'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1914-1915' [‎203v] (76/150)

BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT.
Chapter IV.
PRODUCTION
AND
distribution.
5 °
[1914-
mixed forests of the Lonavla and Ambegaon ranges of the Poona Division was k ■
Government and sanctioned after the close of the year. A working plan f 0 r t | SUbmitte d to
forests of the Mulshi range in the Poona Division, and a revised working plan
Purna babul reserves m the East Khandesh Division, were prepared, but have not i T s '
Government sanction. A revision of the working plan of the Chopda, Yaval and p- receive <l
in the East Khandesh Division is in progress. xav erran ? e s
Forest offences.
5. Including arrears from the previous years, prosecutions on account of for
numbered 54 2 > as a g a i ns f ^7^ I 9 I 3 -I 4 - Of the cases disposed of, 4 oo resulted!'
tions and 37 in acquittals. The percentage of convictions obtained was 01 T
in
The
convE
number
g those m which the
Forest fires.
Free grants.
Communications and
buildings.
Financial results.
acres,
-j i o >va,o pi
of offences dealt with under section 67 of the Indian Forest Act, indudin
offenders were merely warned, was 5,581 and the amount recovered as compensaf
Rs. 29,086. The total number of cattle impounded was 49,211. n °n was
6. The area of forest traversed by fire increased from 142,268 acres to
Expenditure on fire protection was Rs. 19,114.
7. The value of free grants made during the year was Rs. 2,480. Besides th 1
free grazing of the value of Rs. 3,732 was allowed to the villagers in the Kolaba Division
reward for the proper observance of the tahcil rules and for good forest protection laSa
8. The expenditure on roads amounted to Rs. 17,435, and on buildings to Rs 20689
9. Excluding the figures for famine operations, revenue decreased from R s , 8 ict h t
Rs - y.yynSS 1 and expenditure increased from Rs. 5,29,242 to Rs. 5,35,258. Thus thesLl,, 0
was Rs. 2,42,273 or Rs. 42,283 less than last year’s figure. ' ' ^ s
1 84593
Area.
Boundaries.
Working plans.
Forest offences.
Forest fires.
Free grants.
Communications and
buildings.
Financial results.
3.—Southern Circle.
1. The area of reserved forest decreased from 4,467 square miles 419 acres to
square miles 513 acres and that of protected forest from 133 square miles 360 acres to n
square miles 359 acres. The total area under forest at the close of the year was 4,600 square
miles 232 acres. M
•2. Eight hundred and fifty-two miles of boundaries were artificially demarcated durino-
the year at a cost of Rs. 2,483. &
3. The Yekambi-Sonda high forest working plan covering an area of 59 square miles
in Kanara Southern Division was sanctioned during the year.
4. The number of prosecutions decreased from 399 to 388 and the percentage of
acquittals rose from 18-2 to 22. The number of cases compounded was 3,951 as against 3,955
and the compensation recovered was Rs. 21,381 as against Rs. 20,147.
5. The area attempted to be protected against fire was 1,558,529 acres as compared
with 1,244,513 acres in the preceeding year. The percentage of failure was 2 t against 57
which is satisfactory.
6. The value of forest produce granted free was Rs. 21,334 as against Rs. 14,358 in
the previous year.
7. The expenditure on new buildings rose from Rs. 23,149 to Rs. 29,981; on new roads
from Rs. 13,417 to Rs. 15,378 and on other new works from Rs. 2,785 to Rs. 2,945. Repairs to
existing constructions cost Rs. 40,834 as against Rs. 31,503.
8. The revenue of the year was Rs. 18,68,706 as against Rs. 20,18,753 and expenditure
was Rs. 10,66,599 as against Rs. 10,90,990, leaving a surplus of Rs. 8,02,107, which is less by
Rs. 1,25,656 than last year’s figure.
4.—Sind Circle.
Area.
Boundaries.
Settlement.
Warking plans.
1. Ihe area of reserved forest stood at 1,150 square miles 275 acres at the end of the
year. Two square miles 327 acres were added by reservation, 13 square miles 121 acres
by accretion and 1 square mile 245 acres by re-survey. An area of 5 square miles 274 acres
was disforested or transferred.
2. Twenty miles and 166 feet of external boundaries were artificially demarcated during
the year. Repairs to existing boundaries were carried out over a length of 2,067 miles
1,010 feet. The work was done by free labour in exchange for certain privileges granted
by the T orest Department. Internal boundaries consisting of rides 20 feet wide were cut
over a length of 21 miles. This work was done free by maldars.
3 - The area awaiting forest settlement at the beginning of the year was 3,293 acreS!
6,086 acres were notified under section 4 of the Indian Forest Act making a total 9,379
awaiting final settlement. Of these 1,607 a cres were notified as reserved forest un er
section 19 of the Indian Forest Act leaving- 7,772 acres awaiting settlement at the close 0
the year. - / y/ 5
4 - I h e prescriptions of the working plans were adhered to and the prescribed coupe
p l T ex pl°ited except in the Hyderabad Division where they could not be sold owing to wan
of offers. Dead wood was exploited in every Division. The report on the revision 0
working plan of the Jerruck Division was submitted to Government during the year tiroUs
t re Comirfissioner in Sind, The revision of the working plan of the Hyderabad Division