Deforestation in great Aravalli Mountain Region of India
Causes of Deforestation
The process of deforestation just started after independence because of land reforms and the practice of
shifting cultivation in south Aravalli areas. After independence, Rajasthan was formed in the year 1956 by
the reorganisation of the princely states. Since then, the state experienced a great deal of development, in
line with 5 years plans, so the decade of the 1960s heralded different development activities, such as
irrigation projects, road construction, agricultural and residential expansion, population pressure etc. As a
result, the clearance of forests became a normal practice for settlements, roads, agriculture, land allotment
to landless people and other development work. The settlements have sprung up even in the heart of forest
areas particularly in south Aravalli. Forest is no longer the province of the tribal people. Even people from
the surrounding plains have migrated to the highly forested areas of Aravalli mountain region. To
summarise, it can be said that deforestation is caused by a combination of numerous of factors. It is
difficult to identify a single cause for it. The combined influence of economic pressure, population explosion,
cattle population and government policies have together precipitated the present alarming situation.
Figure 1.
Environmental Problems
Due to deforestation, a number of environmental problems occur; these have far reaching consequences.
The adverse impact of deforestation on rainfall pattern is a controversial issue. In the Great Aravalli
Mountain region, the decreasing levels of rainfall and rainy days is closely related to deforestation. The
increasing rate of soil erosion due to deforestation is another well-established phenomenon. The Great
Aravalli region is very prone to erosion under normal conditions, because of degraded oldest mountain of the
world. While forest cover prevents topsoil from direct rainfall, wind and heat, its root system withholds the
soil particles together. It is estimated that nearly 10,000 sq. km. of area is vulnerable to erosion and
deforestation has aggravated the problem. Deforestation also affects the ground water conditions.
Figure 2.
Vegetation cover regulates the surface runoff by holding a certain amount of water in the soil particles
around the root system; this water then gradually seeps down during the dry period. Once the forest is
cleared, the entire process is hampered. Rock outcrops due to soil erosion occur frequently on the slopes
and premature terraces have been formed by salutation reservoir. The Great Aravalli Mountain region has
undergone slow deforestation because of the widespread felling of the trees due to biotic interference,
mining, industrialisation, climatic changes and other direct or indirect factors. In the changes the degree of
deforestation is very drastic in forest reserve areas on hilly region. Up to 1960s the Aravalli hills had dense
forests and higher density of tree cover in the vast tracts of higher hills and deep valleys. However, massive
felling of trees, caused by the greed of human beings and increasing demand for timber, fuel, fodder etc.,
has caused severe strain on the Eco-system.
Remedial Steps
Unfortunately, the Great Aravalli mountains one of the most degraded hill ranges of the country have not
been considered fit for inclusion in the national programme for hill area development. A massive disorder in
the availability of even the basic resources like fuel, fodder, timber and water has taken place. It is
therefore, essential that a comprehensive strategy for the management and development of the environment
and physical resources of the Aravalli is evolved and implemented without any further loss of time.
Proposals for hill area development programme
The Aravalli hill people generally lead forest based life support system. For the revival of the rich forest
habitat in the barren areas, different afforestation schemes should be implemented on priority level. The
Eco-forestry and pasture economy should be the corner stone of hill area development. Special mention
may be made of a variety of horticultural development programmes, which may provide a great boost both to
the individual and to the regional economies. For the development of forest areas in Aravalli hill tract the
following programmes may be implemented (i) All measures should be taken for the protection,
maintenance and management of the notified forest areas in the form of actual forests. (ii) All those areas
where tribals and the hill people reside, should be provided with incentives to develop, maintain and manage
their own forest farms and get returns for subsistence from their agro-forests (iii) The orchards, gardens and
parks should be developed by involving the local people in and around the hill towns and tourist spots also.
(iv) The plantation of trees in and around the individual residences and at the common places should also
be encouraged to develop the green belts in the urban environs. (v) Besides the development and
maintenance of notified forest areas by the forest department all other areas including the wastelands
should be developed by the local people under afforestation programme in the hill areas under various
schemes. If the people are convinced then these programme will be a success.
The Land of Oldest Civilisation: The mountain range of Great Aravallis has been the birthplace of
the oldest civilisation of the world. During pre-historic period the tribals living were the most civilised than
their counter parts elsewhere. Even today the life style, costume and, socio-economic structures of these
people are far more advanced than the tribals living in any other parts of the world. These inhabitants knew
the economic importance of the forests thousands of years ago. The finest example of this is that they
treated the forest tree as a mode of exchange in the economic transaction. The main forest trees which
were used as a mode of exchange in economic transaction and security were mango (Mangifera indica),
Mahua (Madhuca indica), Tamarind (Tamarindus indica), Teak (Tectona grandis), Neem (Azadirachta),
Anwala (Phyllanthus emblica), Babul (Acacia nilotica) Shisham (Daibergia sisso), Tendu (Diospyros
cordifolia) etc.
