Majority Report of the Committee Constituted to ... - Forest Rights Act

Traditional system of Agriculture that prevailed among the local
Oriya communities in this area.
I. Cultivation in forest land.
21. `Kandhachas’ is a cultivation that needed clearing of big
patches of forest for cultivation of paddy on a co-operative basis. The
cultivators used to reside there temporarily and carry on agriculture. As
soon as the agricultural activity is complete they come back to their
villages which are outside the forest leaving one or two people to watch
over the crop. This supervision is carried out on a rotation basis. When a
particular operation is needed to be done then the entire group moves to
the spot to construct temporary structures. However, different people
take up different activities such as fishing, repair of implements etc. It is
however understood that the crop belongs to the entire group and they
share equally. The ‘Khanda’ is known after the name of the group leader.
Some of these ‘Khandas’ are about hundreds of acres in extent and the
membership of the group goes up from 50-60 in some cases. Hence, the
land is held un-fragmented in this customary practice. However, during
the settlement ‘Khandha Chasis’ have been recorded as encroachers on
government land, as they have entered the forest block. It is an ancient
form of cultivation practice and uses the fertility of forest soil to grow
paddy. (Final report on settlement of Kujang Forest Block 1959- 66,
Annexure B3 ,page 39).
II. History of Betel Vine Cultivation in Kujang Estate
22. A history of the cultivation of betel vine is quite old, going back
to the 19th century and is reported (Bihar and Orissa Gazetteer,
Cuttack, 1933, page 89-90, Annexure B2) as follows-
“The cultivation of the climbing vine called betel (piper betel) the
leaves of which are used to wrap up supari chewed by Indians of all
ranks and classes, is not extensive. It was introduced by some men
of Barua caste who came from Bengal and settled down in Cuttack.
It is still grown for the most part by men of this caste , but it is no
longer confined to them as the profits of the crop have attracted
other castes, and now Khandaits, and indeed even Brahmans
cultivate it”
The finest betel were reported to have been grown at Barkud in the
Kujang estate, where the immigrant Baruas first settled ; and the greater
portion of the district, especially the markets in the Kendrapara