Panels against industry using forest land

NEW DELHI, FEB 21: The fate of paper companies on the look out for forest land to raise plantations appears to have been sealed with two gov...

NEW DELHI, FEB 21: The fate of paper companies on the look out for forest land to raise plantations appears to have been sealed with two government committees deciding against the proposal. The report of a third committee is awaited.

While the Planning Commission appointed committee has already given its verdict against this proposal, another working group set up in the ministry of environment and forests (MEF) remained ambiguous on the proposal with a majority of forest officials against the notion of handing over forest land to industry-driven forest corporations.

A third committee under the ministry, which is examining the entire forest policy, is yet to give its verdict, said sources in the environment ministry. They said while most foresters felt strongly against industry involvement in the proposal, there were others who argued that due to a paucity of funds in this sector, industry involvement might provide the much needed finances.

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Paper industry groups like the Indian Paper Manufacturers’Association of India (IPMA) had petitioned the government to allocate land to forest development corporations which would be jointly run by the industry, the state governments and forest departments. These corporations plant primarily commercial species of trees on degraded forest lands which would be used the industry.

This proposal was resurrected late last year, after the industry got Prime Minister IK Gujral to call for a “industry-friendly and environment-friendly forest policy”. Soon after, environment minister Saifuddin Soz set up two committees to study the issues.

A similar proposal was shot down by the government in 1995. Then the matter had been referred to a council of a council of ministers appointed by the Cabinet which remained deadlocked and ultimately the proposal was dropped.This scheme had been criticised by many eminent persons including M S Swaminathan, eminent agricultural scientist; C H Hanumantha Rao, former member of the Planning Commission; and Anil Agarwal, well-knownenvironmentalist. They noted that the scheme would directly squeeze the rural sector.