Bamboo Tree- The queen of Forests

For more than 90 years Bamboo was recognised as a tree grown in forests .Recentlyby means of an ordnance from President of India this has been trmoved from the status of tree and considered as plant growing out side foret also so that it can be cultivated by farmers in places which are not forests.Thus the restriction to fell it hitherto by people was removed so as to enable anyone selling it legal. Thus it can be cultivated easily by farmers and make India more popular with Bamboo which is of high demand to use as even building material,for making plywood,toys,furniture and many more uses in business.This was expected to reduce import and promote production in places other than Forest. But one adverse fact that poachers can freely fell them without being caught was not taken into account.Similarly the use of Bamboo is manyfold.The Adivasis near forest area was using Bamboo tree as aclivekyhood for then as the paddylikesubstance available with grown up up Bamboos was as good as food.It can be used like rice to make porridge and sweet kheer .Once p Iusedeople outside forest start telling it as trees without legalvrestriction it was likely to affect the food habits of Adivasis hitherto available to them as Paddy.Besides the young bamboo can be used to make music instrument called flute very popular with Music.Even GodvSrikrishnavwasvbelieved to have used it as a music instrument to letbGopikasvknown his presence felt.Besides this legendary aspect,Bamboo was the only tree which was not affected during World war when Japan was Bombed at Hiroshima.This proves how strong was Bamboo as compared to other trees.Bamboo is also found in even villages in Kerala where the are used for enormous purposes like making mats,toys etc freely. The main businessin India,perhaps,most prominent in India is for the making of Agarbathis.The business is very prominent in south in Bangalore the IT capital now. At present,for Agarbathi manufacture Bamboo is being imported from Chine in bulk by tonnes and tons.25 tons of Bamboo sticks at the cost between 17-20 lakhs if imported will cost Rs75/- per kg.whn sold in India approximately at Rs110/- per kgprofitvmade is enormous by private parties.It needs containers.25 tonnes of Agarbathi sticks need a 40 feet contsiner.it takes 20 to 25 Days to reach India from China.Thus one could make 8 to 10lakhs profit in just 40 days with an investment just 18-20 lakhs. Now by derecogizing it as trees and reçognizing as grass or plants might spread a tendency to felling Bamboo trees in forests as it is not an offence any more.so the appearance of Bamboos in Forests would turn into rare as poachers and fellers would start working overtime as it is no more an offence. And planting and growing as envisaged while derecogizing would take time to complete the process .In the meantime the loss to Exchequer could be enormous. Bamboo is a toy for Adivasi boys and girls in different ways. Children has a very strange and Novel way of making leaves as theelcopters.What they do is wet thrir index finger by means of Saliva or waterAnd press on the leaf Leaf gets stuck on the finger and if run forward the leaf would like an Helicopter propeller. In shot to put it in a nut shell inorder to make a profitable business involving Bamboo it would appear to retain the status of Tree in the forest as well as outside in sorrounding areas and villages than derecogizing it as trees. The Government might like to reconsider the present dicision while converting the Ordnance into an act by the Parliament. SreedharanMundanat 15th of February 2018 Thrikkakkara ,India .