Jharkhand News: Dhanbad’s Lukaiya forest selected for biodiversity heritage site

SUBHASH MISHRA

Dhanbad, Oct 13:   Lukaiya forest in Tundi block, around 35 km away from Dhanbad district headquarters, will be one of the biodiversity heritage sites of Jharkhand.

The Jharkhand Biodiversity Board (JBB), on the proposal of Biodiversity Management Committee members, has selected Lukaiya forest to develop it as a heritage site to preserve its biodiversity. The site will also make villagers self-dependent for livelihood through forest produce.

Lukaiya forest once considered a safe zone for Maoists

The selection of Lukaiya forest keeps significance as once it was considered a safe site for members of banned organization. Tundi block of Dhanbad was considered a den of Naxals where government officials and police feared going into the area in daylight.

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However, the situation changed in 2005 when the then Dhanbad Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sanjiv Kumar launched the ‘tying Rakhi on a tree’ campaign which attached forest villagers to it. Now forest has become a source of livelihood for villagers.

The board has planned to select 100 heritage sites across the state by December.  So far 65 sites in eight districts   East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, Seraikela, Ranchi,  Hazaribag, Dhanbad, Giridih and others have been already selected.

Jharkhand Biodiversity Board member secretary cum Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest ( APCCF) Sanjiv  After meeting with committee members at Palash Bhawan, Ranchi, said that the remaining 35 sites across the state would be identified before the scheduled date ( December).

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“Villagers through video conferencing are being informed about    Section 37 of the Biodiversity Act which decides the provision of declaring biodiversity heritage side. The Gram Sabha passes the proposal of site and Board after technically assessing the recommendation select it,”  said  Sanjiv Kumar.