Forest Annexationism

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resulted from this debate. They are annexationist who called for complete control of the state over forests. The second one who is pragmatic in nature called for state control over sensitive forests and rest should have remained with village communities. There is also another view which completely opposes the state control over the forest and they advocate their management should remain with peasants and tribals. The annexationist argument is based on the view that non-cultivable land belongs to the state. However, the state can’t take away the right of people who are living on the first and allied activities. But forest officials held that the same right is now based on the mercy of imperial rulers. …show more content…

The government divided forest into 3 categories. They are reserved forests which are under complete control of the government for the use their use. The second one is protected forest also controlled by state which can be partly used by people to some extent. Later the protected forest also converted into reserved ones. Even there are communal forests which are not implemented by raj for most of the period.After 1978 act, the forest came under the strict control of state where they used it for production of timber, which they largely used in railways and for selling in Britain. They developed a large-scale commercial forestry while leaving the scientific management of forests. The original right holders of forest are under several restrictions. They are only supposed to collect fodder for their needs and should not indulge in any trading of restricted forest commodities.But state gave some privileges in 1894 to reduce discontent of peasants. The Indian forest served the British interests for railway expansion which again for the purpose of transportation of Indian raw material to Seaports and for two world wars. The forests in Himalayan ranges also served for doing commerce. Teak is largely playing role in commercial forestry. There are also minor forest products like resin, turpentine which also earning them extra income. In the later period, native indian rulers also realized the value of them. Tehri Garhwal region rulers had an agreement with British which former gave latter the deodar forest for lease up to 1925. Later native ruler didn’t extend the lease. The burden of world wars also fell upon Indian forestry. In this time British went into deep of the Himalayas and dense forests of western ghats to meet needs of war. There is large-scale cutting of trees during this period. Many of the

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