1 ( 10 )
2 sary ; and above all it is essential that a responsible official of the State be deputed
3 to accompany the local Forest Officer to all those forests about which any difference
4 can arise, or in which, from its situation, it is necessary (undcr the proviso to Rule
5 11) to allow certain defined and recorded rights within the reserved area.
6 65. The work is so far progressed that the Chendb Forests, which were
7 preliminarily visited by me in 1870, have been all selected
8 and the greater part surveyed. All the forests in the main
9 valley of the Chenab, 50 in number, have been reserved, and only a few remain
10 to be selected in the side or tributary nallas called Sdnch and Miydar ; the area
11 of the survey shows a total of 21,233 acres of forests.
12 Progress made.
13 66. ‘The forests here are so situated that in most cases demarcation by
14 pillars is unnecessary, deep nullahs, rocky precipices and
15 crests of ridges forming natural marks, showing the limits
16 of the forests ; but Mr. Hillier, the officer in charge, has fallen into error in his
17 report in overstating this ; and he has since explained that the forests of Pangi
18 are, as a rule, situated so precipitously as to render demarcation by pillars
19 unnecessary. At the same time there are some forests that require to be most
20 carefully demarcated where they lie near a village, or where cultivation is
21 adjacent, as occurs In many cases in the forests on the Sechu nullah.
22 67. The Wazir is now at work with Mr. Hillier with a view to the
23 State’s consenting to what is proposed ; and I hope that the register of forests as
24 prescribed, and the accompanying register of exceptional rights under Rule 11,
25 will be ready by the end of 1872-73.
26 68. In the Rdvi the work is much more arduous, owing to the great
27 The work in the Ravi extent of country and the widely-separated tributaries on
28 Forests, which even more forests lie than on the main river ; and, this
29 division also in past years having been neglected as regards its fair proportions
30 of funds for road-making, the difficulty and labor of travelling in it requires
31 experience for its appreciation. I am glad to say this is now being rapidly
32 remedied by Mr. Elliott.
33 69. A survey was commenced owing to the desire of the Superintendent
34 and under the circumstances before noted ; but I deter-
35 mined to discontinue it before the cost had become dispro-
36 portioned to the utility of the results; 28 forests, mostly deodar or mixed
37 deodar forests, were surveyed and mapped. The maps, however, give only the
38 boundaries, the chief local features of the immediate neighbourhood, nallahs, and
39 main roads intersecting the forests.
40 Demarcation in Pangi.
41 Survey stopped,
42 70. Besides the forests demarcated and surveyed, four other have been
43 demarcated, comprising in all the chief forests on the Ravi itself. ‘These forests
44 do not represent the whole of certain districts, but were taken up where the
45 Fact forest officer’s other work lay ; 80 that he could supervise
46 the work. The cost was about Rs. 140 per forest,
47 including all charges. I do not, however, think it desirable to continue this,
48 Better survey would cost because, though what I should call a sufficient survey
49 more. would cost more than this, yet it will be desirable clearly
50 to spend more and obtain better results.
51 71. It 1s to be esse ts that the ascertainment of area and the record
52 | of boundaries are not the only objects of a forest survey.
53 ae oe ees ' The grand object is besides this to have such maps soniae.
54 ing such information as will fit them to become the basis of a working plan.
55 Authoritative definition 72. And tne first thing to be authoritatively lnid
56 required. down for all Indian Forests is—
57 I.—What are forest detailed maps to show (the total information
58 may not all be denoted on the same map, but several copies
59 may give part in one, part in’another)?
60 JI.— What uniform system of colors, marks, &c. is to be adopted to
61 indicate the facts ?