What effect did clearing forests for plantations have on local people?

Correct answer: They were pushed away from forest resources

Direct answer: Option A is correct. A plantation is a large area where one commercial crop, such as tea, coffee, rubber or indigo, is grown for sale. Colonial governments and companies cleared forests to create such plantations. This reduced the mixed forests that local people used for firewood, fruits, leaves, fodder, medicine, hunting and grazing. Step by step, forests were taken for commercial cultivation; access was restricted by rules and private ownership; local communities then lost important materials and parts of their livelihood. Option A is correct because people were pushed away from forest resources. Option B is wrong because plantation expansion usually reduced customary rights rather than giving more forest rights. Option C is wrong because clearing forests does not make forests grow forever. Option D is wrong because colonial forest laws did not end; controls often became stronger. Memory cue: plantation means commercial crop, cleared forest and reduced local access.