Forest belongs to whom ?

Question:  Forest belongs to Whom?
Answer:    To the Government

Question:  To whom did they belong earlier?
Answer:    The Zamindar

Question:  And before them?
Answer:    It has always belonged to them

Question:  Did the government or the king or the zamindar create it?
Answer:    No

Question:  Who created forests?
Answer:    Nature

Question:  Which other things are created by Nature?
Answer:    Humans, animals, birds, other insects, whole Universe.

Question:  What do all of them need for survival ?
Answer:    Mother’s milk

Question:  Suppose, mother’s milk can be sold in market for Rs. 1,000 per cup.  Will it be right for the mother to deny milk to                  child and sell it in market.
Answer:    No

Question:   Why? Is it not because an infant’s survival depends on it and selling it for money will not be right.
Answer:     Correct

Question:   Who has, therefore, a right over mother’s milk?
Answer:     Infant; child has the right

Question:   On what do we depend for our survival?
Answer:     Agriculture and Forest

Question:   Who, therefore, has a right over agriculture and forest?
Answer:     Those who depend on them for survival, i.e-  the tribals

Question:   Then to whom should the forest belong? To the government?
Answer:     No

Question:   Then, Zamindar?    
Answer:     No,

Question:   The Industrialist?
Answer:     No

Question:   Then, to whom?
Answer:     To the tribals

Question:   Will it be right to sell the forest for money / profit, depriving those who are dependent on it for survival?
Answer:    No

Question:   Why?
Answer:     First right is of those for whom it is necessary for survival

Question:   Whose dependence is greatest for survival on forest?
Answer:     Poor, cultivator, animals, birds and other living beings

Question:   For whom is forest being denuded?
Answer:     For rich people, businessmen, government servants, political leaders, contractors, industrialists.

Question:   In that case, will these people save forest?
Answers:   No

Question:   Who then, can save the forest?
Answer:     Poor people and cultivators

Question:   For whom should it be saved?
Answer:     for tribals

Question:   and for who else?
Answer:     For the children of tribals

Question:  And for who else?
Answer:   for animals-birds who cannot speak

Question:  and for who else
Answer:   for the whole world

Source: Hakara (Marathi Magazine) - date unavailable.