Prof. (Dr.) R.D. Gupta
If our forests are in peril, so are the grasslands. However, this problem is not new, especially in our country. A survey conducted about 50 years ago, classified 80 per cent of India’s grasslands as very poor in forage production. But it is a great pity that still there are no concrete strategies on the grasslands management. This as a result is playing a havoc with the biodiversity they support.
Biodiversity, which refers to an assemblage of various life forms, has now been acknowledged as the foundation for sustainable livelihood and food security. The threat to Biodiversity is attributed to dwindling or shrinking of the forests and grasslands. The fate of several globally endangered species has been threatened by dwindling the grasslands in Assam, Uttrakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Now Assam has almost no natural grasslands of any significance for conserving and sustaining the wildlife. In the first ever World Wide Fund Survey of grasslands in the North Cacher Hills, Hermen and Barak Valley, it was found that grasslands cover less than 2 per cent of the total geographical area. This has adversely affected the biodiversity of the region. Rich elephant grass jungle once used to exist in the flood plains of main rivers in Barak Valley but now it has totally vanished. During the survey, the globally endangered wild water buffalo was sighted in Barak Valley for the first time. The swamp deer and Bengal florican, which once thrived in the valley are now locally extinct.
The green fields in the hills and mountains of Uttrakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir which, once acted as pastures especially during rainy and spring seasons have now very much deteriorated due to their overgrazing. This has resulted in reduction of various wildlife species vis-à-vis various kinds of plant species. In Jammu and Kashmir loss of pastures in hills and mountains, have reduced a number of birds like crow, peacock, quail and vultures. Similar is the fate of reptiles and amphibians. Tigers, pigs, blue bulls, deer and varieties of other animals and birds also once inhabited the grasslands and forests of Jammu Siwalik hills known as Kandi belt, is now almost free from such species.
The grasslands above tree line in Paddar, popularly known as Shepherds Mountains, have greatly damaged the flora and fauna of the area due to heavy extraction of timber and overgrazing of the pastures. These alpine meadows in this area are considered of much economic importance as they provide nutritious grasses to migratory sheep and goats of Gaddis and Bakerwal of Jammu and Kashmir and adjoining state of Himachal Pradesh.
The lush green pastures existing in nearby places of Bani (Kathua district) like Sarthal, Duggan, Banjal, Chattar Dha, Lawang were once very famous for a number of grass species, multicoloured flowers as well as juniper and conifer forests. However, these meadows are now at stake due to becoming an abode of Gujjars, Gaddis and farmers especially during May to September. Dhars and Advarhs (High altitudes and mountain pastures), which are usually allotted by the Administration to a particular Zaminder, where only cattle can graze during summer for a fixed revenue found mostly in Doda district provide various herbs for medicines. These herbs are Rasaunt (Berberis vulgaris), Bunasfsha (Viola serpens), Kuth (Saussaurea lapa), Beladona (Atropa acuminate), Kahzban (Macrotomia benthami) etc which are now in danger to extinct. The roadless belt of Chirall, Chinta, Jai, Keller and other adjoining areas of district Doda, which were once known for its natural pastures having large species of grasses, herbs and shrubs are now under the threat due to heavy deforestation and over-grazing. Among the medicinal plants Banafsha, Tulsi (Ocimum santum), Amla (Phyllanthus emblica) used to be the dominant species in this belt. Today however all these high land pastures are in great trouble.
All pastures of cold arid zone of Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir are decreasing in genetic potential of their grasses. Out of about 700 plant species recorded in Changthang pastures 285 are used in Tibetan system of medicines. However, these pastures have considerably shrunk. A number of plant species of this region like Aster tibeticus, Primula rosea, Saxifraga obvallata, Ulmus wallichiana, Geranium sibricum have become either threatened and/or are in the endangered range. Apart from this Artemisia, Bromus, Carex, Poa plant genera, which are of great economic importance both for medicinal value and fodder, are now in danger to extinct.
Causes of Shrinking of Grasslands
The greatest single factor causing degradation and shrinkage of grasslands is their overgrazing over the years, resulting into depletion of desirable and palatable plant species. As a matter of fact, productivity of grazing lands of Jammu and Kashmir has decreased considerably because of grazing by livestock far excess of land’s carrying capacity with ever-increasing their number. While the area for grazing the pasture lands is limited (4193 square kilometer) as compared to growing livestock population which was about 6 million during 1989-90, arose to 9.2 million during 1999-2000 and 10.34 million during 2007 census. Thus, the grazing lands which were once rich in edible grasses and legumes for the livestock, have now been depleted and deteriorated in these aspects.
Encroachment of forest/grassland areas (alleged by the Nomadic grazers) is another very important factor responsible for shrinking of grasslands. In certain areas of Rajouri, Udhampur and Kathua vis-à-vis Kandi belt of Jammu pastures have already become limited and livestock of Nomads depend up on the vegetation of forests forcibly occupied by them. In Kandi belt the camel and goat have done lot of damage to grasslands, various forest species and bushes. Common lands which used to prove grazing grounds are now being used for agriculture, residential accommodation, building of roads railway tracks, hydroelectric projects etc.
Control Measures
Deforestation and overgrazing of the pastures should be totally banned by enforcing certain laws. Burning of grasslands should be completed within the month of January particularly in north eastern Hills. The openly overgrazed pastures must be protected or enclosed effectively to initiate the regeneration and better growth of various species of grasses.
As legume component in grasslands is almost negligible so introduction of suitable legume should be followed for improving quality of herbage. Root nodule bacteria present in the roots of leguminous species improve the soil fertility by fixing atmospheric nitrogen in the soil.
Replacement of native grass species by improved grasses must be adopted in the grasslands. In Kandi belt the camel and goat have made lot of damage to grasslands, various forest species and bushes.
(The author is former Associate Dean cum-Chief Scientist KVK, SKUAST-J)
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