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The Vice President, Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat has expressed deep concern on the rapidly deteriorating environmental conditions due to deforestation. He said that merely enacting laws would not serve the purpose. Instead of pushing the tribes out of their habitate they should be encouraged to play active role in various forest projects, he said. Shri Shekhawat was speaking after inaugurating a seminar organised by the Indian Forest Research Institute, Dehradun today.
Shri Shekhawat opined that the relations between human beings and the forests are deeply engrossed in the Indian culture. The forest tribals know how to fulfil their requirements without harming the forests. But while drafting the Forest Conservation Act it has not been taken into account how the forest tribals will arrange for their livelihood. Shri Shekhawat added that such cases have come to notice when cases have been registered against the forest tribals for plucking leave sand cutting woods etc. from the forests and these cases continue for years. There is an urgent need to review Forest Conservation Act, 1980 so that the interests of the various tribes are also taken care of besides environment protection.
Shri Shekhawat said that we need to formulate such policies, which maintain equilibrium between the human needs and environment. Forest tribes should also be involved actively and they should be trusted to face the challenge of forest Mafia. We will have to find out other alternatives to fulfil their needs and will have to arrange for employment opportunities for them within the forest itself. He cited the examples of `Chipko Movement’ run by Shri Sunder Lal Bahuguna and the Forest Conservation Movement run by `Bishnoi Samaj’ in Rajasthan.
Shri Sudershan Agrawal, Governor of Uttranchal, Shri Narayan Dutt Tiwari, Chief Minister of Uttranchal, Shri Namo Narayan Meena, Union Minister of State for Environment & Forests and Shri Nav Prabhat, Forest Minister of Uttranchal also addressed on the occasion.
The Two-day seminar is being organised by the Uttranchal Government in collaboration with the Union Environment & Forests Ministry. The Forest Ministers of all Hill states are taking part in this seminar. Prior to that Shri Shekhawat took note of the various activities of the Forest Research Institute and visited the Museums therein.
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