Overview of fuelwood consumption dynamics in Manipur

Thoudam Umakanta Singh and Dr RS Loushambam
Fuelwood has been identified as one of the most significant causes of forest degradation in many developing Nations. FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) estimates that fuelwood accounts for over 54% of all global annual harvests, suggesting it has a substantial and direct role in forest loss. The collection of fuelwood contributed to about 6% of deforestation worldwide. In many developing countries, due to the scarcity of other energy resources, people tend to use wood as their primary fuel source because the rural communities cannot afford other alternatives. In India, the demand for fuelwood has grown far faster than the supply. It is the cheapest and most accessible source for most of the population, especially those in rural areas. The primary energy source in all Indian hilly settlements is fuelwood.
Regarding energy sources, fuelwood is the fourth largest, supplying 80% of the cooking energy requirements in India. The Dept of Statistics, 2008 reported that 77 % of the rural population in India relies significantly on traditional biomass-based fuels to meet their everyday needs.
In the North Eastern Himalayan region, the demand for fuelwood is more than 228 million tons, with a substantial supply of 128 million tons. There is a huge gap between the demand and supply of fuelwood, which leads to pressure on existing forests to overcome the scarcity of this considerable demand. The people of Manipur suffer from a scarcity of energy resources and are thus largely dependent on wood for fuel, especially in the rural populations. Fuelwood as fuel is the only option available in this remote region of the state where there is less possibility of reaching LPG connection as an alternative fuel is far beyond the reach of the people due to less accessibility coupled with poor economic conditions of the people residing in this part of the state. Fuelwood is a highly demanded product catering to the fuel energy requirement for domestic and commercial purposes.
Interestingly, the price of fuelwood in the State mainly depends on the place of the origin of the fuelwood. The longer the distance, the higher the price. It has been reported that commercial purposes are the leading cause of deforestation and degradation of forest areas. Over time, people have shifted from fuelwood to other sources for domestic use in accordance with the developing economic status. Still, the rural people of the state have no other option but to stick to fuelwood as their primary source of fuel for cooking. The findings of the research suggest that households in the Ukhrul District consume roughly 3000 kg of fuelwood on a yearly basis. As reported by the Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Dehardun, Chandel district has one of the highest dependencies on forest- sourced fuelwood relative to other districts in Manipur. Some of fuelwood species used in the State are Alnus nepalensis (Pareng), Betula pendula (Bhuja patra), Cinnamomum tamala (Tejpatta), Dipterocarpus turbinatus (Khangra), Mi-chelia champaca (Leihao), Myrica esculenta (Non-gang-hei), Olea europaea (Chorphon), Phoebe hainesiana (Uningthou), Phyllanthus emblica (Heikru), Pinus spp. (Uchan), Prunus nepalensis (Jaam), Prunus cerasoides (Malhei), Quercus serrata (Uyung), Toona ciliata (Tairen), Sterculia villosa (Heirit), Grevillea robusta (Kabilla), Albizia lebbeck (Khok), Leea asiatica (Kokan), Albizia lucidior (Luwangkhok), Eucalyptus sps. (Nashik), Castanopsis sp. (Sae), Litsea monopetala (Tumitla), Schima wallichii (Ushoi), Gmelina arborea (Wang).
For commercial purposes, the demand is generated mainly by brickfield industries. In the state, brickfields use coal, wood, or a combination of both as their energy source. The 2019 economic survey report from the Manipur government indicates a significant construction boom driven by Government infrastructure initiatives and an increasing demand for residential construction from the emerging affluent class. Many of the brickfields in the State utilize fuelwood as a practical alternative, mainly because of the insufficient supply of coal and the difficulties related to its import. Over the last few years, brickfields in Manipur have been notably expanded, fuelled by the growing need for bricks, as concrete homes increasingly take over the traditional mud houses in urban and rural areas alike. Most of the fuelwood comes from the hilly districts of the state.
Officials from the State Forest Department pointed out that substantial amounts of wood are needed to heat mud for brick manufacturing.
Without finding a viable alternative to fuelwood, the Government's strategies for forest conservation may not achieve their intended outcomes. The State's forests and ecosystem could face significant consequences, as commercial exploitation can cause severe damage, potentially undermining envi- ronmental and biodiversity conservation efforts. In the state, the authority tasked with approving the establishment of new brickfields is the Manipur Pollution Control Board. Regular monitoring and evaluation of brickfield activities by the board is crucial to ensure that operations do not spiral out of control. The board needs to resolve the issues within the brick field production unit and implement a system for periodic review of grievances.
The introduction of flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana benefitted a large number of rural populations in the State otherwise using traditional cooking fuels such as fuelwood, coal, cow-dung cakes etc. Such initiatives could decrease the dependence on fuelwood. Illicit cutting and uncontrolled felling of trees for fuelwood will give adverse effect to the existing forest if it is not curtailed/checked rationally at the earliest.
The writers are from the School of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Forestry, Manipur University