Question

What were the forest laws? How did they affect the lives of villagers?

Answer 1

The British encouraged the production of commercial crops like jute, sugar. The demand for these crops increased in 19th century. For this they cleared forests.

(ii) The colonial government thought that forest was unproductive. They cleared forest for cultivation.

(iii) They cleared forest for making railway sleepers and for fuel for locomotives.

(iv) They cleared forest for tea, coffee and rubber plantations.

2. How did the Forest Acts affect the lives of foresters and villagers?

(i) Villagers were not allowed to collect forest products.



(ii) People were forced to steal wood from the forests.

(iii) Women suffered a lot.

(iv) Forest guards harassed people.
Due to the two world wars forest trees were cut freely to meet the war needs.

(ii) In Java the Dutch followed the scorched earth policy destroying saw mills and burning teak logs so that they would not fall into the Japanese hands.

(iii) After Japan occupied Indonesia it recklessly exploited the forests to meet the need of its war industries.

Answer 2

The British broadened their control over all forests and pronounced that woods were state property. A few forests were named Reserved Forests for they created timber which the British needed.  

Numerous forests which provided important timber were pronounced as reserved forests by the British. The tribal were not permitted to gather wood, natural products, hunt and work on moving development in these forests. This brought about the loss of job, neediness and the source of food among the tribal.  

Numerous tribal moved out of the woodlands to different locales looking for work and to procure an employment. Individuals who stayed in the woods rebelled against the unjust forest laws of the government.