce the drudgery of rural women involved in collection of wood as also to improve the environment. Conservation and improvement of non-timber forest produce such as bamboo, cane and medicinal plants. Encouragement for production of non-timber products such as wax, honey, fruits and nuts from the regenerated areas. Raising coastal shelterbelts to mitigate the adverse impacts of cyclonic winds. Development of water resources through plantation and water harvesting programme. Development and extension of improved technologies such as clonal propagation, use of root trainers for raising seedlings, mycorrhizal inoculation etc.

Rehabilitation of special problem lands like areas with saline/alkaline soils, ravines, desert areas, coastal areas, mined areas. Himalayas, Aravallis and Western Ghats. Employment generation for the disadvantaged sections of society particularly women, scheduled castes/scheduled tribes and landless rural labourers, inhabiting the forests and adjoining areas.

1.1.2

Long-term objectives: Protection, Conservation of natural resources through active involvement of the people. Checking land degradation, deforestation and loss of biodiversity. Ecological restoration and environmental conservation and eco-development. Evolving village level peoples organization, to manage the natural resources in and around villages in a sustainable manner. Fulfilment of the broader objectives of productivity, equity and sustainability for the general good of the people. Improve quality of life and self-sustenance aspect of people living in and around forest areas. Capability endowment and skill enhancement for improving employability of the rural people.

2.

Implementing Agencies : The scheme would be implemented by the following State agencies : New projects during the 10th Plan period : The two-tier set up namely the Forest Development Agencies (FDAs) and Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs).

2.1

In the participatory mode the scheme would be implemented by involving two-tier set up namely the Forest Development Agencies (FDAs) and Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs). This decentralised institutional structure would allow greater participation of the community both in planning and implementation of the appropriate afforestation programmes. This would ground the people-centered approach in afforestation programmes and provide a firm and sustainable mechanism for devolution of funds to JFMCs for afforestation and related activities. Organic unity in the structural framework will promote efficiency, effectiveness, accountability through decentralisation and devolution of authority and responsibilities, both physical and financial. Village will be reckoned as a unit of planning and implementation and all the activities under the scheme will be conceptualised at the village level. The two-tier approach apart from building capabilities at the grass-roots level would also empower the local people to participate in the decision making process.

FDA is constituted at the Forest Division (territorial/wildlife) level and have the composition as fixed by NAEB, Government of India. FDAs are registered societies under the Societies Registration Act. At the grass-root level, the FPCs are implementing agencies.

Table 10.5 STATUS OF FDA TILL 31.03.2007

(Rs. in lakhs)

Sl. No. 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 2 2003-04 2003-04 2003-04 2003-04 2004-05 2004-05 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2006-07 2006-07 2006-07 2006-07 2006-07 2006-07 2006-07 1460 1120 1500 1200 1500 1200 1200 200 ----------------50.00 0.00 39.31 48.33 ----50.00 48.87 39.31 39.00 ----69.46 45.65 64.87 61.16 67.73 50.00 41.64 ---53.63 -67.73 50.00 41.84 -70.64 85.38 70.14 66.48 101.57 90.89 53.03 12.50 2002-03 2002-03 2002-03 2002-03 2002-03 2003-04 2003-04 2003-04 2003-04 2006-07 2006-07 2006-07 2006-07 2006-07 2006-07 2006-07 2006-07 2006-07 64.20 59.63 36.71 36.71 29.05 ----64.20 107.60 50.00 59.63 97.80 45.00 36.71 63.19 40.00 36.71 62.71 50.00 29.05 51.75 40.00 -47.36 47.36 -32.82 32.82 -49.28 49.28 -22.95 22.95 117.46 98.15 71.59 70.69 60.05 76.00 50.43 70.69 35.02 97.60 90.00 65.00 60.00 -57.75 --20.07 103.28 74.26 51.82 47.89 71.19 80.39 50.38 60.15 31.60 91.00 75.00 --57.00 71.00 50.00 50.00 33.00 52.40 68.00 40.00 ---38.00 5.00

FDA

No of Duration From FPCs (yrs)

To

2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 outlay release outlay release outlay release outlay release outlay release 85.25 35.79 27.96 29.52 49.93 69.25 36.04 42.09 22.71 49.47 87.84 56.26 49.59 81.30 79.70 39.84 22.00 16.51 28.63 60.80 23.62 -55.40 --20.80 18.86 80.00 45.00 79.67 33.00 113.76 38.00 5.00

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

63 100 123 125 70 58 86 130 51

Target Area (Ha) 2280 1700 1750 1720 2020 1450 881 1075 600

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Bankura (S) Bankura (N) Arabari(E) Midnapore Rupnarayan Jalpaiguri Kharagpur Birbhum CoochbeharJaldapara Purulia Burdwan Baikunthapur Darjeeling Kangsabati SCD Kurseong West Midnapore CoochBehar S.F. Total

18 57 67 49 94 28 100 23

1242

22856 226.30 226.30 673.10 554.59 1050.59 603.62 1121.59 630.40 864.54 619.05

10.6 : Note on formation on Self Help Groups in Forest Fringe Villages. The object of formation of Self Help Groups in Forest Fringe Villages, taken up in different districts involving the (eligible and willing) Forest Protection Committees and EDC members was to open alternative sources of assured income on sustainable basis and simultaneously curtail the degree of dependency on forest of the forest fringe dwellers who are mostly poor and tribal people in order to restore ecological balance and environmental stability. The target groups being mostly uneducated or sparsely educated people, dependent on neighboring forests having practically no knowledge about SHG formation, management of funds, identification of alternative income generating activities, credit requirement and marketing strategy of their products etc. To overcome this problem and to change the mindset of the members of the FPCs and EDCs as well as that of departmental staffs, arrangements were made for training and orientation of the target groups and departmental staff of the identified areas. NABARD, DRDC and some NGOs alongwith the officers of some line departments e.g. Rural Development, Health, ARDD, Sericulture, Agriculture, Fishery etc. and local bank authorities were actively involved in the process. The following areas were identified as sources of alternative income to the SHGs and accordingly training-cum-orientation camps and workshops were held at predetermined venues: Training on Sal leaf plate making and supply of plate making machine.Collection of medicinal and herbal products and their processing. Training in tailoring including supply of sewing machines. 2. Apiary and mushroom cultivation. 3. Training on health care of domestic animals and table birds etc. in rural areas. 4. Training of bidi making and supply of inputs. 5. Training on repairing of pump machine, cycle and motor cycle, electric wiring (where electricity is available)) etc. 6. Training on vermicomposting, biogas plants, homestead gardening, scientific Pisciculture, Lac culture, Apiculture etc. 7. Training on establishment of piggeries, duckeries, poultry farm on small scale. 8. Tassar cultivation and supply of high yielding cocoons. 9. Rice husking and allied works. 10. Soft toy making, handicraft products of different forest produces e.g. bamboo, sabai grass, and jute etc. Now many of the SHGs have been working successfully and their performances are encouraging. However, for sustainability of SHGs it is felt that comprehensive training programmes including refresher courses for both target groups and staff have to be undertaken at regular intervals to assess the actual state of affairs including identification of the actual problems faced by the SHGs and to ensure the suitable market linkages for their products. 1.

PERFORMANCE OF SELF-HELP GROUP UPTO 31.03.2007

Divisions

Name of District

Purulia

Paschim Midnapore

No. of Male Female Total No. of No. of No. of Corpus fund S.H.G. F.P.C./ excluswomen generated up formed as E.D.C. ively members in to 31.03.07 on in women exclusively (Rs.) 31.03.07 S.H.G. S.H.G. women S.H.G. 96 30 738 768 65 6 690 4,28,589 137 1,030 340 1,370 72 34 340 72,000 223 0 5,082 5,082 223 223 5082 6,78,530 160 50 1605 1,655 37 51 1550 N.A. 206 1,712 565 2,277 78 27 324 N.A. 207 1,265 1,059 2,324 78 102 1,059 19,67,325 89 1,741 291 2,032 89 28 291 17,09,873

Jalpaiguri
23 0 271 271 6

23

271

41,851

Darjeeling

CoochBehar Burdwan Bankura

Purulia Kangasabati - I Kangasabati - II Kharag pur S.F West Midnapur. Rupnarayan P & S East Midnapur Jalpaiguri Baikunthapur BTR (East) BTR (West) Cooch Behar Wildlife - II Kurseong Wild Life -I Darjeeling Cooch Behar S.F. Durgapur S.F. Panchet S .C Bankura ( North) Bankura (South) 59 246 447 493 26 11 15 1 10 1 54 63 40 79 0 87 226 5 51 0 0 0 15 210 550 0 604 683 1,469 1,469 4,282 4,369 5,116 5,342 265 270 129 180 44 44 15 15 75 75 0 15 424 634 202 752 320 320 14 23 31 49 8 12 15 1 1 1 54 45 20 49 246 434 403 25 8 15 1 10 0 34 9 40 604 1,469 4,282 4,836 265 129 32 15 75 0 320 202 320 24PGS(South) STR Birbhum TOTAL

5,60,000 8,88,948 N.A. 19,43,131 9479 N.A. 5,457 2691 N.A. 19000 74,429 194358 79796

24PGS(South)

Birbhum

94 168 49

-596 574
2918 8221

-- 940 1026 1622 510 1084

24432 33593

12 20 49
1003

25 85 44
1922

250 814 510

23730

5,78,000 92130 N.A.

9345587

10.7 West Bengal Forest Protection Welfare Society During 1994, the Forest Protection Committees of West Bengal had won the J. Paul Getty Wildlife Conservation Prize of World Wildlife Fund, which is almost equivalent to Nobel Prize in forestry, for their outstanding performance in the protection and rejuvenation of the degraded forests of the State. An amount of US $50,000 which was equivalent to Rs. 10 lakhs, was received by the West Bengal Forest Department on behalf of the Forest Protection Committees of the State. In order to utilize the award money in a more positive way, it was decided to constitute West Bengal Forest Protection Welfare Society which was registered under the Societys act on 28.07.1997 (Registration No. S/87637 of 1997-98). It was further decided that the entire award money, along with some contribution from West Bengal Forest Development Corporation Ltd. (Rs. 12 lakh.) will be deposited in a Bank and kept as Fixed Deposit (FD). Out of the FD interest, to be received from the Bank, it was decided to award 50 scholarships to meritorious but poor students from the families of the members of Forest Protection Committees/Eco Development Committees. District-wise distribution of scholarship was fixed as follows:Sl.No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 District Midnapore Bankura Purulia Jalpaiguri Burdwan 24-Parganas(S) Darjeeling Birbhum Cooch Behar Unreserved 6 6 3 3 1 2 1 1 Reserved 6 6 4 4 1 2 2 1 1

Total Scholarships :

50 Nos. each (for 1st and 2nd year).

Duration & Amount : @Rs. 200/- per month for each student passing Madhyamik/ ICSE/CBSE with at least 50% marks, for 1(one) year payable at a time. To qualify for 2nd year scholarship they have to secure at least 50% marks in final examination of XI class, 2nd year scholarship also amounts to Rs. 200/- per month for 1(one) year. The awardees should be recommended by District Level Committee (DLC) which comprises of the members as follows :-. (1) Sabhadhipati or his representative : Chairman. (2) Karmadhyaksha, Ban-O-Bhumi Sthayee Samity : Vice Chairman. (3) Karmadhyaksha, Siksha Sthayee Samity : Member. (4) Conservator of Forests : Convenor-Member. (5) Divisional Forest Officer : Member. Number of Beneficiaries till date (1st & 2nd year) :2002-03 : 50 Nos. 2003-04 : 61 Nos. 2004-05 : 43 Nos. 2005-06 : 42 Nos. 2006-07 : 38 Nos. Total : 234 Nos.

CHAPTER 11
BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION BIODIVERSITY IN WEST BENGAL West Bengal is rich in biodiversity. The main Strategy for conserving its unique biodiversity has been through the creation of protected area network of national parks, sanctuaries, biosphere reserves and identified wetlands and coastal areas. The state has 4064 sq.km. of forests under protected areas network which is 34% of the State's total forest area and 4.54% of the total geographical area. There are five national parks, Fifteen sanctuaries, two Tiger Reserves and one Biosphere Reserve. The PA network includes 1102 sq.km. Sanctuaries, 1693 sq.km. National Parks and the balance are being represented by buffer areas of the two Tiger Reserves, viz. Sundarbans Tiger Reserve and Buxa Tiger Reserve.

Table 11.1 Status Report on Management Plans of PAs Sl. No. 01. 02. 03. 04. 05. 06. 07. 08. 09. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. National Park/ Wild Life Sanctuary Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary Raigunj Wildlife Sanctuary Bethuadahari Wildlife Sanctuary Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary Bibhutibhusan Wildlife Sanctuary Haliday Wildlife Sanctuary Lothian Wildlife Sanctuary Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary Ramnabagan Wildlife Sanctuary Singhalila National Park Neora Valley National Park Buxa Tiger Reserve Gorumara National Park Sunderbans Tiger Reserve Eastern Dooars Eleplant Reserve Mayur Jharna Elephant Reserve Period of Management Plan 1999-2000 to 2009-2010 1997-1998 to 2006-2007 1997-1998 to 2006-2007 Under preparation 2000-2001 to 2005-2006 Under preparation 2001-2002 to 2010-2011 Under preparation Under preparation 2001-2002 to 2010-2011 Under preparation 2000-2001 to 2009-2010 1998-1999 to 2007-2008 2000-2001 to 2009-2010 1997-1998 to 2006-2007 2000-2001 to 2009-2010 Under preparation Under preparation

Table 11.2

Wildlife Conservation and Protected Areas of West Bengal

Sl. No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Protected Area Area in Sq. Km. Notification No. & Date Biogeographic Zone 2C 2C 7B 7B 8B District

National Parks: Singalila N.P. Neora Valley N.P. Buxa N.P. Gorumara N.P. Sundarban N.P. Total Sanctuaries: Jorepokhri Salamander W.L.S. Senchal W.L.S. Chapramari W.L.S. Mahananda W.L.S. Jaldapara W.L.S. Raiganj W.L.S. Bethuadahari W.L.S. Ballavpur W.L.S. Ramnabagan W.L.S. Bibhutibhusan W.L.S. Narendrapur W.L.S.

78.60 Sq. km. 88.00 Sq. km. 117.10 Sq. km. 79.45 Sq. km. 1330.10 Sq. km. 1693.25 Sq. km. 0.04 Sq. km. 38.88 Sq. km. 9.60 Sq. km. 158.04 Sq. km. 216.51 Sq. km. 1.30 Sq. km. 0.6686 Sq. km. 2.021 Sq. km. 0.14 Sq. km. 0.64 Sq. km. 0.10 Sq. km.

9057-For dt. 2.12.92 9058-For dt. 2.12.92 3403-For dt. 5.12.97 1-For dt. 1.1.98 2867-For dt. 4.5.84

Darjeeling Darjeeling Jalpaiguri Jalpaiguri South-24 Parganas

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

1107-For dt. 11.03.85 2773-For dt. 19.8.98 2774-For dt. 19.8.98 2775-For dt. 19.8.98 2890-For dt. 27.8.98 1901-For dt. 11.4.85 u/s. 18(1) of WLP Act of 72 2772-For dt. 19.8.98 4655-For dt. 11.7.77 u/s. 18(1) of WLP Act of 72 4345-For dt. 30.9.81 u/s. 18(1) of WLP Act of 72 2776-For dt. 19.8.98

2C 2C 7B 7B 7B 7B 7B 7B 7B 8B

Darjeeling Darjeeling Jalpaiguri Darjeeling Jalpaiguri North Dinajpur Nadia Birbhum Bardhaman North-24 Parganas S. 24 Parganas

A. B.

1. 2.

1543-For dt. 14.4.82 8B u/s. 18(1) of WLP Act of 72 Sajnakhali W.L.S. 362.40 Sq. km. 5396-For dt. 24.6.76 8B South-24 u/s. 18(1) of WLP Act of 72 Parganas Halliday Island W.L.S. 5.95 Sq. km. 5388-For dt. 24.6.76 8B South-24 u/s. 18(1) of WLP Act of 72 Parganas Lothian Island W.L.S. 38.0 Sq. km. 2771-For dt. 19.8.98 8B South-24 7588-For dt. 6.10.90 Parganas 12-For dt. 1.1.91 and 316-For 7B Jalpaiguri Buxa W.L.S. **368.99 Sq. km. dt. 24.1.86 u/s. 18(1) of WLP Act of 72 ** Present Sanctuary area is 267.92 Sq.Km. since rest of the area has later been declared as Buxa National Park. Total 1102.2096 Sq. km. Tiger Reserves: Buxa Tiger Reserve 760.87 Sq. km. 1983 [Vide G0Is Notification 7B Jalpaiguri (including WLS & NP) No. J-11025/18/B/FRY(PT) Dt. 16.2.1983] Sundarban Tiger 2585.00 Sq. km. Buffer Zone Dt. 23.12.1973 8B South-24 Reserve (including Saj. WLS): 1255 Parganas & Sq. km. Core Area: 1330 Sq. Parts of Northkm. (including NP & 124.40 24 Sq. km. of primitive zone to Parganas act as gene pool & one of the world Natural Heritage sites since 1985) Total 3345.87 Sq. km. Biosphere Reserve: Sundarban Biosphere South-24 Pgns. (including STR areas) 9630 Sq. km. 1989 North-24 Pgns. Total 9630 Sq. km. Elephant Reserve (ER): Eastern Duars Elephant 977.51 Sq. km. 3293-For/11B-19/2000 dt. 7B Jalpaiguri Reserve Core Area: 484.00 Sq.km. 28.8.2002 Buffer Area: 493.51 Sq.km. Mayurjharna Elephant 414.00 Sq. km. 3040-For.11B-19/2000 dt. 6B West Midnapur, Reserve 24.10.2002 Bankura and Purulia Total 1391.51 Sq. km.

Table 11.3 TIGER POPULATION IN WEST BENGAL

As per Census Report 2004

Name of Division 24 Parganas (South) Sundarban Tiger Reserve Buxa Tiger Reserve Kalinpong Wildlife II(Neora valley N.P) Wildlife I(Mahananda WLS) CoochBehar(Jaldapara WLS) Total Male 7 83 9 1 7 5 4 116 Female 14 133 15 -11 10 2 185 Cub 4 33 3 -2 1 -43 Total 25 249 27 1 20 16 6 344

Census Report of 2006 is under compilation at Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.

Table 11.4 POPULATION OF MAJOR FLAGSHIP SPECIES Name of Wild Animal Rhino - * Leopard - ** Elephant -** * Male 52 144 102 Female 45 133 92 Sub-Adult -34 -Calf 29 20 58 Unsexed 9 -76 Total 135 331 328

Census data 2006, ** Census Data 2002

Table 11.5 CENSUS DATA ( 2002) OF MAJOR WILD ANIMAL SP. Name of Animal Gaur Sambar Chital Hog Deer Barking Deer Wild Boar Goral Tahr Screw Himalayan Black Bear Sloth Bear Nos. 1261 1216 1979 2261 3960 7354 486 77 19 65 200

Table 11.6 DETAILS OF PERSONS KILLED/INJURED BY WILD ANIMALS DURING THE YEAR 2006-2007 Name of Animals 1. Wild Elephant 2. Tiger 3. Leopard 4. Rhino 5. Gaur 6. Crocodile Person Killed 63 ----2 Injured 1* -4 -4 --

*Shri Phalguni Mallick FR as 31.10.06

Table 11.7 DEATH OF WILD ANIMALS DURING THE YEAR 2006-07 Name of animals 1.Wild Elephants 2. Death of Departmental/ Tame Elephant 3. Tiger 4. Leopard 5. Rhino 6. Gaur 7. Spotted Deer 8. Sambar 9. Wild Boar 10. Python Natural Death 15 6 1 10 4 30 ----Accident 14 --2 -8 ----Poaching ------1 1 1 1 Retaliatory killing 2 --1 ------Declared Total rouge & eliminated -31 -6 --------1 13 4 38 1 1 1 1

Table 11.8 SEIZURE OF WILD ANIMALS AND ANIMAL BODY PARTS DURING YEAR 2006-07 Name of animal/animal body parts etc 1. Tiger Skin 2. Tiger Bone/Skull 3. Rhino Skin 4. Elephant Carcass 5. Elephant Tusk 6. Ivory (Raw & Worked) 7.Leopard Skin 8. Deer Skin 9. Deer Flesh 10. Deer Antler 11.Wild Bore Carcass 12.Gangetic Shark 13. Turtle Shell 14. Turtle Skull 15. Turtle Flesh 16. Turtle Bone 17. Leopard Paw 18. Turtle 19. Tortoise 20. Indian Bird 21. Sloth Bear 22. Deer 23. Rhesus Monkey 24. Snake 25. Mongoose 26. Squirrel Quantity (Nos./Kg) 2 nos. 125nos. (10 kg) 141 pcs (16 kg) 2 nos. 5 nos. 2 nos. 8 nos. 5 nos. 1.5 kg 2 nos 1 no 1 no 4 nos (121 kg) 18 kg 16 kg 6 kg 4 nos 989 Nos 801 Nos. 2375 Nos. 2 Nos 7 Nos 10 Nos 692 Nos 7 Nos 4 Nos

Table 11.9 ANIMAL RESCUED AND REHABILITATED BY WILDLIFE WING HEADQUARTERS Name of Species Birds Reptiles Snake Lizard Turtle Indian Chameleon Mammals Monkey Langur Civet Jungle Cat Fishing Cat Sloth Bear Deer Fox/Jackle Bat Others Hedge Hog/Porcupine 2006 - 2007 375 nos 98 nos 4 nos 545 nos 1 no 24 nos 23 nos 97 nos 4 nos 2 nos 4 nos 6 nos 4 nos 1 nos. 1 no

Table 11.10 BUDGET FOR WILDLIFE AND HABITAT DEVELOPMENT FOR THE YEAR 2006-07(Rs. in Lakh) Non Plan State Plan Centrally Sponsored Scheme Total 3053.17 416.0125 1070.9424 4540.1249

Table 11.11 STATEMENT SHOWING FUND RELEASED BY THE CENTRAL GOVT. AND THE EXPENDITURE INCURRED BY THE STATE GOVT. DURING THE YEAR 2006-07 (Rs. in Lakh) Sl No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Name of the Scheme Jaldapara WLS Mahananda WLS Senchal WLS Singhalila NP Neora Valley NP Gorumara NP CSS-Chapamari WLS CSS-Raiganj WLS CSS PT STR CSS PT BTR All India Tiger Estimation a. STR b. BTR c. WL WING CSS-Project Elephant CSS-IEDP CSS-Conservation and management of Sunderban Mangroves in West Bengal CSS-Establishment of Sunderban Biosphere Reserve in West Bengal CSS-Conservation and management of Sunderban Wetland in West Bengal CSS-Strengthening Sustainable Livelihood Development for Biodiversity Conservation in Sunderbans CSS-Conservation and management of Ahiron Beel Wetland CSS-Conservation and management of Rasik Beel wetland Total Released 71.77 54.71 42.35 43.35 36.18 51.00 36.62 23.60 151.30 82.70 ---165.97 55.86875 79.11 93.575 86.69793 2006-2007 Expenditure 71.77 54.605 42.12 42.616 36.18 50.00 36.62 23.60 151.31 75.75 ---162.77 55.86875 55.914 93.575 59.28361

12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19

51.84081 25.75

33.22004 25.75

1152.38649

1070.9524

Table 11.12 Details of Villages within Protected Areas District Division Name of the Protected Area No of villages inside the Protected Areas 1 5 7 No of villages in the fringe of the Protected Areas -7 7 No of people living inside the Protected Areas 23 441 306 No of SC & ST inside the Protected Area 8 57 56

Darjeeling

WL-I -DO-DO-DO-

Darjeeling

WL-II

Singalila NP Senchal WLS Mahananda WLS Jorepokhri WLS Neora Valley NP

3 nos.
(Bhotetar, Bick Tar, Mithun Tar)

15 nos.

208 nos

SC=15 nos ST=52nos

Jalpaiguri Jalpaiguri Jalpaiguri

-DO-DOCoochbeha r

Gorumara NP Chapramari WLS Jaldapara WLS

--2 nos.
(Salkumar, Ballalguri)

19 nos -42 nos

--Salkumar = 274 nos. Ballalguri = 323 nos.

--Salkumar Village: ST=231 nos. Ballaguri Village ST=170 nos.

Jalpaiguri

North Dinajpur Nadia

Birbhum

Buxa Tiger Reserve consisting of Buxa East and West Division Raigunj SF Divn. NadiaMurshidab ad Birbhum

Buxa National Park Buxa Wildlife Sanctuary Raiganj WLS Bethuadahri WLS Ballavpur WLS Ramnabagan WLS Bibhutibhusa n WLS

--

33 nos

3583

---

13 nos 3 nos

---

---

-----

3 nos -6 nos

---

----

Bardhaman Bardhama n 24 Pgns(N) 24 Pgns(N)

24 Pgns(S)

24 Pgns(S)

-DO-DO24 Pgns(S) Sundarban Tiger Reserve -DO-

Total

Chintamoni Kar WLS (formerly Narendrapur WLS) Halliday Island WLS Lothian Island WLS Sunderban National Park Sajnakhali WLS 5 NPs and 15 WLS's

--

--

--

--

----

-5 nos --

----

----

-26 nos.

14 nos 167 nos

-5219 nos

--

Table - 11.13 Chemical Immobilization of Elephants in West Bengal SL. No. 1 2 Date 10. 03.06 08.04.06 Location Barodabri7,Kodalbasti Nimati-3, BTR(W) Description Adult Male(M) Adult Male(T) Adult Male(T) Adult Male(M) Adult Male(T) Adult Male(M) Immobilising Remarks HBM Immobilon For Treatment Treatment of injury originated from infighting For Treatment, elephant died Treatment of injury originated from infighting Driving Treatment

3 4

22.05.06 19.07.06

Jainti-6,BTR MB-6, Kodlabasti

Immobilon HBM

5 6

30.10.06 04.02.07

Ukhra, Durgapur Jaldhaka1,Garati,Gorumara

Xylazine Immobilon

Table 11.14 Payment of Ex-gratia Relief for animal depredation in West Bengal for the period 2006-07 Persons injured (No.) 10 7 12 39 5 3 2500.00 176 51350.00 534.70 1000.00 633 201 299600.00 152.88 351.00 96 15000.00 385.40 402750.00 342717.00 390500.00 8 85 8 4 6 2 7 13 2 9 71 1 60 50000.00 100000.00 156 393 359905.00 50000.00 64323.81 83 241 34 385 168800.00 20200.00 3000.00 95 88 14 54240.00 111000.00 12000.00 104200.00 503500.00 18900.00 219225.00 50000.00 265000.00 1069509.91 113317.63 500000.00 Comp paid for human life & injury Livestock Killed (No.) Comp paid for Livestock Killed 15000.00 Hut damage (No.) Comp paid for Hut damage Crop damage (Ha.) Comp paid for crop damage Total Comp

Division

Person Killed (No.)

5 17 2 4

697750.00 1069509.91 756634.63 500000.00 491850.00 715200.00 198000.00 193504.00 106700.00 1578605.00 266900.00 477052.81

13 7 1 1

23.79 99.33 59.00 175.905 94.10 680.564 126.73

1 3

150000.00 140000.00 127240.00 40864.00 140000.00 135938.00 772800.61 10700.00

200000.00 408800.00

1 1 2 22 5 2 2 11 65000.00 206948.00 6 2100.00

1 4

56007.00 50000.00 3328.00 50000.00 200000.00 16199.39 18842.00

203447.00 93864.00 3328.00 190000.00 392278.00 900000.00 41542.00

Wildlife-I Wildlife-II Coochbehar Buxa Tiger Reserve(W) Buxa Tiger Reserve(E) Jalpaiguri Kurseong Baikunthapur Rupnarayan (PI & Survey) Kharagpur SF Midnapore (West)/Jhargram Division Midnapore(East) Bankura(South) Kangsabati SC-I Kangsabati SC-II Purulia Panchet Soil Cons. Burdwan Malda Durgapur SF Bankura (North) 320 700.00 32000.00 118.75 36.11 193.20 10.00 2.00 6.50 515

1 1 4

28000.00 95500.00

93700.00 334448.00

Total

70

188

3288380.74

154

20600.00

2975

1613715.00

3564.959

3883713.61

8806409.35

Table - 11.15 Information regarding ivory seizures in West Bengal during 2000-02 to 2006-07

Date 27.07.06

Place & District Odlabari-1, Gajoldoba Beat, Targhera Range, Dist. Jalpaiguri Deokota Toll, Jaigaon, Dist. Jalpaiguri Ghugumali, Baikunthapur Division, Jalpaiguri Dist. NH-31 at Salkumar more(APD FKT Road)

Quality Type of ivory seized(Raw/ No of Weight Manufactured) Pieces (Kg) Ivory (Raw) 2

Agency doing seizure Staff of Baikunthapur Division

No.of Persons 1

Remarks (If any) Case under trial in Ld. Court -do-do-

09.08.06 30.08.06

Ivory (Raw) Ivory (Raw)

1+1 (small) 2

1.955 kg. + 20 gm. 3.900 kg. + 4.100 kg. 0.65 kg.

Staff of Coochbehar Division Police, Bhaktinagar P.S. Staff of Coochbehar Division

1 1

26.10.06

Ivory (Raw)

1 (small)

-do-

Table - 11.16 Death/Injury of wild animal caused by Train accident Bison Date of Place of Animal Died occurrence occurrence 28.05.06 Hillajhora of Chalsa Male Range in Jalpaiguri dist. Juvenile 02.01.07 Beside Railway track at Odlajhora-4 Comptt. Under Nagrakata Beat of Chalsa Range Number 1 no. 1 no. Cause of Death Collided with Down Intercity Express Collided with a passing train

Elephant Date of occurrence 28.05.06 Place of occurrence Between Damanpur and Rajabhatkhawa in Buxa Tiger Reserve Between Damdim and Mal station in Jalpaiguri dist. Rly km post 51/2. Between Damdim and Mal station in Jalpaiguri dist. Rly km post 51/2. Between Damdim and Mal station in Jalpaiguri dist. Rly km postn 51/3-4. In between Hasimara and Madarihat, near km post 123/7. Railway Kilometer no. 32/9, Comptt. No. 9 under Mongpong Block of Mongpong Beat of Chel Range Animal Died Male, Tusker Number 1 no. Cause of Death Dashed by Mahananda Link express Dashed by 625 UP passenger train Dashed by 625 UP passenger train Dashed by Mahananda Link express Dashed by Goods Train UP16748,M/PCL Special railway cargo Train No. VP 642 DN Military special train

29.05.06

Male (Calf, 1520 days) Female, Injured

1 no.

29.05.06

1 no.

29.05.06

Adult Female

1 no.

13.11.06

Male, Makna

1 no.

18.11.06

Male,Tusker

1 no.

Table - 11.17 Death of Wild animal caused by Road accident Date of Occurrence 07.05.06 14.08.06 08.09.06 17.11.06 Place of Occurrence NH-31, Central-1 of Bichabhanga Beat under Gorumara South Range NH-31, Gorumara Beat under Gorumara South Range Near Kumardih Village, Manbazar-1 Nagrakata to Batabari Road (Near Chandrachur Tower Signboard), Panjhora-6 Commptt., Panjhora Beat, Chalsa Range Animal Died Wild Bore (Male,subadult)[Schedule-III] Wild Bore (Male,subadult)[Schedule-III] Hyaena (Female,Cub) Gaur(Male,adult) [Schedule-1] Number 1 no. 1 no. 1 no. 1 no.

CHAPTER - 12 SOIL CONSERVATION

Different anthropogenic activities in a watershed results into destabilization in the catchments of the Rivers, finally leading to accelerated erosion, which gradually change the productive land into barren wastelands. This land degradation poses severe challenge by filling up of the river beds and reducing the life of the reservoirs and also reduces agricultural productivity. The soil and water conservation measures are therefore, essential in good land management and watershed planning. The treatment measures are designed to prevent soil erosion, improve land capability, improve moisture regime and diversify biological endowment. The measures include both engineering methods like contour trench, check bunds, check dams, gully plugs and water harvesting structures, and vegetative methods like vegetative check dams, afforestation, pasture development, fodder development etc. In West Bengal, soil conservation measures were taken up under several State Plans in First Five Year Plan period. The efforts continued in subsequent plans. But the real thrust was given in the 3rd Five Year Plan Period when the Government of India launched a Centrally Sponsored Scheme called the River Valley Project (RVP) in the entire country to restore eco-systems in the Catchments of rivers spreading over 17 States, including West Bengal, which included three rivers viz. Kangsabati, Teesta and Mayurakshi. In the 6th Plan, another Centrally Sponsored Scheme called Flood Prone Rivers (FPR) was initiated in 8 Catchments spreading over 7 States and 1 Union Territory. These 8 Catchments included 2 rivers in West Bengal viz. Rupnarayan and Ajoy. The urgency and the need for development of land and biological resources in the Catchments were felt in West Bengal from the stage of initiation. In the mid-sixties, five separate Forest Divisions were created to deal with the problems of soil erosion. Out of these 5 Divisions, three were in Purulia District and two in North Bengal hills. A separate Circle was set up in 1966 for intensive management of the watersheds situated on refractory sites. Later, in 1981 one Circle was created for North Bengal plains and another Circle was set up for South Bengal. At present, soil conservation works are done in West Bengal both under State Plans, and under Centrally Sponsored Schemes (RVP and FPR). The schemes are executed by Soil Conservation Divisions as well as by other Forest Divisions under which a very high or high priority watershed area falls. Watershed Project Report (WPR) is prepared for 4 or 5 years on priority basis of watersheds in line with the reports of All India Soil & Land use Survey (AISLUS). These WPRs are approved by the Central Government and works are carried out every year as per the approved Project with the assistance from Government of India. The seven no of WPR that were approved for Tk3d, Tk4d, Tk3f, Tk3j,Tj2a, Th1c and Tg3r covering area of 12344 Ha with treatable area 4480 Ha has been completed by March, 2006. Recently, we got approval from Govt of India, Ministry of Agriculture, NRM Division, 4 no of WPR, three for Kalimpong: Tf2f, Tf4d, Th1l covering 900 ha. of treatable area and one for Kurseong Forest Division: Tk2b and these are ongoing w.e.f 2005-06. A new feature of present watershed management and soil conservation works is the concept of involvement of local community in project formulation and participation in execution and maintenance of assets created. Besides these Central Schemes, Soil Conservation measures form an important component in different State Schemes like Protective Afforestation, Eco-Conservation of sensitive zones, Hill Area Development Schemes and Economic Plantation etc. Compensatory afforestation which are raised on vested land in exchange of forest land diverted for non-forestry purpose under Forest Conservation Act 1980, include an inbuilt elaborate Soil Conservation measure for catchment area treatment.

The Soil Conservation Wing is presently consists of two Circles : 1. Soil Conservation (North) Circle with Head Quarter at Siliguri consisting of three Functional Divisions viz. Kurseong SC Div. looking after the Kurseong & Sadar Sub-divisions of Darjeeling District, Kalimpong SC Division for Kalimpong Sub-Division and Soil Conservation (North) Division for entire Jalpaiguri & Cooch Behar Districts. Soil Conservation (South) Circle with Head Quarter at Kolkata. There are three Territorials & one functional Division under the control of this Circle. All the four Divisions are located within Purulia District.

2.

Detail of afforestation schemes undertaken by the Soil Conservation wing has been described in chapter 9. Following tables show the detail of structural and other works undertaken in the hills by the Soil Conservation Wing during the year 2006-07,

12.1 Soil Conservation Structures (Major ones only)

Kurseong Soil Conservation Division
Sl. No 1 2 Scheme/ Non-Plan 2551-HA-60-OHA101-028-PA-50 OC 2402-00-102-SCNP-005-RVP-Rista50 OC -do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-doRange Ramam Catchment Range WBC Range Beat Rimbik S.C.Beat Lodhama S.C. Beat Location Sandakp-hu1&2 Dilpa PalmajuaTk3h -do-do-do-do-doLinding Tc2 -do-do-doPubong Tc2m -doSim Tk1d -doArea/ Quantity 10.00 Ha 1000 m3 Remarks

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

-do-do-do-do-doUTC Range UTC Range UTC Range UTC Range -do-do-do-do-

-do-do-do-do-doTeeta S.C. Beat Teeta S.C. Beat Teeta S.C. Beat Teeta S.C. Beat -do-do-do-do-

500rmt 1000rmt 1000rmt 1000rmt 300 m3 300 m3 300rmt 1200rmt 1200rmt 2200rmt 2200rmt 1200rmt 1200rmt

Sausage Wall Dhotrey FPC/DilpaPalmajua & Hatta Selimbong PLIC involved C.W drain -doPalisade -doVegetative barrier -doTerrace Planting -doCRM Retaining wall -doHand Packed wall Lingding PLIC involved V type drain -doPalisade -doTerrace Planting -doPalisade Pubong FPC involved Terrace planting -doPalisade Fringe Villagers involved Terrace Planting Fringe Villagers involved

Sl. No 16 17

Scheme/ Non-Plan -do-do-

Range -do-do-

Beat -do-do-

Location Badamtam Tk1f -do-

Area/ Quantity 9020rmt 900rmt

Remarks Palisade Badamtam FPC Involved Terrace Planting Badamtam FPC Involved Palisade Fringe villagers involved Terrace Planting Fringe villagers Palisade Lower Rongdong PLIC involved Terrace Planting Lower Rongdong PLIC involved Drop Wall Guide Wall Hand Packed Wall Plaster & Neat Cement Sausage Wall

18 19 20 20 21 22 23 24 25

-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do2406-01-101-FCDSP(AP&10th.Plan)005-MF27MW/Maint. -do-do2402-00-102-NP002-P.A.-19 Maint. 2551-HA-60-DHA101-DHA (SP& 10th.Plan)-028-P.A. E.C.5-50 OC -do-do-

-do-do-do-doWBC Range -do-do-do-do-

-do-doKalijhora S.C. Beat -doSukhiapokh ri -do-do-do-do-

Sambong Tk1d -doSittong Tc2c -doL.B. Garden -do-do-doBatasia

800rmt 800rmt 1100rmt 1100rmt 34.056 m3 10.39 m3 107.58 m3 257.84 m3 254.025 m3

26 27 28 29

-do-do-do-do-

-do-do-do-do-

-do-doBiodiversity Park Loyd Botanical Garden -do-do-

175rmt 705.6rmt 2715 m3

C.W. Drain Bamboo Palisade Fencing Retaining Wall

30 31 32 33

-do-do-

-do-do-

1000 m3 200 rmt 200 rmt 1620 m3

Drop Wall Bamboo Palisade Vegetative Barrier Sausage Wall

Kalimpong Soil Conservation Division

Sl. No 1 2 3 4 5 Scheme/Non plan Range Beat Yangmaku m Bokhim Yangmaku m -doBokhim Location Lish 13 Chumang Lish 13 -doChumang Area/ Remarks quantity 3 168.75 m H.P wall 232.48 rmt 500 rmt Palisade Palisade

Lish Catch. Range 2551-HA-60-OHA-101 DHA -SPAP-028 S&WCPAEC-50 OC -doGhish Catch. Range 2402-789-SCP-SP(AP) 003Eco.Cons.of sens. zones-87 Regn. -do-doLish Catchment Range -doGhish Catch Range

281.25 m3 H.P Wall 296.87 m3 Sausage

6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16

2402-00-102-SC-NP005 SC in RVP/Tista Maint. -do2402-00-102-SC-NP005 SC in RVP/Tista grants in aid -do2402-00-102-SC-NP005 SC in RVP/Tista OC -do-do-do-do-do-do2402-00-102-CSS(NS)002 RVP/Tista OC -do-do2402-00-102-CSS(NS)002 RVP/Tista OC -do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do2402-00-102-SC-NP-006 SCin HR Maint -do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-

-do-doLish Range

-do-doCatchment Yangmaku m -doBokhim -do-doLava Algarah -do-

-do-doLish 13 -doChumang -do-do-

80 m3 80 m3 1000 rmt 150 m3 500 m3 740 rmt 400 m3

wall H.P wall -doPalisade H.P wall H.P wall Palisade Sausage wall Sausage wall H.P wall .H.P.wall Palisade Palisade Palisade Palisade Palisade -do-do-do-doH.P wall H.P wall H.P wall H.P. wall H.P wall H.P wall H.P wall H.P wall Sausage wall -doPalisade H.P wall Sausage wall H.P wall H.P wall H.P wall H.P wall H.P wall Sausage

-doGhish Catch. Range -do-doGhish catch range Relli Catch Range -do-doLish Range -do-

Uttisini khola 100 m3 Merong Payong Payong Lethi 14 -doNazoke Nazoke Saihur3,4,5 -doLethi-14 -doSaihur 3,4,5 -doNazoke -doLithi-14 -doNazoke -doSaihur3,4,5 -doChumang -do-doSangsey Bhalukhop Dalapchand Paiyong Merong Sangsey 100 m3 50 m3 20 rmt 138.5 rmt 123.75 rmt 106.67 rmt 78 rmt 87.62 rmt 104.77 rmt 450 rmt 458 rmt 286.416 m3 276.996 m3 262.681 m3 261.36 m3 406.50 m3 484 m3 232.50 m3 235.582 m3 161 m3 194 m3 210 rmt 350 m3 370 m3 150 m3 50 m3 160 m3 35 m3 400 m3 325 m3

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43

-doCatchment Noam -doS.C. Tashiding Tashiding Bokhim -doNoam -doBokhim -doTasiding -doNoam -doTasiding -doBokhim -doBokhim -do-doTarkhola -doDungra Algarah -doTarkhola

Kalimpong Range Kalimpong S.C. Range

Ghish Catch. Range -doLish Catch. Range -doGhish Catch Range -doKalimpong S.C. Range -doLish catch Range -doKalimpong S.C. Range -doGhish Catch. Range -do-do-do-doRelli Catch Range -do-do-do-do-do-

44 45 46 47 48

-do2402-00-102-SC-NP002-PAEC-Maint -do-do-

-doRelli Catch. Range -do-do-do-

-doDungra -doTarkhola -do-

Paiyong Dalapchand -doBhalukhop Sangser

193.32 rmt 400 m3 200 rmt 100 m3 80 m3

wall Palisade H.P wall Palisade H.P wall H. P wall

Silt/Sediment Monitoring Station

Soil Conservation Wing maintains Sediment or Silt monitoring Station which records the required particulars e.g. Rainfall, Discharge etc of the Subwatershade on a regular basis and estimate the Sediment Yield during the year. The Table below shows the Sediment Yield in Ton /Ha/Year
SILT MONITORING STATION PROTOCOL PQS RVP 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Name of SMS Name of Catchment Name of Watershed Details of Data : Year : MONGGONG : TEESTA : RIMBIK-LINSEBONG : 2006

Code

Code : Tk3f

: 38

SMS installed in March 2003

Month/Year January February March April May June July August September October November December Total Per HA/YR P 7.20 20.95 115.75 220.60 362.25 460.95 522.20 611.45 67.00 16.30 4.70 2402.15 Q 227075.3150 417232.4168 564243.1602 990492.3994 1682829.2800 558789.8007 4440662.372 S 2.827 9.641 9.031 19.704 74.335 7.845 123.383

Add 10% of SSY for the bed load

135.7213 1.974

P : Q : S :

Rainfall [mm] Runoff [m3] Sediment Yield [tonn]

12.2 Extention Forestry Division

This Division has come under this Circle at the end of the year 2001. The Division looks after Farm Forstry of the District with the fund provided by Zilla Parishad, RSVY Scheme and in Non-Plan. It organizes raising of seedling under Decentralized Peoples Nursery and Distribution Nursery

Scheme throughout the District. It also maintains Departmental Nurseries at Major Block Hqrs. This Division raised 1,250 ha Jatropha Plantation throughout 20 Blocks in Purulia District.

Seedling raised under DPN in different schemes

seedlings)

(Notional 1 Ha. =1,600

2002-03 1282.50 ha

2003-04 1500 ha

2004-05 6,208 ha

2005-06 4,500 ha

2006-07 2,17,800Nos. /211 ha

This year it has also earned revenue from Jatropha seedling. The Division has raised beautiful man-made forests in following areas a) Near Adra Rly Station ( Rly land ) b) Anara in Para Block c) Joychandi Hill in Ragunathpur Block With improved variety of fruit spp Clonal Banks (2 ha each) have been raised by the Division at Kashipur, Barabazar, Joypur (old) and also at Para, Balarampur, RNP-I and RNP-II (new) Revenue collected by Soil Conservation (South) Circle for the year 2006-07: Name of the Division Amount Purulia 5,47,979.00 Kangsabati S.C.Division I 6,50,606.00 Kangsabati S.C.Division II 9,07,843.00 Extension Forestry Division 4,95,880.00

CHAPTER -13

Forestry Research
West Bengal has been playing a significant role over a period of time on Research on forestry crops in order to enhance the productivity of the Forests, standardise nursery practices and plantation techniques. The activity also highlights the conservation status of the forests. Hence, Research on Forests is one of the most important activities in the State of West Bengal. The Research Circle presently consists of 1) Silviculture (North) Division with headquarter at Siliguri having its jurisdiction over the Dooars & Terai Region of North Bengal Plains, 2) Silviculture (Hills) Division with head quarter at Darjeeling covering the hill areas of Darjeeling, Kurseong & Kalimpong, 3) Silviculture (South) Division with headquarter at Midnapur working in the entire South West Bengal. Thus, Forests of all the climatic zones in West Bengal come under the purview of Research Circle. Conservator of Forests, Research Circle works under the guidance of Chief Conservator of Forests, Research & Monitoring, and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Research & Monitoring, West Bengal. For a smooth coordinated approach, a Research Advisory Committee has been constituted having the following composition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, (R & M) Addl. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, (WP&T) Chief Conservator of Forests, Res. & Mon. Chief Conservator of Forests, North Chief Conservator of Forests, Social Forestry Chief Conservator of Forests, Soil Conservation & Ecodev. Chief Conservator of Forests, West Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife. Chief Conservator of Forests, Working Plan & Training. Chief Conservator of Forests, South & Director, SBR Conservator of Forests, Research Circle Divisional Forest Officer, Silviculture (Hills) Division. Divisional Forest Officer, Silviculture (North) Division. Divisional Forest Officer, Silviculture (South) Division. Chairman Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Secretary Member Member Member

The above-constituted Research Advisory Committee meets once annually for discussions over the works i.e. Action Taken Report of the previous year and also the Action Plan of the circle for the ensuing year. The last meeting was held on 16th January 2007. Basic Objective and Activities Basic objective of the wing is to create and maintain quality forests and plantations with a view to enhance the Productivity vis--vis conservation of Biodiversity. To achieve the above objective, there are 10 modern nurseries and 16 Mist Chamber/Glass Houses (besides those outside the Research Wing), located at different places in hills and plains of North Bengal as well as South Bengal.

Sources of Quality Planting Materials (QPM) Source Plus Trees Seed Trees Seed Stands Seedling Seed Orchards (SSO) Clonal Seed Orchards (CSO] No. of species 137 44 78 36 18 No./Hect 2176 8667 600 hec. 60 36

From the above selected trees, 3,890 kgs. of genetically improved quality seeds, 2,66,012 seedlings of seed origin and 5,15,131 Clonal Seedlings were supplied to the planting Divisions during 2006-07.

Trials & Experiments Clonal / Vegetative propagation. Introductory Trials of species. Provenance Trials of species. Progeny Trials of species (F1 generation plantations) Rare & Endangered species ex-situ conservation. Medicinal Plants (a) in-situ conservation, (b) ex-situ conservation (as intercropping) (c) Herbal Garden (for publicity, awareness, data collection & sale/distribution (d) Plantations (Trees lines alternated with Shrubs) (e) Training. Clonal testing to identify the best clones. Evaluation of Seed Production Potential of Seed Stands. Conversion of Monoculture (Dhupi & Tropical Pines) to Mixed plantations. Revival of Sal & its associate species (QPM) in South Bengal. Protection of coastal areas (sand-dunes & mudflats) of Digha by Natural as well as Artificial regeneration of Mangrove species (30 km. coastal belt, area treated 600 ha.) Seed Germination & viability Trials (hormonal & chemical) of recalcitrant species. Introduction of canes. Maintenance of Sample Plots (SP) for Growth & Yield data. Maintenance of Preservation Plots (PP) in different Forest Types and studying the change of floristic composition at 5-yearly interval. Others Activities Arboratum & Bambusetum at Sukna 40 spp. Soil Testing 2 Labs (Medinipur & Salugarah / Siliguri) Library computerization. Ledgers files and other documentation. Monograph of species appearing in various Research Plots. Publication of Bulletins.

Lloyd Botanic Garden at Darjeeling It includes the followings: Students Garden (35 spp), Herbal Garden(110 spp), Berberis Garden (11 spp), Polygonum Garden (18 spp), Bambusetum (11 spp), Rare plants collection from high altitude (94 spp identified), Orchid House (66 spp), Trees (690 number,140 spp), shrubs (listing under process), Herbarium (Family:175, Genera:1133, spp:3291), Herbarium files:662 & sheets:13866) Library.

Soil Laboratories Soil laboratory at Midnapur under Silviculture (South) Division is fully functioning since long. A general prescription for application of soil amendments over different soil series is under preparation. Soil samples from coastal area are currently being analyzed at the lab to assess their salinity. This will act as a guideline in selection of mangrove species for the experimental plots. Soil Samples sent by West Midnapore Division, Kharagpore Social Forestry Division, Bankura (South) Division, Panchet Soil Conservation Division and Durgapur Social Forestry Division were analyzed & sent back along with the eport. The parameters mainly evaluated were pH of the soil, organic C %, and available NPK. Another Soil laboratory at Salugarah, under Silviculture (North) Division has analysed 348 soil samples sent by different divisions of North Bengal during current year. In the analysis process parameters namely, PH, Organic Carbon %, Organic matter, Available Nitrogen %, Total Nitrogen %, Available Phosphorus, Available Potassium were evaluated.

Citronella Oil Distillation Plant Silviculture (South) Division has one Citronella oil distillation plant at Beliatore. This plant utilizes Citronella grass from the 3.0 ha. Plantation of Citronella at Beliatore. During the year 200607, approx 69 liters of Citronella oil was produced experimentally. The recovery percentage of Citronella oil was 0.80-0.84%. Green mass of Citronella grass utilized was over 87.39 Quintals and which after distillation produced 69 ltr. of Citronella oil.

Conservation & Propagation of Medicinal Plants Projects Funded by National Medicinal Plants Board [NMPB], Ministry of Health, G.O.I Recently, a project on Medicinal Plants funded by NMPB (National Medicinal Plants Board), Govt. of India has been successfully completed in the State. Rs.46.00 lakh have been spent with following physical achievements: 1) 6 sites ( 3 in Darjeeling district, 2 in Jalpaiguri district and 1 in Bankura district) covering 37.50 ha. have been selected for in-situ conservation. 2) 8 Herbal Medicinal Gardens-cum-Demonstration Centres were established (1 in Darjeeling. 3 in Jalpaiguri, 2 in West Midnapur, 2 in Govt. houses at Kolkata & Barrackpore). 3) 12 Propagation centres (4 in Darjeeling, 3 in Jalpaiguri, 3 in West Midnapur, 1 in East Midnapur & 1 in Bankura) were established. 4) 25 ha. of plantations of Medicinal Trees/shrubs/herbs were created. 5) 6) 3.00 lakh quality seedlings were distributed to FPC members and public. 9 Training camps for villagers were organized.

Project funded by UNDP through MOEF, Govt. of India & Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions {FRLHT}, a Bangalore based N.G.O.(The implementing Nodal Agency) This project for about Rs.80.00 lakh has been started this year only. So far Rs. 11.34 lakh are released by FRLHT. Rapid Threat Assessment (RTA) of Medicinal Plants is being done in collaboration with Calcutta University. 5 Nos. Medicinal Plants Conservation Areas (MPCA) is going to be established shortly. One NGO (Tagore Society) has been engaged for creation of Herbal Home Gardens on private land. A workshop involving academicians, scientists, Forest officers and other persons related to the Medicinal Plants of the State is scheduled to be organized during November 2008, at Kolkata.

CHAPTER 14
FORESTRY TRAINING West Bengal (formerly Bengal) was pioneer among the States of India to establish Forestry Training Centre for qualitative improvement of the forest executives, who implement various programmes in the field. The oldest among these centres is the West Bengal Forest School, Dow Hill, which was established in the year 1907. In early days it not only catered to the need of erstwhile Bengal, but also fulfilled the training requirements in forestry of entire eastern India. Even after independence some of the north-eastern States of India (viz. Sikkim, Auranachal Pradesh) and a neighbouring country (viz. Bhutan) were regularly sending their trainees to West Bengal Forest School at Dow Hill. Besides the West Bengal Forest School, Dow Hill, two more Forestry Training Centres, one at Rajabhatkhawa and another at Jhargram was set up to train mainly the Forest Guards of this State who are posted in North Bengal and South Bengal respectively. The Forestry Training Centre, Rajabhatkhawa was established in the year 1983, whereas the Forestry Training Centre, Jhargram was established in the year 1984. During reorganisation of the Forest Directorate, the forestry training centres were brought under two divisions such as Forest Training (North), Dow Hill and the Forest Training (South) at Jhargram. Presently the Rajabhatkhawa centre has been winded up due to less number of trainees who could be accomodated at Jhargram. There are some field accommodations for the use of the trainees during their educational tours. These are located at : a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h) Rajabhatkhawa (capacity 60) in Jalpaiguri District. Khuntimari (capacity 30) in Jalpaiguri District Sukna (capacity 40) in Darjeeling District. Bamanpokhri (capacity 35) in Darjeeling District. Md. Bazar (capacity 40) in Birbhum District. Hizli (capacity 40) in Midnapore District. Bishnupur (capacity 40) in Bankura District. Manebhanjang (capacity 30) in Darjeeling District. Table 14.1 FORESTRY TRAINING CENTRES IN WEST BENGAL
Sl No

Institution

1 West Bengal Forest School, Dow Hill 2 Forestry Training Centre, Jhargram

Year of establishment 1907 1984

Duration of courses One year 6 Months

Medium of Instruction English Vernacular

Target Groups Dy.Ranger/Forester (Direct) 1. Forest Guard 2. Forest Extension Worker

Intake capacity 80 40

Table 14.2 REGULAR TRAINING PROGRAMMES CONDUCTED DURING 2006-07 1 2 98 th DR/Fr Training Course at F.T.(N), Dow Hill 49th F.G. Training Course at F.T.(S), Jhargram Table 14.3 REPORT ON OTHER TRAINING PROGRAMMES CONDUCTED BY DEVELOPMENT CIRCLE DURING 2006-07 Sl. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Course Soil Conservation Practice Modern Nursery Practice Modern Nursery Practice Propagation technique in Medicinal Plants Propagation technique in Medicinal Plants Soil Conservation Practice Current Advancement on Silviculture Modern Nursery Practice Accounting Procedure Accounting Procedure on FDA Accounting Procedure on FDA Accounting Procedure on FDA Soil Conservation Practice Soil Conservation Practice Current advancement on Silviculture Current advancement on Silviculture Propagation technique in Medicinal Plants Conducted By F.T. (N) F.T. (S) F.T. (S) F.T. (S) F.T. (S) F.T. (S) F.T. (S) F.T. (S) F.T. (N) F.T. (N) F.T. (N) F.T. (N) F.T. (N) F.T. (N) F.T. (N) F.T. (N) F.T. (N) F.T. (N) F.T. (N) F.T. (N) F.T. (N) F.T. (S) F.T. (S) F.T. (S) F.T. (S) Venue Jhargram Jhargram Jhargram Jhargram Jhargram Jhargram Jhargram Jhargram Sukna Sukna Sukna Sukna Sukna Sukna Sukna Sukna Sukna Sukna Sukna Sukna Sukna Jhargram Jhargram Jhargram Jhargram Period of Training
20-05-06 & 21-05-06

Passed Passed

14 37

24-05-2006 25-05-2006 26-05-2006 27-05-2006

07-06-2006 to 08-06-2006 15-06-2006 & 16-06-2006

No. of Trainees 23 17 20 29 11 14 16 13 28 18 35 19 21 35 25 25 99 50 14 17 18 24 18 34 41 664

26-06-2006 24-06-2006 25-06-2006 26-06-2006 27-06-2006

06-07-2006 & 07-07-2006 27-07-2006 & 28-07-2006 03-08-2006 & 04-08-2006 17-08-2006 & 18-08-2006 10-10-2006 & 11-10-2006 12-10-2006 & 13-10-2006 19-10-2006 & 20-10-2006 11-12-2006 & 12-12-2006 13-12-2006 & 14-12-2006 15-12-2006 & 16-12-2006 21-02-2007 & 22-02-2007

Modern Nursery Practice Forest Development Agency Forest Development Agency Forest Development Agency Current advancement on Silviculture 23 Modern Nursery Practice 24 Propagation technique in Medicinal Plants 25 Propagation technique in Medicinal Plants TOTAL

19-03-2007 28-03-2007 29-03-2007

Table 14.4 OTHER COURSES AT F.T.(N), DOW HILL & F.T.(S), JHARGRAM DURING 2006-07 Sl. No. 1 Course Refresher's Course for Frontline Staff of Forest Directorate for 14 days for FOREST GUARDS Refresher's Course for Frontline Staff of Forest Directorate for 14 days for FOREST GUARDS Refresher's Course for Frontline Staff of Forest Directorate for 14 days for FOREST GUARDS Refresher's Course for Frontline Staff of Forest Directorate for 14 days for FOREST GUARDS TOTAL Conducted By F.T. (S) Venue Jhargram Period of Training 27-11-2006 To 09-12-2006 03-01-2007 To 15-01-2007 13-11-2006 To 26-11-2006 13-02-2007 To 25-02-2007 No. of Trainees 35

F.T. (S)

Jhargram

35

F.T. (N)

Sukna

35

F.T. (N)

Sukna

30

135

CHAPTER -15

West Bengal Forest Development Corporation Limited - A short profile and resume of activities 1. Profile and Objectives
West Bengal Forest Development Corporation Limited came into existence in 1974 on the recommendations of National Commission of Agriculture in their interim report in 1972 on Production Forestry man-made forests. Having been registered as a Company and incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956, the Corporation started functioning on 19th November, 1974. 1.1 Board Objectives of the Corporation a) b) c) d) e) f) g) To help conserve fragile eco-system of Darjeeling Himalayas in areas it operates. To promote Joint Forest Management (JFM) with peoples participation in South West Bengal and North Bengal. To offer timber, non-timber forest produce and value-added products at reasonable prices. To help develop awareness for conservation of nature through eco-tourism. To help develop and promote wood-based industries. To generate rural employment through forestry and related activities. To promote and market filtered honey of the Sundarbans.

2.
2.1

Activities
Management of forest areas leased out to the Corporation The Corporation holds lease of 440 Sq.Km. of forest areas primarily in the Kalimpong Forest Division. Entrusted by the Govt. of West Bengal, the Corporation undertakes the management of such leased out areas in terms of prescriptions of the approved Working Plan and the relevant orders. Every year it takes up afforestation of degraded forest areas. As part of a shift in the afforestation plan in the hills, the plantations are now being enriched, to the extent possible through planting out of varieties of board-leaved indigenous species instead of raising mono-culture of conifers.

2.2

Harvesting and marketing of timber and other forest produce in South West Bengal. The Corporation has been entrusted by the State Govt. with the harvesting and marketing of timber, poles, pulpwood and firewood on agency basis from all territorial Divisions under the territory of the Forest Directorate. Earlier, such harvesting activities were confined to territorial Divisions of the northern part of the State. However, in 1990s the Corporation extended its harvesting operation of Sal coppice forests of South West Bengal. Much later, from 1998-99 onwards, such Sal coppice areas in South West Bengal as well as plantations as are being harvested from the areas leased out to Corporation on a progressive basis as part of a MOU between West Bengal Forest Development Corporation Limited and the Forest Directorate in terms of the Project on Consolidation of JFM and Enhancement of Forest Productivity.

2.3

Afforestation activities. Besides taking up the afforestation work of degraded forest areas in the hills, the Corporation had undertaken afforestation with Cashew in Midnapore District over an area of 1,870 ha., of which about 1,480 ha. has a reasonably good crop of Cashew. The balance areas which have been rendered blank or degraded because of biotic interference are being replanted with Eucalyptus clones. The Corporation has promoted high-tech plantation under the Project on Consolidation of JFM and Enhancement of Forest Productivity. Such high-tech plantations include clonal plantations and experimental plantations.

2.4

Joint Forest Management in South West Bengal Given the dispersed and discreet nature of geo-distribution of forests and the intimate and almost total dependence of a huge fringe area population on the forests in South West Bengal, successful implementation of JFM has demanded, among other things, that the Department of Forests should have at their disposal harvestable forest wealth, sufficient motivated man power, adequate financial resources to harvest and market the forest produce and disbursement of usufruct shares to the Forest Protection Committees in terms of the Government resolution on a regular basis. While Department of Forests had and still have necessary human resources and harvestable forests in South West Bengal, the budgetary provisions could not accommodate the funds necessary for huge harvesting operation over large forest tracts. The Department also needed the services of a professional body/organization to ensure steady and expeditious harvesting operation and disposal of harvested produce. As an organisation, the Corporation was most qualified to meet the above two requirements and has taken up the total responsibility of harvesting operation and marketing the forest produce in South West Bengal since mid 1990s. To accomplish this task of harvesting forest produce and disbursement of usufruct share in particular, and to continue successful practice of JFM in general on a long term basis, the Corporation formulated, in consultation and collaboration with West Bengal Forest Directorate, a Project entitled Project on Consolidation of JFM and Enhancement of Forest Productivity. With the help of institutional finance, the Corporation embarked upon in 199899 a 12-Year project whose salient features are as follows: (1) Work programme/components: Regeneration of degraded forest areas, harvesting operation, modern nursery, housing, vehicles, eco-tourism, storage of timber, geographical information system, JFM support activity etc. As per Mid-term Review Proposed Actuals Rs. 4,394.59 lacs Rs. 4,836.76 lacs. Rs. 3,490.00 lacs Rs. 2,700.00 lacs.*

(2) (3)

Total investment Institutional loan

: :

(* - Which have already been repaid.) Keeping in view the target for fulfillment of basic enabling conditions of JFM, the Project aims to invest on the above work programmes, and out of income to be generated from harvesting and eco-tourism plans to meet the financial liabilities. These liabilities

include repayment of loan including interest, disbursement of FPC shares and providing Govt. Royalty in terms of the provisions of the Project. The FPC share already distributed during the year 2004-2005, 2005-2006 and 20062007 is shown below: 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007 FPC share distributed Rs. 509.25lacs. Rs. 592 lacs Rs. 634.57 lacs Area harvested 7,794 ha. 8,469.45 ha. 8,997.7 ha. No. of beneficiaries 60,150 Nos. 56,979 Nos. 57,864 Nos. No. of FPCs 1,510 1,944 1,967 During 2006-2007, creation of 1,738 ha. of Model Plantation and 80 Ha. of Experimental Plantation was completed. Besides the traditional plantations raised over the years, the model plantations under the Project provided for a green belt surrounding the boundary comprising indigenous hardwood species, clonal plots bearing improved planting stock of Eucalyptus clones, separate blocks for NTFP species including bamboo. In experimental plantations efforts have been made to raise plantations of Sal and its associates. Total financial outlay for S.B. plantation, JFM support activity and modern nursery for the year 2001-2002 to 2006-2007 is given below: (Rs. in lacs) Particulars 1. S.B. Plantation 2. JFM Support Activity 3. Modern Nursery & cost of Seedlings 2.5

2001-2002 416.37 109.00 47.88

2002-2003 225.55 212.00 50.40

2003-2004 243.44 9.19 37.36

2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007 181.00 249.05 353.28 25.95 123.86 30.00 8.42 26.20

The Project for Infrastructure Development and JFM Support in North Bengal. The major event of the year 2003-2004 is the start of the above project which is a perspective plan of operation in North Bengal involving West Bengal Forest Development Corporation Limited and the Divisions of the Forest Directorate including Wildlife Wing, which are primarily the beneficiary Divisions. These Divisions comprise of Darjeeling Forest Division, Kurseong Division, Baikunthapur Division, Jalpaiguri Division, Wildlife-I and Wildlife-II Divisions, Cooch Behar Division, Cooch Behar Social Forestry Division, Buxa Tiger Reserve (East) and Buxa Tiger Reserve (West). The project has several objectives. The important ones being 1. To conserve vast and rich forest areas of North Bengal. 2. To maintain, improve and create the infrastructure necessary for protection of Forests and Wildlife. 3. To create and maintain Plantations. 4. To regularly harvest forest resources by CFC, cultural operations, canopy opening, C.D. operations as per Working Plan prescriptions and collect drift and seized timber. 5. To ensure generation of adequate mandays for the fringe population. 6. To enhance co-operation between the local people and the forest staff for Natural Resource management and protection. 7. To sustain Joint Forest Management by a series of measures.

West Bengal Forest Development Corporation Limited will entirely finance the harvesting cost and the cost of project inputs and make recoveries from the proceeds of sale of forest produce. Immediately after the approval of the project, fund for Regeneration, removal of Malling Bamboo and forest protection amounting to Rs. 1.77 crores was released in March, 2004. In the year 2004-2005 a total amount of Rs 1.57 crores, in 2005 2006 an amount of 1.83 crores and during 2006-2007 an amount of Rs. 1.798 crores was released. 2.6 Industrial Activities The Corporation has 4 sawmills of its own located at Siliguri, Madarihat, Bhuttabari and Sarugarah. Sawn timber produced in these mills, is sold to genuine consumers through a net-work of 8 sale depots owned by the Corporation and approximately 100 dealers spread all over the State. The Corporation has Solar and Mechanised Seasoning Kilns and a Preservative Treatment Plan at Sarugarah, Siliguri. It also runs 6 Joinery and Carpentry Units located at Gorubathan, Siliguri, Madarihat, Midnapore, Durgapur and Kolkata. Non-timber Forest Produce The Corporation has taken over the responsibility of collection, filtration and marketing of Sundarban Honey under the brand name of MOUBAN. Since 19951996 it has been collecting and marketing about 35 to 40 M.T. of honey annually. In recent years both production and marketing efforts have been beefed up and it is now aimed to process and market about 45 M.T. of crude honey this year provided that there is no shortfall in collection. It is proposed to be increased further subject to availability of crude honey from the Sundarbans. 2.7 Adventure and Wilderness Tourism The Corporation has developed adventure eco-tourism centres at Lava, Lulegaon and Kalimpong under Kalimpong sub-division, Lepchajagat (Darjeeling), Suntalekhola (Samsing), Jaldhaka in Kalimpong foothills, Rasikbill (CoochBehar), Murti (Jalpaiguri), Mukutmonipur (Bankura), Garh Panchakote and Duarsini (Purulia) and Kankrajore (Jhargram). The underlying objective is to disseminate awareness for conservation of bio-diversity and inculcate a spirit of adventure among the young generation in particular. On one hand, the Corporation has been trying to develop some good adventure and wilderness tourist resorts in forest areas taking advantage of the existing infrastructure. On the other, it has also identified certain forest areas of the State for development of such resorts. Centres at Suntalekhola and Murti have thus come up in areas newly identified for the purpose. During the financial year 2001-2002, three new centres in South West Bengal namely at Panchakote Hills (Purulia), Duarsini (Purulia), Kankrajhore (Midnapore) have been opened. The Corporation also opened another eco-tourism centre at Baradabri (Jalpaiguri) during the financial year 2003-2004. 3. Organisational Set-up The total employee strength of the Corporation is around 1403 of which approximately 1120 are direct recruits and 283 are deputationists. The Corporation is headed by a Managing Director. Two General Managers, one in the North and other at the Headquarter to assist the Managing Director. There are at present 8 operational Divisions in the field, 5 in the North, 2 in the South Bengal and 1 at the Headquarter.

Achievements:
Particulars A. Area of Harvesting (ha.) i) Kalimpong (G&S) ii) In South West Bengal under I.D. Project TOTAL B. Creation of Plantation (ha.) i) Under I.D. Project ii) Other C. Major Outturn i) Round Timber (m3)* ii) Firewood (m3)* iii) Sawn Timber(m3) iv) Honey (Kg)** v) Bio-fertilizer (MT)** vi) Cashew Seeds (MT) D. Major output in South West Bengal under the Project on consolidation of JFM i) Poles (Nos.) ii) Firewood (m3) iii) Pulpwood (MT) iv) Cogging Sleepers (Nos.) v) Post (Nos.) vi) Timber (m3) 20002001 47 5775 5822 2,772.5 25.0 14,000 10,640 6,738 50,000 70 300 20012002 -6613 6613 2,741 10 10,000 7,020 8,900 50,000 70 300 20022003 -7238 7238 1,038.0 149.5 9,935 15,153 6,521 30,600 25 310 20032004 -7950 7950 1,435 117 9,000 8,750 7,350 60,000 50 300 20042005 -7794 7794 977 54 9,543 5,369 1,160 30,747 67 57 20052006 -8469 8469 1,079 45 9,079 13,095 7,226 23,495 60.14 39.77 20062007 -8998 8998 1,738 80 9,000 6,000 7,392 33,000 -400

8,26,698 1,37,380 49,473 19,46,300 2,09,525 6,767

9,28,000 1,11,000 48,104 20,60,000 1,38,000 6,900

19,04,478 1,69,879 60,128 22,96,995 -12,799

6,53,145 24,790 65,975 26,94,000 1,36,650 4,260

6,69,187 1,39,633 1,14,158 16,72,219 1,36,650 11,612

7,43,166 1,52,725 1,02,181 20,48,283 7,43,166 11,471

6,13,000 68,740 1,87,026 14,58,000 5,882, 11,854

E. Logging output in N.B. Project 23,600 20,547 10,500 20,500 i) Timber (m3) 11,980 12,276 5,600 7,575 ii) Firewood (stacks)*** * KPG(G &S) Divn., ** Marketing Divn. *** 1 stack = 0.75 x 0.75 x 1.5 m3

1,743 10,907

10,878 10,653

10,673.87 8,800

5.

Financial Performance This Corporation has been one of the few Govt. undertakings which have made profits since its inception i.e. 1974-1975. During the year 20042005, 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 the abstract of financial position is as follows:
A.

Income
(Rs. In lacs)

a) Sale of timber and other forest produce b) Other Receipts Total: B. Expenditure a) b) c) d) e) Operational Expenses Establishment Expenses Administrative & Contingent Expenses Financial Charges Royalty payable to Govt. of W.B.

2004 2005 5467.83 1077.31 6545.14

2005 - 2006 2006-2007 6507.58 7559.16 1140.95 1307.60 7648.53 8866.76

3,869.86 1,443.88 289.66 166.09 390.15

4082.87 1414.65 288.47 122.97 469.26

4939.65 1525.64 274.62 20.76 756.18

f) Depreciation Total : C. Profit & Appropriation a) Net profit before taxation ( A-B) b) Prior Period Income Total (a+b) : c) Provision for taxation d) Administrative & Contingent Expenses e) Profit carried forward to General Reserve Fund Total (c+d+e) :

66.24 6225.88

68.35 6447.07

75.10 7591.95

319.26 --117.63 6.23 195.40 319.26

1201.46 --452.72 6.23 742.51 1201.46

1274.81 374.52 1649.33 571.47 6.23 1071.63 1649.33

CHAPTER -16
ECO-TOURISM

Eco-torism in W.Bengal --- prospects and strategies for development

The natural beauty of the State, its snow-clad mountains, lush green forest, the rolling Tea gardens, ripe agricultural fields in North Bengal, the red lateritic tracts and the pure sal forests in the South West Bengal, and the worlds largest mangrove delta in Sundarban make the State potential paradise for Eco-tourism

Eco-tourism means sustainable, equitable, community based endeavour for improving living standard of indigenous host communities. WTO defines Eco-tourism as tourism that involves travelling to relatively undisturbed natural areas with the specified objectives of studying, admiring and enjoying the sceneries and its wild plants and animals, as well as in existing cultural aspects found in this areas. Eco-tourism differs from Resort tourism or mass tourism by requiring lesser infrastructure development and lower impact on the environment. The key elements of the Eco-tourism are :(1) Existence of NP/Sanctuary/Nature as prime attraction. (2) Should be ecologically, socially, culturally, and economically sustainable. (3) Should have participation of the local stakeholders. (4) Should be a low profile venture. (5) Should be capable of forging partnership with the existing tourism industry. National eco-tourism policy and guidelines (1998) has identified, the following cardinal principles for development of eco-tourism :(1) (2) (3) (4) It should involve local community and lead to economic development of the area. It should identify the likely conflicts between resource use for tourism and livelihood of local inhabitants and attempt to minimise such conflicts. The type and scale of tourism development should be compatible with the environment and socio-cultural characteristics of the local community It should be planned as part of the overall area development strategy, ensuring sectoral integrations.

Key players in eco-tourism (implementing agency) :During initial years, Forest Department of the State should be the main implementing agency. However, attempts should be made to gradually entrust the activities to the Eco-Development Committees / Forest Protection Committees, with Forest / Tourism Department playing controlling and supervisory roles. The eco-tourism package should include :(1) Simple, adequate board and lodging facilities, ethnic in nature. (2) Road network within the identified tourism zone. (3) Self guided nature trails. (4) Nature Interpretation Centres.

(5) Way-side exhibits and signages. (6) Observation towers. (7) Public conveniences and garbage disposal facility. Periodic training programmes on eco-tourism to the host community will include :(1) Lodge management. (2) Basic education and awareness. (3) Health and sanitations. (4) Skill development for preparation of local souvenirs. (5) Code of conducts. (6) Forests and Wildlife Conservation. (7) Garbage and pollution control. (8) Forging partnership with tourists and tourism industry. Possible inputs for community based eco-tourism :(1) Creation and management of ethnic cottage. (2) Guide service to the visitors. (3) Sale outlet for local products / souvenirs. (4) Facilities like boating, angling, folk dance, picnic spots, nature trail, visit to a host village and guided bird watching Is eco-tourism against conservation Access of outsiders to the P.As may endanger the Biodiversity of the P.A.s There may be a tendency to use Forest Land for building up infrastructure for tourism Ecotourism is not F.Ds business the field staff get diverted from normal forestry works Benefits of Eco-tourism Brings the conservation efforts to public view Increased awareness about P.A.s creates peer pressure for their conservtion Helps in mobilization of resources for P.A. management Strengthens interface between eco-tourists and local people Proposed Eco-tourism Policy of West Bengal Forest Department Forest department should develop in Eco-tourism centres, on Reserved Forest Land, facilities like 1) Observation Towers 2) Self-guided Nature Trails 3) Nature Interpretation Centres 4) Arboretum / Eco-parks 5) Rescue/ rehabilitation/ breeding centres for restocking of endangered animals with approval of appropriate authorities 6) Jungle Camps/ Ethnic cottages (limited to 3 cottages/ 6 rooms/ 12 persons at a place) 7) Indigenous Medicinal plant gardens 8) Orchid Centres in N.Bengal

9) Boating/ trekking/ Eco-walk 10) Maintenance of internal roads/ culverts/ bridges 11) Public conveniences and garbage disposal facilities Forest Department will develop the following facilities in National Parks/ Sanctuaries, within the Eco-tourism Zones:1) Animal observatories in a number of places 2) Elephant/ jeep rides, for animal viewing, within Eco-tourism zones, limited to carrying capacities of the forests 3) Jungle Safari 4) Rescue/ rehabilitation/ Introduction Centres of wild animals, with approval of appropriate authorities 5) Eco-museums 6) Self-guided Nature Trails/ boating/ trekking/ Eco-walks 7) Arboretum / Eco-parks 8) Public conveniences and garbage disposal facilities 9) Maintenance of internal roads/ culverts Activities that should not be allowed on Forest land:1) Construction of Lodges with large accommodations 2) Drinking/ Cooking/ Car parking within Forest areas 3) Use of Polythene/ Microphones within forest areas 4) Visit of a large number of tourists at a time in any particular Eco-tourism centres/ spots How Forest Department will facilitate local participation:1) Encourage local unemployed youth/ entrepreneurs to set up ethnic resorts/ accommodations for tourists 2) Involve FPC/ EDC in management of facilities on forest land 3) Encourage local people to start transport service for the tourists visiting forest areas 4) Encourage local people to form coop/ societies for managing tourist facilities and put up web sites for attracting tourists 5) Train up locals in hospitality management and forest Guide services 6) Managing the car parking facilities for the visitors 7) Engage trained local people to maintain public conveniences within and outside forest areas Role to be played by WBFDC 1) Manage the existing Eco-tourism resorts 2) Build eco-tourism resorts, adjoining NP/ sanctuaries, on non-forest land after purchasing land 3) Allow their own websites to be used by the consortium of small eco-tourism promoters, for wider dissemination of information 4) Establish a linkage with private resort owners, if the latter desire, for more efficient management of available accommodations 5) Provide training to local people on tourism and hospitality management 6) Arrange for packages to facilitate tourist visitations, specially to lesser known but equally prospective, to remote areas in North Bengal 7) Organize nature camps with school children/ college students in jungle camps Eco-tourism poitential for Sunderban Sunderban, the largest delta in the world, consists of 10,200 sq km of Mangrove Forest, spread over India (4200 sq km of Reserved Forest) and Bangladesh (6000 sq km approx of Reserved Forest) and is also the largest Mangrove Forest in the world. Another 5400 sq km of non-forest, inhabited region in India, along the north and north-western fringe of mangrove forest, is also known as Sunderban

region in India. Hence, the total area of Sunderban region in India is 9600 sq km. And constitutes the Sunderban Biosphere Reserve. Indian Sunderban is bound on the west by river Muriganga and on the east by rivers Harinbhahga and Raimangal. Other major rivers flowing through this eco-system are Saptamukhi, Thakuran, Matla and Goasaba. Eco-tourism activities at present Sunderban is a natures school for the Eco-tourists. Though Bengal Tiger is the flag ship species of this unique mangrove Forest, yet it offers many other wonders of the nature to the visitors. Seeing a Bengal tiger in this 4200 sq km of dense mangroves, where visitors have only access to water ways, has a chance of one in thousands. Thanks to the shyness and cautious attitude of this magnificent animal, it has survived the bullets and trap nets of poachers in this most difficult terrain, over the ages. However, the more curious spotted deer out on the mud flat for grazing during low tide, the lazy estuarine crocodiles basking in the winter sun, the water monitor lizards moving like the fabled dragons and the avifauna like kingfisher, adjutant stork or white-bellied eagles are common sights for the nature lovers. The natures magic of high tide-low tide, the Mangrove species like Rhizophores having stilt roots, or Pneumatophores having breathing roots, or Phoenix (Golpata) providing perfect camouflage for the tigers, teach the tourists about Natures determination to survive and sustain. The pre-historic Mud-skipper or many species of crabs, fish and oysters/mollusks can make the visitors enthralled. And a natures trail at Burir dabri camp, glorious Sunrise at Kalash, or enchanting Sunset in the Sunderban Tiger Reserve can be a Joy for ever. Eco-tourism destinations and access The entry point to Sunderban Tiger Reserve is either Sonakhali via Canning, or Bagna via Dhamakhali. For visiting South 24 Parganas Forest Division, on the western part om river Matla, the entry points are Namkhana, Raidighi or Jharkhali via Canning/Basanti.. Entry Permits are available at Canning, Sonakhali and Bagna for STR and at Canning, Namkhana and Raidighi for Western part of Sunderban Forest. The Eco-tourism Centres are located at Sajnekhali, Dobanki, Netidhopani and Burir Dabri in STR, and at Bonie camp(Sundarikati), Bhagabatpore Crocodile Project, Lothian Island sanctuary and Kalash beach. There are two Nature Interpretation Centres located at Sajnekhali and Bhagabatpore, and one Eco museum at Sudarikati. The Canopy walk at Dobanki, the mangrove trail at Burirdabri and the tallest Watch Tower at Bonie camp are added attractions for the Eco-tourists. Eco-tourism in N.Bengal The entry points are Bagdogra airport and New Jalpaiguri Railway station, in the foothill of the Himalayas (known as Terai region) The forest extends from Sandakphu, at an altitude of 13000 feet, to the Terai plain Sal forests to the moist evergreen miscellaneus forest of Dooars bordering Assam There are four National Parks, namely Singhalila, Neora Valley, Gorumara and Buxa The Sanctuaries include Senchal near Darjeeling, Mahananda in the Terai and Chapramari, Jaldapara and Buxa in the Dooars All the National Parks and Sanctuaries in North Bengal are well connected by National Highways/ roads There are a large no of limited accommodation forest lodges at or near almost all the Protected areas Eco-tourism spots have been developed in all the N.P.s and Sanctuaries W.B.Forest Development Corporation efficiently manages a large number of such Ecotourism lodges, including their bookings through their website A few other Forest lodges are booked and managed by Forest Deptt

Eco-tourism in South west and Central Bengal 1) The red lateritic sal forests of Medinipur, Bankura, Purulia, Bardhaman and Birbhum can be great attractions for the eco-tourists in this region. 2) Eco-tourism centres have been developed at Gopegarh, Chandrakona Road, Hatibari, Jhargram, Jaypur, Sutan, Mukutmanipur, Chechuria, Surulia, Garh Panchakot, Ajodhya pahar, Bolpur, Maithon and Duarsini. 3) Raiganj Bird sanctuary, Adina Deer Park, Bethuadahari and Parmadan sanctuary are located in the alluvial tract forest of Central Bengal.

CHAPTER -17
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATIONS Table 17.1 OUTTURN OF TIMBER & FIREWOOD FROM 1976-77 TO 2006-2007 ( Forest Directorate & WBFDC Ltd.) Year 1976-77 1977-78 1978-79 1979-80 1980-81 1981-82 1982-83 1983-84 1984-85 1985-86 1986-87 1987-88 1988-89 1989-90 1990-91 1991-92 1992-93 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 Outturn of total Timber (M3) 301,319 350,646 329,405 295,374 273,118 303,222 294,450 242,890 233,720 210,748 140,101 143,707 152,808 72,590 88,252 94,754 117,164 84,489 84,903 88,554 86,363 88,728 86,769 145,031 88,160 147,031 102,357 130,551 113,871 85,993 114,589 Outturn of total Firewood (M3) 526,173 582,797 591,000 417,613 396,005 793,145 642,584 778,812 491,782 454,096 305,456 258,462 277,312 285,862 210,692 180,645 184,052 191,572 125,807 208,589 196,595 87,589 152,800 299,563 250,399 275,514 218,469 306,729 366,583 324,092 387,094 Total Outturn (M3) 827,492 933,443 920,405 712,987 669,123 1,096,367 937,034 1,021,702 725,502 664,844 445,557 402,169 430,120 358,452 298,944 275,399 301,216 276,061 210,710 297,143 282,958 176,317 239,569 444,594 338,559 422,545 320,826 437,280 480,454 410,085 501,683

Table 17.2 OUTTURN OF MINOR FOREST PRODUCE IN FOREST AREAS IN WEST BENGAL FROM 1990-91 to 2006-07
Unit Quintals Quintals MT MT Tonne Quintals ----3560 3245 2238 2830 1782 4109 5200 1311 2278 2070 985 2080 1589 2100 2120 1250 1449 1037 603 159 581 362 2137 315 1885 1488 1892 1435 865 290 1141 -264.68 1848.37 8.80 24.00 36.36 38.08 20.07 18.58 26.82 26.82 22.15 23 7.24 21.23 -379 6738 1990 -91 148 199192 387 199293 509 199394 682 19941995 380 199596 324 199697 447 199798 595 199899 495 19992000 552 2000 -01 494 200102 323 200203 363 34.55 -367 9530 200304 383.3 17.58 -642 6890 200405 311.2 13.17 1070.7 347.22 22.38 2316 200506 305.52 15.59 117.67 1104.76 -8613 200607 382.07 14.02 120.58 1163.96 -7101.21

Minor Forest Produce Honey

Wax

Sal Seeds

Kendu Leaves

Lac

Citronella grass

--

--

--

--

--

Table 17.3
District and Division wise information of Saw Mills and other Wood Based Industries of West Bengal
District Forest Division

No. of Licensed unit

3 29 20 16 65 65 65 29 84 113 101 101 3 4 1 8 39 39 22 22 66 77 6 11 8 168 90 90 30 30 48 48 48 17 11 253 329 11 12 9 32 77

1 Bankura

Birbhum Burdwan Cooch Behar Darjeeling

2 Bankura (South) Bankura (North) Panchet SC Divn. Total Birbhum Total Burdwan Durgapur SF Total Cooch Behar SF Total Darjeeling Kurseong Kalimpong. Gen & Spl Total Howrah SF Total Howrah SF Total Jalpaiguri Baikunthapur BTR(E) BTR(W) Cooch Behar Total Malda Total Nadia -Murshidabad Total Nadia -Murshidabad Total E.Midnapore W.Midnapore Rupnarayan Planning &Survey Kharagpur SF Total Purulia Kangsabati-I Kangsabati-II Total

Annual installed capacity of licensed units ( cum.) 4 6811 13800 10000 30611 52650 52650 9457 35650 45107 37764 37764 5160 129 1150 6439 1195018 1195018 45255 45255 72557 97860 6053 16750 15300 208520 49919 49919 14988 14988 38250 38250 26243 9283 5176 148500 189202 3768 2013 891 6672 36422.5

Hooghly Howrah Jalpaiguri

Malda Murshidabad Nadia Paschim Medinipur & Purba Medinipur

Purulia

Uttar Dinajpur Raigunj SF & Dakshin Dinajpur Total

77

36423

District

Forest Division

No of Licensed Unit
3 42

1 24Pgs.(North) 24Pgs.(South) Kolkata Total

2 24-Pgs.(North) Total 24-Pgs.(South) STR Total Forest Utilisation Divn. GRAND TOTAL

Annual installed capacity of licensed units ( cum.) 4 59027 59027 204000 204000 188186 188186 2408031

42 72 72 230 230 1531

Table 17.4

LENGTH OF FOREST ROADS

District Darjeeling Division Darjeeling Kurseong Wildlife I Kalimpong Baikunthapur Jalpaiguri Jalpaiguri S.F. Wildlife II Cooch Behar BTR (East) BTR (West) Cooch Behar SF Raiganj S.F Malda Birbhum Nadia-Murshidabad Bardhaman Durgapur S.F. Purulia Kangsabati I Kangsabati II Bankura (North) Bankura ( South) Panchet S.C Purba Medinipur West Medinipur East Medinipur Rupnarayan P & S Kharagpur Howrah S.F 24-Parganas (South) STR 24- parganas (North) TOTAL Black/Cement Top Jeepable 13 32 30 35 8 0 0 21 31 55 63 5 0.15 1 3 0 0 5.15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 302.3 Fair Weather Jeepable 98 83 105 241 128 239 0.5 150 154 178 367 25 8 3 75 41 140 42.5 141 20 196.5 193.5 247.5 42 0 600 240 787 28 0 0 0 0 4573.5 Patrolling Foot Tracks 328 119 250.5 145 195 837 0 130 150 320 395 40 10 1 28.5 20 90 7 169 13 55 0 0 0 0 0 66 200 6 0 0 0 1 3576 Total 439 234 385.5 421 331 1076 0.5 301 335 553 825 70 18.15 5 106.5 61 230 54.65 310 33 251.5 193.5 247.5 42 0 600 306 987 34 0 0 0 1 8451.8

Jalpaiguri

Cooch Behar Uttar Dinajpur Malda Birbhum Nadia-Murshidabad Bardhaman Purulia Bankura Purba Medinipur Paschim Medinipur

Howrah 24-Parganas (South) 24-Parganas(North)

Table-17.5 Parks maintained by the DFO, Parks & Gardens ( North ) District Coochbehar Name of Park/Garden 1. Narendra Narayan Park 2. Nilkuthi D.M.s Bunglow 3. Keshab Ashram Udyan 4. Lansdown Hall Garden 5. Hirendra Narayan Park 6. Shib Temple Garden 7. Statue Garden 8. Sagardighi Sq. Garden. 9. Dist. Judges Bunglow 10. Circuit House Compound 11. Dak Bunglow Garden 12. Station Garden 13. Haldibari Park 1. Alipurduar Park 2. Teesta Udyan 3. Karala B. Beautification 4. Birpara Park 5. Falakata Park 6. Dhupguri Park 7. Banarhat Park 8. Nagrakata Park 9. Maynaguri Park 10. Lataguri Park 11. Kranti Park 12. Oodlabari Park 13. Mal Park 1. Siliguri Park 2. Padmaja Park 1. Islampur Park 1. Balurghat Childrens Park Location Coochbehar Area (Acres) 13.62 3.78 2.17 1.33 0.32 0.03 0.12 0.01 0.40 0.50 0.28 0.79 2.50 2.10 4.45 2.00 3.50 1.23 2.53 3.00 3.75 2.00 1.00 2.00 2.00 6.10 1.19 20.00 2.03 10.41

Haldibari Alipurduar Jalpaiguri Jalpaiguri Birpara Falakata Dhupguri Banarhat Nagrakata Maynaguri Lataguri Kranti Oodlabari Malbazar Debgram N.B.University campus Islampur Balurghat

Jalpaiguri

Darjeeling

Uttar Dinajpur Dakshin Dinajpur

N.B. One Park has been created at Cooch Behar Palace complex and is also being maintained by Cooch Behar Social Forestry Division under direction of a Committee formed by the District Magistrate , Cooch Behar .

Table 17.5.1 Parks & Beautification areas under the control of U & R F Division
District Calcutta Name of Park/Garden 1. Southern Avenue 2. S.N. Park 3. Eden Gardens 4. Jodhpur Park 5. Niranjan Sishu Uddyan 6. Rabindra Sadan 7. Writers Buildings 1.Lake Town Nursery/Garden 2. Salt Lake Nursery do3. Banabitan 4. Jawaharkunj Garden 5. Nabapalli Park 6. E.M.Byepass Nursery 7. Barasat Garden 1. Rabindra Bhawan 2. Joy Krishna Library 1. Sukumar Uddyan 2. Sonamukhi Park 3. Chatna Park 4. Nehru Park 5. Indpur Park 6. Bishnupur Park 1. Subhas Park 2. Gandhi Park 3. Anandabazar R. Uddyan 4. Ambarish Smriti Uddyan 5. Napara tree Park 6.Sahid Gobinda Chunaram S.Udyan 7. Kuilapal Children Park 1. Parimal Kanan 2. Arboratum 3. Sukumar Smriti Uddyan, 1. Gandhi Park 2. Captive Garden 1. Children Park 2. Kalpataru Sishu Uddyan 1. Shantipur Rastriya Uddyan 2. Krishnagar Garden 3. Kalyani Picnic Garden 4. Kalyani Central Garden Location Southern Avenue S.N. Park Eden Garden Calcutta Naktala Calcutta Calcutta Lake Town Salt Lake Salt Lake Latbagan Barasat near Ruby General Hospital Barasat Chinsura Area in acre 4.00 9.00 14.00 6.00 0.50 0.46 1.00 1.50 50.00 19.00 0.19 2.55 0.75 0.12 3.54 3.00 1.95 0.85 1.75 3.50 10.00 0.50 11.00 1.00 1.00 0.17 5.00 4.00 4.50 9.00 13.98 1.05 2.00 6.00 1.00 12.00 2.00

24-Parganas (N)

Hooghly

Bankura

Bankura Town Sonamukhi Chatna Bankura Town Indpur Bishnupur Purulia Town

Purulia

Napara (Hura) Manbazar Kuilapal Chandrakona Road Midnapur Rampurhat Suri Katwa Burdwan Town Santipur Krishnagar Kalyani

Midnapur

Birbhum

Burdwan

Nadia