Question

Which new trade was created due to the introduction of new forest laws?
A. Cultivation
B. Collecting latex from wild rubber trees
C. Hunting
D. None of the above

Answer 1

Hint The Indian Forest Act, 1927 was passed as an attempt to secure the laws related to forests, enhance the transportation of products obtained from forests, and regulate the duty liable on timber. In 1980, the Forest (Conservation) Act was sanctioned to safeguard the forests and to put an end to deforestation.

Complete step-by-step solution
The forest laws were a benefit for people who received new opportunities, at the same time many people lost their livelihoods due to them. The extraction and sales of forest products provided a vast array of opportunities, such as extracting latex from rubber trees, silk cocoons, ivory bamboo, spices, fibers, grasses, gums, resins, etc. Many people shifted to this occupation after leaving their traditional jobs. Since the British Government was controlling the entire trade system regarding the forest products, the European trading firms received the sole right to trade in these products.

Thus, option (B) is correct.

Additional Information The daily lifestyles of Nomadic and pastoralist communities like the Korava, Karacha, Yerukula of Madras were drastically affected by the Forest Laws as things like cutting wood, grazing cattle, collecting fruits and roots, and hunting or fishing without any approval from the Central Government was considered to be illegal.

Note Due to these forest laws, many people stole wood from the forests and the forest guards would demand a heavy sum of bribe from them. Many tribals after losing their previous occupations were forced to work in government-supervised factories, mines, and plantations and were offered a very low wage.