Browsing by Author "Datta, Soumyendra Kishore"

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Property Right, Risk of Eviction and Degradation of Common Pool Resources
(2006) Datta, Soumyendra Kishore
"In order to understand the impact of improperly enforced property right on degradation pattern of a forest CPR , this paper utilises two models of the process. In section 2 we consider a very simple model where ownership of private plot of land is combined together with resource extraction from a common forest land under improper property right structure (ie where property rights are not clearly defined). We seek to find out the conditions under which forest land resources in open access situation tend to be converted to agricultural land by private owners. In section 3 we consider a squatting model in newly settled/ encroached region with hardly any properly implemented property right on the land used for agricultural purposes as well as the CPR forest land used for resource extraction purposes. In this section we seek to derive the impact of changes in perception of risk of eviction from the encroached land on the degradation of the forested land resources, under certain conditions. Section 4 is devoted to concluding observations and policy prescriptions."
Status of a Forest Dependence and Degradation: Trade Off Between Short Term Gains and Long Term Benefits with a Case Study Support in India
(2011) Datta, Soumyendra Kishore; Sarkar, Krishanu
"It is a fact that poor people specially in tribal dominated area have a great deal of forest dependence. The institution of joint forest management was devised to have a better coordinative effort between the forest dwellers and forest department for protection of the forest resources. It was expected that poor villagers would be socio-economically better motivated to protect the forest resources on which their livelihood greatly depends. However empirical study in Ranibundh and Jhilimili beat in Bankura district, ( West Bengal , India) revealed that due to operation of a number of factors like lack of co-ordination between forest dept and forest protection committee (FPC), absence of mutual trust among FPC members, widespread illiteracy, unemployment, risk of eviction and loss of customary right to access the forest resources, there seems to be lack of protective effort on the part of forest dwellers leading to species depletion and degradation of the forest. Apart from this, lack of alternative income sources, poor access to credit, rising population size, insufficient local employment opportunities as well as high dependence on forest as a safety net during difficult economic times lead to unsustainable management of the resource. Sometimes there emerges a trade off between short run economic pursuits and long term effect which is captured by an optimal control model. In this backdrop the aspect of insecured property right, forest dependence, dynamics of socio-economic features, relative availability of alternative job and income and trade off between short and long term interest of the community are taken into account in an integrated analysis of the status of forest resources in a highly CPR dependent region exposed to the risk of degradation."
Trade off Between Economic and Environmental Management Socio- Institutional Analysis of a Common Property Resource
(2008) Datta, Soumyendra Kishore
"The degree of heterogeneity in income and cultural differences in a group of stakeholders having joint access to a commons, may have varied impact on their attitude to economic and environmental management of the CPR resource base. There is likely to be a trade off between economic and environmental management which influences the sustainability outcomes. Conservative management linked to sustainability is likely to be more effective when it involves collective action of people with relatively homogeneous income groups, similar needs and antecedents, poorer private options and high dependence on the commons together with well defined property rights. On the other hand, a resource group with greater inequality in the distribution of income opportunities and differences in socio-cultural standing in a rather hazy property right scenario, is likely to put stress on greater economic gains at the cost of environmental management. This is vindicated by comparing the institutional aspect and income and class differences in two fish production units in Burdwan district of West Bengal, India. Gini coefficient, maximum sustainable yield based on Schaefer model, coefficient of variation of profitability and marketing efficiency index etc are applied for the analytical purpose. In one case, a fish production group with lease right consists of 387 members out of whom only 12 are fishermen by birth. With majority of the members having varied white collar jobs and fishery treated as a subsidiary occupation, there exists high income inequality and exit options, less regard for sustainability of the fishery resource and urge for high profit. In the other case, permanent fishing right is granted to a primary fish co- operative society (PFCS) where all the members are fishermen by birth, having similar socio- cultural traits, low income inequality, low exit options and high dependence on the fishery resource. Here sustainable fishery management on collective action dominates the profitability criteria that involves larger harvest of the stock. A reorientation with grant of permanent fishing right to PFCS with actual fishermen as members would possibly ensure greater economic equity and environmental sustainability."