Achievements of Manipur Forest Department during 2012-2013
- Part 1 -

A.K. Rana *

Pine forest in Chingkheiching Reserve Forest

The North Eastern states of India, unlike majority of other states of the country are characterized by a domination of land by forests. Manipur with more than 3/4th of geographical area is no exception to this. The recorded forest area of the state is 17, 418 sq. kms which is 78.01% of geographical area. The Reserve Forests constitute 8.42%, Protected Forests 23.95% and Unclassed Forests 67.63%.

The total volume of Growing Stock of Manipur is estimated as 81.569 million cubic metres (FSI-201 1). As per interpretation of satellite data of January-February 2009, the total tree (Forest) cover is 1 7090 sq. kms.

In terms of Forest canopy density classes, the state has 730 sq. km. of very dense forests, 6151 sq. kms. of moderately dense forests and 10,209 sq. kms. of open forests. The total carbon stock of Manipur Forests is 13,81,54,000 metric tonnes with an average of 8084 metric tonnes per hectare..

The Department of Forests, Manipur, entrusted with the daunting task of looking after the forests of Manipur, since its inception has been striving relentlessly to achieve its goal of sustainable utilization and development of the State's natural resources. The Department has been taking up several schemes and projects both under State plan and Centrally Sponsored Schemes to meet the challenging task of Afforestation, soil and water conservation, wildlife and biodiversity conservation etc., to achieve a rational and sustainable utilisation of the State's natural resources.

Mention may be made as per the directive of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, the entire forest area of the State is put under approved Working Plans for the first time. This has made the State one of the leading States in India and the first among the NE States to have approved Working Plans for scientific management of its forests. Further, digitization of Reserved Forests and Protected Forests boundaries is also completed, a first among the different departments of the state.

Achievements of the Forest Department during the year 2012-13, in brief, are as follows:

1. Afforestation under Soil & Moisture Conservation: Under this scheme, which is undertaken by the Soil Conservation Division, afforestation has been taken up with the objective of protecting the land against erosion, restoring degraded land to productive areas, improving moisture retention capacity for improving productivity, reducing siltation in reservoirs and finally generation of employment opportunities. During 2012-13, plantation over 180 ha. has been taken up and species like Schima wallichi, Terminalia spp., Gmelina arborea etc. have been planted.

Under Jhumia Rehabilitation Programme, 48 ha of area has been has been planted with species like Parkia, Artocarpus, Gmelina, etc. to rehabilitate 24 numbers of Jhumia families.

2. Economic Plantation: With a view to convert the poorly stocked degraded Reserved forests into good forests with better vegetation density and to meet the future requirements of timber for commercial purposes, ten territorial divisions had taken up plantation of important economic species under the scheme. Species like Tectona grandis, Pinus kesiya, Gmelina arborea, Terminalia spp.,

Coffice forest of Khangra at Chandel District

3. Social Forestry Plantations: To meet fuel wood, fodder and small timber requirements of the local people, and to provide socio economically valuable timber from the nearby areas and reducing the pressure on the forests in the hills for maintaining the ecological balance, during the financial year, plantations over 180 ha have been taken up. The scheme is implemented by the three Social Forestry Divisions of the Department.

4. National Afforestation Programme: Over the past few decades, the dept. has been taking up plantations under different schemes. But the quantum of plantations taken up by the Dept. is not commensurate with the large scale deforestation. One of the main hurdles is the land ownership system wherein the govt. agencies have not much say in the hill areas.

Thanks to the Govt, of India for the national Forest Policy (1988), wherein more emphasis has been stressed on participatory forest management by involving local communities in the protection and rejuvenation of degraded forest areas. Thus was born the FDA and its sister concern, the JFMC. The perception of the people covered by the JFMCs has changed overwhelmingly as complete transparency was observed during the implementation of the projects.

During the year 201 2-1 3, a total of 4250ha of final plantation(creation) was carried out along with other allied activities.

A participatory nursery of NAP Kamu Lairok village at Thoubal Division

5. VANAMAHOTSAVA : With an objective of increasing mass awareness regarding value of trees in ecology, environment and general economy, 63rd State level Van-Mahotsava Festival was organized on 7th July, 2012 at Modern College, Porompat, Imphal.

The event was graced by Shri Ng. Bijoy Singh, Hon'ble MLA. During the festival, species like Mimusops elengi, Acacia mangium, Artocarpus spp., Lagerstroemia spp., Delonix regia, Jacaranda spp. etc., have been planted. About 6.30 lakh seedlings have been raised by the Forest Department for the sole purpose of free distribution to the populace and distributed during the plantation season.

To be continued....