RAIPUR: Thousands of trees are being felled in the dense forests of Abujhmad in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur as the administration feels helpless because the region still falls under the ‘unsurveyed area’ category.
For decades, the forested terrain remained insulated due to the Maoists’ dominance. Now for the first time, a formal land revenue survey is being conducted in this ‘unsurveyed’ region to establish land records.
The district administration admitted that trees are being felled as villagers have been practising shifting cultivation on a large scale. However, local sources revealed that the area, now open for the first time after the Maoists were eliminated, has triggered a chaotic race among people to claim ownership of forest lands.
“Abujhmad has remained an unsurveyed territory since Independence. Consequently, the forest department lacks a regular regulatory setup or permanent field staff stationed within the area. Revenue department is executing a land survey,” Narayanpur DFO Venkatesh M G told this newspaper.
After the liberation of this region from Maoist influence, administrative access has opened up. “We are closely monitoring the situation. Villagers stated they have been practising shifting cultivation, which results in the felling of trees. No outsiders will be allowed to grab or encroach forest land,” said Narayanpur collector Namrata Jain.
Environmentalists warned of devastating impact on ecology. “Abujhmad spans over 4,000 sq km and is recognised as a vital carbon sink and biodiversity hotspot. It is a habitat for rare wildlife,” said Nitin Singhvi, an environmentalist.