'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1907-1908' [‎41v] (81/137)

Cbap. IV.
PRODUCTION
AND
distribution.
Financial results.
Area.
42
BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT.
[iQOJVLgo^
Boundaries.
Working Plans.
Offences.
Forest fires.
Free grants.
Communications
and buildings.
Financial results.
Am
Boundaries.
Survey and
working plans.
Forest offence?.
Forest fires.
Natural and artificial
reproduction.
Communicat'ons,
buildings and
irrigation.
Free grants.
10 The year’s receipts are very slightly helow those of th ® ‘T’ S
Rs. 7,06,331 against Rs. 7;06,827. The expenditure rose from Rs. 5,4 /,537 to Ks. 5,60,800.
The year’s working gave a surplus of Rs. 1,45,5'
3.— Southern Circle.
1 The area of Reserved Forests increased by 25 square miles, while 1 hat of Protected
Forests decreased by 22 square miles. In the Bijiipur Division 123 square miles of forests
formerly classed as Pasture Reserve aud administered by the Revenue Department were
handed over to the Forest Department under Government Resolution ISo. 1115.,, dated 15th
November 1907.
2. Outer boundaries to a length of 529 miles were demarcated at a cost of Rs. 4,409.
3 The Working Plan of the Bhagavati Mundki High-forests, area 1^013*20 acres, was
sanctioned in Govermrent Pesolution No. 12318, dated 13th December 1907 1 he plans for
the Mundgod High-forests and the Mundgod Teak poles forests were Mibmitted to Government.
The plan for the Tab palm forests of Honavar range is in the press, field-work in connection
with the Ankola High-forests was completed and the report is now m course of preparation.
4. The number of prosecutions decreased from 387 to 322 and the percentage of convic
tions was 81 against 83 in the previous year. _ The number of offences compounded was 1,870
against 2,179 in 1906-1907 and the compensation recovered was Rs. 3,981, showing an increase
of Rs. 737. The number of cattle impounded decreased from 16,76* to 12,557.
5. The area protected against fire was 1,385 square miles compared with 1,133 square
miles in the previous year, the percentage of failures falling from 19 to 11 7.
6. The value of produce allowed free increased from Rs. 10,110 to Rs. 12,858.
7. Expenditure on Buildings ” amounted to Rs. 26,085 and on “ Communications ^ to
Rs. 16,579.
8. Revenue amounted to Rs. 13,03,515 against Rs. 13,48,156 in 1906-1907 and expendi
ture to Rs. 7,60,649 against Rs. 7,12,688.
4.— Sind Circle.
1. The area of Reserved Forests increa?ed by 16 square miles and 187 acres and amounted
to 1,104 square miles and 551 acres at the close of the year. There was no change in the area of
Protected Forests, which stood at 5^5 acres. Under Reserved Forests 19 quare miles and
626 acres were made over to the Forest Department in the shape of fresh alluvial accretions,
whilst 15 square miles acd 552 acres were swept away by the river.
2. External boundaries were demarcated to a length of 57 miles and repairs were carried
out over a length of 1,H1 miles. The work was done by free labour in exchange for certain
privileges granted by the Forest Department. Internal boundaries consisting of rides 20 feet
in width were cut over a length of 75 running miles.
3. The operations of the Forest Con tour-Survey extended over an ama of 167 square
miles or 970 linear miles, the average daily outturn being 8*8 miles against 6'4 miles during
the previous year. The area awaiting forest settlement at the commencement of the year was
36,478 acres and a further area of 5,543 acres was notified under Section 4 of the Indian
Forest Act during the year, maid tg in all 42,02i acres Out of this 16,133 acres weie declared
Reserved Forest during the y«ar under report, and 593 acres were eroded before the land was
notified under section 19, leaving 25,295 acres still undergoing settlement. The Working Plans
Report of the Sukkur Division was sanctioned by Government. The whole of the Sind forests
wdth the exception of new-formed accretions are now under organized working.
4. Sixty-seven cases w T ere tried by Magistrates against 90 last year. Fifty resulted in
conviction and 17 in acquittal and the percentage of failure was 25*4 against 13*3 in the
preceding year. Including the cases ol illicit grazing the number oi offences compounded
under Section 67 of the Indian Forest Act was *,607, a decrease of 120, and the amount
recovered as compensation was Rs. 2,874. In addition to this 16 offenders were let off w.th a
warning,
5. There were 1 / 3 fires during the year against 44 during the year previous, the area
traversed by them being 19,804 and 2,024 acres, respectively.
6. Natural reproduction was not good, the inundation being poor and the area that came
under the influence of floods being less than last year. For the same reason artificial reproduc
tion by broadcast sowing in the feued areas was not satisfactory. Fairly t^ood results were
however obtained in areas that were reproduced with the aid of kharif cultivation. Efforts
were also made to increase the area under tali plantation.
7. The expenditure on communications was Rs. 1,211; on buildings Rs. 7,714 ; an 1
on irrigation Rs. 15,145.
-p, vnlue of timber and other forest produce given in free grants was Rs. 715 against
Rs. /96 in the previous year.