Chapter 20 – Whose Forests?

Page No 183:

Question Discuss:

• What do you think is a forest?
• If someone grew lots of trees close to each other, would this become a forest?

Answer:

• Forests are the places on the Earth where lots of trees, plants and animals live in association with each other. Some human beings also live inside the forests. They are called adivasis.
• No, planting lots of trees close to each other does not make a forest. Forests are the natural places on Earth where plants and animals are found living in association with each other.

Question Find Out and Write:

• Other than trees what all is there in a forest?
• Do all forests have similar types of trees? How many trees can you identify?
• Suryamani says, “If the forests are not there, we too will not remain.” Why so?

Answer:

• Other than trees, there are different kinds of animals, birds, insects and forest people (adivasis) in the forest. They live in association with plants and trees of the forests.
• No, forests have different types of trees. Forests are described according to the location, climate and types of trees they have. The forests usually have teak, sal, bamboo and pine trees.
• Suryamani belonged to the community of forest dwellers (adivasis) who lived in forests. Their livelihood was dependent on forests. They collected leaves and herbs to sell them as medicines in the markets, or make basket out of bamboo and fallen leaves. They ate wild fruits and flesh of the forest animals. So, if the forests were not there, the existence of the adivasis would be endangered.

Page No 184:

Question Think and Write:

• Do you know anyone who loves the forest?
• The contractor did not allow Suryamani’s people to go into the forest. Why?

Answer:

• Disclaimer: The answer to this question is based upon one’s own experience. Considering this, the answer to this question has not been provided.
• The contractor made contract with the government to cut down all the trees from the forest and to build big dams. That is why he did not allow Suryamani’s people to go into the forest and collect anything from there.

Question Discuss:

• Who do you think the forest belongs to?
• Bhudhiyamai said –“Forest is our ‘collective bank’ – not yours or mine alone.” Are there other things which are our collective wealth? So if someone uses more, everyone would suffer?

Answer:

• A forest is the earth’s natural resource. It neither belongs to any government agency nor any contractor. It belongs to plants, animals and all human beings.
• Yes, there are many other common natural resources. If these resources are not used judiciously, they may get exhausted and it may lead to many problems. These include petrol, minerals, water and many other things that are dug out from the earth.

Page No 185:

Question Suryamani’s Journey:

• Do you have a friend with whom you can share everything?
• Some people have moved so far away from the forest, that they can’t understand the lives of forest people. Some even call them ‘jungli’. Why is it not correct to say this?
• What do you know about how adivasis live? Write and draw a picture.
• Do you have an adivasi friend? What have you learnt about the forest from her.

Answer:

• Disclaimer: The answer to this question is based upon one’s own experience. Considering this, the answer to this question has not been provided.
• It is not correct to call forest people. jungli. This is because saying this means disrespecting them. Forest people are also human beings and they also have right to live the way they want. Forest people have their own traditions, languages and live in harmony with the nature.
• Disclaimer: The answer to this question is based upon one’s own experience. Considering this, the answer to this question has not been provided.
• Disclaimer: The answer to this question is based upon one’s own experience. Considering this, the answer to this question has not been provided.

Page No 187:

Question Think:

• Do you know of any one who works to save forests?
• What is your dream? What will you do to make your dream come true?
• Collect reports about forests from newspapers. Did you find any news about how the cutting down of forests affects the weather? How?
• In ‘Torang’ Suryamani does a lot to keep the Kuduk music, dance and traditions alive. Would you like to do something like this for your community? What would you like to keep alive?

Answer:

Disclaimer: The answer to the questions of this section is based upon one’s own experience. Considering this, the answer to these questions have not been provided.

Question Read and Tell:

• Sikhya, a Class X girl in Orissa, wrote a letter to the Chief Minister. Read a part of the letter.
• Is there any factory or some construction work going on in and around your area? What type of work?
• Due to the factory is there any effect on the trees and land? Have the people in that area raised this issue?

Answer:

Disclaimer: The answer to the questions of this section is based upon one’s own thoughts and experiences. Considering this, the answer to these questions have not been provided.

Page No 188:

Question Look at the map and :

• What all is shown in the map?
• You have read Sikhya’s letter. Look for Orissa in the map.
• Is there a sea close to Orissa? How did you find out?
• Which are the states which have the sea on one side?
• Where is Suryamani’s state Jharkhand on the map?
• Where are forests on the map? How will you find these?
• For someone in Madhya Pradesh, in which direction would the country’s thickest forests be? Name those states.

Answer:

• Following things are shown in the map:

(i) The country India

(ii) The states and the union territories

(iii) The neighboring countries

(iv) The Islands

(v) The forests classified into very thick and less thick

(vi) The four cardinal directions

• Disclaimer: This question calls for some activity. So, textual answer cannot be provided.
• Yes, Bay of Bengal is a sea lying close to Orissa. By observing the map it is found that the boundary line of Orissa touches the sea on the eastern side.
• In the west of India, the states that have sea on one side are Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala. In the east of India, the states that have sea on one side are West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
• Suryamani’s state, Jharkhand lies in eastern India near West Bengal.
• The colour green denotes forests on the map of India. Dark green colour represents dense forest areas and light green colour shows less dense forest areas. The green colour symbols drawn at the bottom of map have been used to represent forests in the map.
• For someone in Madhya Pradesh, the country’s thickest forests lies to their north and north east directions. Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are the states having thickly forested areas.

Page No 190:

Question Find out:

• Which are the states around Mizoram?
• Chamui said they measure land using tin. Which are the other ways of measuring land?
• Returning from school, children drank water in a bamboo cup. Who do you think would have made this cup and kept it in the forest? Why?

Answer:

• Tripura and Manipur are the states around Mizoram.
• In India, farmers and other people measure land in different ways. These include measuring with scales, measuring tapes, etc. In earlier times ropes, chains, hand span and foot span were also used to measure land. People of different places use different units for measuring their land. For example: acres, square meter or hectares.
• Village People of Mizoram live in association with each other and they care for each other. They make bamboo cups for the travellers and put them in the forest for drinking water from the stream.

Page No 191:

Question What we have learnt:

• What is similar and what is different between jhoom farming and Bhaskarbhai’s way of farming?
• Explain in your own words why forests are important for the people living in forests?
• Did you find something interesting in jhoom farming? What is it?

Answer:

• Disclaimer: This question aims to enhance the thinking and understanding skills of the students. Keeping this in mind, the answer to the question has not been provided.
• Disclaimer: This question aims to enhance the thinking, understanding and creative skills of the students. Keeping this in mind, the answer to the question has not been provided.
• Disclaimer: This question aims to enhance the thinking, understanding and creative skills of the students. Keeping this in mind, the answer to the question has not been provided.

Read this too