Indian NGOs jointly campaign against an anti-people forest bill proposed by the Centre
AFTER over a year of deliberations and
public debate on the proposed draft forest bill of the Union ministry of environment and forests (MEF), the National
Campaign for People's Resources (NCPR)
- a joint forum of voluntary organisations - has proposed a set of amend-
ments to the bill. This alternative "people's bffl' seeks to recognise legally the "intrinsic relationship between forests
and tribal and the poor people."
This MG0 initiative to make the legislative process transparent and open
was aimed at stalling the MEF'S manoeuvres to push its original draft bill on
the Conservation of Forest and the
Natural Eco-systern Act, 1994, replacing
the Indian Forest Act, 1927. This
renaming has been criticised by the
NGos as they feel it is too broad, and
implies a wide gamut of natural
resources including land, water, air and
forests. Says Walter Fernandes, Indian
Social Institute, New Delhi and national
convenor, NCPR, "The official bill had
ignored even the little official concern
that ivas shown in the forest policy of
1988 towards the livelihood needs of the
poor and the need for participatory
management through joint forest
management programmes."
While retaining the official bill's
original structure, the suggested amendments have expanded the preamble to
include the objectives of the National
Forest Policy, 1988, focusing particularly on "meeting the basic needs of the
people, especially fuelwood, fodder and
small timber for the rural and tribal
people, and maintaining the intrinsic
relationship between the forests and
people living in and around forests by
protecting their customary rights and
concession on forests."
While the official bill has conferred
arbitrary powers on state agencies, the
NGO bill has proposed "consultation
with a village forest committee" to
determine the rights of the people.
Further, powers for management
and conservation of forests not exercised by the government, may be
assigned to village forest committees
and state forest committees. Regarding
the villages and forests in the vicinity of
national parks and sanctuaries, it recommends that these be converted into
village forests and managed by village
forest committees.
The 'NGOS have cracised the attempt
to extend the official bill's scope to
include the whole of India. Fearing this
might disturb the tribal lifestyle in the
Northeast, they have sought exemption
for the northeastern states under the
sixth schedule of the Constitution, and
subsequent adaptation of the forest act
to local conditions.
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