Impact of NTFP ban on the lives and livelihood of the ... - Vasundhara

The Order <strong>of</strong> Supreme Court (dated 14th February 2000) restricting <strong>NTFP</strong> collection in Protected areasfollowed by the enactment <strong>of</strong> Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2002 (see section 29) has extremely seriousimplications for the tribal and forest dwellers living in and around the 18 Protected areas. Morecommunities are likely to face the adverse consequences once the 18 proposed protected areas (which are inthe pipelines) in the state get finally approved. As reported in a local Daily (Prajatantra, dated 17th July2002) <strong>NTFP</strong>s worth Rupees 35 lakh used to be traded annually from Sunabeda Sanctuary which has cometo a halt with the imposition <strong>of</strong> restriction. Considering that income from sale <strong>of</strong> <strong>NTFP</strong>s can contributemore than 50% in case <strong>of</strong> the poorest tribals, these policy decisions contravene the fundamental rights tolife and livelihood.For example, in the Similipal Tiger Reserve area, the villagers residing inside the sanctuary are restrictedfrom collecting and carrying <strong>NTFP</strong>s such as seeds <strong>of</strong> Karanj, Tamarind, Kusum, leaves <strong>of</strong> Date Palm, Salresin, Siali fibre, Honey, Arrowroot etc. through the gate <strong>of</strong> the Simlipal Tiger Reserve despite the fact thatsome <strong>of</strong> these <strong>NTFP</strong> items are collected by the people from their private lands. Similarly, collection <strong>of</strong><strong>NTFP</strong>s like Nalia grass, Honey, Bahumruga creeper etc. has been <strong>ban</strong>ned in Bhitarkanika National Parkcreating immense difficulties for the ST and SC people <strong>of</strong> Dangamal, Khamarasahi, Hariharpur, Okilapaland several other villages. Closure <strong>of</strong> Kendu leaf Phadis in the Sunabeda and Satakosia Sanctuary hasdeprived thousands <strong>of</strong> poor pluckers from their one <strong>of</strong> the most significant income source. In certain areas,it is alleged that people are also restricted from carrying agricultural produces for marketing outside thesanctuary area thus, reducing their livelihood options.The distress caused by loss <strong>of</strong> income from both stoppage <strong>of</strong> collection <strong>of</strong> <strong>NTFP</strong>s and loss <strong>of</strong> land hascompelled the nomadic tribe <strong>of</strong> protected areas to resort to wage labour, migrate to industrial places and attimes mortgaged their scarce assets to avail emergency loans.The most alarming thing is the imposition <strong>of</strong> <strong>ban</strong> on fuel-wood collection. Fuel-wood is very basic need <strong>of</strong>villagers. The villagers are restricted to pluck a piece <strong>of</strong> dried leaf and twig from the forest area and violation<strong>of</strong> this has reportedly led to the most inhuman consequences in the hands <strong>of</strong> the FD.15