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Forest Act in red tape bind
Need to save oak from the axe
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Barter trade battered by doubt
Soon, core banking at post offices
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Forest Act in red tape bind
Dehradun, June 14 Representatives from as many as 16 key forest states, who held three-day long deliberations in Dehradun recently, have attributed lack of political will, red-tapism, divisive agenda on part of state governments and little awareness amongst forest communities as the major stumbling blocks in the path of implementation of the Act. United Progressive Alliance’s flagship Forest Dwellers Act, which came into existence on December 15, 2006, may have earned the party rich electoral dividends but there is still a long way to go before it serves its purpose. The deliberations were held at the initiative of National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers and attended by forest-dwelling communities from all over the country. Representatives came out with startling revelations regarding poor implementation rate of Forest Rights Act in the country. While there are states like Orissa where officials have come up with ‘pattas’ devoid of any forest right for some of the dwellers, Karnataka was resorting to converting Joint Forest Committees into Forest Rights Committees, which again was violation of the Act. Even in Uttarakhand, where the Act was notified on November 18, 2008, the committees being constituted have no representation from those living in forest areas. Similarly, in Chhattisgarh, while there have been efforts to restore these rights to tribals, Dalits and other forest dwelling communities have been kept out of the purview of the Act, which a clear attempt to draw a wedge between these forest communities. In Uttar Pradesh, despite some speedy implementation, irregularities galore in the implementation of the Act have surfaced. National Forest Rights Campaign, which has been espousing the cause of rights of tribals and forest dwellers, minces no words in accusing political parties and bureaucrats for lack of implementation of the Act. “While many states are still to make a beginning, those which have implemented the Act have only done it partially and not in the letter and spirit of the Act,” said Vijayan, who is part of National Forest Rights Campaign. VS Roy David from an Adivasi Association in Karnataka has been working for the betterment of tribal communities in and around Nagarhole National Park in Karnataka. He describes environmentalists as environment extremists. “These so called environmentalists talk of tigers and elephants but are least sensitive to the issues linked to forest dwellers,” he said. He accused state officials of converting Joint Forest Management Committees into committees meant for furthering Forest Rights Act, which was in gross violation of Act. Sandhya from Kandhamal Mahila Mahasangh Orissa lashes out at state officials seeking 75-year-old records from forest dwellers. “It is strange that while it is just 60 years of Independent India, the government officials are demanding 75-year-old records as proof of rights for a forest dweller,” she said. Chandrakant from Langhe, Pune, said proper implementation of the Act was a far cry in Maharashtra, while Rajnish from Lakhimpuri Kheri Uttar Pradesh shared the same view. However, all is not dark and a beginning has been made. Munni Lal, Convener, National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers, said the convention has come up with ‘Dehradun Declaration’ that calls for united struggle on part of
forest- dwelling communities for their rights on forests, where they have lived since generations. He said the participation of Uttarakhand Principal Chief Conservator of
Forest Dr RBS Rawat on the first day of deliberations was in itself a history in
the making. “A top forest official participating in a convention of forest-dwellers and his acceptance that injustice has been done is historical in itself,” said Munni Lal.
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Need to save oak from the axe
Mussoorie, June 14 On the flip side, due to over-dependency of people of the mountains on oak, its axing is frequent. Even in British times, its wood was in great demand due to its high calorific value, which makes it the best of charcoals. Moreover, Baanj wood is also the best for making wine casks. For all these humble qualities, the Baanj has paid, and is still paying, a heavy price - the tag of being endangered. The Uttarakhand region is known for five varieties of oak - Baanj, Moru, Kharsu, Riyaant and Faliaant - out of which the later three are highly endangered. Baanj and Moru can be seen from 5,000 to 6,000 ft above sea-level whereas Kharsu, Riyaant and Faliaant are very scarcely scattered above 7,000 ft on the high reaches of Nainital and further towards Kumaon. Contrary to the belief that oak can grow on any ground and can generate ground water; it actually grows on moist land and is able to conserve moisture and generate it into ground streams. However, over the past few years it hasn’t been snowing like it used to in Uttarakhand and the ground is loosing moisture. Therefore water conservation should be of utmost priority. Besides, plantation of other tree species is a must as the forest-concrete ratio is going haywire at an alarming rate. The Baanj growth rate is very slow and one tree requires 50 to 60 years to attain adulthood. Worse, many trees are destroyed in raging forest fires, which have became an annual ritual in the mountains. “We should be species-specific and work towards preservation and cultivation of Baanj. This is being done at our Centre of Excellence for Oak at Mussoorie. We are also considering vegetative propagation in which cuttings of the tree can be cultivated,” said AK Banerjee, DFO, Mussoorie Forest Division. Albeit the government and forest department is considering the situation, the common people should also understand the threat that the Baanj is facing today. — The writer is a freelance journalist
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Barter trade battered by doubt
Pitthoragarh, June 14 Last year in the wake of the Olympic Games in Beijing and protests by Tibetans in India, China did not allow the traders to enter its territory. The traders took their goods up to Gunji on the Indian side of the border, but were refused permission to enter the Chinese territory. This resulted in huge losses to them. This year, the Pitthoragarh district administration has issued 200 additional passes but the traders are adamant on a written permission from Chinese Government to start the border trade. “Last year too the traders went for the barter trade on the basis of passes issued to them. They were, however, turned away by the Indian authorities from Gunji as China did not give them permission to enter. This resulted in a loss of more than Rs 70 lakh to us,” said Padam Singh Raypa, president, Seemant Vyapar Samiti, an organisation of tribal traders involved in the border trade. “That is why we need a letter of permission from the Government of India to cross the border. The traders could suffer losses if they have to come back mid-way,” said Raypa. “The Government of India has issued 200 trade passes; 427 passes are with the administration since last year. These are available with the trade officer,” said PS Gusain, district magistrate, Pitthoragarh. The Indo-China border trade which was resumed in 1992 after the Sino-India war of 1962 was meant to rehabilitate tribal economy based on border trade across the Himalayas since centuries. The demand for written permission made by the tribal traders have been conveyed to the external affairs ministry by Navneet Pande, SDM, Dharchula who is also Indian Trade officer. The trade has already been suffering losses after the ban on import of livestock from Tibet since 2005 by the Indian Government, said Raypa. He said prior to this, more than 1,000 Tibetan livestock, including sheep and goats, would be imported, resulting in employment to more than 300 families of the Darma and Vyas valleys adjoining China border. “This ban not only created scarcity of Tibetan sheep for wool, but also influenced tribal culture with animal sacrifice being performed to appease several local deities,” said Padam Singh Raypa. Besides, Indian traders are demanding compensation for last year’s losses since goods dumped at the Gunji mart could not be sent to Tibet. “Indian traders have lost goods worth Rs 70 lakh. We demand that at least 50 per cent compensation be given to the traders for the loss.” Till 2004, huge quantities of Chinese silk found its way into India through the border trade. Many traders from Kolkata, taking advantage of the border trade, took trade passes and dumped large quantities of the silk in the Indian market. Since the Chinese silk is superior and much cheaper than the Indian silk, this sounded the death knell of silk manufacturers in India. After a hue and cry by the Indian silk industry, the import of the same from the Lipulekh border was banned. The trade via the 17,600 ft-high Lipulekh pass runs between June to October every year. “This year we have started preparations for the trade. An SBI branch has been opened at Gunji and Customs officials asked to open their office at Gunji. “Trade passes are available with the trade office at Dharchula,” said SDM Panday.
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FRI to build butterfly park in Delhi
Dehradun, June 14 Dehradun-based Forest Research Institute (FRI) that has been entrusted with the task had already submitted a project report to Delhi administration for the purpose. “We have submitted a detailed project report to the Delhi government for the butterfly park,” Dr SS Negi director Forest Research Institute. He said two sites in Delhi - Hauz Rani and Garhi Mandu have already been identified and one among two will be finalised for the park. The project will be rendered the expertise of the institute’s Forest Entomology Division headed by Dr Arun Pratap Singh. It would have been the first major task at hand for the Division in the form of Butterfly Park. The Institute however has been into research work linked to butterflies across the country. A well-known organisation in forestry, FRI officials were for the first time getting into construction of a butterfly park. There are very few butterfly parks in the country barring south famous Bannargatta Park in Karnataka. The north India so far is devoid of any major such park. Significantly, Forest Research Institute had taken a lead towards opening of a butterfly park at Survey of India Dehradun, which however could not materialise. FRI officials are hoping to begun the works within two to three months. One of its kinds in north India, Delhi Butterfly Park, would
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Soon, core banking at post offices
Dehradun, June
13 For the purpose, accounts of 3.45 lakh consumers in selected 44 sub-post offices under the General Post Office (GPO) here are being
computerised. “We hope to compete the process by the end of this month,” said senior postmaster AK
Juyal. On the pattern of banks, the Union government has embarked upon an ambitious plan to provide core banking facility to consumers in selected 500 post offices in the country. As part of this, consumers at GPO Dehradun will also be provided the ATM facility, which is expected to become functional by the end of this year. Once completed, the consumers registered here can use the ATM facility for withdrawing money from their accounts anywhere in the country. Consumers have accounts related to savings, fixed deposits, Kisan Vikas
Patras, monthly income schemes and PPF in the post offices here.
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Even as the Forest Dwellers Act came as a big relief for communities living in forests, there is still a long way to go for its implementation.
Representatives from as many as 16 key forest states, who held three-day long deliberations in Dehradun recently, have attributed lack of political will,
red-tapism, divisive agenda on part of state governments and little awareness amongst forest communities as the major stumbling blocks in the path of implementation of the Act.
Pitthoragarh, June 14
