OTHER DEPARTMENTS

FOREST DEPARTMENT

Organisation.

Forest department is headed by the Chief Conservator of Forests with his headquarters at Poona. The whole State is divided into six circles for administrative purpose. The circles are—

Each circle is headed by a Conservator of Forests who has under him Divisional Forest Officers and Sub-divisional Forest Officers to look after administration and management of Divisions and Sub-divisions, respectively.

The Divisions are divided into Sub-divisions which are further divided into Ranges, each placed in charge of a Range Forest Officer. Ranges are further sub-divided into Rounds and, Rounds into Beats managed by Round Officers and Beat Guards, respectively.

In so far as the forest administration is concerned, Sangli district comes under the administrative charge of Satara Division which falls in Poona circle. The Divisional Forest Officer. Satara, is responsible for the forest administration of Sangli district.

As compared to other districts of the State, Sangli is poorer in forest resources. The area under forest in charge of Forest department is as under:

The district's forest resources being very meagre, annual stocking of forest, production of both timber and fuelwood and annual revenue yield are consequently poor.

Forests in Sangli district can be conveniently classified into four groups viz., (1) Evergreen forests of the Sahyadris, (2) Wet and dry deciduous forests on the slopes of hills that run east and form the catchment area of Varna river, (3) Forests with bushy and stunted tree growth on the hills to the east of Krishna and (4) Grassy areas with sparse tree growth in Jath taluka.

These forest areas are divided into three ranges viz., Karad range which includes Walva, Tasgaon, Khanapur talukas and a part of Shirala mahal (Shirala round), Dhebewadi which includes' other parts of Shirala mahal (Panumbra round) and Jath. which includes Jath forests.

Demarcation.

Forest areas in Tasgaon, Khanapur, Walva talukas and^: Shirala mahal belong to old Satara Division and still continue to remain with it. These are classed as reserved forests and are demarcated with cairns. After the merger of Jath State, forest areas in Jath were included in Bagalkot division but were subsequently transferred to Satara Division (1-9-1956). These are also declared as reserved forests but have not so far been demarcated. Forests in Atpadi mahal of the old Aundh State were also declared as reserved forests under Indian Forests Act. 1927. There was no scientific management till its transfer to forest department in 1954-55. Uptill 1953-54 these were managed by the Revenue department which also collected the revenue yield of these forests. These forest areas also have not been demarcated.

An area of 183.072 hect. (452 acres 38 gunthas) of Dandoba hills comprising Bhose, Kharsing, and Khande Rajuri villages of Kavathe Mahankal Mahal were transferred to Forest department for afforestation on condition that it shall revert to Revenue department if no longer required for the purpose for which it is transferred. Of this an area of only 105.218 hect. (260 acres) has been brought under afforestation. It has been proposed to transfer the remaining area to the Revenue department as it mainly consists of agricultural land.

Exploitation.

Accessible forests are exploited as per the prescription of the working plans. Those forest areas lying in the extreme West of Shirala Mahal are inaccessible and hence have so far not been exploited. Islampur by virtue of its central location is the principal market for the forest produce of Sangli district.

Wild Animals.

In Sangli district forests arc mostly confined to Western portion of Shirala Mahal and wild animals are met within these areas. To preserve wild life shooting of wild animals and bird's is licensed and to regulate this shooting blocks are created. The list of shooting blocks is published by Conservator of Forests in State Gauzette annually. Shooting in reserved forests is controlled and regulated by issue of permits for 15 days or one month by Divisional Forests Officer with the approval of the Chief Conservator of Forests.

TOP