Greens see red over forest policy

Mumbai: No sooner the central government unveiled the Draft National Forest Policy 2018 than city-based environmentalists raised concerns over the new policy that allows private players and industries to carry out plantation on forestland. Environmentalists fear that developers will gain profits from the produce and hamper the rights of tribals.

An excerpt from the National Forest Policy states: “Public private participation models will be developed for undertaking afforestation and reforestation in degraded forest and forest areas available with Forest Development Corporation and outside forests”.

In order to achieve the minimum target of one third of the country’s landscape under green cover, the new forest policy seeks to promote sustainable forest management by adapting measures for climate change mitigation, urban forestry and robust monitoring of the forest areas. However, it also mentions that owing to the poor productivity of forest plantations in most states, public and private organisations can take over the plantations on forestland. “The forest policy is only looking at the human aspect of the issue, but what about the wildlife habitats that will get destroyed. The CSR activities are most welcomed but it should not shift the land ownership,” said Stalin Dayanand, project director, NGO Vanashakti.

As per the older policy of 1988, private plantation was strictly prohibited on forestland. It stated that natural forests serve as a gene pool resource and help to maintain ecological balance. Such forests will not, therefore, be made available to industries for undertaking plantation and for any other activities. “While the Environment Ministry has given the reason of poor produce from the forestlands, it must be noted that the indigenous residents in forest areas are cultivating as per their requirements. They understand the native plantation in the area better,” Mr Dayanand added. The NGO has also shared apprehensions over the misuse of Forest Rights Act that has led to more encroachment in the forest.  “It is important to understand that when forestland is used for farming, the entire natural ecology – forest and wildlife is lost. Private plantations help in carbon sequestration but it does not give the same outcome of the original forest cover,” said Ruchir Bansal, a Mumbai-based tree activist.

Suggestions and objections

The Union Environment Ministry has sought suggestions and objections for the Draft National Forest Policy, 2018. The deadline of the submission is April 14. Comments should be specific and indicate the paragraph of policy document. One could send their comments on digfpolicymef@nic.in, jitesh.kumar@nic.in or toforestpolicy@gmail.com with subject name- "Draft National Forest Policy, 2018" and provide their name, organisation name and contact details in the mail.