FORESTS AND FOREST POLICY IN INDIA 51 Here also, the forest department has been influenced by the British forest policy. The programme of developing the fast-growing species is not only ruining the tribal economy but also destroying the eco-system and wild life. The Bastar forests in MP are an example of the destruction caused by such plantations. The rate at which the existing sal forests are being uprooted by the Forest Development Corporation, with the help of bulldozers, power-chained saws, power winches and trucks, is such that it is estimated that within the next 10-15 years the entire region would be devoid of forests. Pine trees, which are being planted in the place of sal trees, do not in any way improve the tribal economy. Rather, in the process, the tribals are reduced to mere wage-earners, at the mercy of industrialists.29 In fact, both in production forestry and social forestry, the emphasis is on fast-growing species for a number of reasons. First, these species serve the purpose of providing raw material to forest-based industries. Secondly, tlie forest department earns more revenue from them. For example, in 1975-76 the royalty received from industrial wood was Rs 127 crores as against Rs 20 crores from fuel-wood, including charcoal. The royalty received from bamboo was Rs 7.62 crores, while from grazing and fodder, it was only Rs 4.40 crores. The royalty from minor forest produce in the same year was Rs 103.94 crores.30 Both the area and money allocated for production forestry are more than for social forestry. The Hill-Region Annual Plan for 1978-79, for example, had proposed an area of 3000 ha for planting trees of economic and industrial importance. In this field, actual plantation has exceeded the target. The whole of the Terai belt is to be planted with eucalyptus and paper Melbury. No reference is made as to how this plantation programme would help the local inhabitants. Regarding the civil and Soyam forests, the plan prescribes that they should be taken over by the forest department for scientific development, for increasing revenue and potential forest wealth.31 How the local inhabitants would benefit from this scheme has not been explained. On the other band the social forestry programme that is being experimented with in the 120 acre forest land of Gopeshwar, with the active participation of the local people, has shown remarkable results.32 In fact, any forestry programme to be successful should take into account the needs and aspirations of the local people. Only when the local people are taken into confidence, their needs met and their active participation in the forest development ensured, can forestry develop in India. But this necessarily requires an attack on the interests of the capitalists who have been the major beneficiaries of the current forest policy. 1 FAO Forestry Paper, "Forestry for Local Community Development", Rome, 1978, pp 5-7.