Inspite of intense awareness programmes in the village level and publicity blitzkriegs through the mass media to protect the environment there is still room for more concerted effort as the farmer community, especially in the hill areas, still adopts jhum cultivation.

In Chandel district jhum cultivation is still the most viable agricultural practices with over 1250 square kilometres of the district's land mass coming under this ancient form of farming. Such rampant practices, according to experts, contributes enormously to disturbances in the ecological balance and environmental pollution.

On the brighter side realisation of farmers in some remote villages of this district that persistence with jhum cultivation would only accelerate environmental degradation, and starting to embrace newer methods of food and cash crops plantation in a comparatively sustainable manner provides a ray of hope ongoing efforts for environmental conservation would bear fruit in the near future.

Explaining on some of the harmful effects caused to the environment due to continued jhum cultivation, experts well versed with the problem of ecological imbalances and environmental degradation stated that Manipur's forest cover declining at an alarming rate is a great cause of concern for all.

With jhum cultivation inevitably associated with slashing and burning of vegetation, such practices not only consumes vast tracts of forest land but also dislocates habitats of wildlife which would have otherwise checked spawning of population of destructive species like rodents that usually feed on agricultural products.

As large fire destroys forest covers snakes and owls among other wildlife species have to scamper for safer zones thereby enabling the rodent population to spiral uncontrollably with the problem multiplying even further during bamboo flowering events, the experts pointed out.

Comprehending dangerous consequences if such practices persists, the Ministry of Forests and Environment had been providing substantial amount to the State Government for forward assistance to the hill farmers find an alternative source of livelihood other than the environmentally unsuitable jhum cultivation.

A villager of H Mongjang village in Chandel district taking care of the jatropha nursery

However, the Central Govt's ambitious programme is yet to bear the desired result as many hill-ranges in the State including Chandel district are barren owing to jhum cultivation. In order to provide alternative mode of farming, State's Horticulture Department is being roped in with the task of encouraging the hill area farmers adopt a sustainable agricultural practice.

According to additional Director (Horticulture) K Ngachan schemes named 'Jhumia Rehabilitation' and 'Control of Shifting Cultivation, were introduced upto the Ninth Five Year Plan aimed at minimising dependence on jhum cultivation. He, however, contended that as these schemes were implemented with other related departments the exact amount of funds provided in the past few years could not be accounted.

Moreover, these schemes have been replaced with a new Central-Govt funded Rs 14 crore programme called 'Water-shed Development Project' aimed at checking jhum cultivation since the start of the Tenth Plan (2002-03), said the Additional Director while adding that half the total sanctioned amount had been released till date.

Despite the Central Government's patronage towards eradicating the hill people from the scourge of jhum cultivation, Deputy Commissioner of Chandel district Norbert Disinang expressed scepticism on the district's fund share. Interacting with The Sangai Express recently, Norbert disclosed that no related schemes had been implemented successfully in Chandel district as neither had the Horticulture Department authorities detailed the proposed programme to him nor his proposals for constant rapport in this connection responded appropriately.

Observing that all efforts in conserving the ecology would be a futile exercise until and unless a sound base for livelihood/income generation is extended to the hill peasants, the Deputy Commissioner suggested promoting pisiculture, piggery and terrace cultivation among others to dissuade the farmers from the slash and burn mode of agriculture.

Even though majority of the farmers adopting jhum cultivation are those without terraced field it would also be incorrect to conclude that terrace owners are contributing towards environment protection as a handful of these farmers too rely on shifting cultivation to augment their incomes, mentioned the DC. Pointing out that soil texture in plantation areas covered by jhum cultivation are not favourable for further continuance of agricultural activities after the same areas are used for 5-10 years, Norbert Disinang strongly advocated grooming passion fruit farms to replenish the soil.

In a welcome development farmers in Machi area of the district are beginning to plant passion fruits, he said but hastened to add that assuming Machi farmers' endeavour as success story of environmental protection scheme would be far fetched as Machi area is minuscule. Conveying that he too would like to contribute his mite in persuading the district farmers to give up jhum cultivation for the betterment of the environment, the DC desired that scheme implementations be decentralised.

On further sojourn to the district's H Mongjang and Salluk villages it was discovered that jhum cultivation is rampant in these remote villages. At H Mongjang, which is located about 7/8 kilometres east of Imphal-Moreh road and 5 kms before reaching the border town, crops planted in about ten cleared hill ranges include pan and chilly variety locally known as U-morok.

The village elders are also not naive to the fact that jhum cultivation is destructive for the natural environment and disclosed that keeping the consequences in mind some village farmers have began to pursue new mode of sustainable cultivation. As long term plan for alternative and sustainable means of livelihood, the villagers are found to be grooming sandalwood and rubber trees besides jatropha plants in 2/3 hill ranges.

Interacting with this reporter, H Mongjang's village chief Jamhao informed that jatropha seeds are bought from Guwahati whereas rubber and sandalwood seeds are acquired from Tamil Nadu. The plantation programme is being taken up under the financial support of Young Progressive Planter Association, headquartered at langol (Imphal) with a branch of NGO recently opened at Moreh, he added.

Maintaining that new machinery to minimise physical toil while working in these plantation sites have arrived, Jamhao exuded confidence that in a few years' time jhumming activities which is currently occupying over 1000 hectares could be replaced by sandalwood, rubber and jatropha plantation works. On the otherhand, farmers of Salluk village in Chakpikarong sub-division are looking upto banana and ginger plantations as alternative agricultural modes in place of jhumming activities.

These plantations spanning to an area of about 2000 hectares are being carried out by members/volunteers of Salluk Women's Self Help group with financial assistance of the SBI, Chakpikarong and the sub-division's SDO. These cash crops, whose plantations started in April this year, are all set to compensate hard work of the villagers as the plants were found to be ripe for market places.

The SHG members are strongly confidence of generating income from banana sale in between Rs 15-20,000 while the proceeds from ginger is expected to touch the Rs 90,000 to 1 lac mark, according to its president Bongshung and secretary RNG Rotani.

(This report is filed under AMWJU's Media Fellowship Award)