Re: [mpisgmedia] [aside] 2000 cr bio-diesel project (2 lakh Ha forestland + 2 lakh Ha wasteland)

Wasteland or wasted land?

Reclaiming wasteland is yet to appear on the radar of India Inc

Sunil kumar
URL: http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=80466


Land is a scarce commodity. Yet India is fraught with wasteland. What
essentially is required for reclaimation of wasteland is technology and
resources. "But unfortunately, barring a few corporates, the idea hasn't hit
India Inc," rues Vijay K Sardana, executive director, Society for Promotion
of Wastelands Development (SPWD). "The paper industry is one the few
industries that has shown some interest, though for a purely business
reason," he adds. Ballarpur Industries Ltd (BILT), ITC Bhadrachalam and
Mysore Paper Mills are among them. BILT under its social forestry programme
has been growing eucluptus, casurina, acacia and subabool on wasteland in
some parts of India to meet its need for pulp.

The industry, in fact, has been demanding to be allowed to use degraded
forest land for the purpose. "India aims at 33% forest cover. Currently, we
have about 20% area under forest. Even out of this, only 10% is good forest
while the rest is forest with less than 10% crown cover. If we are allowed
to grow plantation on degraded forest and forest wasteland, it will be a
win-win situation for all. We can source our raw material from it and it
will also provide the green cover," says R R Vederah, deputy managing
director, BILT. "Not only that, it will throw open huge employment
opportunities for the people of the area, as plantation is a
labour-intensive activity. It will provide jobs to both men and women in
nurseries and allied areas. It will open opportunities for other agro-based
cottage industry as well. More importantly, it will supply firewood," he
adds.

However, there's a catch. The industry insists on degraded forest land and
forest wasteland and not just any wasteland. And that is not acceptable to
the government, NGOs or environmentalists. The ministry of forests has
categorically denied permission.

"Reclaiming wasteland is never on the agenda of the industry. All that they
want is forest land for commercial purpose," says an official of SPWD.

However, Mr Vederah defends himself and the industry. "We have to look at
the logistics and the economy of the business. We are only asking for land
within the radius of 200 km of our manufacturing units. Sourcing raw
material from beyond that is costly and uncompetitive in these days of
globalisation. Further, it will not be viable for us to undertake the
exercise on fragmented lands as it needs huge resources," he says.

To be fair to the paper manufacturers, or for that matter to other
industries, sourcing wasteland other than forest land is a tough task
indeed. "Land is a state subject and different states have different
policies and approach to the issue. We have been encouraging states to
involve the private sector in reclaimation but things haven't really taken
any shape," says an official from the department of land resources, ministry
of rural development. "Further, wasteland are highly fragmented and any land
worth anything is encroached upon. Some are also under litigation.
Understandably, corporates are not keen on wasteland. Unless states offer
support, incentives and long-term leases, it makes a difficult proposition
for the corporates," he adds.

In fact, the ministry of rural development had introduced a special scheme
in 1994-95 offering grants and subsidies to all the parties involved —
landowners, farmers, corporates and financial institutions — for the
development of wasteland. The offer was revised in 1998, increasing the
incentives. But with a dismally poor response, the scheme was discontinued
in 2003-04.

Reclamation of wasteland needs to be undertaken in various steps. "First we
need to analyse what constitute a wasteland," says V Prakash, director,
Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI). "Often these are
lands that have turned saline or acidic due to improper use of water or
fertilisers over a number of years. Water deficient areas and soil types too
play a major role. But many a time, land is also branded as wasteland for
some reason and left idle for years and generations," adds Mr Prakash.

According to him, proper mapping of wastelands and going into the history of
the land is the first step towards reclamation. "One must find out since
when the land is lying waste, what grew there before and the factors that
made it wasteland," he says. Though there is an atlas detailing India's
wasteland, experts point out it is not sufficient or reliable. The figures
differ vastly, depending on the agency sourcing from. Again, there is no
uniform policy and the criteria defining wasteland differ throughout India.
"Remote-sensing mapping is fine to the extent that it gives an idea of the
green coverage. But we need that proper last mile mapping if we are to
reclaim it. Neighbourhood mapping with active participation from corporates
could be the first step to go," says an SPWD official.

SPWD has been analysing wastelands across the country. The society is also
organising a fair from February 17 to 19 in Delhi to solicit participation
from corporates and workers in wasteland development.

"MNCs like Pepsi are also jumping into agro-business like food processing in
a big way. While today, they are entering into tie-ups with farmers to
source the produce, who in turn devote the best of the agri-land to cater to
the MNCs' need, MNCs as a part of their corporate social responsibility can
take up the development of wastelands, which will be mutually beneficial,"
says Mr Sardana. "Biotechnology may also have a role to play. As of now,
biotech companies have ignored developing something to suit the wasteland,"
says Mr Prakash.



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