“Grazing Business Shrinking the Potential
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1 A GENERAL ARTICLE “GRAZING BUSINESS SHRINKING THE POTENTIAL TIGER RESERVE” ! “ALARMING STORY OF “LIVESOTOCK-GRAZING-BUSINESS” IN FORTHCOMING MM HILLS TIGER RESERVE” Massive commercial exploitation of vast wild life expanse of MM Hills & adjoining forest reserves for livestock grazing is deteriorating the most promising territorial jurisdiction of Tigers and prey population of ungulates leading to degradation of the existing forests and outstanding wild life habitat. A K Singh Nearly 21 percent of Karnataka‟s forest area is affected by livestock grazing ( FSI 1995). Nearly 54% of the forest area of one of the most promising forthcoming MM Hills Tiger Reserve experiences grazing incidence causing severe degradation of the forests and deterioration of wild life habitat. The livestock population in Karnataka as per 1997 census is 45.5 million. It is at its zenith and is going on beyond carrying capacity of adjoining forest reserves contiguous to rural areas due to multiple business & purely commercial reasons. Farmer‟s dependence on the livestock for manure, agricultural cultivation & small scale business operations are on the rise. Use of cattle for agriculture operations and transport, livestock as a source of income generation, cattle farming as main occupation, livestock farming as insurance against crop failures and drought. Grazing and browsing by domestic cattle, goat, sheep is in its full swing in forests areas of MM Hills. Uncontrolled grazing in forests, often beyond their carrying capacity by livestock has adversely affected the regeneration status and quality as well as growing stock of our forests. Over grazing also affects soil properties adversely. The negative impact on soil include formation of small gullies, loss of top soil, compaction of soil and reduction of porosity. The cattle population has increased by 65 percent from 1990 to 2011, whereas during the same period, the population of buffaloes has increased by 60 percent and that of goats by 35 percent. Pressure on MM Hills Tiger Reserve has increased since the gomal lands, traditionally reserved for grazing are also being put to use other than forestry. A sizeable portion of the fodder requirement is met by free grazing in the forests and this activity is no more a source of livelihood for many poor families but has grown into deadly livestock busines s for vested commercial interests. Nearly 14 percent of the rural population are landless laborers who in the non agricultural season earn their livelihood by grazing livestock in the forests. Latest state of forests report of the Forest Survey nearly 32 percent of the requirement indicating very of India hints at the actual forest cover of India high dependence of livestock on the forests. which is 19.27% of the geographic area, corresponding to 63.3 million ha. Only 38 million ha of forests are well stocked (crown density above 40%). This resource has to meet the demand of a population of 950 million people and around 450 million cattle. As such, country has to meet the needs of 16% of the world's population from 1% of the world forest resources. The same forest has also to cater for the 19% of the world cattle population. The forests of the country are therefore, under tremendous pressure. Forest fires are a major cause of degradation of India's forests. While statistical data on fire loss are weak, it is estimated that the proportion of forest areas prone to forest fires However as per the carrying capacity of the forests annually ranges from 33% in some states to over in Karnataka only about 1.3 million cows can be 90% in other. About 90% of the forest fires in India allowed to graze, which indicates the gravity of the are created by humans. Out of the 95 million tons of situation. Moreover to promote growth of grass, green fodder available in the state of Karnataka, 30 farmers set fire to the forests. This results in million tons are from forest alone accounting for general degradation of forests including reduction of 2 palatable grass species. Ecosystem is comprised of wealthy people. Their face is never seen and they different food chain. Solar energy trapped by belong to most of the case from across the borders photosynthesis is passed through various species to of Tamilnadu and Kerala. They engage very poor reach the top predators. Energy trapped from crops families to work in the pens. They are engaged as is supposed to reach man and that trapped from bonded laborers. An unwritten agreement is made grass and trees of forest to large cats and lions. But between Cattle Pen owner and poor innocent people man has hijacked all the food chain and has reached usually in a temple to bind and blackmail them. Poor top of all the food chain.Cattle pens have become people getting in to agreement rarely walk away from threat to wild life survival. It is a multi million dollar their terms & conditions. They are hardly paid Rs business in disguise. A clandestine modus operandi 50000 a year for a group of 4 persons viz., family to plunder upon forest wealth. It is very difficult to head, wife, aged parent and teenage kids. Children of trace the Cattle Pen owners as they never visit the Cattle Pen labor family never go to school. They get pens but they mastermind the channels of profits to educated to live in forest and go unaware of what is their door steps routinely. going on around the world. Health and hygiene of Livestock Business Enterprise: such poor people are pathetic. They depend on local Approximately more than 50 cattle pens ( Danin health traditions for their various ailments and the Doddi ) are operating around Cauvery wild life treatments. sanctuary alone. And there must be around more Cattle Pen Livelihood: than 200 pens in and around MM Hills Forest Cattle Pen owners provide ration once in 2 months Reserves. In MM Hills WL Range only 3000 cattle to pen laborers. Package includes rice, ragi, jaggary & 10000 goat/sheep roam around on daily basis like from amongst 15 Cattle Pens for example at Tokli doddi, Metteri doddi Karadi kal doddi, Bankobe doddi, Adipalar doddi, Jamboot doddi, Abkampatti, Mail doddi, Erkeyam doddi, Biligundlu doddi cattle grazing business is rampant in and around protected areas. In Kanakapura WL Range alone more than 20 Cattle Pens operate consisting of 20000 cattle heads for example at Madivala doddi. Basavanakada Doddi. In Hanur WL Range 50 cattle pens having 15000 livestock for example at Junjilnatha doddi, and Beetle leaves. Cattle Pen owners receive butter and ghee in exchange during delivery of package. Laborers may get Rs 50- 100 bucks as tips if they give good news of more new born calves. Cattle pen laborers live in thatched huts made of fuel wood and firewood withdrawn from forest reserves. Cattle Pen Business: Livestock laborers move deep inside forest and select a place usually near perennial water source areas. They clear forest and use the cut and lopped trees as fence. They construct a secure calf care area inside that fence using bamboo. They live in Hookunda, Madigudinatha, Ankolgulinatha, thatched huts which has no doors and windows. Holayanaholadoddi. Cowdalli WL Range 25 cattle Their valuables are usually buried in secret place pens with more than 10000 livestock population for somewhere in forests. They collect fire wood and example at Segurhalla doddi, Tagartala doddi, establish a choolah and the cattle pens easily made Thallatinatha, Devnattinatha doddi, uganya doddi. ready within no time. Cattle is usually moved from Cattle pens are owned by highly influential and one location to other usually during nights to escape 3 from the clutches of forest officials. Some are bribed It is not an easy task to drive away cattle pen or threatened by owners and are made to keep quite from inside the forests. As cattle pen laborers hide by influential local politicians. and run away when forest officials visit them. It is Breeding and Care of Calves: Livestock laborers difficult to catch the cattle as they are very ferocious take away a little amount of milk from each cow and and wild. It is also not possible to carry calves as they have to be carried till far roads. Even if cattle pens are driven away from inside the forests they reestablish in fringe area of forest and again start using the forest for grazing. They again move inside after waiting for few days. Business Profits : Each doddi owner has to invest as follows to own prepare food. Rest is left to calves. Calves are There are almost 39 Cattle Pens around the Cauvery Wild Life Sanctuary in 56 villages. restricted inside pens and adult cows, sheep and goats are let free inside forest to graze throughout the day. If any cattle is killed by any wild animal cattle pen laborers usually poison the carcass to avoid further such kill. They also kindle fire in forest to get new flush of grass. Cattle pens are also used by poachers as they get any time shelter, food and information about movement of big mammals and carnivores specifically tigers and leopards. Mukruti, one cattle pen. Returns to doddi owners. Bandipur, BR Hills, Kollegal & MM Hills region of Now doddi owner usually dont invest even a single the landscape covers adjacent and immediate forest penny for the entire stock of cattle pen for area of 39,000 Km2 which has the highest potential9 subsequent years. Price of each cattle head goes up for long term tiger conservation.Though the forest & to Rs 50000 based on their build and mulching wild life landscape towards north are upcoming capacity. Most of the cattle are non mulching and nurturing breeding grounds which need protection they are used only for production of cowdung and and prey restoration to bolster tiger spill out in the selling their beef.