Worry over sal forest conservation due to trade of chew sticks.

In the district of Kendujhar, tribal communities have long relied on the forests for their way of life. For generations, they have collected and sold chew sticks, a traditional product, in both local and urban markets. These chew sticks, made from twigs of various tree species, have been used as an alternative to toothbrushes by many elderly people.

However, as the demand for chew sticks increases, environmentalists are sounding the alarm about the impact it is having on the sal forests of the district. It is reported that every day, hundreds of young sal saplings are cut down to meet the demand for chew sticks. While other types of twigs can also be used for oral hygiene, the sal toothsticks remain the preferred choice among consumers.

This has led to a steady market for the product, with bundles of chew sticks being sold for about Rs 20 each in local markets. These bundles are then transported to other districts and states where they are sold at much higher prices, particularly at hotels, lodges, railway stations, bus terminals, and other public facilities. This trade has proven to be lucrative for traders and middlemen, but it has also raised concerns among conservationists.

What may seem like a minor forest-based activity has now become a major concern for conservationists. The large-scale felling of young sal saplings for chew stick production is depleting the forest resources at an alarming rate. Despite the volume of business, there are reportedly no effective regulations on the collection or transportation of chew sticks.

Bundles are routinely moved from Kendujhar to various destinations, often in broad daylight and with little enforcement. This has prompted local residents and environmental activists to call on authorities to regulate the trade and protect the forest resources from further depletion. The sal forests in Kendujhar are natural ecosystems that take decades to develop.

However, due to various factors such as overexploitation, these forests are gradually declining. The Forest Department has taken steps to address this issue by undertaking plantation drives and raising saplings in nurseries. However, experts argue that artificial plantations can never fully replace the ecological value of natural sal forests.

Environmental expert Bimbadhar Behera stressed the importance of protecting existing sal forests and creating public awareness to discourage the indiscriminate cutting of sal saplings and branches for chew sticks. Even though chew sticks are classified as minor forest produce and forest-dwelling communities have traditional rights over their collection, experts believe that sustainable harvesting practices and regulatory measures are essential to strike a balance between livelihoods and forest conservation. Senior citizen Ramesh Chandra Hota also echoed this concern, urging the Forest Department to educate people about the environmental consequences of excessive harvesting.

In the end, it is crucial to find a way to sustainably manage the demand for chew sticks while also preserving the precious sal forests of Kendujhar. After all, these forests are not just a source of livelihood for the tribal communities, but also an important part of the district's natural heritage.