How is the relation between local loss and colonial benefit visible in deforestation?

Correct answer: Local communities lost access to forest produce and livelihoods, while the colonial state and traders gained timber and revenue

Under colonial rule, large quantities of timber and land were required for railways, ships, and plantations. Forest laws and reserved forests restricted local communities’ customary access to grazing, fuelwood, timber, and forest produce, while the state gained revenue and traders gained profits. Option D is close, but it wrongly denies the decline in local access and rights. Exam tip: mention both the loss of local livelihoods and the state’s gain in timber or revenue.