( 128A ) 



of afiorestatioa operations but will remain outstanding, 

 the annual profits, which will be divfded between 

 Q-overnmnet and the owner, providing the return thereon. 



4. The scheme outlined above is based on a change of policy 

 dictated by the lessons gained by experience. It implies the 

 definite abandonment of the scheme of universal ravine reclama- 

 tion by afforestation alone, such abandonment being obviously 

 inevitable. The intention now is to render reclamation attractive 

 as a business proposition to the people themselves. This object 

 has been kept in view in revising the agreement and must be an 

 important criterion in judging the experiments referred to in the 

 last part of paragraph 2(1) supra. 



5. I am accordingly to request that, in view of the foregoing 

 observations, steps may be taken to institute experiments on the 

 lines indicated above as soon as possible. 



6. I am also to convey the approval of Government to the 

 proposal of the Forest department to the charging of fees to persons 

 who are not right -holders, to the continuance of the development 

 of the areas already taken up by the present methods, the success 

 of which has been fully demonstrated, wherever these areas show 

 prospects of a reasonable financial return, and to the extension of 

 their operations to other suitable localities as occasion offers and 

 financial considerations allow. It is understood that the extension 

 of these operations may ultimately involve the creation of two 

 new divisions. 



7. As regards the financing of the scheme, His Honour is of the 

 opinion that the Forest department should not be charged with the 

 whole capital expenditure incurred in the reclamation of areas 

 which could not possibly give any return ; if considered solely as a 

 financial proposition, but where reclamation works would only be 

 undertaken purely as a protective measure. The decision there- 

 fore to undertake a work of this class should lie with the revenue 

 authorities. 



