Indravati, and the entire Bastar district, has some of Central India's finest mixed, moist and dry deciduous tiger forests. The Bastar district has a rich variety of plant species, with teak, sal, bamboo, semal, tendu, ber, jamun and mahua. Several grasses such as chir, salai, dule and khas provide tremendous fodder potential for herbivores. The main prey species are chital, sambar, nilgai, barking deer, chausingha, mouse deer, wild boar, peacock, hare, gaur and wild buffalo.
The vast forests of Bastar were always looked upon as an inexhaustible source of revenue by successive administrations. The first restrictions on extraction of timber and other produce from the forests were imposed in 1887. This greatly benefitted thousands of tribal people in the Indravati river valley who have always been an integral part of the forest. The Madia Gonds predominate, though there are several other tribes in the area, such as the Murias, Dorlas, Telanganas and Halbas. Outsiders have historically exploited these tribes and so they justifiably look with suspicion on strangers, especially government officials. Exploitation has also encouraged armed violence by Naxalites.
Dr. Prakash Amte has been working with adivasi communities in the Bhamragarh forests of the neighbouring Gadchiroli district on the Maharashtra side of the Indravati river for several years now. As well as providing medical relief and education to tribals, Prakash and his team have succeeded in reducing the hunting of wild animals by the tribals, mainly because they now practice settled agriculture and are paid higher wages. However, outside poachers pay locals and thus continue their nefarious activities. Amte reports that while a healthy leopard population exists, tigers appear to have dwindled. Sightings of tigers are now very rare and even pugmarks are few and far between. Clearly, the status of the tiger in Indravati is precarious and immediate action is necessary to ensure that local extinction is avoided.
As if the forests did not have enough problems to contend with, the government has plans for at least seven hydroelectric projects across the Indravati river, namely Bodhghat, Indra Sarovar, Bhopalpatnam, Inchampalli, Kutru I and II, Nugur I and II. Not only will these dams submerge vast tracts of forest, they will also displace thousands of tribals, who will be forced to shift to the tiger reserve area. This will further strain the carrying capacity of an already beleaguered forest. The cumulative effect of all these projects will be to destroy the Indravati Tiger Reserve, and its riverine ecology. Attempts are being made to revive the Bodhghat project in particular, even though it was found to be economically unviable.
The forests of Bastar help regulate the subcontinent's climate. It is suicidal to contemplate their destruction by government policy. Protecting tigers would have the effect of protecting the nation's water security as the forest is the source of fresh water.
If the government permanently shelves plans for large-scale hydroelectric projects on the Indravati, and opts instead for small-scale, non-destructive hydel schemes and watershed development to meet power and irrigation wants, the resultant ecological and social development will probably put an end to Naxal violence as well.
Write a letter explaining why it is so important to preserve these areas.
 To help Dr. Prakash Amte to defend the Indravati forests, contact:
Lok Biradari Prakalp,
Hemalkasa,
PO Bhamragarh,
Dist. Gadchiroli - 442703.
Tel: (07134) 20001.
Donations can be sent in favour of:
Maharogi Sewa Samiti,
Post Anandwan, via Warora, 442914,
Dist. Chandrapur, Maharashtra.
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