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Chapter 3: STUDY AREA
3.1. The Achanankmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve
The programme of Biosphere Reserve was initiated under the 'Man and
Biosphere' (MAB) programme by UNESCO in 1971. Biosphere Reserves are areas of
terrestrial and coastal ecosystems promoting solutions to reconcile the conservation of
biodiversity with its sustainable use. They are internationally recognized, nominated by
National Governments and remain under sovereign jurisdiction of the states where they
are located. Biosphere Reserves serve in some ways as 'living laboratories' for testing out
and demonstrating integrated management of land, water and biodiversity. The
Government of India has decided to designate the proposed Achanankmar-Amarkantak
area as a Biosphere Reserve. Given the considerable potential of NTFPs to contribute to
local livelihoods, there is a real need for: field-level research, synthesis and collection of
information on NTFPs, its dissemination in the form of practical guidelines for NTFP
identification, regeneration, extraction management, collection, processing, storage and
marketing, and training on technical issues, including silviculture, extraction
management, processing and marketing issues.
3.2 Location
Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve lies between 21 15 -22 58 north
latitude and 81 25 - 82 5 longitude. It is well connected by road from Bilaspur and
Raipur in Chhattisgarh and Anuppur and Pendra road railway station in Madhya Pradesh.
Pendra Road, Belgahana and Kota are in transition zone and transport can be arranged
from these areas also.
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Most of the area of the proposed Achanakmar- Amarkantak BR are either dense
or open or degraded and blank forest with rich biodiversity along with agriculture fields
in between. The reserve forest in the BR is about 66% of the total geographic area of the
BR. Zonation of proposed BR is determined on the basis of existing Indian Wildlife
Protection Act and no new restriction have been imposed. It is designed to integrate
knowledge on eco-geographical aspects, socio economics of local communities,
magnitude of biodiversity and categories of people who use it. The zonation where the
protected core zone, is surrounded by buffer zone makes clear the ecological and socio
economical independence between the areas.
A brief has been described below:
Study Area (AABR)
Block II
III
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Block I
a.
The core zone consisting of 55155.0 ha. is a protected forest under Lamni range,
Achanakmar range and Game range. It is most undisturbed with conserved habitat in
terms of vegetation and wildlife. Nearly 1460 species of flora belonging to 759 plant
genera and 374 species of fauna belonging to 256 genera are known and many species are
still to be taxonomically identified from this area. All the forestry operations including
collection of NTFP have been stopped by Government of India and State Government
from the core zone. Some forest living tribes inhabit in the core zone. Their population is
low and distributed sparsely from each other.
b. Buffer zone surrounds the core zone and consists of 28396.889 ha. It consists of protected
and reserve forests as well as small agricultural land in between, running water, small
temporary water Check dam, built up areas and scattered settlement.
c. Transition zone is the outermost area of the BR consisting of approximately
299999.111ha. It covers the buffer zone. It consists of reserve forests, managed forests,
agricultural land, builtup areas and settlements. Achanakmar-Amarkantak BR contains
418 revenue and forest villages. Of which, 396 villages exist in buffer and transition
zones. In all, about 4, 17,643 people live in the BR as per census 2001. Tribal population
residing in BR consists of 48.1% and schedule caste population is 8.46%. The literacy
rate is also only 26.48%. Inhabitants in these villages enjoy road transport, schooling,
horticulture, apiculture, sericulture, animal husbandry, fisheries, rural and khadi Village,
industry, irrigation, soil and water conservation etc. and Non-Governmental agencies like
World Wildlife Fund, etc.
d. The zonation also assists in further developing and promoting the concept that is possible
to have ecological integrity, sustains biodiversity and have integration rural and urban
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lifestyles while utilizing the natural resources in a responsible manner. The core region of
the BR is situated in Chhattisgarh state whereas the buffer and transition zones lie partly
both in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
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3.3 Biogeographical region
The BR falls in Indo-Malayan realm and Deccan Peninsula bio-geographic zone of
India. Achanakmar-Amarkantak BR falls in Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest Biomes. The
vegetation or forest types and subtypes met in proposed BR are: Tropical Moist
Deciduous Forests, subtype Northern Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests and Tropical Dry
Deciduous Forests; subtypes Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests.
Most of the rural inhabitants in BR are primitive forest dwelling tribes, whereas
people belonging to several other castes including tribal, populate the urban towns.
Paddy, wheat, maize, traditionally grown oil seeds, etc. are generally grown by these
inhabitants. Besides their traditional way of cultivation of rain-fed annual crop, they
depend on tropical moist to dry deciduous forests for fuel, food and medicines. They also
collect some Non Timber Forest Produce (NTFP) and sell the raw material either to the
traders at very nominal cost or to Minor Forest Produce Federation of Chhattisgarh and
Madhya Pradesh. Development projects on
habitat improvement, Infrastructure
development, village development, socio-economic upliftment, development of
communication, ecotourism, in-situ and ex-situ conservation of plant species, promotion
of non-conventional energy, promotion of activities for increasing crop production,
manure production and, social welfare activities, are financed to various Government
departments, Universities, Research Organization and Non-Governments Organization,
by Government of India as well as by maintaining their symbiotic and sustainable
livelihood. Projects on sanitation and habitat improvement of semi-urban areas, check
dam construction, drinking water facilities, encouragement of ecotourism, development
of interpretation centre, nature trail, development of tourism and irrigation, Project on
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other activities like eco-development schemes consisting of pasture and grassland
development, promotion of fuel wood and fodder species have been taken up by various
agencies in this area.
In village areas and extensive plantation on wasteland, enhanced techniques of
irrigation, biogas, vermincompost and other organic manure, various livelihood
opportunities like promotion to fisheries, mushroom cultivation, lac cultivation, tussar
cultivation, sustainable harvesting of NTFPs like mahua, mahul and honey, etc. have
been sanctioned by Government to BR management. State Apiculture department and
Horticulture department, Sericulture and Khadi and Gramodyog department (Government
of India) is providing training to the inhabitants of transition zone of BR and supports
them financially and technologically in wild silk production. Projects are also sanctioned
to various agencies for efforts to motivate inhabitants to grow tree species with
agriculture to meet thir own fuel requirements, encouraging biogas plants to minimize
fuel wood requirements, growing medicinal plant species of great demand to improve
their economic status and improvement in the chain of traders involved in NTFP trade,
helping to prevent habitat loss of many species besides improvement in the chain of
traders involved in NTFP trade of various threatened species existing in BR. Promotion
of ecotourism by developing landscape and wildlife sites, and educating local people to
act as guides are being helpful to provide employment to educated youth. Development
of basic infrastructure needed for efficient management include the construction of
patrolling camp, development of communication through wireless, electrification of some
of the remote areas by increasing the network of non-convention energy resources, etc.
all have been included on priority basis in the management plan of the BR.
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These zones encompass a variety of ecosystems. The Achanakmar Amarkantak
Biosphere Reserve is spread over an area of 383551.0 ha. in Deccan Peninsula
biogeographic zone of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh provinces of the country and
comprises of tropical moist deciduous to tropical dry deciduous forests. The topography
is varied from plain rice fields in Bilaspur and Anuppur districts and wheat fields in
Dindori district to the hills of Maikal ranges of Satpura. The topography in combination
with perennial streams and valleys has created micro-climatic condition in the area to
provide diverse environmental conditions, encouraging luxuriant growth of several
species of flora and fauna of economic value. The drainage system consists of three
major rivers viz. Narmada flowing towards West, Johilla and Sone rivers flowing towards
North of the BR. A water check dam viz. Khudiadam situated in the North-West of
Maniari River and many streams and seasonal rivers provide an excellent ecology for
many species of fishes, amphibians, reptiles and birds. The area has rich cultural heritage.
The earliest known inhabitants Baiga tribe of central India followed by others settled in
BR from eighteenth century and now distributed all over the areas. The population of
inhabitants is, however, relatively sparse.
The BR supports 275 rare flora and fauna along with conserved habitat of many
internationally important medicinal plants as well as macro fauna such as birds, tiger,
bison, sloth bear, etc. Twenty eight threatened species of flora and 55 threatened species
of fauna belonging to various groups inhabit in the BR. Their threatened status is
designated regionally as well as globally as per IUCN criteria version 2001. At least two
plant
species
viz.
1
species
of
lichen
Caloplaca
amarkantakana
(Family:
Teloschistaceae) and 1 species of angiosperm Bothrichloa grahamii (Family: Poaceae)
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are endemic to this region. Their global distribution is restricted. The pteridophyte ferns,
Adiantum capillus veneris, Lygodium flexuosum and angiosperm Clerodendrum, Acorus
calamus, Rauvolfia serpentine and Eulophia herbacea are endangered locally as well as
at regional level in the BR. There are a number of species, which are threatened, at risk or
endangered.
3.4 Human Population of Biosphere Reserve
Human population in core area of proposed BR varies year after year probably
due to temporary shifting of persons from one area to another area of core forest or to
nearby buffer or transition zone and occasionally outside BR in search of
employment/better opportunities. The number of persons in different villages of core
zone as per 2001 census is detailed below:
Table 1: Demographic details of core zone of Biosphere Reserve.
S.No.
Village
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
Achanajmar
Bindawal
Bankal
Bahaud
Bokrakachar
Sambhardhasan
Lamni
Tilaidabra
Kuba
Birarpani
Chhirhatta
Chhaparwa
Katami
Surhi
Jakadbandha
Jalda
Niwaskhar
Mahamai
Population
(Male)
263
356
71
101
48
25
314
92
27
35
37
181
317
306
226
89
252
303
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Population
(Female)
229
299
67
96
55
20
260
86
22
31
40
176
333
298
232
98
244
312
Total
population
492
655
138
197
103
45
574
178
49
66
77
357
650
604
458
187
496
615
19.
Bamhani
198
20.
Dagniya
247
21.
Rajak
160
22.
Ataria
205
Total population in Core
3853
zone
209
269
170
218
3764
407
516
330
423
7617
The population in other zones of the BR is as follows
Core Area:
7617 persons permanently
Buffer Zone: 956 persons permanently
Transition Area: 409070 persons permanently
There are 27 communities living in different zones in proposed BR. These
are Baiga, Gond, Dhanwar, Kol, Kanwar, oraon, Cgamar, Sais (Sartgi), Basore, Lonia,
Muslim, Sindhi, Brahmin, Rajput, Goswami, Baraith, Kalar, kumhar, Kewat, Nai, Ahir
(Raut), Panika, Sondhiya, Lohar, Sonar and Baniya. Among these, Oraon came from
Sarguja district and settled in BR in early eighties.
The major tribes residing in BR are Baiga, Gond, Kol, Kanwar, Pradhan and
Panka. The Baigas are primitive Dravidian tribe, who were in most primitive stage and
feared contact with the civilized men around 1860‘s. They use to collect food from forest
and use to kill wild animals for food. Thus, they are the most ancient, remarkable and
delightful oldest tribe of India. They migrated from eastern Satpura hills and settled in
proposed BR of Bilaspur district. They use to avoid tilling and ploughing due to their
rituals and believes, the baiga are dominant in population and ranked on the top among
the other tribal communities. Gonds have also their origin from Dravid culture. Gond of
core area are known by Pathare Gond and Singraulia Gond. They prefix ―Pathare‖ and
―Singraulia‖ to denote the place of migration. Pathare migrated from Mandla district
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whereas the Singraulia migrated from Singrauli of M.P. Their economy is largely
dependent on agricultural labour. Kols migrated to M.P. from Singhbhum district of
Jharkhand province. They also cultivate and engage themselves as agricultural labourer.
Kanwar refer to their origin to Mahabharata times. They constitute two types of families
i.e. single and joint family. Majority of them, live as single family. In village Katami.
They are land owning cultivators and prefer to join armed forces or engage in cultivation
of agricultural crops. Besides this, traders have also migrated from nearby areas. They are
now settled in some sub urban localities like Kota, Gorakhpur, Amarkantak in transition
zone, Oraons are also Dravidians tribe migrated from Chhota Nagpur, they are mobile/
traveler community with a tradition of ready acceptance of innovations. Amarkantak is
religious place for Hindus, Jains and Sikhs. Three rivers viz. Narmada river, Sone river
and Johilla emerge from this place. It is said that Adi Sankaracharya who was born in 788
AD, consecrated on the bank of river Narmada at Amarkantak. He founded Paraleshwar
or Surajkund from where the Narmada originates. Kalchuri Maharaja Karna Dev (10421072 AD) had constructed temple at Surajkund. It is a great pilgrim centre for Hindus.
Devotees from different states come throughout the year. Politically, Amarkantak is a
boundry between two states viz. Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and the areas towards
north and west to this place belong to Madhya Pradesh.
3.5 Bilogical Characteristics
The forest of the proposed Achanakmar-Amarkantak BR area is represented
by Tropical Deciduous Forests. It is grouped into Tropocal Moist Deciduous Forests sub
group- Northern Indian Moist Mixed Deciduous Forests. Sal is the dominant species in
valleys whereas the composition of forests in plateau and slope constitute mixed forests
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dominated by sal. The maximum area is covered by closed forest (212283.5 ha. 55.35%,)
open forest (17391 ha. 4.53%,) degraded forest (9414 ha. 2.45%) forest blank (3266
ha.0.85%) wastelands (5222 ha. 1.36%,) ravines (2391 ha. 0.62%) built up is (1092 ha.
0.28%,) agricultural area (130500 ha. 34.03%) land with or without scrub (2831 ha.
0.74%,) water bodies (3953 ha. 1.03%,) and others (840 ha. 0.21%,). Major residential
areas or settlements namely Kota, Khondri, Dindoiri, Amarkantak, Pendra road,
Karanjiya, Gorakhpur, Kabir, etc. are in transition zone whereas a few small forest
village like Rajki, Boirha and Sarasdol exist in buffer zone. Only a few village like
Achanakmar, Chhaparwa, Tilaidabra, Lamni with a population of 7617 persons live in
core area. The pastoral land is limited and hence human impact consists of cattle grazing,
traditional cultivation around village huts at certain localities.
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