Govt junks orders on settlement of new villages
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, November 22 2022: The Forest Department, in an order dated November 7, has cancelled all orders issued by assistant settlement officer (ASO)/forest settlement officer (FSO) in relation to recognition of new villages falling within the jurisdiction of Reserved Forests (RFs), Protected Forests (PFs) & Wildlife Protected Areas (WPAs); change of village name; allotment of forest lands & issuing of 'Pattas/Jamabandis' and taking up of non-forestry activities, without prior approval of the competent authority.

As per the order, principal chief conservator of forests & HoFF Dr Aditya Kumar Joshi said that encroachments in forest lands, illegal cultivation of poppy & other narcotic plants, forest fires and non-forestry activities inside the forest lands without prior and mandatory approval of the competent authority etc., have become the major driving force for deforestation and degradation of the forests, thus, threatening the environmental security of the state.

It has also been observed that orders/OMs/letters have been issued by some individual officers granting recognition to new village inside RFs, PFs & WPAs, change of village name, allotment of forest lands, issuing of Pattas/Jamabandis, etc., without the approval of competent authority/state government and in violation of the existing Acts and Rules governing the forests and wildlife.

Dr Joshi pointed out that as forests and wildlife are in the concurrent List of the Indian Constitution, these activities inside the RFs, PFs & WPAs, without prior approval of the Central government, are in gross violation of central and state Acts and Rules namely, the Indian Forest Act 1927, Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, Forest Conservation Act 1980 and Rules framed thereunder and several orders/judgements of the Supreme Court of India.

In view of the said statutory provisions, the state government had issued an order on May 31, 1994 declaring that any decision taken in a forest land in violation of the Acts and Rules will be treated as null and void.

Similarly, all orders issued by the ASO/FSO excluding setting aside forest lands from the PFs of the state have been cancelled as the said orders are against the provisions of the Acts and Rules.

Moreover, the said officers are not authorised to issue such orders, it conveyed, while cautioning that both the encroachers and authorities/officials issuing such orders/OMs/letters will be deemed to be offenders and liable for punishment with fine and/or imprisonment under the Acts and Rules.

They are also liable to pay compensation for the damage done to the forest lands due to such illegal acts.

Dr Joshi also mentioned that forests and wildlife are vital resources upon which survival of mankind depends.

RFs, PFs & WPAs are for production of timber and other valuable forest produce to meet the bona fide requirements of the people of the state, conservation of diverse floral and faunal diversity of the state and providing various ecosystem services including maintaining hydrological cycle, providing soil nutrients, waste disposal, cleaning the air, producing oxygen, controlling environmental pollution, checking climate change, conserving soil and water, providing livelihood to poor villagers, recreation, etc.

Protection and conservation of forests and wildlife are of vital importance for the well-being and survival of mankind, it added.

The PCCF & HoFF stressed that in view of the importance of forests and wildlife for humankind and constitutional provisions, the state government has taken serious view on the instances of encroachments in forest lands, illegal cultivation of poppy and other narcotic plants, forest fires and other illegal activities detrimental to forests and wildlife.

He further appealed to all the citizens of the state and authorities concerned not to encroach upon the RFs, PFs & WPAs and asked them to desist from issuing any orders/OMS/letters after the Department's notification.

Violation of the Acts and Rules will be viewed seriously and actions will be initiated against the erring officials/persons/offenders strictly as per the Acts and Rules in force, the PCCF cautioned.

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