Chapter 5

NCERT
Class 10
Political Science
Solutions
1. In 1984, the Karnataka government set up a company called Karnataka Pulpwood Limited. About 30,000 hectares of land was given virtually free to this company for 40 years.
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Question:

In 1984, the Karnataka government set up a company called Karnataka Pulpwood Limited. About 30,000 hectares of land was given virtually free to this company for 40 years. Much of this land was used by local farmers as grazing land for their cattle. However the company began to plant eucalyptus trees on this land, which could be used for making paper pulp. In 1987, a movement called Kittiko-Hachchiko (meaning, pluck and plant) started a non-violent protest, where people plucked the eucalyptus plants and planted saplings of trees that were useful to the people.

  • Suppose you belong to any of the following groups, what arguments would you put forward to defend your side: a local farmer, an environmental activist, a government official working in this company or just a consumer of paper.

Answer:

(i) A Local Farmer : Land for grazing our cattle will be effected because of Eucalyptus plantations as it does not allow other plants to grow. So, this must not be permitted.

(ii) An Environmental Activist : Eucalyptus plantation makes the land barren as it grows very fast at the cost of underground water.. Not only this, they will affect the growth of smaller plants under them. So, it should not be permitted.

(iii) A Government Official : I do not know whether this plantation has a negative or positive effect. Being a government servant, I have to comply with my duty and continue with planting eucalyptus.

(iv) A Consumer of Paper : As soon as paper companies start producing pulp and paper and supply them at a cheaper rate due to reduction in the cost of transportation.

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