CONTRADICTIONs abound in the Thar, the Indian desert.
Referred to as Maru pradesh or Marusthali (land of death) in
the local dialect, the Thar's abiding features are the seemingly
unending bouts of famines and droughts which afflict its
inhabitants. In fact, the locals have an apt saying for the
phenomenon: Marwar me kanwale ubikal ("The famine is ever
standing at the door of Marwar").
And yet this hostile landscape lays claim to being one of
the most densely populated (71 persons per sq km) and zones
on earth. What makes these forbidding wastelands - sun-seared, wind-scoured and waterless
- home to so many? The answer lies in the
amazing floral diversity of the region, which
gives sustenance to man and animal.
"While visiting the Indian desert, the
response of even a trained botanist like me is one
of overwhelmed astonishment," says M M
Bhandari, professor emeritus of botany at
Jodhpur University, who has been actively
engaged in the study of desert plants for the past
40 years. The Thar is host to around 700 species
of plants, of which 6.4 per cent are endemic to
the region compared to the 3-5 per cent figure
for the Sahara in Africa. "This high endemism and
inten;,speciation is on account of the extreme
dyna f the ecological conditions and recent
geological, physiographic, topographical and altitudinal changes," explains Bhandari.
This array of genes, species and ecosystems is a
resource that is closely intertwined with the cultural diversity of the region, one shaping the other.
Says Pirdan Singh, a poor farmer from Bikaner, "A
Rajasthani uses a tree's fruits for himself, its leaves
OR for his camel, cattle or sheep and its twigs for his
c oolha (earthen oven)." Singh's is an understatement; trees mean much more for the locals.
For instance, the khejri (Prosopis cineraria) is
one of the most revered plants of the Indian
desert. An evergreen, long-lasting friend of the
locals, it is said to be the kalpavriksha (the mythological tree of munificence) of the region as it
improves soil moisture and fertility, serves as a
wind-breaker and provides fuel, timber, vegetables and green fodder; almost every part of this
tree is used in one form or the other.
The tree is held sacred by the Bishnois, an agricultural community native to the desert. Says
Mohan Shankar Dashora, lecturer in biology at
Jaipur's Government Ayurvedic College, "Its charcoal burns more efficiently and the ash, which
contains 31 per cent soluble potassium salts, is a
good source of potash. Women apply this ash on
their skin; it acts as a hair remover." Unripe pods
of the khejri are used as,fodder for livestock, while
ripened pods or sangri are used as a vegetable.
Rohida (Tecomella undulata), another local
species, is an excellent -source of timber. The
wood, which is soft, tough and durable, is used in
making furniture, Persian wheels and lacquered
toys. Often called the 'teak of the desert', this tree
has now all but disappeared.
Besides these two species, the region supports an incredible variety of shrubs and smaller plants. The phog plant
(Calligonum polygonoides), with its extensive root system,
grows on sand dunes and acts as an effective sandbinder. Its
leaves serve as fodder for sheep, while its flowers are eaten by
the locals. Its roots make excellent firewood and the charcoal
produced - which burns with a high intensity - is popular
with goldsmiths and ironsmiths.
The aak (Calotropisprocera), a much-branched shrub provides fibre from its stem, which is used to make
cords and ropes. The fibre can withstand regular
contact with water; hence, ropes made from it
are used in wells and tanks. The floss from the
seeds is utilised in stuffing pillows, while the
latex and root bark are used medicinally.
"We believe that Lord Shiva resides in the
aak tree. In fact, safed (white) aak, a rarer version, is always found in or around the shrines of
the deity," says Nakku Singh Bhati, a wizened
old resident of Jaisalmer. "Extract from the
leaves of the chanikash is good for the eyes; the
seeds of the detnal shrub serve as pain relievers
for the joints. The roots of jhino-biyono, another
herb are used to cure toothaches. This desert is better than any
modern dawa-khana (dispensary)," asserts Bhati, his eyes
twinkling.
The influx of exotic and modified species of fruits and
plants into the region have pushed the traditional inexpensive
types into obscurity. Pilu, a much-relished fruit of a wild
shrub, Salvadora persica, and ker (Capparis decidua) whose
unripe fruits are consumed as vegetables and made into
pickles, are examples of locally available fruits. Ker is believed
to be helpful in, reducing cholesterol. Since the cholesterolenhancing ghee (clarified butter) is an important ingredient of
the Rajasthani diet, ker is traditionally served before a meal.
Since agriculture is at the mercy of rains, most of the more
and parts of Rajasthan - especially Jaisalmer, Barmer and
Bikaner - have always depended on livestock. The desert has
a wide variety of grasses and shrubs that provide excellent
fodder. The major and more extensively found grasses are
sewan (Lasiurus sindicus), ganthia tantia (Dactyloctenium
sindicus) and murut grass (Panicum turgidum).
Thanks to this immense floral diversity, the Thar has succeeded in nourishing both humans and their animals through
the ages. On the other hand, the exploitation of the vegetation
for fuel and forage and a growing population's continuous
pressure on this fragile ecosystem have negatively affected the
biodiversity of the region.
M M Bhandari is a worried man today. "I have myself been
a witness to a rapid destruction of plant-life in the desert.
Thirty-four plants are threatened or endangered, of which
three are probably already extinct. I have been unable to locate
them in any of my recent field trips," he laments.
The increasing demand for firewood is one of the principle
causes behind the depleting vegetative cover. Trees, shrubs
and their roots are indiscriminately removed for fuel, food,
fencing and construction.
Phog, essential for checking desertification, is one of the
major victims. According to British botanists Blatter and
Hallberg (1918-21), this species was common in the vicinity of
jodhpur, but has now disappeared completely. Bhandari
recalls how, a few years ago, he and some of his students had
posted themselves on the roads coming into the city of Bikaner
and discovered that cartloads of phog roots were being
brought into the city. They estimated the traffic at around 800
tonnes of wood per day. Bhandari winces when asked to imagine what must be the rate of exploitation today.
The requirement of fuelwood in the region has increased
from 1.85 -million tonnes (mt) in 1951 to 4 mt in 1991. No
wonder the main target species like the khejri and phog face an
uncertain future. The pressure on the flora increases during
droughts when even normally untouched plants like thor
(Euphorbia caducifolia) are removed for fuel or fodder.
To add to the sorry picture, the Indian desert is home to
more than double the recommended bovine grazing population. Hungry herds of camel, sheep and goat reduce the vegetation to decimated landscapes.
Development activities like mining and road and canal
construction have contributed towards further erosion of the
habitat. With the construction of the Indira Gandhi canal and
the attempts towards a new water-intensive cropping pattern,
the floral composition of the desert has altered significantly.
Says P L Joshi, scientist at the Central Arid Zone Research
Institute's (CAM), jodhpur, outreach programme division,
"The numbers of ker, kumat and khejri plants are dwindling
because of felling and the fact that their new generations cannot make up for the old ones dead or lost."
Scientists and academics involved in conservation point
out that 'gene erosion' can happen at a particularly faster pace
in the desert. Another CAZRI scientist, R Mehertia points
out, "The combined pressures of man, animal and droughts
are giving no time for regeneration, despite the remarkable
regenerating abilities of the Indian desert."
A visibly anxious Bhandari says, "There is an urgent need
for a concerted effort towairds conservation of the desert's biodiversity. A lot of attention is being given to fancy hi-tech
fields like biotechnology in India-today. We seem to be fascinated by the bioech industry of the North, but we must
remember that first it is in our own interest to conserve and
protect those very gene pools, present in the South, that this
technology will exploit."
Bhandari advocates the concept of a 'desert garden' for
propogating the threatened and rare species,
besides highlighting the need for a comprehensive survey to document desert plantlife.
Obviously, his ideas have not found favour with
the government. Even the proposed Thar biosphere reserve has not seen the light of the day.
An idea mooted by conservationists and scientists, the reserve envisages an area of 3,162 sq
km, with its core area and a buffer zone in western Rajasthan. It is widely believed that the presence of precious limestone deposits in the pro-
posed biosphere reserve is responsible for the
state government's stalling manoeuvres.
The concern for conservation demonstrated by the inhabitants of the region is not an isolated phenomenon, notes S M
Mohnot, director, School of Desert Sciences, Jodhpur. "It
stems from a tradition of a people living in a resource-scarce
area like the Thar. It is the land of the charismatic Bishnoi
sect,
whose ideas and practices of conservation are legendary...
People of the desert respect the bio-diversity of their land," he
says.
The government's belated action at germplasm conservation is yet to take off. The National Arid Horticulture Research
Institute (NAHRI) was set up two years ago under the Indian
Council ofAgricultural Research. Apart from the director,
scientists have been appointed so far to the institute. Functioning from a rented building in a
Bikaner suburb, NAHRI's director Pareek Singh is
however, optimistic. "Our mandate is to con
serve indigenous species. We have just beg
our work. This year we have collected 250 varia
tions of khejri. It will take time for our endeav
ours to bear fruit. Germplasm conservation of
desert plants is one of our prime priorities,"he
says; a priority that still awaits its appropriate
place in the minds of the politicians and bureaucrats who rule the sands of the Thar today.
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