Prof. (Dr) R.D. Gupta
The Siwaliks, also known as Sub-Himalayas or southern most range of the Great Himalayas, extend from Assam in the East to Sind and Baluchistan in the West, lie mostly in the foot hills of the Great Himalayas. In the North-Western Himalayan region they spread in the Uttarkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.
The Siwalik hills of Jammu, especially those of sub mountainous areas, locally known as Kandi belt were full of bamboo with a large number of species about 120 years ago. According to some elders of the area, particularly of Akhnoor, the forest of bamboos were so dense that their fore-fathers used to move from one place to another through roofs made on bamboo trees. But unfortunately due to their indiscriminate and uncontrolled felling for the basic needs of the ever to looming human and live-stock population like food, fodder, fire and timber, the remnants of bamboo trees have now been left only in Jasrota and Kathua areas.
During the reign of Dogra rulers, the Siwalik hills of Jammu were famous for scrub forest mainly khair (Acacia catechu) wood forest which formed potential reserves in the Jammu region, but in just 66 years since independence the desert like conditions have appeared in the Siwalik hills of Jammu. It is because Khair has been over-exploited for extraction of catechu (Katha) and as a result this species is now endangered not only in Jammu but also in Siwalik hills of Himachal and Uttrakhand. Phulai (Acacia modesta) which is considered to be the best species among Acacia for obtaining edible gum is also on decline. Its branches are lopped for tooth brush. If this species is not preserved, it will be no longer available in the near future. Some of the other forest tree species of the Jammu Siwalik hills like kikar (Acacia nilotica), harar (Terminalia chebula), are being exploited ruthlessly and are declared as nearing to extination. Bahera, (Terminalia belerica) another tree species is of much use in Ayurveda for preparing Trifla along with harar and amla but its population is decreasing day by day and as such this plant species has become very rare. It is worthwhile to mention that Prosopis spicigera commonly known as jand has almost become extinct from Jammu Siwalik Hills due to its over exploitation. Its wood is used in religious ceremonies. The persons suffering from chronic fever also utilize its dried pieces of branches to recover from the fever.
These forests also teemed with varieties of wild animals, birds and creatures owing to the presence of vast habitats for their abode. The cheetah (tiger) was once very common in the thickly forest areas of Siwalik hills of Jammu and used to be the problem for villagers causing damage to their domestic animals, has now almost become extinct. Other wild animals whose population has adversely affected, are fox, wild boar and jackal are the other wild animals whose population has decreased tremendously. A number of birds like peacock, peahen, partridge and vulture are some of the rare species of Jammu Siwalik hills.
Future Strategies
i) Impose a complete ban on felling of trees from Siwaliks of Jammu atleast for 10-15 years. This will result in preserving whichever quantity of forest vegetation is left. This will in turn prevent advances of deserts and give great support to agriculture. Vegetative cover will keep the area moist and cool, maintain climate equilibrium and prevent from the extreme temperature, wilderness and most prized property of environment.
ii) Launch a massive programme of afforestation, covering at least 10 per cent of the area annually and completing the whole of Jammu hills of Siwaliks in 10-15 years. While planting the trees, preference must be given to the local species. After the forest regenerate, the water sources will reappear and water famine would not prevail. This will also bring about the local rains and protect the dwellers against drought. Air quality of the atmosphere will improve.
iii) Adopt all kinds of soil and water conservation measures viz; agronomic, engineering and biological. This will enhance soil fertility and its productivity. The multitude side effects caused due to soil erosion like siltation in the water reservoirs, threats to droughts and means of communication and pastures and agricultural lands due to floods will be lessened.
iv) Ban cultivation of crops on slopes greater than 15 per cent. Such lands should be utilized for planting forest tree species, grasses and fruit trees depending upon land use capability classes.
v) Motivate the farmers to grow fruit trees and forest tree species as the Siwaliks are not a good place for agriculture. Entire area, infact, should be profitably utilized in these aspects to boost the economy of the area.
vi) Advocate for adoption of agroforestry systems viz; agri-silviculture, agri-horti-silviculture and agri-silvi-pastoral. This will not only enable the peasants to fulfill their basic needs like food, fodder, fuel wood, fertilizer but also supply timber.
vii) Stop over-grazing of the pastures by cattle. This will help in sustaining the growth of various grass species for longer.
viii) Revive all the ponds which are lying in disuse and completely dried up. This will not only improve the environment but also becomes easy for the Bakerwals/Gujjars to get water for their live-stock. All the dwellers glamour for revival of old ponds.
ix) Loss of forest cover to land mafia must be totally stopped. The Kandi belt of Jammu has been losing its forest cover gradually for the past many years owing to its conversion into agricultural land. Infact, conversion of forest land for agricultural use on a large scale has significantly reduced the forest cover in the Kandi belt that contributed a major share to the states green area.
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