18. Development work on the scale proposed necessarily calls for an increased tempo of forest research. The research programme initiated during the first five year plan at the Forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun will be further expanded during the second plan and will include, besides studies in logging methods, timber engineering, plant introduction and genetical research as also problems connected with timber utilisation in industries. Units to investigate biological and silvicultural problems will be located in conjunction with the Southern Forest Ranger College at Coimbatore and units dealing with forest products research will be established at Bangalore, utilising the Mysore Government's Forest Research Laboratory as a nucleus. States will also undertake research schemes relating. to local and regional problems, particularly in the, field of silviculture.
19. The requirements of forest personnel during the second five year plan have been worked out. About 250 forest officers are required as against the normal likely output of the Forest College, Dehra Dun of about 150. It is therefore proposed to increase annual admissions from 40 to 80. The number of Forest Rangers required is estimated to be about 700 com-
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pared to the present output capacity of 600 from the colleges at Dehra Dun and Coimbatore. The number of admissions at Coimbatore is proposed to be raised by 40. About 2000 foresters will be needed for implementing the various programmes included in the second five year plan, and arrangements for training them are, being made locally or in different regions. The requirements of research personnel (other than those trained in forestry) will be met by recruitment from other sources.
20. It is recognised that in order to achieve wellplanned development of forest resources all over the country, coordination of the activities of the States and the Centre, is desirable. The Central Board of Forestry concerns itself with the various problems arising in India's forests and provides overall guidance. It is necessary that development work as well as working plan preparation and forest management should be coordinated on a comprehensive scale under a continuing whole-time organisation. It is therefore essential to set up and maintain a well-organised service for technical advice and assistance at the Centre. Such an Organisation could also make, itself responsible for improved forest statistics, market studies and statistical information, for the standardisation of grading work with reference to timber and other forest produce and for the technical efficiency of all forestry practices in the country. It is therefore proposed to set up a Forestry Commission for coordination of forest development and management.
II
SOIL CONSERVATION 21. Large areas of land have gone out of productive use because of wind and water erosion and this process is continuously at work. Surveys of areas which have been damaged by or are suffering from soil erosion are available only for some parts of the country. In fact, a high proportion of agricultural lands under cultivation suffer from soil erosion of one kind or another. Deserts which cover about 50 million acres are in the grip of erosion themselves and produce conditions conducive to erosion in adjacent areas. It is estimated that one-fifth of the area in hilly regions. pastures, waste lands and ravines are in an advanced state of erosion. Excessive deforestation, overstocking of grazing lands and the practice of unsuitable methods of agriculture have been important factors contributing to erosion.
22. During the first five year plan soil conservation work was begun on systematic lines. About 250 agricultural and forest officials have been trained in soil conservation methods. A desert afforestation research station was set up at Jodhpur in 1952 and five regional research-cum-training centres were established in the latter half of the first plan period. Eleven pilot projects have been taken up in the States of Bombay, Andhra, Orissa, West Bengal, Madras, Punjab, Saurashtra. Travancore-Cochin, Ajmer, Kutch and Manipur. The pilot projects located in Madras and Travancore-Cochin have now been converted into development projects. Demonstrations of soil conservation practices under expert guidance have been carried out in these pilot projects and in areas such as the Damodar Valley and in Keleghai and Darjeeling in West Bengal, in the Machkund area, in the Bundhelkhand region and the Jumna ravines in Uttar Pradesh and in the Nilgiris in Madras. In the Araku valley, a project which was intended to improve the economic conditions of the tribal people by demonstrating the use of terracing, contour bunding, etc. has been taken up. In the planning and execution of the demonstration programmes, local farmers have been generally associated. A reconnaissance survey covering the Upper Teesta river valley has been carried out and suitable control measures proposed. This survey illustrated the urgent need for soil conservation measures in the upper reaches of all river valleys. In the Bhakra catchment area, afforestation for soil conservation has been in progress since 1951-52 and 4382 acres of trenching and check damming and 5124 acres of afforestation have been undertaken. Soil conservation practices such as contour bunding, contour trenching, gully plugging, terracing, check damming, training of streams and ravines, etc. which have been undertaken in the States during the first plan cover a total area of about 700,000 acres of which Bombay alone accounts for more than two- thirds.
23. During the first plan problems connected with the immobilisation of the Rajasthan desert have been studied in detail. A Desert Afforestation and Research Station has been established at Jodhpur. Trees have been planted over 150 miles of the roads in western Rajasthan. A total area of about 100 square miles is being demarcated for pasture improvement and experimental plantations.
PROGRAMMES FOR THE SECOND PLAN 24, Soil conservation work will be undertaken during the second plan in a concentrated manner over 3 million acres in those tracts which are seriously affected by soil erosion. The programmes drawn up for those areas will attempt to tackle erosion problems of ail kinds- for agricultural lands, deserts and coastal sand dunes, river valley projects, hill regions, ravine lands, waste lands and lands eroded by sea. A provision of Rs. 20 crores has been made in the plan for soil conservation.
25. Agricultural lands. Sloping and undulating lands which are under cultivation have specially suffered from sheet and gully erosion. A recent erosion survey
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of areas in Bombay which are exposed to scarcity conditions has shown that more than two-thirds of cultivated area has been severely eroded, and about one-fourth of the land has been rendered useless for agricultural purposes. Similar conditions exist in parts of Madras, Mysore, Hyderabad, Andhra, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Madhya Bharat, Bhopal and Saurashtra. Soil conservation measures such as contour cultivation, strip cropping, mulch farming, bunding, terracing, gully plugging, check damming etc. carried out in a planned manner can do much to arrest deterioration of land and, in due course, restore its productivity. Such measures are to be undertaken over about 2 million acres of agricultural lands during the second plan period.
26. Deserts and coastal sand dunes.-Due to pressure of population, both human and cattle, in desert areas in Kutch and in parts of Rajasthan vegetation has been fast diminishing. This leads to further desert formation and affects the fertility of agricultural lands in U.P., the Punjab and in other parts of Rajasthan. In addition there are local sand dunes and coastal sand dunes which also require to be controlled. Measures for the control of shifting sands and sand dunes, such as the creation of nucleus centres for the spread of vegetation, the introduction of improved dry farming practices and animal husbandry, improvement of pastures by seeding, fencing and rotational grazing, afforestation and village plantations for fuel and fodder, will be undertaken over an area of about 350,000 acres.
27. River valleys.-The practice of shifting cultivation has impaired forest wealth in Chhotanagpur, Orissa, Assam, and the Nilgiris which form the catchment areas of important river valley projects. Soil conservation in the upper reaches of river valley is essential for preventing silting in dams and rivers, Soil conservation measures such as afforestation, fire control in forests and wastelands, pasture management, contour bunding, contour cultivation and strip cropping, gully control, stream-bank erosion control, head water dams and bench terraces will be undertaken during the second plan over about an area of 330,000 acres.
28. Hilly regions.-Due to pressure of population and overgrazing, specially by goats, steep slopes in the foot hills of the Himalayas from punjab to Assam, in the Nilgiris, in the Eastern and Western Ghats, and in other hilly areas are being gradually defores- ted. Forests in the village common lands of the Siwalik hills in Punjab, Pepsu and Himachal Pradesh have suffered over a long period. From these bare and barren hills sand has been carried down by hill torrents into the plains below and has buried or destroyed thousands of acres of valuable agricultural land. In the Assam hills, large tracts have been laid bare by shifting cultivation. In the Nilgiris, forests on steep slopes have been cut down to make room for potato cultivation which has caused serious denudation. In Travancore-Cochin certain hill forests have been recently cleared for growing tapioca. Such practices result in soil erosion and land slides and are likely to affect dams, channels and river beds. In hilly regions, soil conservation measures over an area of about 170,000 acres are to be undertaken during the second plan period.
29. Ravine lands.-Lands situated along rivets such as the Jamuna, the Chambal, the Sabarmati, the Mahe and their distributaries are being eroded steadily and are going out of cultivation. It is necessary to reclaim such lands by afforestation, check dams, and terraces and other soil conservation measures in the watersheds of these rivers. Large-scale bunding operations for holding rain water are also needed. It is proposed to take soil conservation measures in ravine lands over an area of about 150,000 acres.
30. Waste lands.-There are large tracts of waste lands which are at present under active erosion due to misuse. This is seen, for instance, from the naked roots of trees and shrubs often found on waste lands. Some of these lands should be afforested to supply fuel and fodder and the rest put under improved pastures. During the plan period, soil conservation measures in waste lands are to be taken up over an area of about 100,000 acres,
31. Sea-eroded lands.-Mention may also be made here of a scheme which though not part of the soil conservation programme proper will help protect coastal areas in Travancore-Cochin. Portions of the coastal area of this State are subjected to sea-floods periodically, which causes soil erosion. It is proposed to take protective measures at points which are damaged by such floods. The programme for the second plan covers about 45 miles of the coast. Work on the construction of a long sea-wall parallet to the coast with groynes 200 ft. long at 660 ft. intervals has been begun.
32. Soil Conservation Boards.-As recommended in the First Five Year Plan, a Central Soil Conservation Board was set up in 1953 for organising a nation at soil conservation programme. Soil conservation boards have been set up in almost all the, States. The functions of the Central Soil Conservation Board include the coordination of research, arrangements for technical training, organisation of collaboration between the States and the Centre and technical and financial assistance for projects undertaken in States and in river valley areas.
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33. Soil Conservation Legislation.-In the First Five Year Plan it was recommended that suitable legislation should be undertaken by States for soil conservation. The object of such legislation should be to provide for (a) power to execute specified improvements and to allocate the cost between farmers and the State Government (b) constitution of cooperative organisations of farmers for soil conservation work, and (c) powers to restrict uses and practices in certain areas which could be declared "protective areas". A few States like Bombay, Uttar Pradesh and Saurashtra already have legislation for soil conservation and few other States have had legislation under consideration. The Central Soil Conservation Board has carried out a study of the legislation on soil conservation already in force or under consideration in different States and has circulated a model soil conservation bill for the use of States. The model bill provides for the preparation and execution of land improvement schemes, including schemes for conservation and improvement of soil resources, prevention or mitigation of soil erosion, protection of land against damage by floods or drought, reclamation of waste lands, payment of compensation to farmers, recovery of Government dues, etc.
34. Soil Conservation Research and Surveys.Extension work in soil conservation has to be based on investigations under different conditions of soil and climate. The Government of India have set up six research-cum-training centres in soil conservation at the following places:-
(1) Dehra Dun-for studying problems of afforestation and soil conservation in the Siwalik hills and submountainous districts with a sub- station at Chandigarh for training of chos (hills torrents);
(2) Kotah-with a sub-centre at Agra for reclama- tion and soil conservation in the chambal and the Jamuna ravines;
(3) Vasad (North Gujarat)-for soil conservation measures in the deep ravines in the lower reaches of the catchments of rivers;
(4) Bellary-for soil conservation problems in the black soil, region;
(5) Oolacamund-for use of bench terraces for saving the soil for potato cultivation in the Nilgiris and other hill regions;
(6) Jodhpur-for afforestation in the Rajasthan desert and improvement of pasture and grazing lands in Rajasthan for cattle breeding and sheep management
Some States have also established research stations, such as those at Sholapur in Bombay, at Sahibnagar in Hyderabad, at Rehmankhera in Uttar Pradesh and at Rajgangpur in Orissa.
35. These reserach stations are engaged in developing effective practices acceptable to farmers and conforming to the required technical standards necessary. The desert afforestation research station at Jodhpur has undertaken investigations on silviculture of indigenous species, possibilities of introducing exotic and zone species, and hydrological conditions, rainfall, wind velocities and other relevant factors. The station maintains a seed store for the distribution of seeds of suitable species. It also demonstrates various methods of desert control such as vegetation around tahsil offices and police stations, shelter belts along selected roads and railway lines running across the directions of the winds, and organiszation of forest plantations on different types of sand to evolve the best methods of afforesting the region. Under the second plan the Central Soil Conservation Board will extend the activities of this station for developing forest plantations and pastures with a view to the stabilisation of the desert
36. For the planning of soil conservation measures reconnaissance surveys on a regional basis are required. These will provide essential data regarding the present land use patterns, soil characteristics, degree of erosion, climatic conditions, etc. On the basis of the surveys suitable programmes can be formulated. A provision of Rs. 65 lakhs has been made in the second plan for surveying, classifying and mapping out about 10 million acres of land in areas which present special problems.
37. Programmes to be undertaken during the second plan are estimated to require about 4000 persons of different grades of expertise. In view of the shortage of trained personnel available at present, training centres have been established by the Government of India at the research stations at Dehra Dun, Kotah, Vasad, Bellary and Ootacamund. Training facilities are also available at the Hazaribagh soil conservation reserach station of the Damodar Valley Cor poration. In addition to these facilities, U.P., Bombay and Saurashtra have established their own training centres at Rehman Khera, Sholapur and Morvi respectively. A number of pilot project demonstration centres are to be established in different parts of the country for giving demonstrations of soil conservation practices to farmers.
38. Simultaneously, with research on technical aspects of soil conservation it is necessary to pay attention to the human problems involved in conservation and to develop methods, procedures and institutions through which knowledge of conservation practices is carried to the rural people and they can be assisted to carry out such practices. Execution of programmes of erosion control such as discontinuance of shifting cultivation and of current grazing practices would in
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many cases, entail large changes in the rural economy and in the way of life. The people have therefore to adapt themselves to the new conditions. Erosion control programmes should therefore be accompanied by appropriate programmes of education and resettlement Where the people concerned are tribal people as in the case of shifting cultivators, an understanding of their social and economic organisation is essential as their rehabilitation has to be undertaken in groups and the existing forms of group organisation and leadership have to be utilised.
39. All these measures for education and active assistance for rehabilitation and re-settlement of people can be best undertaken through the agency of the national extension service. Similarly, conservation measures on cultivated lands have to be organised primarily through the extension agency. The importance of soil conservation measures for the work of the extension agency will be apparent from the fact that
these measures offer the most hopeful method of raising agricultural productivity in 50 to 60 per cent of the cultivated area of the country, which will not come under irrigation. For conservation measures on the lands of cultivators the extension agency has to pro- vide technical guidance and supervision and financial assistance, mainly in the form of loans. For soil conservation measures which are of collective benefit to a community such as control of erosion in the village common lands, raising of a fuel and fodder reserve for the village, etc., community effort has to be organised with the help of the best local leadership. Local institutions have to be developed so that the people can themselves undertake responsibility for these pro- grammes. As proposed in an earlier chapter, village panchayats should become responsible for soil conservation measures and for ensuring minimum standards of land management by individual cultivators. They should also receive such technical and financial assistance as may be needed.