Question

How did the introduction of railways lead to deforestation in colonial India?

• A. Forest patches were cleared to build railway lines.
• B. Wood was used as sleepers to hold railway tracks together.
• C. Wood was used to make furniture.
• D. Wood was used as fuel to run the locomotives.

Answer 1

Answer: (A), (B), (D)

Wood was used as fuel to run the locomotives.

A lot of the forest patches were cleared to build the railways. The trees that were cut, were used as sleepers to hold railway tracks together. Wood was also used as fuel to run the locomotives. Additionally, the government granted contracts to local contractors for supplying timber for sleepers. This also led to indiscriminate tree-felling.