We celebrate World Environment Day on 5^th June every year since 1972 and promise to protect the Environment, still there is no such action oriented work is in progress to justify the objective. Some common questions arise are:

1. Who is responsible for this? Either, common people or villager or farmer or educational organization or Government or Environment & Forest Department or Non-governmental organization or industries or Political leaders / Policy Makers. It is very easy to blame any one of the above.

2. What is the reason for very slow progress of afforestation programme?

3. Why common people are least concerned about the Environment?
 
4. Who is the role model?  

Jharkhand as the name itself speaks a piece of land with sufficiently grown forest (Jhar = tree/bushes/forest and Khand = piece of land). In order to realize the name of the state, our leaders / policy makers who really concern about the environment should come forward with a missionary zeal to realize the dream of ecologically developed Jharkhand. They must think it honestly not as a part of duty only but as full devotion. To utilize the total unused area should be our objective, and then only this dream will come true. The basic need for eco-development is to create a suitable vegetation cover, which not only prevents further degradation but also improves the environment. The green cover can be created through different types of plants which can also meet the requirement of timber, fuel, fodder, food, vegetables, fruits etc. There should be harmony among industries, resources and environment.

Environmental education is a practical process for equipping man with the knowledge, skill and commitment to improve the environment. Village Environmental Committee should be formed which may act as basic unit. Members may be unemployed or employed will develop a piece of waste land (say 10 acres or more). Timber or horticultural plants may be grown by the team. Temporary job may be given to them. They may sell agricultural or horticultural products and earn money. Followed by Village Environmental Committee, Block Environmental Committee than District Environmental Committee and State Environmental Committee should be formed and they will monitor the works of each level. Block Development Officer or Circle Officer of the block will help Village Environmental Committee in allotment of Govt. land for required time or give assistance in finding public waste land. At least one unit should be developed in each block which will act a model for others. Forest department should assist in plantation works. There must be sound co-ordination from village to state regarding training, employment or encouragement so that member will work with devotion. Poor progress of the project of growing medicinal plants in Petarbar (Bokaro) is very unfortunate. Management system should be reviewed to re-juvinate such projects in a better way.

FOREST MANAGEMENT

Our forests are very poorly managed, it generally suffer from forest fire and deforestation. New trees must be planted in gaps and outer areas. Local seed bank should be developed for native and local flora. Plantation of exotic species should be restricted. In majority of cases a big gap and non-co-operation observed in people of forest area and employee of forest so they disturb each other. This mis-match may be overcome by mutual understanding. Poor are the worst sufferers due to the loss of natural resources. Their livelihood mostly depend on natural resources, but it is in-human to ask a poor to conserve and improve the natural resources as they are struggling to make pace with their body and soul. They should be provided alternative source of income like growing horticultural plants. Monoculture of exotic species is in general practice in afforestation programme. This is not a healthy practice for eco-development. Plantation should match with the pre-existing flora or plants present in near by areas. Parasnath Mountain is a representative of flora of Jharkhand. It appears that the pre-existing flora of Jharkhand is now restricted in Mountain Parasnath. Jharkhand seed bank should be developed for collecting healthy seeds and growing them for re-plantation. Removal of old trees and plantation of new suitable plant should be made regular practice. Sometimes old dried trees cause road accidents. Removal of old dried trees will also generate revenue for Government.

WASTE LAND MANAGEMENT
A vast area of Jharkhand, it may be Govt. land or public land is unutilized; it may be treated as wasteland. Village Environment Committee should undertake afforestation work comprising Timber Yielding plants and horticultural plants. Unuseful bushes like Lantana camera (Putus), Eupatorium odoratum (Ban putus), Parthenium hysterophorus etc. should be removed from waste lands and useful plants may be planted. If water is available, pond ecosystem should be developed and cultivation of food grains, vegetables, pulses, oil may be started. On the other hand fish production will be an additional source of income. Many ponds are made by Govt. under the programme NREGA should be utilized for eco-development. Management of water bodies is very important and for this training should be given for fish cultivation, duck breeding, cultivation of water chest nut etc. Water bodies are poorly managed, this is also unfortunate.

INDUSTRIAL WASTE LAND MANAGEMENT
Jharkhand is very fortunate due to its richness of natural resources and industries like coal mining, steel, aluminium, zinc, lead, thermal power plant, explosive factory, fertilizer and many other industries. Mine sites are usually cleared off all vegetation and kept free of vegetation during the course of operation. Mining operations have had a devastating effect on the land and flora, laying many areas barren, which were verdant with luxuriant forest of deciduous trees like Arjun, Bargad, Baheda, Bhelwa, Gamhar, Gular, Jamun, Karanj, Katahal, Mahua, Mango, Neem,  Palas, Pipal, Sal, Samul, Tendu etc. Industries are trying their best to re-vegetate the barren area and over burden dumps by direct plantation of exotic species of Accasia spp., Albizia sp., Eucalyptus spp. etc. Monoculture fails to meet the basic needs and leads to further degradation, disturbing the delicate balance of nutrients in the soil, besides upsetting the ecological balance. Plants should be grown in a successive manner in the barren areas and overburden dumps. Soil condition is also altered and devoid of nutrients. If required top soil may be added for growth of plants. Grasses and legumes should be grown first. Grasses will prevent further soil erosion and legumes will add nitrogen content in the soil and further make suitable habitat for shrubs and trees. Selection of plants should be site specific. Extensive monitoring should be done for re-plantation, where plants are dried / died or found slow growth of plants. All barren area, may be road side, behind road side, spaces in residential area, school campus, public and private building campus etc. filled with useful plants.

CONCLUSION
The environmental literacy is very-very slow and low. The inequality in income and wealth between rich and poor is very sharp. Both damage the environment. The need of poor and greed of rich are more responsible for environmental degradation. Environmental education and awareness is highly essential to change the attitude of people so that everybody may be a student, teacher, employed, unemployed, skilled or unskilled must participate in plantation and protection for eco-development in Jharkhand.

List of some local plants (trees) to be used for revegetation in wastelands;
(Timber/ Medicinal plants/ Fruit yielding)

List of some local herbs and grasses to start greening in barren areas 

List of some local shrubs to start revegetation in wastelands