An Article from Hindustan Times " preserving ecology, Karauli villagers' way "                                      Back
CONSERVATION ISSUES  Lopping, pollarding and felling of  trees and excessive grazing in the past have severely affected the health of the  forest. Poaching had thinned the animal densityThe Sanctuary needs strict protection from  illegal exploi -tation and intensive habitat  restoration. These steps have been initiated since 1991 when  the  area   was  brought  under Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve.
Peoples participating in Kulhadi Bandh Panchayat
CHANGE PROCESS -   People's participation for Bio diversity conservation
The sheep migration from western parts of Raj. have adverse impact on  the   sanctuaryand  on  the  people living inside P.A. nearly  3 lakhs of sheep migrate from western part of  Raj. to Karauli  District  and these are allowed to graze in  the forest  area near  by sanctuary. Some   times  these sheep invade in  the sanctuary also and exert an acute grazing  pressure on P.A. as well  as  encroach  upon  the pasture  land of the villagers.  Beside they also compete  with the local livbe stock for limited amount of fodder available. Some times they  invade in   agriculture  fields and  damaged the crops. This made people enoyed with these sheep and to keep these sheep away  from  P.A. They  gathered   to  protest  against  the  sheep migration through  this   area. There  was  a  movement  managed  as " Bhed Bhagao abhiyan" ( to keep sheep away) to open the eyes of human. Although due to political forces in the state movement failed at that time but this event induced the   awareness  of  conservation  in the local  people. In 1991 the area came under the Ranthambhore tiger reserve. In 1995 sheep migration through P.A.   was effectively  checked  by  sanctuary management.  Local people got benefited in terms of their cattle  getting  reduced   competition for  grazing  in  fields. Sanctuary  management   encash  the  situation  and motivate the local  people for   protection of  the habitat. People started to cooperate with the management in the issues of  conservation by  coming together under the banner of  " KULHARI BAND PANCHAYAT  " ( an organisation  for voluntary  Ban on   axe  carrying  into jungle. they formed some rules for KULHARI BAND PANCHAYAT.

RULES OF KULHARI BAND PANCHAYAT.

1.      No one will carry axe into jungle.

2.      No one will cut any tree

3.      If someone found guilty, he will be punished by Rs. 500 as penalty  or as K.B.P. decides.


4.      If a member of Panchayat does not  attend the   proceedings  of panchayat, he will be liable to pay Rs. 21.00 as penalty amount.

5.      If an offender is not manageable by K.B.P., Panchayat is bounded to hand him over to Forest authority who internally will bring him to books.
PROCEDURE - The meeting of K.B.P. is called when there is an issue regarding   conservation  by  K.B.P. head. He sends   message  to  concerned members  of different  villages or  hamlets  for meeting  coding date and time. Forest officials also  join  the meetings.

RESULTS

    The   result   of   people's   participation   in   conservation   are precipitating in the better health of forest. lopping  of  the trees is a rare incidence now a day  and  crown  of   trees  is   getting shape. Support from the local  people  steady improved  from a position of apparent neutrally  to   one of  some  time  taking the initiative  in  the   assisting  the  sanctuary  management  in reducing    illegal activities.   Perhaps a  key  feature  in this  acceptance  was  the  high  level   of  awareness among  the  surrounding   communities that  fodder    and  firewood are becoming  significantly harder to find and now by stopping lopping  Dhok  ( A. pendula )  leaves are available for whole year on ground to graze on.