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Himalayan Ecology and Development
having failed to force the dwellers to leave the forests, the authorities are believed to project them as poachers
and timber smugglers.
THE STATESMAN: May 3, 1999
DGHC flouts SC order, fells trees
In a blatant violation of the Supreme Court order, banning felling of trees, the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill
Council (DGHC) felled silver firs in the heart of Singalia National Park, which was discovered and seized by
the forest department in a raid. The park which is the highest in the state, is habitat of the endangered red
panda and also the home of the ‘daphne-munal’ - a rare breed of pheasant. This is not the first time that the
DGHC has shown scant disregard for natural environment.
Niraj Lama for THE STATESMAN: May 4, 1999
Nagaland losing its forest cover
The eastern districts of Nagaland are facing environmental degradation as ‘miscreants’ join hands with
jhum cultivators spelling doom for the lush green forests area. According to official sources, the green almost
destroyed in adjoining districts of Mon, Tuensang, and Meluri subdivision of Phek district. The rivers and
streams had dried up this year causing acute drinking water shortage in various parts of Mon and Tuensang.
The Supreme Court’s ban on timber felling has not helped the situation as commercial exploitation during the
past few years have adversely affected the tropical and sub-tropical rain forests in the foothills.
THE SENTINEL: May 10, 1999
1,700 trees axed, Nainital bleeds
Inspite of several protest marches demanding expeditious action against the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Sanstha for felling 1,700 teak and sal trees on the land recently purchased by it, the guilty are yet to be
punished. Though the forest department had lodged an FIR a month ago and claimed to be carrying out an
investigation under the Tree Protection Act, no arrests have been made so far.
THE INDIAN EXPRESS: May 17, 1999
Jhum cultivation a threat to environment
The sifting cultivation by slash and burning of forests in hills, popularly know as jhumming, is being
practiced by the tribals of North Cachar Hills in Assam. With the fast increasing population in hills, more and
more new villages are coming up by clearing and destroying forest cover, thereby jhum area getting extended.
This age-old system of cultivation not only causes soil erosion and landslides, but also deforestation
threatening the environment, flora and fauna - even the very base of the hills. Until now, crores of rupees had
already been spent in the name of integrated jhum control and development programme but the practice of
jhum cultivation has not yet been controlled.
THE ASSAM TRIBUNE: May 25, 1999
Wedding ‘belles’ green Garhwal
Every monsoon, young girls plant seedlings in a fallow area with the consent of the village head and
the Mahila Mangal Dal, a women’s welfare organisation. The planting is very organised, run by a group
christened ‘Maitee’ (girl’s parents home), when the saplings become full-grown trees, they are named after
the girl who planted them. The Maitee’s unique tree-planting custom finds mention even in most wedding
cards. The unique social custom, started as late as 1994 at Gwaldam, is now spreading to other villages,
raising hopes of a greener Garhwal.
THE TELEGRAPH: May 25, 1999
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