SHILLONG: Rubber plantation can go a long way in solving the perennial problem of unemployment in Meghalaya as the State has a tremendous potential when it comes to rubber plantation.
Most of the rubber in the State is grown in Garo Hills, and realizing the bright prospects in rubber cultivation, now a large portion of the population in the Garo Hills is venturing into rubber plantation. Currently, caoutchouc, or natural rubber, is harvested mainly in the form of latex from certain trees.
The latex is a sticky, milky substance drawn off by making incisions into the bark and collecting the fluid in vessels in a process called “tapping”. The latex then is refined into rubber ready for commercial processing. Although the plantation of rubber hampers the ecology as well as cause destruction to the environment.
Former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests of Meghalaya VK Nautiyal while speaking to media persons recently said that plantation of rubber should be done in a non-fertile soil, especially where there is no chance for other trees or alternate vegetation to come up.
He however believes that rubber plantation is a labour intensified job which will give employment to the people but again cutting down valuable natural eco system to plant rubber should not be allowed.
Asserting that timber smuggling along the border areas is of great concern, he said that rubber is such plant whose timber is not smuggled even as he did not rule out plantation of rubber at the Interstate as well as International border.
The former PCCF said since rubber is not commercially viable tree spices so no criminals will cut rubber tree and take it.
Citing an example of other crops grown at the border, VK Nautiyal said that criminals from across the border often illegally steals the timber of the trees in the border areas and even the enforcement staff finds it difficult to check such activities.
Although the North Eastern Region lies far outside the traditional rubber growing zone, the agro-climatic conditions obtained here are unique in as much as near tropical features are experienced in most parts owing to low elevations, exposure to monsoons and other moderating influences.