(IN): Forest administration to be modernised: Minister

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Forest administration to be modernised: Minister

 

June 10th, 2009 - 10:33 pm ICT by IANS

Bangalore, June 10 (IANS) The central government is working on a new

scheme to modernise forest administration with a view to preventing

encroachment and increasing the green cover across the country,

Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said here

Wednesday.

“On the lines of police modernisation, we are working on a new scheme

to equip forest administrators with the latest communication gadgets,

surveillance system, watch towers and firearms to protect and preserve

forests from intrusions, violations or encroachments,” Ramesh told

reporters.

 

Though administration of forests lies with state governments, Ramesh

said the central government had a vital role in regulating and

supervising their functions to protect the eco-system and preserve the

bio-diversity, including the rich flora and fauna.

 

“The scheme will include training and recruiting additional staff

comprising range officers, field officers, watchers and guards. As

many of the forest personnel in the lower rung are employed on daily

wages, regularisation of their employment will minimise manpower

shortage,” Ramesh said.

 

Expressing concern over deputation of Indian Forest Service (IFS)

officers in Karnataka to other departments, including universities,

Ramesh said the state government should revert them to their original

postings to administer forests and protect the environment.

 

“I have learnt that many IFS officers in the state have been deputed

to general administration and as registrars in some state

universities. This trend needs to be reversed to ensure they devote

their time and energy in forest development and protection of

environment,” Ramesh said.

 

As part of his ministry’s agenda for the first 100 days of the new

central government, Ramesh, who holds the independent charge, said

about 100,000 families in the 36 declared tiger reserves across the

country would be relocated on the fringes of the respective forests to

avoid man-animal conflict.

 

“We plan to replicate the pilot project implemented successfully in

Bhadra forest in the Western Ghats of Karnataka where we have

relocated 736 families from protected areas reserved for tigers in the

plains under a rehab package.

 

“Each family will be given a compensation of Rs.1 million for

rehabilitation. The total plan expenditure for 100,000 families will

be Rs.10 billion over a five-year period,” Ramesh noted.

 

The Karnataka government has submitted a proposal to relocate about

1,300 families from similar human settlements in the Kudremukh

National Park in Chickmaglur district.

 

“A tripartite agreement would be signed by state governments, the

National Tiger Conservation Authority and Project Tiger to monitor the

funds for resettlement and rehabilitation of the relocated families,”

Ramesh added.

 

Reiterating that protection, preservation and development of forests

and environment were paramount, Ramesh said no efforts would be spared

in enforcing the Forest Conservation Act of 1980.

 

“To strike a balance between the need to preserve the ecology and meet

development goals, an Environment Protection Authority will be set up

regulate projects. Construction of roads or highways and railway

tracks will not be permitted through the forests at any cost. States

and the railways have to find an alternative routes,” he asserted.

 

 

 

 

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