Question

Select a statement from the following that highlights the primary reason why was there a change in the use of forests before and during British colonial rule?

• A. The British cut down forests on a large scale.
• B. Adivasis used the forests only for sustenance and not for profits.
• C. The British established and expanded the railway network in India.
• D. Adivasis cut only old trees.

Answer 1

The correct option is C The British established and expanded the railway network in India.

Before colonial times, the forests were used by the forest dwellers only for sustenance and not for profits. During colonial rule, the British established and expanded the railway network in India, and for this expansion, wood was resourced from forests. The British government restricted access to forests resources, and this led to large scale deforestation by the British and conflicts between the British government and the Adivasis.