Global Warming Not Slow
Jhum practice in state contributing in extreme environment changes
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: December 11, 2009 -

Despite recent fluctuations in global temperature year to year, which fueled claims of global cooling, a sustained global warming trend shows no signs of ending, according to new analysis by the World Meteorological Organization made public recently.

The Copenhagen climate summit also predicted "absolute devastation of millions of people in the years to come if the current trend of global warming is checked. Manipur also not left in the contribution of global warming with shifting cultivation (jhuming practice) which is directly linked with deforestation, as one of the main causes for extreme weather changes in the state despite steps being taken to wean the practices of the same by the state forest department.

Environmentalists' projects increased of landslides, flooding in Manipur and other north eastern states by the impact of global warming. Forest department of Manipur has been implementing various projects/schemes for the aforestation and regain forest coverage of the state.

No physical fruitful result has been seen in the efforts of the forest department as increase in the practice of shifting cultivation in the hill areas which is directly related with the reduction of forest cover area in the state has been observed in the last few years. A report of the state forest department indicating gaining of forest cover in its reporting period seems to lack ground reality.

Analysis reports of the state environment and ecology office observed that the total forest area covers about 67.7% of the geographical area of Manipur. In 1990, it was 17,679 sq. km that is about 79% of the total geographical area of the state.

While it was 17,558 sq km in 1995, the total geographical area dropped to 17,418 sq km in 1997. Out of this only 22.11% represents the dense or true forest and the rest are designated as 'scrub' or grassland dominated areas which in the true sense can hardly be regarded as forest.

The reasons for the fast reduction of the forest areas in the state are particularly the burning of the forest (99%) for shifting cultivation (jhuming practice) and hunting of animals whereas felling of trees by the local people for fuel wood hardly constitute 1% of the cause of forest removal in the geographical area of Manipur.

More than 83 thousand families are reportedly practicing the shifting cultivation or jhuming in the state which covers vast areas of forests of Manipur. The total area under jhum cultivation was around 1,832 square kilometer in 1976 which gradually increased to 3,600 sq.km in 1983 and 4,905 sq.km. by 1990, according to reports of FSI and NRSA.

Although the impact of jhuming are not felt by the masses for lack of awareness, it is evident that jhuming/deforestation is leading to a number of ecological catastrophes like frequent occurrence of landslides and mudslides in the hills of Manipur and causing major health hazards to the people of the state in particular and the north eastern region as a whole.

While discussing the issues of global warming and climate change in India, it has been projected that landslides, flooding at Assam and north eastern states of the country are due to the disturbance in the environmental conditions.

It can be mentioned that the state has been experiencing flash floods, mudslides, soil and land degradation and loss of fertile top soil as regular happenings in the rainy season every year.

Manipur is not left behind by the natural calamity. The drought faced by state this year could be treated as warning to the people on the impact of global warming.

Forests are the abode for many wild big and small animals and when jhum cultivation takes place many animals are killed and others are driven out from their habitats causing great decrease in their population. It also affects the food chain in nature. This endangers the lives of some rare species of animals and plants.

As an example, Hornbill and Slow Loris were once seen abundantly in the reserved forest of Khamlang village but now they have vanished and remain only in name.