Bamboo in Orissa: Trade and Livelihood Perspective - Vasundhara

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affected their regeneration and hence potentiality. Some observers believe a 50% reduction
in the production capacity just because of this reason, in ten years (Human & Patnaik 2001
quoted in Saxena, op.cit., pp.13-14).
Many parts of the state contained bamboo bushes on private or common lands of village
areas, which were good enough to meet the local demand. Some of these resources have
been lost due to waterlogging by either flood(as in Kakatpur area) or irrigation(as in
Mahakalpada area, vide The Samay, 25-3-03,p.8), or some disease(as in the Nimapada subdivision
vide The Samay,31-3-03, p.7), or unsustainable use. Unsystematic exploitation of
bamboo shoots is also a factor in some areas. Further, gregarious flowering has also been
destructive in some cases.
Bamboo shoots normally appear in the periphery of the clumps. If however, they or the
young culms are unsustainably harvested, then the clump tends to divert the shootgenerating
power in a different direction i.e., shoots try to appear from within the clump
where there is but little space for their healthy growth. This way the normal healthy process
of regeneration is badly affected.
Lack of proper assessment of the potentiality of forest bamboo has created confusion in
various spheres. Average of 12 years actual production was a basis for estimating the
potentiality of bamboo in various forest divisions, and the following table illustrates
division-wise potentiality accordingly. However, assessment on the basis of physical
sampling was recommended several times. An example of the confusion created due to
improper assessment was that the potentiality of undivided Jeypore Forest Divn. including
Malkangiri area was estimated to be 80000 MT, and BILT which was the RMP for this
area, was charged for under-harnessing this potential as it achieved a much lower
production. The General Manager, BILT therefore wrote to the Managing Director, OFDC
on 9-10-96 that the allegation of under-production was baseless since the estimated
potentiality was unrealistic. He even offered that his company was ready to take up a detail
potential survey in this area on its own. Since assessment on the basis of physical sampling
could not be done in this area, the authorities decided to expect the out-turn on the basis of
the average of OFDC's figure and the estimation given by the Conservator of
Forest(Koraput). The production in this area was 34771 SU during 1996-97, and the target
fixed for the nest year was 35000 SU(Agenda notes for the meeting of the Emp. Committee
for the 1997-98 crop). Rangadhar Mishra, a forest officer, who conducted a survey in the
Malkangiri area on physical sampling basis; confirmed the potentiality at approx.35000 18
MT. He took a pioneering role in harnessing this potential by developing roads, etc., which
helped to tap the potential of earlier untapped patches, and this in turn increased the
production more or less by 50%(per comm.).
The assessment as furnished in the following table shows a total potentiality of 220944 SU,
but OFDC estimated in 2002 that potentiality of Athagarh, Athamallik, Baliguda, Bamra,
Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Kalahandi, Nayagarh and Rairakhol Divisions would be about 30000
SU against the earlier(as in the following table) estimation of 75850 SU. Further,
18 Now supposed to be reduced to 25000 MT.
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