DEVOLUTION OF FOREST MANAGEMENT - Vasundhara

2Suruguda Village(CFM converted to JFM)Community initiated Forest Protection formalised as JFM arrangement1.0 INTRODUCTIONSuruguda is a large heterogeneous village in Sundergarh district of Orissa underScheduled Areas 1 . The village started forest protection, way back in 1985. Since thenit has received several awards and also considerable attention of the ForestDepartment (FD). This village was selected for our study to focus on:i) Equity issue in the context of a heterogeneous village in the Scheduled Areas.For this purpose we have attempted to explore the inter as well intracommunity interactions in the context of forest resource management. Againas the FD has shown considerable enthusiasm 2 , we felt it is pertinent tounderstand their role vis-à-vis the question of equity.ii) Role of the FD and impact of FD support on the CFM. Suruguda is one of thefirst villages in the district , possibly in the state where the FD promoted JointForest Management (JFM). We have attempted to document the transitionfrom community initiated forest management system to JFM system so as tounderstand the impact and implication of FD intervention.As noted earlier, in Suruguda forest protection began in 1985. The FD startedsupporting the village in 1988 and formed the Forest Protection Committee as per the1988 resolution. Ultimately in 1994, Vana Samrakhan Samiti (VSS) was formed inthe village as per JFM resolution of 1993.It is of important to note here that the forest protection initiative in the village camefrom Harijan hamlet to restrict the access of neighbouring villagers (JhariapaliVillage) to the forest. The Jhariapali villagers denied the Harijans of Suruguda to takerice from a ration shop of their village. As retaliation the Harijans started protectingthe forest and denied the Jhariapali villagers. Gradually the forest protection effortevolved into a full-fledged CFM system and the entire village got involved. Ironically,the Harijans who initiated the process are increasingly marginalised from the CFMsystem and Agharia have been consolidating their position.1 Scheduled Areas refers to areas declared as Scheduled areas on the basis of the intensity of tribalpopulation as per the clause (1) of article 244 of the Constitution.2 There was a govt. order to the FD to start a drive for V..S.S. formation. To comply with govt. orderFD personnel of respective division had taken interest to form V..S.S. Secondly a young and dynamicRange Officer transferred to the Ujjalpur range often pays visit to the protecting groups.