The National Mission for a Green India with a planned investment of $10.3 billion over the next 10 years can have a major developmental impact in more ways than one. Such a massive exercise can raise fresh natural capital that is so vital for the tens of millions of people who depend on degraded forests. It can meet the twin objectives of assigning forest land to tribal and other forest-dwelling communities to enable livelihoods, and relieving extractive pressures on core dense forests to aid conservation of wildlife and biodiversity. The overarching benefit to the environment will be in the form of carbon sequestration to combat climate change. The Ministry of Environment and Forests, which has grasped the imperative to balance these concerns, aims to add an impressive five million hectares of forest cover, and also improve the quality of forests over a similar area. The experience gained from the Joint Forest Management (JFM) programmes of the past will be invaluable. The JFM measures did not live up to their promise in most States and, in some cases, existed only on paper. In the main, they left forest communities feeling alienated. That nearly 40 per cent of open forest remains degraded today reinforces the need for a vastly improved management system.
A central role for local communities in forest restoration and expansion is envisaged under the new plan. This can help correct the historical imbalance in their role in managing the commons. It must be emphasised, however, that the whole exercise needs to be rooted in scientific practices. Several dedicated young scientists have been working in degraded areas of the Western Ghats to re-introduce endemic plants. These conservation groves, often sitting cheek-by-jowl with plantations and habitations, shelter a lot of endangered animals and birds. This shows that many more eroded ecosystems can harbour the biodiversity that is under pressure. The potential to expand horticulture in these sites, including disused mines, through fruit tree cultivation is worth exploring. Local communities can also be involved in the campaign to control invasive plant species that have been unthinkingly introduced into the environment. These plants suppress indigenous varieties and have overrun vast tracts of forests, reducing their productivity. Overall, the Green India plan, which is expected to provide a higher forest-based livelihood income to three million households, is significant for its attempt to give people a central role in restoring forest health. The legacy of mistrust between the Forest departments and tribal communities must give way to a joint management framework that is grounded in good conservation science.
Keywords: Green India mission, Joint Forest Management
The project 'greening India' is a very good project for the conservation of forest resources, but the success of the project lies in the lieu that how effectively the project is implemented.In india the condition is so worst that even the govt. representatives and beaurocrats are not paying much attention towards it.A massive population in country have not any idea about deforestation and it's impact on environment .So the project also includes the work of increasing awareness among people.This is worth imperative.
The "Greening India" plan is as attractive as the amount of money to be spent on the plan.If the plan goes as per the expectations,the end results would be amazing and everlasting.The'catch' in the plan is the involvement of'elected Representatives'.Their role must be that of overseeing the implementation of the plan and getting things done at the Government level.The success of the plan depends to a large extent on the whole-hearted involvement of tribal and other beneficiaries who have been 'connected'with forest for ages.
M SOMASEKHAR PRASAD
LECTURER
S B V R DEGREE COLLEGE
BADVEL.A.P.516227.
All this type of programmes on paper stage and planning stage only, but not in executed. One live example for this is I started along with my friend Sh Bharat Reddy the event called 'GUINNESS EVENT FOR GREEN KAKINADA'_Noble Cause for Global Need, under this event we want to plant around 12Lck + tree saplings in one hour on 09.07.2011 in KAKINADA, EAST GODAVARI, ANDHRA PRADESH. But the pitiest thing is that non of them from District Administration, State Administration, Central Administration, Big big clubs, NGO's, societies, Public representatives even to our ex president Sh APJ Kalam those who are talking, given speeches on the need of plantation were not supporting to our event. The most pitiest thing is the media asking money for bringing this event to public. Every day me and Bharat roaming entire city with pamplets distributed to each and one in the public. Here one greatest thing by us is we are not collecting from any one even singly NP, we seeking only sponsers for saplings, bring it to public for participation and create awareness among public. Till now all of them were doing plantation but never involve the public in plantation drive,thats why survival rate of saplings were not satisfactory. With the good intention & involving the public in plantation drive we started GEGK, by this it is possible to shown the strength of public unity. I request all of the news viewrs & news paper readers, not only paper work sufficient to do execute the job, pls join hands at ground level to plant saplings. For further detailes about this programme of GEGK, pls visit GEGK.blog.com.
The rural livelyhoods generation can come from the 1.Forest resources collection , 2. Forest resources value addition, 3 establishment of market linkages as was done in M.P.Forest Departentfor the medicinal plants. Similar initiatives in case of endemic plants and animals through insitu and exsitu conservation initiaitves for sustainable production is the need of the hour
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