AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

FORESTS

Forests are classified as reserved and protected. The former can be said to occupy nearly three-fourths of the total area under forest in the district. The Forest and the Revenue Departments of the State Government exercise control over the respective forests in their charge. More than eighty-five per cent of the area under forest is in charge of the Forest Department. Excluding a very small part the entire reserved forest is controlled by the Forest Department. The dual control over forest has created obstacles in the effective maintenance and proper development of afforestation by the Government. Naturally, the Government are anxious to reduce the area under forest with the Revenue Department and transfer the same to the Forest Department. The following table gives the distribution of reserved and protected forest with the different departments on 31-3-1957:—

TABLE No. 12

FOREST AREA IN KOLABA DISTRICT (IN ACRES)

Forest Products.

Forest in charge of the Revenue Department comprises the minor forest produce of which grass forms an important item, while that in charge of the Forest Department produces by large the major forest produce consisting of valuable timber, in the main part, and fuel, tanning material, etc., among other items. The following table shows taluka-wise distribution of the total forest area in the district, in 1958-59.

TABLE No. 13

DISTRIBUTION OF FOREST AREA IN KOLABA DISTRICT (1958-59)

(IN ACRES)

TOP