Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 15: J&K’s first ever book on resource management, titled “Common Property Resources and Rural Livelihood: Problems, Perspectives and Management in Jammu and Kashmir India” a brand new concept for effective rural development and perfectly relevant to the society particularly to the rural poor which has been authored by Dr Farooq Kalas was released in a function at Rajouri.
The book which is based on his research project on Common Property Resources (CPRs), reveals that joint property resources in the shape of common lands, waters, minor forest products, grasses, fodder and forage etc in and around the villages and habitats common to the local residents are of immense importance as source of livelihood to the rural poor.
According to National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) there were average 15 percent CPR lands in the country in 1991 which are depleting and degrading constantly at the rate of 19 percent per decade. The book reveals that Jammu Kashmir has much more CPR potential than the national average but completely unattended in terms of conservation and management.
Dr Kalas conducted his study in the district Rajouri where he computed the amount of charges in land use and land cover a period of 30 years and sliced into ten interval as well, using advance technologies of remote sensing and GIS and assessed resultant adverse impacts on CPR and consequently on live stock and livelihood. The serious facts are noted that all the livestock varieties have decreased in per capita availability at an alarming rate, especially goat population declined to large extent over the span of time and equal proportion of people associated with activity have changed their occupation either to agricultural laborers, house hold servants or even beggers.
He also computed amount of various CPRs in each sample village, their proportion of contribution in total livelihood of the household and derived average values for individual village and whole of the district (the study area).
The author is of the view that it is the need of hour to act promptly for the conservation and management of such resources and establish dedicated institutions at village, block and district levels for the purpose and has put forward a list of suggestions regarding action plans and solutions to various possible problems arising during course of action.
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