Stress on practical forest policy

By Lalit Shastri

KANHA (Madhya Pradesh), JUNE 27. The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr. Digvijay Singh, today reiterated the need to protect forests and wildlife but at the same time emphasised that significant efforts were also necessary to ensure livelihood for those who depend on forests.

Addressing a special function here this afternoon to mark 25 years of Project Tiger Mr. Singh said the issue of livelihood of those residing in the forest areas will have to be addressed in right earnest. This issue has not received due importance, he said while admitting that politicians have a track record of adopting the populist policy of legalising forest encroachments.

Mr. Singh said the important issue before us now is how to convert degraded forests into assets that can ensure the livelihood for the people. The State Government is working out a strategy for using huge stocks of foodgrains for providing employment to the people for putting degraded forests to better use. The forest department has for years gone in for mono-crop plantation but the idea now is to go for mixed plantations, where even one hectare of land can ensure livelihood for an entire family.

``We cannot stop people from cutting forests unless all these issues are adequately addressed,'' the Chief Minister said and emphasised the need for a relook at the Forest Conservation Act (FCA), Mr. Singh said the FCA is a Central law but the State Government ends up facing problems while implementing its provisions.

Later talking to newsmen, Mr. Singh said the FCA was impractical. The new definition of forest, which is actually the dictionary meaning of the word forest, will make things very difficult for everybody since all developmental activity in cities like Bhopal and Nagpur would now be governed under the FCA, he added.

Asked for a comment on the statement by Director, Project Tiger, Mr. P. K. Sen, in his speech, that at least the 3 per cent area now under the National Parks and Sanctuaries should be kept free from human pressure for the sake of the future generations, Mr. Singh said ``How can you wish away thousands of those who depend on forests?.''

The State Forest Minister, Mr. Harvansh Singh, had earlier suggested that the National Parks in the State should be kept open throughout the year for tourists.

Mr. Sen, told `The Hindu' that he was opposed to the idea of keeping the National Parks open round the year and said that he would take a firm stand against any such move at the State Wildlife Board Meeting to be held here tomorrow.

The Kanha Tiger Reserve, which spreads over a 940 square kilometer area, was one of the first nine in the country where Project Tiger was initially launched. Kanha was earlier part of a forest division but in the 1970s the Madhya Pradesh Government sanctioned a special plan and recognizing its importance as a vital ecological zone formed a separate directorate for the conservation of forests and protection of wildlife here.

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