In Bastar division in Chhattisgarh’s is rich in natural resources. With dense Sal (Shorea robusta) forests occupying a significant portion of its area, Bastar is among the favorite’s tourist destinations in the state.
However, despite such natural wealth, it is among the most backward blocks in India and contributes to making Bastar one of the most backward districts in the country.
Some of the blocks and Panchayath has been identified as the most back ward like Darba block in Bastar. Darba has been identified as 22nd most backward block in India in a survey by the erstwhile Planning Commission. The average literacy rate for Darbha is around 40 per cent, according to the 2011 Census, which is much lower as compared to the average 70 per cent literacy rate of Chhattisgarh.
The census data also shows that several villages in the block do not have sufficient medical facilities. Though agriculture is the primary livelihood for the block population, the total area under irrigation is less than one per cent of the total cultivable area.Eighty-three per cent of Darbha’s population is tribal. Since the block is heavily forested, people depend on forests for a variety of purposes, including livelihood generation.However, the state of forests reports 2017 shows a reduction in the geographical area under forest cover for the entire Bastar administrative division over the last decade.Like forest all other natural resource are reducing day by day in the tribal land the main reason is that large scale manning and lack of care given to the Bastar division. At present Bastar division includes seven districts. Government is trying to bring development but there is no proper answer for the protection of natural resource.
Tribal people are substantially dependent on the forest for their livelihood, second only to agriculture. They depended on the forest in a variety of ways such as the extraction of minor forest produce, including medicinal herbs, gazing of their cattle, worshipping, burying their dead, fetching water for themselves and their cattle, fetching fuel and construction wood among others People expressed a strong association with the forest in one way or the other.
From 1977 BDKS promoted the community-based management of natural resource; we promoted the natural medicine through awareness programme and naturopathy treatment etc. BDKS also focused on micro-watershed management, irrigation water management, soil and water conservation, community forestry, community based natural seeds resource management etc. Community based natural resource management an approach to natural resource management that involves the full participation of indigenous peoples and local communities and resource users in decision making activities, and the incorporation of local institutions customary practices and knowledge systems in management, regulatory, and enforcement processes Under this approach , community based monitoring and information systems are initiatives by indigenous peoples and local community organization to monitor their communities well-being and the state of their territories and natural resources, applying a mix of traditional knowledge and innovative approaches. We the BDKS in collaboration with various agencies we have made a good number of SHG in SHA approach models (Self Help Approach) in this community will identify the needs and they take decision and put before the government authorities. In the case of natural resource management SHA group members of the village take care of the ownership with help of other villages they regulate and manage things in the locality.