SHILLONG: If clean environment is all that matters then, the Union government is doing its bit to ensure that the government, private and community forests are protected and safe guarded.

Keeping this in mind, the Centre will set up a committee to frame the working plans of the three Autonomous District Councils(ADC) ,the same of which has been issued by the Regional Centre of Environment and Forest.

Speaking on the sideline of the inauguration of the regional office of Ministry of Environment and Forest here in Shillong , Minister of State incharge of Forest and Environment, Prakash Javedkar informed that the Centre will decide on these working plans with certain modifications within the next 15 days. He also mentioned that the committee will prepare its reports within 3-4 months.

“These modifications will be made with the purpose if protecting the forests, the environment and ensuring sustainable development and people friendly,” the MoS said adding that after these small modifications are made, the Centre will sanction the working schemes.

Meanwhile, Javedkar also said that with the regional centre in place, the State government need not send their files to Delhi for approval and that the same could be acquired from the regional office.

He also informed that this committee will assess and submit its report on the various community forests, conduct surveys and do a proper mapping of the private and government land and thereon, work on a solution to avoid conflicts between the two.

“We will work with the State government and other NE states and a committee will be put in place to resolve the issue of private land, community forests and to look for a way out where people will be benefitted,” He said.

Moreover, Javedkar informed that the Centre has come with three points to ensure that the environment is kept intact and forest land protected, decentralisation of Central government powers which will empower the regional centre to have more power to decide on various important issues and making the work more effective. In this regard, the Centre will review the working of the regional office on January next, mapping all forest land plot by plot and to ensure Minimum Support Price(MSP) for minor forest products which will benefit the local farmers.

He informed some states in India has already followed this trend and advised that the other states should also follow suit

Source:  

http://thenortheasttoday.com/centre-concern-on-environment-deterioration-sees-protection-of-forest-land-as-top-priority/