Bamboo ban hits tribal labourers

Over 1 lakh tribal labourers and artisans depending on bamboo for their livelihood in Orissa are left in lurch following a ban on bamboo cutting in forests by the state forest department this year.

Bamboo cutting, which was supposed to start from October 1, is yet to begin as the Centre has asked for some clarifications from the state government.

Forest officials, however, pointed out that this was a temporary problem and bamboo cutting will start once the Centres gives the green signal.

"We are in the process of complying with the clarification procedure of the Centre and the bamboo operations in the state forest will be taken up soon," said principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF), PR Mohanty.

The Centre, according to sources, has asked the state to clarify its financial commitment to maintain the health of the forests in the wake of the subsidiary siviculture operation (bamboo cutting). There are 325 bamboo coupes in Orissa covering 30 forest divisions.

The state government has allotted 16 and 14 divisions respectively to JK Paper Mills, Rayagada, and Sewa Paper Mills, Jeypore, a unit of Balarpur Industries Limited (BILT), to cut bamboos under the direct supervision of the state-owned Orissa Forest Development Corporation (OFDC). An agreement was signed between the paper mills and the government on November 20.

Sources said while JK Papar Mills was permitted 65,000 tonne of raw material procurement (RMP) from 16 forest divisions, the BILT was allowed 45,000 tonne RMP from 14 divisions this year. Another 20,000 tonne was meant for the bamboo artisans.