Bamboo in Orissa: Trade and Livelihood Perspective - Vasundhara

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All rights reserved by VASUNDHARA(www.vasundharaorissa.org). For any clarification, contact author at sunlit1968@yahoo.co.in While flowered clumps are seen as potential source of fire hazards, some ecologists say that through proper harvesting practices and fire management measures, this problem is to be solved instead of mass clear felling, because dead bamboo serves as a barrier, protecting young shoots(Gubbi, op.cit., p.33). Paper mills do not prefer flowered culms because the latter’s dryness causes problems while processing. The long-fibre structure of green culms is weakened in such culms. However, flowered culms have reportedly been sent to paper mills alongwith the good culms because in large scale harvesting operations such kind of things can hardly be avoided by the mills. It is interesting to note that OFDC had this condition that the paper industries would be bound to accept flowered bamboo in case of gregarious flowering, and that too, without any concession in price. In fact, experienced persons like Dilip Kumar Pradhan, who worked as Coupe In-charge in Chowdwar paper mill, say that flowered culms retain their strength for two to three years, and hence can be used not only in paper industries but also for construction purposes. According to Yogesh Chandra Pradhan, who worked as Circle In-charge in the same company, flowering is quite beneficial for the lease-holder because silvicultural restrictions are not applicable to such clumps, and these are to be totally clear-felled irrespective of the size and age of the culms therein; so the lease-holder gets an opportunity to increase his production (per comm.). And dead and flowered culms have satisfactory performance as a raw material in paper industry, provided they are not damaged by insects (CSIR 2003, Wealth of India, Vol.III, p.34). Even if flowered culms have no takers, or get burnt by fire; the scope of their commercial use is still there in the form of charcoal because bamboo charcoal is very much preferred for several applications, more commonly for use by goldsmiths. Recommendations: • A comprehensive policy on bamboo is necessary to address the trade and livelihood issues related to bamboo. • Stand on the stake of protecting communities on the local bamboo resources in JFM areas should be very clear, and it should be ensured that besides getting maximum share in the harvest(bamboo), the protecting communities should also get the first chance to work as bamboo cutters in their area. • Since ensuring an alternate market for bamboo is necessary, the government should explore possibilities of taking advantage of the huge potential in the non-industrial sector(like, construction,etc.). • Establishment cost should be minimized so as to compete with the private suppliers of the state so far the price of industrial- as well as commercial bamboo is concerned. Potential in the betel farming should be properly utilized. • Single window system should be introduced for effective production and marketing of bamboo. The Andhra system has been quite beneficial not only for the traders of Orissa, but also for the Govt of Andhra Pradesh; and systems like this should be considered for implementation here. 85
All rights reserved by VASUNDHARA(www.vasundharaorissa.org). For any clarification, contact author at sunlit1968@yahoo.co.in • Dealings with the paper mills should be made transparent and timely, and care should be taken to ensure that whatever benefit the state would be getting from them should not be at the cost of their genuine interest. • Silvicultural norms regarding harvesting, particularly of thorny bamboo, should be reconsidered so as to make them suitable to the field conditions that are different in different areas. • The Forest Department should explore the possibility of commercial production and marketing of kardi on a sustainable basis, since it has good market potential. However, this should not be at the cost of the meager income of the local and poor primary collectors from this source. • A supporting mechanism is necessary for the improvement of the livelihood conditions of traditional bamboo artisans who depend primarily on traditional products. Although trainings imparted by master craftspersons have enabled few of them to manufacture new type of products, the local market on which they are basically dependent, runs mostly on traditional products; and hence the emphasis should be on utilizing the potential of such products. Marketing in other states should be facilitated, and bamboo artisans be provided with special concessions on the raw materials. • Basic facilities like drinking water, etc. should be ensured for the cutters. • The Labour Department should specify the minimum wage for cutting of long bamboo, and also of thorny industrial bamboo. • Quality of the food materials supplied to cutters under WFP should be investigated properly at competent laboratories. • The Paharia tribe of Sunabeda plateau be provided with adequate alternative sources of bamboo for their livelihood security, and should be given the same status as their brethrens in Chhattisgarh. • Large scale production of fine bamboo sticks required in the agarbatti industry should be facilitated particularly for self-help groups of women and disabled people. Since the KVIC is ready to provide subsidy on the purchase of machinery, the Government should encourage people further by allowing special concessions vis-à-vis the transit and price of forest bamboo to be used for this purpose. • The river transportation system should be seen as a part of our cultural tradition, and it should be revived at least in the form of annual competitions among the rafters, if not on a regular commercial basis. ________________ 86
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Bamboo in Orissa: Trade and Livelihood Perspective - Vasundhara

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