Question

for which purposes forests were cut during colonial India?

Answer 1

In a way, they were the owners of the forests. They used the forests for hunting, gathering tubers, fruits, flowers and herbs and for grazing their cattle. In some places, they cut down and burnt the trees and cleared the land to cultivate crops. They cut wood to build their homes and to make implements.

Answer 2

causes of deforestation during colonial India are-:

LAND TO BE IMPROVED

i. population increased over the century and the demand of food went up. therefore peasants incresed the cultivation by clearing forests.

ii. In the nineteenth century the demand of commercial crops like jute ,sugar had increased.

iii. Britishers thought that forests were unproductive .

SLEEPERS ON THE TRACK

i.since 1850s the railways was expanded rapidly and it created a new demand like sleepers and fuel.( each mile of railway track required between 1,760 and 2,000 sleepers ) To fulfill these needs of railway forests were cut at large scale.

PLANTATION

i . large area of forests were cut for tea , coffee and rubber plantations.