Final answer:
Deforestation in the Indian subcontinent between 1880 and 1920 was driven by factors such as railway expansion, shipbuilding, agricultural growth, commercial farming, and the establishment of tea and coffee plantations, along with the subsistence practices of Adivasis and peasant users.
Step-by-step explanation:
Between 1880 and 1920, the Indian subcontinent witnessed a significant reduction in forest cover due to various factors. The construction of railways necessitated a large amount of timber for sleepers and fuel, leading to deforestation.
Shipbuilding, particularly during the British colonial period, also contributed to forest depletion as wood was a critical material for ship construction. The expansion of agriculture was another major factor, as increasing populations required more land to be cleared for cultivation.
This period also saw a surge in commercial farming, with the British encouraging the production of cash crops for export, further reducing forested areas. The establishment of tea and coffee plantations also played a role in the deforestation of the subcontinent, as these cash crop plantations replaced natural forests.
Moreover, Adivasis and other peasant users cleared small patches of forest for shifting cultivation or to gather resources for their survival, although their impact was relatively minimal compared to the institutionalized exploitation of forests.