Forest Rights Bill will be ecologically suicidal: Forest Commission

New Delhi, July 28 (UNI) The National Forest Commission has expressed reservation against the proposed Scheduled Tribes(Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill, 2005, saying it would harm forests and will be ecologically suicidal, the Government told the Rajya Sabha today.

The joint Parliamentary Committee(JPC) had recently cleared the Bill with some recommendations.

In a written reply to the House, Minister of State Namo Narain Meena said the Bill was being considered by a Group of Ministers who shall take into account all the pros and cons of various issues involved.

He said the Forest Commission has opposed the Bill on the following grounds: The Bill implies that tribals would be permitted to exploit forests for commercial purposes and not only for bona fide livelihood as was originally intended, with only the Gram sabha to decide what exploitation would be unsustainable. But this task should be done by forest managers in consultation with local communities.

The settlement of claims of tribals rights over forest land should be done by quasi-judicial bodies and not left to Gram sabhas as provided in the Bill.

The proposal of providing temporary rights in the protected areas for a period of five years and then if they are not relocated in that period the right becoming permanent was ecologically suicidal and politically motivated.

The clause that no encroacher should be evicted from forestland under his occupation till recognition and verification of his claims are completed, with no time limit for such a process, is self-defeating and will give impetus and licence to more encroachments in forests and corruption. Such a provision must not apply to national parks and sanctuaries, if not to all forests.

There is an ambiguity in the Bill about applicability of laws to tribals and non-tribals, he said.

Moreover, the Act would be bad in law and in open conflict with the ruling of the Supreme Court.

UNI NAZ VA DB1347