The Chhattisgarh Forest Department has moved to establish a permanent forest protection network in the largely unplanned Abujmad forests by deploying local youth at 30 sites and proposing five new forest areas to curb illegal logging and strengthen its presence in the region, officials said.
The move comes amid reports of illegal logging in the area.
“At present, this area is not under the formal administrative control of the forest department as the revenue survey is still underway. Once the survey is completed and the land is officially registered as forest, we will start the legal and administrative procedures,” Chief Conservator of Forests Arun Pandey said.
Without waiting for the survey to end, the department deployed local youth at 30 strategic locations across the forest to prevent illegal logging.
“There have been reports of tree felling from the area. Therefore, we have deployed local youth at 30 forest protection sites. We are arranging tents for them so that they can stay there round the clock and prevent such activities,” Pandey said.
The youth will initially stay in temporary tents and will be paid at least minimum wage. They will be engaged either as daily wage laborers or under appropriate forest protection arrangements, officials said.
Read also: From the heart of the Maoists to the bridges of hope: Abu Jahmad in Chhattisgarh reconnects with the outside world
The department has also started setting up permanent infrastructure for staff deployed in the forests.
“Temporary arrangements have been made at the moment, but we have already received funds to construct five buildings for the forest guards. We will seek additional funds to build similar infrastructure at the remaining sites as they cannot continue to stay in tents indefinitely,” Pandey said.
The Forest Department has also completed a preliminary survey and demarcation of five new forest ranges covering about 2,550 sq km of unmapped forest.
“We have conducted a preliminary boundary survey and proposed five new forest ranges. The proposal has been sent for notification. Once approved, these forests will formally come under the administrative jurisdiction of the department,” he said.
The forest department has also asked the revenue department to include its officials in the ongoing survey so that forest boundaries can be determined along with the revenue mapping process, Pandey said.
“The revenue survey is progressing and we have asked to involve forest officials in the process. Directions have already been issued at the highest level to speed up the process,” he said.
Abujamd, spread across Narayanpur, Bijapur and Dantewada districts, is one of the largest contiguous forest areas in India, covering nearly 4,000 square kilometres.
The five proposed forest ranges will put nearly 2,550 square kilometers of previously unmapped forest under structured management, officials said.
Once notified, the Narayanpur forest division is expected to become the largest forest division in the state, enabling close monitoring of forests and strengthening measures to curb illegal logging and other forest crimes.
