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| July 24, 2000 | ||
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BASTAR, MADHYA
PRADESH The flowering of bamboo is a mixed blessing for tribals By N.K.Singh
But there's portentous news too. At the time of this 40-year phenomenon, the rodent population increases rapidly because of the easy availability of food. Once the seeds are gone, the vermin swarm into nearby fields and destroy crops and often famine follows. But, of course, this is a mixed blessing, for, as forest officer Alok Tiwari points out, the rodent is considered a local delicacy and a source of cheap protein. There's more bad news: fruiting leads to the destruction of groves because bamboo clumps dry up and die after this. The dry bamboo is susceptible to fire, necessitating its removal. The considerable leaf litter on the forest floor only increases the danger. Biologically, the regeneration of bamboo should be more vigorous after flowering because of the seed fall. But this is also the stage when the bamboo forests are most vulnerable. Moreover, there are culinary impediments in the way of regeneration. Young bamboo shoots make for a relished meal -- for man and beast alike -- and at the tribal haat (weekly market) people rush to buy the conical, pale yellow shoots. Cattle finish off whatever is left by human beings. So while food may be plenty, at least for a short duration, the death of bamboo is rightly associated with famine and deprivation. It takes almost 15 years for bamboo plants to reach maturity. Talking of bamboo as a source of nutrition may sound bizarre. But not in Bastar, where tribals depend on the bounty of jungle and the economy revolves around food-gathering. Nutrition is, of course, not the only value of bamboo, the strongest and most useful among grasses. "Without bamboos the villagers cannot survive," says M.N. Buch, former forest secretary of Madhya Pradesh. Indeed, for it is the basic roofing material, the structural frame on which thatch or tiles are laid. Split bamboo mats find use in mud-and-wattle construction, as partitions and sides of bullock carts, and for fencing and carpeting. Bamboos are also used as poles, shafts and pillars, and are commonly fashioned into fishing rods and yokes. And innovatively enough, hollow bamboo poles are useful for storing grain and oil and carrying water. The tribals also depend on the bamboo to augment their incomes. The tall grass is used for making baskets, weaving mats and for creating decorative items. And almost all scaffolding in India is made from bamboo. Ironically, the flowering of bamboo can be a boon to forest conservators. "The most important role played by bamboo is that of a soil binder, a retardant of monsoon flow, conservator of soil moisture and protector, which helps in natural regeneration of teak, sal and other species," explains Buch. And here is the once-in-40-year opportunity to garner bamboo seeds. The blooming bamboos of Bastar will yield 3,000 to 4,000 quintals of the rare seed. Forest departments in other parts of the country are willing to pay up to Rs 100 per kg for the seeds, which means the seeds lying in the forests of Bastar are worth Rs 400 crore. "Unfortunately, we lack manpower and money for as big an operation as collecting seeds," says R.D. Sharma, principal chief conservator of forests, Madhya Pradesh. Consequently, the department does not hope to gather more than 200 quintals of seeds. A pity, for a careful mopping operation could have helped a planned regeneration of massive swathes of bamboo. |
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The
normally verdant jungles of Bastar, the picturesque tribal hinterland of
central India, wore a new look this spring. The deep, dark green gave way
to creamy white, almost as if an unseen hand had scattered confetti in the
jungles. In a momentous event of natural extravagance the staid bamboo
groves, spread over some 3,000 hectares, came into bloom.
That's good news and bad news. The good
tidings first: the off-white blossoms, barely a centimetre in diameter,
herald bamboo fruiting and, therefore, an abundance of food. Somewhere
between barley and wheat in size, the tasty bamboo seeds contained in
spiky brown balls attract man, birds and rats alike. "We cook it like
rice and make roti from its flour as well," says Ratan Ram of Bali
Konta village.