M.P. Govt. to legalise forest encroachments

By Lalit Shastri

BHOPAL, SEPT. 13. The Madhya Pradesh Government is determined to give ownership rights to the landless who have illegally occupied more than 90,000 hectare of forest land in the State. To retain the entire initiative and exclude the Government of India's role in this regard there is even talk of diluting the Forest Conservation Act (FCA).

The State Government's public posture vis-a-vis FCA has not been endorsed by the Congress president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi. In a recent letter addressed to the Congress Chief Ministers, she had cautioned against ``tinkering'' with the Act and pointed towards ``inherent dangers'' in seeking hasty amendments to FCA.

She had further underlined this by stating that concerns for environment, forests and wildlife continue to recede in many States as vast amount of forest land are still being diverted for non- forest use.

After taking a categoric stand against diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes, the Congress president addressed a rally of tribals in Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh on September 8. From the same platform, the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr. Digvijay Singh, announced that 1,50,000 hectares of land is being given to the landless.

Meanwhile, the Union Government has raised several queries regarding the State Government's proposals to settle the encroachers on thousands of hectares of forest land and the matter is still pending with the Central Government.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Other States
Next     : Sonia asks CM to speed up schemes for poor