Finally, a high-level committee comprising representatives of the Government of India (GoI) have approved the working plan for the restoration of Banni grasslands in Kutch district. The state Forest Department has been successful in getting approval for the restoration of Banni grassland, 54 years after it was declared as a protected forest.

Despite being one of the most diverse grasslands in Asia, the impasse over transferring possession of Banni grassland from the Revenue Department to the Forest Department continued for a long time. This is despite the fact that every protected forest area should have a working plan under Supreme Court guidelines.

Reacting on the issue, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF), Administration, Pradeep Khanna said: “Every forest area should have a working plan and the trees in every forest area should be grown as per it. The state Forest Department has formed a committee that has submitted a working plan to the Government of India. The same has been approved. A few formalities are still pending.”

He added, “While implementing the plan, we have included several issues such as restoration of grasslands and tapping Prosopis Juliflora commonly known as Ganda Bawal for the preparation of charcoal and is in high demand.”

As of now, the locals have been producing charcoal by unscientific means at Banni. Gujarat State Development Corporation (GSFDC) purchases charcoal from them and markets it in several states like Haryana, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, where ceramics/tiles, chemical industries and filtration plants use charcoal.

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