The third forest policy of the country is on the anvil. The Environment Ministry has entrusted the Indian Institute of Forest Management with the task of revising the national forest policy which was earlier done in 1952 and 1988. This will be an overarching document for forest management which will seek to balance the Environment Ministry’s bid to ease green clearances norms with the need for development for the next 25 years.
According to sources in the Ministry, work is underway and a basic framework is expected by the end of March 2015. The new policy is expected to take into account various issues including the Green India Mission and the Forest Rights Act of 2006. It will also take note of large-scale diversion of forest land for non-forestry purposes such as mining and setting up of industries.The new policy will thus aim to evolve a new strategy for forest conservation that involves preservation, maintenance, sustainable utilisation, restoration and enhancement of the natural environment, pointed out the sources. It will also address the important issue of climate change.
The final shape will follow after a lengthy consultation process with all stakeholders such as State Governments, key infrastructure Ministries, civil society groups, non-governmental organisations, scientists, forest-dwellers etc. Henceforth, it will be put in the public domain for common people’s views for advanced consultation.The need for a new forest policy was felt due to the changing situation in the past couple of decades, pointed out the sources. The revision in the national policy will help in identifying what exactly the country wants right now and outline our goals regarding forest areas.Several issues like definition of forests and the issue of deemed forests, cases on which are going on in various courts, including the Supreme Court right now, will also be addressed, added the sources.