MUMBAI: The union ministry of environment and forests and climate change (MoEFCC) has ordered the state government to identify land banks for compensatory afforestation on a war footing. The state has many upcoming infrastructure projects for which forest land has been proposed to be diverted under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.
The ministry, in its order dated October 30, said slow progress in identification of land in non-forest or degraded forest land unnecessarily delays projects.
The state government has been asked to provide a division-wise report giving details of compensatory afforestation carried out since 1980 vis-à-vis the quantity of wood available for wood-based industries from such compensatory afforested areas. It has also ordered the state government to direct all stakeholders of wood-based industries to plant at least 10 trees per cubic metre of wood consumed every year in order to enhance the forest cover of Maharashtra as per the National Forest Policy, 1988.
Out of these 10 trees, 50% are to be planted in the vicinity of these industries by the owner and the rest 50% to be distributed to nearby villagers.
The ministry has also ordered the state to revise lapsed working plans of forest divisions, initiate revision of working plans which are to expire in the next two to three years and get them approved from the central government. Without the approved working plans, felling will not be possible and no raw material will be available for wood-based industries. The order was issued after it was revealed that the chairman of the state- level committee set up to grant per mission for felling of trees had amended the Maharashtra Forest Rules, 2014, misled the state government, and granted permission last year to 50 saw mills to harvest additional timber. The permission can be granted only by the Mo-EFCC.
“Neither the state government nor the officers have learnt any lessons from the 2006 Supreme Court order. The government of Maharashtra simply gave directions to this erring official without initiating any action due to which he has been habitually violating the rule of law with blatant impunity,” reads the order.
Coming down heavily on the state government, it said despite knowing a minister and the state chief secretary were punished by the SC in the past in the matter related to saw mills, the state government did not initiate any action against the then principal chief conservator of forests and the chairman of the SLC. The ministry has directed the state government to initiate an independent inquiry, to be completed within two months, against the then panel chairman.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.Clara Lewis is a Senior Editor (Government & Policy). She enjoys ...
Read MoreClara Lewis is a Senior Editor (Government & Policy). She enjoys meeting people, reading and travel, and keeps her eye on the changing face of the city and its rapid evolving demographic profile.
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