Govt wakes up to ‘podu’ cultivation

The New Indian Express, June 1, 2008

BHAWANIPATNA: Podu or shifting cultivation in Kalahandi has become an annual practice. Although shifting cultivation is a non-viable resource-utilisation practice, some farmers are still clinging to this primitive practice to sustain themselves and their families mainly due to non-availability of timely employment avenues.

The ill effects of shifting cultivation have been devastating and farreaching in degrading environment and ecology of the region.

Returns in case of shifting cultivation are mere Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per acre but damage to forests will be in lakhs. The practice is continuing unabated despite concern by district administration and conscious citizens.

To mitigate the environmental loss and provide other alternatives of livelihood to the local population, the district administration in a meeting here, has decided to give thrust to plantation programmes to bring back the greenery.

It has been decided to take up plantation under NREGS during the current financial year through soil conservation, watershed mission and forest departments.

Soil Conservation Department would take up avenue plantation in 12 hectares of land, miscellaneous plantation in 469 hectares and cashew plantation in 60 hectares.

The Department would also take up avenue plantation in 10 km stretch on both sides of Bhawanipatna-Kesinga road. Similarly,Watershed Mission will take up miscellaneous and mango plantation in 212 hectares.

Besides, the Department would take up cashew and mango plantation in 6,000 hectares in Thuamul Rampur and Lanjigarh blocks where podu cultivation is rampant.

The DFO, north and south divisions, Kalahandi, will take up block plantations in 1,685 and 1,155 hectares of land respectively.