Is bamboo tree or grass? Modi government solves puzzle

Those who have seen Raj Kapoor-Waheeda Rehman starrer 'Teesri Kasam', based on Fanishwar Nath Renu's novel 'Maare Gaye Gulfam', would remember how Hiraman, played on screen by Raj Kapoor, lands into trouble for transporting bamboo on his bullock cart. It forces him to vow not to transport bamboo ever. This was one of his three vows.

Many would have considered it just as a film story. However, there was truth in the story as transporting bamboo from one place to another invited trouble.

One had to seek the permission of the forest department of the state governments concerned. Getting this permission was not easy.

Scientifically speaking, bamboo is not tree but grass. However, the Indian Forest Act, 1927 considered it as tree. Accordingly, cutting bamboo from outside forests and transporting it was made unlawful.

As a result, farmers in the bamboo-growing states, particularly the North East, had to face harassment quite often because they could neither cut it nor transport it.

Despite India being the second largest grower of bamboo after China, it had to import bamboo from Taiwan even for sundry purposes such as making of 'agarbattis' (candlestick).

There was a long-pending demand to amend the obsolete law. Finally, the amendment has come about.

Is bamboo grass or tree? The Lok Sabha today finally amended a 90-year-old law and categorised bamboo as grass.

Following the amendment in the Indian Forest Act, 1927, bamboo has been removed from the category of tree. Now there is no prohibition on growing or cutting bamboo trees even outside the forests.

Earlier on November 23, the Narendra Modi government had promulgated an ordinance removing bamboo from the definition of tree. Today, the Lok Sabha passed the Indian Forest (Amendment) Bill, 2017 which would bring bamboo outside the definition of tree.

As bamboo was defined as a tree under the previous law, its inter-state movement required a permit. Consequent to the change brought in by the amended Act, felling or transportation of bamboos grown in non-forest areas will not require such permits.

Replying to a debate on the Bill, Environment, Forests, and Climate Change Minister Harsh Vardhan said the amended law will enable farmers to cut and transport bamboo grown on their land outside forest. He said that it would not only help increasing the income of farmers, but will also generate employment in big number.

Several industries including paper and furniture making ones will immensely benefit out of the amended law. An exponential increase in the growing and consumption of bamboo cannot be denied. It augurs a new era for the tribal areas as well.