Evolution of JFM Institutions in Haryana Siwaliks Case Studies HRMS Dhamala

The World Bank/WBI’s CBNRM Initiative

Case Received: February 7, 1998

Author: Parijat Sinha

Email: psinha@teri.res.in

Evolution of JFM Institutions in Haryana Siwaliks

Case Studies HRMS Dhamala

Introduction

In India, the phenomenon of population growth and lopsided approach to development dominated by people psychology of giving primacy to short term gains and near total disregard for the sustainability of resources has resulted in faster depletion of resources leading to natural calamities in the form of floods, landslides, soil loss and acute shortage of water.

The problems are no different in Haryana where a very small forest cover has been unable to match the needs of people especially in the fragile ecosystems of the Siwaliks.

Attempts at solution

The effective involvement of local communities in evolving sustainable forest management systems is now being looked upon as an important approach to address the long-standing problems of deforestation and land degradation in India. The growing belief in Joint Participatory Forest Management (JPFM) stems from the widely-perceived limitations of the traditional `Scientific Forest Management’ systems, coupled with the promising results of JFM systems in different parts of the country in tackling these problems.

The National Forest Policy (1988) and JFM Guidelines (1990) of the Government of India have acknowledged and endorsed this system of management, which supports the involvement of village communities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the regeneration, management and protection of degraded forests. The conducive environment created by these enabling legal and administrative measures is manifest in the fact that as many as 19 State Governments have issued directions to the respective state forest departments for adoption of JFM.

The JFM concept

The concept of Joint Forest Management is an intervention to evolve organized and collective thinking on the issues of forest management where all the ingredients of a sound management system viz. scientific, professional options, social and anthropological dimensions and economic principles are synergised for drawing maximum benefits for the society keeping the sustenance of the resources in mind.

The philosophy of JFM in essence aim at involving the people in resource generation activities through motivation, active involvement in the process of management and sharing of benefits through adequate institutional arrangements. The conversion of a hostile population living in the fringes of forests areas into friends and ultimately into resource managers and resource users is the fundamental underlying objective of the JFM approach.

JFM in Haryana is conducted through village level institutions called HRMS( Hill resource Management Societies)

Institutional works

Hill Resource Management Societies:

With the launching of the JFMP and the drafting of the provisions under the Joint Management Agreements as part of the policy, the need for creating institutions to take the programme forward arose. The inherent iniquitous nature of the Haryana rural society, prompted the HFD to create a separate institution at the village level for forest management, separate from the Panchayat. In villages where such institutions were created for water management in the form of WUA’s, were merged with those that were created for forest management. The new institutions were called the Hill Resource Management Societies.

It would be worthwhile to have a look at one of the success stories where the aforementioned National Forest policy, JFM resolutions of both the Union and the Provincial governments, effective participation of the people and a no. of Agencies providing important linkages between the people ,the Forest deaprtment and the NGOs have found alternative approaches at resolving problems and succeded in effective natural resource management.

Evolution of HRMS- Dhamala

Introduction

Village: Dhamala

Panchayat: Dhamala( along with Sukhomajri)

Forest Beat : Dhamala

Block:Surajpur

Division: Morni -Pinjore

Major works undertaken by the society and fund utilization:

Protection of forest from biotic interferences: A rakha is assigned the job of protection of forests at the expenses of the society.

Repair and upkeep of dams:Cleaning of vegetation on the freeboard of the dams. Watch and ward during rains,increasing the height of spillway and thus live storage of the dam have been the main works on which the HRMS has spent money.

Laying of pipeline for irrigation; purchase of Water pump for pumping irrigation water

Construction of a building for village school: A portion of the money was collected through personal contribution by each member of the society.

Village roads were made pucka

Dharamshala building has been repaired.

Evolution of HRMS Dhamala as an institution

Hill Resource Management Societies have evolved over a period of time gaining people's confidence and realizing its objectives. Dhamala has also evolved over a period as the identification with the JFM process has grown.

The indicators which show the growth of the institution are:

(I) The demarcation of the JMA has been done properly.

(ii) Formalization of organizational norms and procedures:

(iii) The society becomes accountable to the parties for which it is meant.

(iv) Monitoring mechanism for the monitoring of the different activities undertaken by the HRMS is in place.

(v) There is enough participation in the workings of the society i.e. there is collective decision making.

(vi) Graduated sanctions for unwanted actions.

(vii) The resources are managed properly.

(viii) The mechanism for sale/disposal of resources is in place.

(ix) The roles of the different parties involved has been defined properly.The different parties play their role as defined.

(x) The society attains the level of financial and administrative autonomy and sustainability.

(xi) All the HRMSs of the area interact to produce to a combined forum.

The tenets of JFM as practiced in the Haryana Siwaliks depend on the collective management of resource by the people in lieu of which the benefits from the resources in the forest are shared with them. Resource is thus central to the process. We can study the evolution of JFM by studying the different phases of resource management done by the societies.

Phases of Management of Resources by the HRMS:

The management of resources in the forest is a joint responsibility of the FD and the HRMS. The HRMS provides protection to the forest area from biotic interferences. The FD has in Dhamala forests done plantation of bhabbar tufts in a few areas to stop soil erosion and increase production of bhabbar from the area. The FD has been monitoring the process through its inception. The level of monitoring has varied.

Different resources were shared at different times with the HRMS. As the institution has evolved and gone up the learning curve, FD confidence in their working has grown and more resources have been handed over to them for management.

The resources which have been allowed to be used have been -

dam water for irrigation

fodder grass

bhabbar grass

a share from revenue generated from harvest of timber species is also proposed.

The different stages of institution development can be studied through the different stages in which the resources have been handed over/taken up by the village institution.

Initial phase: Benefits of irrigation from dam water and allowing collection of fodder from the forest.

Second Phase:Benefits from sale of surplus Bhabbar.

Third Phase : Increase in benefits from the forest resources and undertaking of need based activities in the village.

Maturity Phase:Formalisation of benefit sharing mechanism with the FD, consolidation of gains made in the tertiary phase, evolution of federation( common forum) in the smooth functioning, managing of the HRMSs.

In case of Dhamala the phases can be identified to have occurred in the following years.However, there have been a few overlaps.The boundary of any phase cannot be demarcated clearly.

The periods are:

Initial phase:1982- 86

Second Phase:1986-1992

Third Phase :1992- 1996

Maturity Phase:1996 onwards

S.No	Phases Indicators	Initial Phase(1982-86)	Second Phase(1986-92)	Third Phase(1992-96)	Maturity Phase(1996 onwards)
1	Demarcation of JMA	No formal demarcation done; both Sukhomajri and Dhamala used to get fodder from the common area ;even dati for fodder was collected by Sukhomajri.Water was taken by each of them from their dams.	There was no boundary problem with Lohgarh. Attempts were made to solve the boundary problems with Sukhomajri but either of the parties didn’t agree to the alternatives provided.	Attempts were made to solve the demarcation problem with Sukhomajri twice.On both the occasions Sukhomajri refused to comply with the solution after initially agreeing to it.Sale of Bhabhar by individual parties	An agreement was reached between the two parties on 20 Th Nov 1996 which has been disowned by Sukhomajri now.The FD being the final judge has decided to put the demarcation as per the decision taken earlier which would be valid for the coming years.
2	Formalization of organizational norms	At the time of registration of the society, norms and procedures as drafted by TERI, the facilitating agency was submitted but none were followed.Only dati was collected.There were no elections for quite sometime.	Elections were held at intervals of four to five years.Very little benefits came to the society. There were rarely any meetings;records awere also not maintained properly.	Elections started more regularly(1993,.95,96.97).Benefits started flowing substantially from 1992-93 onwards.Meetings were held to decide upon the place where the money should be spent.Records have been kept rigorously.	It has been made mandatory that elections are held every year.Records have to be maintained regularly. FD has to be involved in all decision making Dates for Monthly meetings of MC and quarterly meetings of GB have been decided upon.All expenditures are being made according as the rules submitted at the time of formation of society.
3	Accountability	There was little accountability to people or to the FD-Protection was provided; but had to be complemented by the FD. involvement of people was less. nobody asked what was happening to the little money that was collected through the dams	accountability to people was still less. Only a few works like repair of Roof of mandir had been undertaken. The society had little money and therefore attracted little interest of people. The protection however, was better because of more involvement of people in catchment protection as the dam now irrigated more landholdings	There was much more money flowing in the societies now. It was felt that work needed to be done to improve the village. People started taking interest and the society had to become accountable to them. Elections were being conducted regularly wherein the work done in the previous year was evaluated.TERI presence made it essential that the records were maintained well whenever they visited the villages. The villagers were also trained in this job by the TERI professionals.	It is expected that the accountability of the society to people would be more. Meetings have been regularised. FD has started sharing the benefits and therefore is attending more regularly to HRMS activities to make the HRMS accountable .As more money is expected to flow it is felt that the society would play a more pro active role in the management of forests.
4	Monitoring	Monitoring of work done by the society was negligible by the FD or internally by the GB..	Monitoring was still negligible	Monitoring started with TERI stepping in to do the job. As activities increased GB also played its role in monitoring.	There has been an increase in involvement of people as more people have started getting benefits. The HRMS activities would be monitored by the GBM and by the presence of FD staff in these meetings.
5	Participation	There was no involvement of people. the MC took all the decisions in isolation of the people.	Involvement picked up only in the later stage	Involvement increased with regular elections, more activities ,more money and a pro active MC.	Participation of women is still less.FD has to identify more closely with the works of the society.
6	Graduated Sanctions	No system of sanctions. Even dati were not paid regularly. No effective check on grazing.	Sanctions as put by FD for protection was only valid.	Only sanctions for erring members has been that they are asked in GBM not to repeat the act. No concrete action has been taken so far. It has been suggested that as it is the responsibility of all members of the society to protect the forests , any failure in doing so be punished harshly. They should be charged double the penalty as charged by the FD. This mechanism is difficult to put into place as the society has little coercive power in comparison to the FD	It is important that the proposed system of sanctions is put into place effectively. The coercive power can come only if the FD and the society work in co-ordination in doing so. The federation of the society can play an important role in sanctions against the erring contractors who have not paid their old dues.
7	Resource management	Dam water and protection were the only works that could be done in resource mgmt. Dam could irrigate only a few landholdings in the absence of a pipeline. Only a few people therefore took interest in protection of forest.	The society remained dormant during this period. Protection etc. were taken care of by people who got benefits due to dam water. There was no social fencing.	As people saw benefits actually accruing in, social fencing became more effective. Small repair work on the dams were also carried out. The harvest of Bhabhar has been according as prescribed by technical considerations.	Protection is now near complete in the Dhamala forests. A portion of profits from sale of surplus Bhabhar has been kept separately to be invested in the forests. The society may start taking small afforestation works, planting of Bhabhar tufts or some more work on dams with this money.
8	Sale/disposal of resources	There was no system for sale disposal of resources.	Sale was handled by Sukhomajri and therefore, no interest was taken by the HRMS. Dam water was also not distributed equitably	Realizing that more benefits would accrue if they handled the sale themselves they started having separate auction of their forests. Conditions for sale were laid for sale to the contractors earlier verbally and later on in written form for dam water, fishing in dam reservoir and also for sale of Bhabhar	The conditions have been made more stringent and the society attempts to ensure that the contractors acts as per the conditions. The benefit sharing of the proceeds from sale of Bhabhar has been introduced from this year. The FD involvement in the sale of Bhabhar has thus increased. They may help the societies in seeing to it that the contractors don’t play foul with them.
9	Financial and administrative Autonomy	Very little money came to the society. It was dependant on external agencies for carrying out any work.	The society needed an external stimulus during this stage which was provided by the entry of TERI as facilitator.	TERI played an important role along with FD in the capacity building exercise in Th HRMSs They gained functional autonomy because of that. Financially they have become stronger.	Looking at the investments required in the forest and villages arrangements for joint funding of works by different govt agencies should be looked into.
10	Combined forum of societies			The societies expressed a desire to have a combined forum of societies.	It is proposed that a combined forum of HRMS would be formed soon.