Himachal to use forest land for developmental purpose

Seven years after the Centre's approval, the forest lands in Himachal Pradesh can now be used for developmental works like building schools or community centre on fulfilling certain conditions.

"Under Forest Rights Act 2006 section 3(2), Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, has agreed that for 13 developmental acts the District Forest Officer of the area can allow the use of forest land," said Deputy Commissioner Kangra, Ritesh Chauhan.

Chauhan said the DFO is authorised to allow the land for development purposes like building a community centre, schools, panchayat bhawans etc.

However, the land acquired for construction purpose must be less than one hectare and work must not involve cutting more than 75 trees. The agencies or public who have initiated the work must plant double the number of trees in order to compensate the fall of trees for the purpose, he said.

The permission was granted by the Government Of India in 2009, but some questions were raised by the state forest department which the government cleared recently.

Besides this, Thakur said that the track from Mcleodganj to Triund is also being repaired and its fencing will be completed.

Three new forest rest houses are set to come up, and shall be operational by March 31 next year, he added.

Source - PTI

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Official website of Great Himalayan National Park launched

Forest Minister Mr Thakur Sigh Bharmour today launched the official website of the prestigious Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) here today.

Mr Bharmouri has appreciated the efforts of the forest and wildlife officials, in conserving the bio-diversity of the Park and obtaining the World Heritage Status and in its unique contribution to the society.

The Forest Minister appealed to the officials of the park, to enhance the eco tourism and provide adequate facilities to the nature lovers visiting the park.  He also advised to strengthen the Bio-Diversity Conservation Society operating in the Park and also to strengthen the personnel deployed in the staff by involving the local communities in the management of the Park. He said launching of the website will facilitate the foreign tourists as well as the domestic, and will accrue a lot of revenue to the Park.  The website will be improved to the extent that all bookings and reservations regarding visit to the Park will be facilitated through this website soon.

Ayurveda and Cooperation Minister Mr Karan Singh stressed for improving connectivity in the Park.

The Park Director, Mr B.S. Rana has stated that the need for an official website was felt due to multiplicity of presence of a number of similar websites, floated by individuals and commercial tourist operators. He said action would be initiated against the websites, which were using the insignia of the GHNP and other official information.  This website will now be linked with all the Government websites, including the Forest and Tourism.

Principal Chief Conservators of Forest Mr J.S. Walia and Mr S.S.  Negi and Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Mr A R M Reddy were also present on the occasion.

TD rights restored for the welfare of the people

Forest Minister Mr. Thakur Singh Bharmouri said that the State Government has provided relief to the people of the State by restoring their TD rights after eight years. He said that it would give facility to the eligible people for getting timber for domestic use such as house construction, cow shed construction and repair of old houses. He said that timber would be distributed to the head of the family as per panchayat record.

Mr. Bharmouri said that if right holder was having the land at more than one place then he would be provided timber at both places but the cost of trees at second place would be doubled. According to previous rules there was a provision of providing timber only at one place, he added. Forest Minister said that the timber for constructing new house would be given after 15 years; whereas earlier the provision was to provide the timber after 30 years. He said that for repair of house, the timber would be provided after five years. Earlier it was 15 years. TD right of the right holders would be under their cooperation and participation in the forest conservation, he added. He said that if the right holder commits any forest crime then his TD right would be suspended for next 16 years.

318 villages of Chamba district taken out from wildlife sanctuaries

Forest Minister Shri Thakur Singh Bharmouri today said that five wildlife sanctuary areas of Chamba district have been taken out of sanctuary area enabling the residents of these areas to avail benefit of their traditional rights. These include 52.98 sq. kilometre area of five villages of Sechu-Tuan sanctuary, 15.60 sq. kilometre area of 32 villages of Gamgul Siyabahi sanctuary, 8.81 sq. kilometre area of two villages of Kugti sanctuary, 19 sq. kilometre area of 18 villages of Tundah sanctuary and 51.83 sq. kilometre area of Kala Top Khajiyar sanctuary. 

Principal Chief Conservator (Wildlife) Shri A.K. Gulati today submitted the rationalization report of these sanctuary areas to the Forest Minister. 

Forest Minister said that the residents of these notified wildlife sanctuary areas were not able to avail all traditional benefits of forests like others. Keeping this in view, a proposal was prepared to keep populated areas out of wildlife sanctuaries and National Parks which was sent to Hon’ble Supreme Court of India after approval of State Wildlife Board and National Wildlife Board. The Forest Bench of Supreme Court on 1st February, 2013 ordered to take out the proposed areas out of the ambit of wildlife area. 

Shri Bharmouri said that in all 318 villages have been taken out of sanctuary area and the residents of these villages would now be able to avail all traditional benefits. 

He said that after the rationalization process, there were 26 wildlife sanctuaries, five national parks and three conservation reserves in the State and more than one lakh population would be benefited of protected and other nearby areas. He said that the total protected area of the State had increased from 12.86 percent to 15.01 percent of the total geographical area.

Forest Minister demands release of Rs. 325 crore from CAMPA Fund

Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmauri said that the total cost of trees on 732. 78 hectares forest land for establishing Strategic National Security Project at Paonta Sahib in district Sirmaur by Defence Research and Development Organization of Ministry of Defence was Rs. 277.19 crore. He said that the Defence Ministry had deposited Rs. 240 crore in June, 2010 and Rs. 37.19 crore in January, 2011 with the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) and now this amount stands at Rs. 325 crore with interest. 

Bharmauri said that this amount of Rs. 277.19 crore was to be given to Himachal Pradesh but it was deposited in CAMPA Fund by mistake by the Defence Ministry. He said that no sanction in principle to transfer the cost of trees to State Government was given in the meeting of Union Environment and Forest Ministry was given on 12th November, 2011 but it was decided that the funds which accrued to the State at the cost of forest ecology should form part of the CAMPA funds which were being retained as separate corpus on the basis of orders of Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. He said that this issue was under consideration of National CAMPA Advisory Council who had sent it to a High Powered Committee. 

Forest Minister said that Chief Minister  Virbhadra Singh had also taken up this issue with Union Environment and Forest Minister Jayanti Natrajan on 18th July, 2013 effectively by writing a letter in this regard. He said that this issue was considered in 24th meeting of Adhoc CAMPA on 8th August, 2013 after receiving recommendation from High-level Committee and it was recommended to transfer the proceeds on account of cost of trees of the project to the State Government.

This recommendation had been sent to National CAMPA Advisory Council for further action. It is hoped that this amount would soon be transferred to the State Government. 

5,000 hectares of land to be made Lantana-free this year

Thakur Singh Bharmouri

Shri Thakur Singh Bharmouri, Forest Minister said that the target had been fixed to eradicate lantana from 5000 hectares land in the State scientifically during this year. He was speaking during the meeting of senior officers of the Forest Department recently. 

Shri Bharmouri said that efforts were being done to eradicate lantana which had affected about 1.80 lakh hectares land in the State. He said that lantana was a perennial bush which had affected the forests and grass lands in the State badly. 

Dr. Rohit Vats, Dr. Khalli and Dr. Krishan Kumar gave a presentation on eradication of Lantana and its scientific usefulness in the meeting. They said that compressed timber of teak wood quality would be prepared from lantana and its cost would be one third to that of the teak wood.