Which of the following statements about the van-panchayats of Uttarakhand are correct?
(A) Members police nearby forests to keep an eye on illegal felling of trees.
(B) Members develop nurseries and nurture saplings for planting on the hill slopes.
(C) Van-panchayats were set up by the forest department to overcome the firewood problem.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → A and B only
(A) Members police nearby forests to keep an eye on illegal felling of trees. — Correct. Van-panchayat members guard the nearby forests. They keep watch so that no trees are cut illegally.
(B) Members develop nurseries and nurture saplings for planting on the hill slopes. — Correct. Members of the van-panchayats raise nurseries and look after tree saplings. These saplings are then planted on the hill slopes.
(C) Van-panchayats were set up by the forest department to overcome the firewood problem. — Incorrect. The van-panchayats were set up by the hill women themselves. The women formed them to meet the problem of deforestation and the long walks for firewood.
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