GUWAHATI, May 16 ? The Congress Government in the State is determined to prevent any future encroachment of forest land, stated G C Langthasa, Minister of Forest, Social Forestry, Hill Areas Development Mines and Minerals. In an official release on the status of forest land in the State Langthasa said that the best way to tackle encroachment and check illegal felling of trees is to adopt a carrot-and-stick policy. The masses will have to be enlightened via various social education programmes on the positive as well as negative aspects of these issues. And to make the move practical, the department will carry on eviction operation to free the forest lands as per the order of the Supreme Court and the policy of the Forest Department.
The Minister also pointed out that encroachment of forest land in the State started in the post-Independence phase in the districts of Kamrup, Kokrajhar, Sivasagar, Golaghat, Lakhimpur, Nagaon and Darrang. Referring to eviction drives at Bordikarai and Rangajan Chapori of Nameri ? notified a ?National Park? on August 13, 1998, with an area of 200 sq km comprising of the existing Nameri Wildlife Sanctuary of 137.07 sq km and a part of the Naduar Reserve Forest of 62.93 sq km ? the Minister said the department carried out the operations with remarkable success from April 24 to 27. Altogether 420 huts and 50 cattle sheds of ex-tea garden labourers, Nepali and Mising communities were demolished. He added that these graziers were allotted land at Bhakal Tapu, but they had refused to shift, pointing out that the eviction drive was as per the High Court directive in response to a case filed by Dhan Bahadur Newar and other graziers in the Guwahati High Court with a prayer to pass orders not to evict the graziers. The alternative land to the graziers at Bhakal Tapu was given by the ?Collector? who was appointed by the Government to inquire into the details of existence, nature and extent of the rights of any person in or over the land comprised within the proposed area. The commission also passed judgement for eviction of the encroachers. The probe was conducted prior to the final notification of declaring Nameri as a national park in 1998. The graziers filed their case in 1999 and the eviction was conducted in 2002.
The Minister further said that with regard to the alleged threatening of the Forest staff of Rangajan Chapori Forest Camp inside the Park and setting afire of the camp kitchen by the Sootea MLA and his PSO on April 28, the range officer of the Park had lodged an FIR at Charduar police outpost on the day of the incident. The matter is being investigated into by the police, Langthasa said. In regard to the recent death of wild elephants due to poisoning in Nameri National Park and other areas, the Minister said the detailed report conducted by B K Gohain, Upper Assam Commissioner, is yet to be submitted. However, the one conducted by CCF(WL) has already been received. A definite action plan can be chalked out only after the pending report is ready, he stated. Dwelling on the financial crunch being faced by the Forest Department, Langthasa said at times it becomes a problem to even pay the personnel. The alloted amount for development and planning projects is also too meagre, he added. The only sector which is getting adequate financial support is social forestry. Under this head, steps have been initiated and positive responses elicited from the public for free distribution of plants.
The Minister further pointed out that though felling of trees has been banned by the Supreme Court since 1995, selective felling of trees is permissible only on approval of the ?working plan? prepared by the Department and due approval accorded by the Central Government. Even this process is now hampered owing to scarce funds. Mentionably, management plans for various RFs/PRFs/USFs are being looked after by 28 territorial divisions. Of these, three fall within the jurisdiction of Karbi Anglong Autonomous District Council in Diphu and one under NC Hills Autonomous District Council in Haflong. Six divisions with approval working plans are Silchar, Sonitpur West, Hailakandi, Goalpara, Karimganj and Digboi. Revision of working plans needed to be taken on a priority basis as per departmental notification are in 13 divisions viz, North Kamrup, Cachar, Doom Dooma, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Nagaon, Nagaon South, Digboi, Dibrugarh, Dhubri, Jorhat, Kamrup West and Golaghat.
On the projects in the pipeline, the Minister said that a scheme is under preparation for the entire State for plantation of medicinal plants of 30 various species The general public will be involved in this endeavour. Moreover, plans are afoot to draw up joint forest management for the people living in the adjoining areas of forests and reserve forests to provide development facilities to the villagers. Various social development schemes like piggery, fishery including road development plans have also been undertaken by the Department, Langthasa added that the Department with HPC, Jagiroad and Panchgram have created public awareness via meetings in Barak Valley and NC Hills Districts to grow bamboo in their home and ?Khash? lands. Already a nursery with 10 lakh of bamboo has been set up under the joint aegis of HPC, Jagiroad and Panchgram, in Nagaon, Barak Valley, NC Hills and Karbi Anglong. He also pointed out that royalties for sand, gravel and stones are likely to be hiked. The process for settlement of mahals of sand, stones and gravels by public auction is going to be simplified for augmenting the flow of reserve to the exchequer. With regard to disposal of seized logs, the minister said the revenue accrued to the tune of Rs 8 crore till date after systematically disposing such logs through invitation of tender by DFOs, has not been received by the Department. As per Central Government circular, such collected amount should be utilised for the purpose of plantation schemes, expansion of reserved forest and filling up of vacant areas within the forests in the state.