TURA: West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh has suggested providing a source of livelihood to Garo Hills farmers engaged in jhum cultivation to prevent further deforestation and preserve water catchment areas from the region.
Ram Singh made the suggestion during a Consultative Meeting on Rejuvenation of Ganol Catchment Plan with the Study Team representing KfW Germany in collaboration with District Administration, West Garo Hills which was held on Tuesday at Hotel Polo Orchid in Tura. The meeting was held in order to understand the plan and inputs for the development of Ganol Catchment and investment requirements.
Ram Singh spoke about the encroachment in the buffer zone of various catchment areas including the Nokrek Biosphere Reserve which may in future pose a risk to these reserves if these encroachment are not checked properly from now. He also informed that matters relating to this have been discussed earlier and preventive measures have also been taken but need to sensitize the people every now and then.
He also urged the related departments to provide a source of livelihood to these people to stop jhuming in these areas by providing agro-forestry or other means of livelihood such as tourism opportunities or other related activities. He requested the officials to visit and organized meeting or programs in these villages so that they can understand the ground realities and experience the kind of life they live.
Narendra Rathore, Consultant, KfW Germany, in his power point presentation showed the detail study of the Ganol Catchment area including people living near the catchment area, expansion of inhabitants to forest land, impact of climate change, degradation of natural resources amongst others. He also informed that the main objective of the meeting was to discuss and improve water availability and security for the people of the region by mainstreaming scientific approaches to facilitate sustainable catchment protection and community forest management.
During the meeting, President Nokma Council, Skylance G Momin informed that the Nokmas of A’king land are trying their best to preserve the catchment areas, but sometimes it is difficult to make the people understand about the effects of shifting cultivation especially near catchment areas which they practice for their living.
Various government departments comprising of Forest and Environment, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry, Water Resources, Public Health Engineering Department, Soil and Water Conservation, Tourism department also shared their numerous activities of the respective departments with regard to the protection and preservation of catchment areas in the region comprising of constructing of checked dams and water harvesting structures, contours, etc to retain water, regeneration of forest, springshed rejuvenation and groundwater recharge, etc.