34. Common Land Resources: The Present Status and Need for Their Conservation in North India

The common land resources (CLRs) as the name implies have common access to all for various economic gains. The CLRs include forests, pastures, barren land, uncultivated land other than current fallow land and cultivable wastelands. The forests provide timber and pastures support livestock. The uncultivated and barren lands support industrial and urban development. Agroforestry and social forestry are also practised. The “common access” to these resources has led to unchecked and rampant use, leading to their degradation. In general, they account for a substantial share in income, socio-economic development and sustainable livelihood of the landless people, marginal and small farmers. Over the last 50 years, the population growth, urbanization and industrialization have led to overexploitation of the resources having “common access”. The share of CLRs in the Uttar Pradesh during 1950–1951 was 34.28%; since then CLRs continue declining. Considering the declining trend of CLRs and their role in socio-economic development of the unprivileged, there is a need to manage them in a judicious way through the formulation of suitable and effective policies by the government to prevent degradation and extinction of CLRs.