LET RUBBER THE MODERN KALPAVRIKSHA ENHANCE THE FOREST COVER IN KERALA

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Let everybody be happy over the increased forest cover including the Greens, there is no need for being
skeptical at all. Let us be extremely thankful to the enterprising rubber growers who have contributed
significantly towards the rise in the area of rubber plantations, a great achievement indeed. Let us be
proud of this wonderful development.
Everybody is well aware of the fact that enhancing the natural forest area is quite difficult or rather
impossible. The case of the Kurichyas who have given up their ancestral lands for forests to flourish
under the Wayanad Wild Life Sanctuary is really a model in the forest conservation history of
Kerala.[T.O.I .dated 15.7.2014]Really unbelievable so to say. The action Ms. Anandi Ramachandran in
donating her one acre plot at Mayiladumpara in Trivandrum District to be converted to a sacred grove
towards achieving the goal of afforestation for prevention of quarrying around the area of the
southern part of the western ghats is also a similar action worthy of appreciation. But the small
growers who depend their small holdings with rubber trees for their livelihood can never follow suit.
So they have to depend the rubber trees for their sustenance. The same is the case with the population
of the rubber tappers. It is to be noted that there are eleven lakh rubber growers and an equal number
of tappers in the state.
It is clear why the growers are sceptical or rather prejudiced against the rubber tree. Is there any other
crop which is more productive as rubber? No there is none.It is well capable of yielding latex every
alternate day for decades together at a stretch, large quantity of honey every year during summer
months and immense quantity of biomass in the form of shed leaves[at the rate of 8000 kg per ha.]
contributing to the fertility of the soil tremendously and sustainably. With all these exquisite qualities
at one stretch the tree is very well worthy of being termed the modern KALPAVRIKSHA. In addition is
its credit as the tree capable of aFforestation far better than the natural forest as proven by the Rubber
Research Institute of India in their studies.!THIS IS DUE TO THE CONTINUOUS CANOPY OF THE CLONE
R.R.I.I.105, THE SPECTACULAR ACHIEVEMENT of the Institute with the dark green glossy leaves well
capable of high rate of carbon sequestration, thereby most effective in warding off the ill effects of
Global Warming. Hence a tree species which is in effect a Kaipavriksha on account of its production
and at the same time serving the purpose of afforestation more efficiently than other tree species is it
not an achievement indeed?
This being the case belittling the rubber tree the modern Kalpavriksha the respected guest from the
Amazon river basin has to be totally discouraged. Let the enterprising growers in Kerala and other
states of India plant more and more of their areas with rubber, and enjoy the full benefits and our
country as a whole benefit from the added benefits of afforestation by them!
This is especially so as the income from the rubber tree will very well enhance still further to 3 to 4
times, the economic life span of the tree to 4 times and the enigmatic disorder namely Tapping Panel
Dryness will totally be eliminated for ever, a hitherto unreported achievement indeed! In addition is the
three times increase of the income to the tapper upto over Rs. 1000 per day, to the 11 lakh odd
tappers of the state. It will contribute significantly towards women empowerment as well, as rubber
tapping is a women friendly job and a female labourer earning Rs 1000 per day for four or five hours
in the early morning hours will contribute tremendously towards the welfare of the labour sector , no
doubt.
An additional feather on the crown of rubber plantation!!