"In mid-1960s, there was a time when people were dying due to starvation after the drought in 1965. A place named Bijakhaman (Bija is a tuber plant) in Komna block of Nuapada in Odisha provided food to a lot of villagers."
"People from the nearby villages daily collected tubers from the forest and survived the severe drought. Up to five-feet long tubers were loaded on bullock carts and transported to villages to save many lives."
"But, with time the forest department took complete control over those forests. Cutting of all those plants that once saved many lives was followed by burning down the area to clear it for plantation. Today you can’t find any of those tubers there!"
"Following silviculture, teak has been planted all over. Because of which not only has the food security been impacted, but the domestic animals also get no fodder. Local villagers have failed to benefit from the teak plantations."
Writes @sunanichinmaya for Gaon Connection
Writes @sunanichinmaya for Gaon Connection
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