Why is it misleading to call deforestation only agricultural development?

Correct answer: Because railways, demand for timber, plantations, revenue policies, and harm to local communities also contributed to deforestation.

Clearing land for cultivation was one cause of deforestation under colonial rule, but it was not the only one. Timber for railway sleepers, ships and buildings, tea-coffee-rubber plantations, and revenue-oriented policies also led to large-scale forest loss. This harmed the livelihoods and rights of forest communities. Option B is wrong because agricultural expansion was indeed an important cause. Exam tip: notice words such as “only” and choose the option that reflects multiple causes.