Bamboo a tree or grass?

Free Thinker *

Flowering Bamboos in Tamenglong District

Ostensibly a tree but taxonomically a grass, bamboo is now going to be legally and nationally both a tree and also a grass. If it is found in the forest areas it is a tree and if it is grown in non forest land it is a grass as envisaged in the amended forest law of 2017. Originally bamboo was a tree under the Indian Forest Act, 1927.

The amended law will permit felling and transit of bamboo (grass) grown in non forest areas. However bamboos in forest areas would continue to be classified as a tree and would be bound by the existing legal restrictions.

Meanwhile mind starts functioning. For the benefit of our people why can't we say that bamboos in Manipur are all grass? 90% of the total area of the state is hilly-forest. By the new law we can't touch the bamboos (trees) in these areas. This is also a fact that bamboos are grown mostly in the forest areas.

Then how can you tap the bamboo resources? So, let us treat bamboo as grass throughout the nook and corner of the state. Only then our poor people can get full benefit from the bamboos.

Bamboos are grass anywhere and everywhere in the state of Manipur, let us say it, in one voice and make it legally tenable amending the relevant State Law, invoking the same entry "Forest" 17A of the third lists of the Seventh Schedule. If there is any conflict between the state law and the Central law, the later will prevail. But it happens only when somebody raises the issue; otherwise it remains normal and dormant.

Another intricate issue in the Northeast is about the demarcation between forest land and non forest areas. At the ground level there is no clear cut demarcation of forest land, reserved forest land, non forest land, village land, Chief's land, Community land, Tribal common land, individual land etc. particularly in the hills.

We have been facing a lot of difficulties while giving land compensation at the time of developing national projects in these areas because of lack of clarity of ownership and demarcation of land.

In our State too the issue is more or less the same. Whether Kuki-Chin Chief's land is part of the forest land? Whether Naga community village land comes under forest area?

Whether the remaining unclaimed hill forests belong to the state? Some clarity is visible only in the valley where the forest land belongs to the state. If the entire hills come under the definition of forest then no one can touch the bamboos as they are trees as per the encompassing new law. Then how can the hill people enjoy the benefits from bamboo?

Now the Centre has declared that the bamboo is tree in the forest and grass in non forest areas. Sometimes I feel that states remain crippled because of the Center's predilection. Despite there is separation of power between the Centre and the states, the Centre's power is overwhelming and over-reaching.

All the residuary powers are with the Centre. The Centre can make laws (under Article 245/246) in all the subjects of the Seventh schedule if necessary. What a 'centrifugal bias'! Jammu and Kashmir is the only exception. In this case of 'bamboo' the states must be given a breathing space keeping in view the ground realities, particularly in the Northeast where most of the land is under forest cover.

Globally 'bamboo' is a tall tropical plant that is a member of the grass family and has hard hollow stems that are used for making furniture, poles etc. We may go with this universal concept.

If bamboo is treated as grass, the farmers and hill-men will be allowed to cut it from anywhere; it may be from the forest areas or from their backyards or from grazing fields or from the hill-slopes or may be from the unclaimed areas. Respective States may be given some maneuvering space in and around the new legislation by allowing them to redefine bamboo (as grass or as tree) and redoing forest jurisdiction.

'Ching da taba wakon na tamda tage mahaire, tamda taba wakon na ching da ta ge mahaire', means the bamboos of the hills want to come to the valley and the bamboos of the valley want to go to the hills. This age old folk song (ritualistic in nature) reflects the time-immemorial hill – valley relation.

Bamboo plays an extremely important role in our common civilizational history and there has been a common bond between the hill people and valley dwellers as reflected in the old folk songs.

Now the opportunity has come to flourish together with the help of our traditional friend bamboo. But after felling them for our economic ends let us not forget to plant, grow and nurture the bamboos.

Chinese bamboo business has reached a multi-billion Yuan dimension. Why should we lag behind when we have enough bamboos? Mind you, it will be our multi-million business!

Kukis, Nagas, Meiteis, Pangals and even intruders shall remain united in tapping the resources of our bamboo. Recognized as grass only, it can be cut, carried and encashed.

Let us do it fast. Centre may kindly overlook our indulgence or leeway! Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas !