After the Union Environment Ministry withdrew a controversial proposal to amend the Indian Forest Act (1927), which came under severe criticism for being ‘draconian’ to people especially tribals living in the forests, Minister Prakash Javadekar was in State Capital on Sunday blowing Government’s trumpet for withdrawing the proposed Act.
Environment Minister Javadekar said, “The Government has completely withdrawn the draft amendment to the Indian Forests Act to remove any misgivings, the tribal rights will be protected fully and they will continue to be an important stakeholder in forest development.”
Javadekar along with Union Tribal Affairs Minister and Khunti MP Arjun Munda on Friday held a press conference and announced to withdraw the draft amendment of Indian Forests Act 1927. Javadekar claimed the officials had prepared the draft amendment and a ‘wrong impression’ was created that the Union Government was behind amending the IFA, 1927. The draft amendment of IFA had given more power to forest officer, giving them the power to use firearms to deal with offences like encroachment of forest area, permitting cattle to trespass, setting fire, removal of forest produce and disturbing or harming animals.
Various tribal groups had opposed the draft amendment with the plea that states will be given power to take away the legal rights of the tribes and forest dwellers by cash payments, forcing them to relocate.
On being asked whether the centre’s move to withdraw the IFA, 1927 amounts to violation of model code of conduct, as Jharkhand which is tribal state is going to polls, the Minister said, “Tribals live all over the country. Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha have a sizeable tribal population and they are not having any election, so withdrawal of draft doesn’t amount to model code of conduct violation.”