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2 the people, as well as the provision that has been made for the
3 supply of their wafits. And in all cases where«Government a
4 the people have a joint acknowledged right in the forest, it will
5 be found indispensable (to ensure a satisfactory settlement of
6 the question) for Government absolutely to relinquish its share
7 in the rights of certain portions of the forest in favor of the
8 people, in return for the absolute concession on the part of the
9 people of their share of rights im the reserves. If this prin-
10 ciple be followed, aud if the undoubted rights of Government to
11 the forests be thus gradually and judiciously established, any
12 sudden enquiry into, or absolute definition of, the question of
13 forest rights being avoided, rather than prematurely forced on, it
14 will be quite possible to accustom the minds of the people to the
15 administration of the forests on fixed rules by Government officers,
16 and to dispel their preconceived ideas of quiet and undisturbed
17 right to the brushwood and jungle.
18 91. I think it is a matter for serious consideration whether .
19 the decentralisation of the Forest Department (by which I mean,
20 entrusting the responsibility of the conservation of the forests
21 to the local Governments and Administrations, who have the hest
22 means of knowing how to adapt its exigencies to the popular
23 idea) would not greatly conduce to this result: under such a
24 system the local Governments might retain in their own hands
25 the administration of the provincial forests, as well as of their
26 revenues, maintaining a direct correspondence with the Inspector
27 General of Forests, who would act as their professional adviser, and
28 hold the same position towards them as he now holds to the Govern-
29 ment of India.* The administration, however, of the personal
30 establishment would remain, as at present, under the control of the
31 Government of India, to which the Inspector General of Forests
32 himself would be directly subordinate, submitting his annual report
33 for its orders, and having a right of reference to it inany case of a
34 rofessional nature in which his opinion might be at variance
35 with that of the local Government. While the freest liberty of
36 action would thus be accorded to the local Governments, the
37 orders on the Inspector General’s annual report, as well as in
38 eases of the nature above referred to, would, as it seems to me,
39 afford the Government of India ample scope for interference,
40 whenever it became necessary. ‘The Inspector General would be
41 the guardian of the forests, protecting them from waste and over-
42 felling, arranging for the necessary maps and working plans, and
43 being responsible that the local Governments were provided with
44 an annual programme of forest operations, in the drawing up of
45 which he should be freely consulted.t By the establishment of
46 some such system as this, the forests would, in all professional
47 details, be more carefully watched over than at present, while at
48 the same time their administration would be more closely bound
49 up with the general administration of the country. The forest
50 officers would be more nearly allicd in their work with the civil
51 officers ; the latter would take greater interest in the wellbeing
52 of the forests than they now do; and the whole system would be
53 more elastic and practically more effective than it is at present.
54 92. In conclusion, it will be proper to notice the names of
55 the officers who have deserved well of Government by their
56 services during the past ycar.
57 Among the Conservators, Mr. Baden Powell in the Punjab
58 and Mr. Greig in the North-Western Provinces have both carned
59 —_; —S|—S —_— SO — eee eee me —_
60 =. ——_—_ -—— - a
61 —a ae _
62 * To avoid unnecessary accumulation of correspondence, cases on which local Governments
63 desired the opinion of the Inapector General of Foreata might be sent to him by the local
64 Secretary for a note, as is now done by the Government of India
65 + For this purpose, a stalf of trained Assistants for both field and office work must be
66 alldwed him, which might be arranged without increase of establishments.