claims of people to land, minor forest produce, etc., and, in the case of claims found
to be valid, to allow them to continue or to extinguish them by paying compensation.
The Act has the potential to recognize the diversity of use, access, and conservation
practices and traditional knowledge of forest communities that have contributed to
the conservation of forests and biodiversity.
4.6 Central and State Policy on Environment and Forest
The mandates of National Forest Policy and National Environment Policy were to
recognize the importance of biodiversity and increasing forest productivity by
restoring degraded areas. Over the period, a variety of policy measures has been
developed. Many of these measures provide opportunities for strengthening documentation and data collection; empowering local communities by recognizing
responsibilities, ownerships, rights, and concessions; and creating suitable institutions. India launched its National Forest Policy in 1988. This led to a programme
named Joint Forest Management, which proposed that specific villages in association with the forest department will manage specific forest blocks. In particular, the
protection of the forests would be the responsibility of the people. The basic
objectives that should govern the National Forest Policy are the following: maintenance of environmental stability through preservation and, where necessary,
restoration of the ecological balance that has been adversely disturbed by serious
depletion of the forests of the country, conserving the natural heritage of the country
by preserving the remaining natural forests with the vast variety of flora and fauna,
which represent the remarkable biological diversity and genetic resources of the
country, checking soil erosion and denudation in the catchment areas of rivers,
lakes, reservoirs in the “interest of soil and water conservation, for mitigating floods
and droughts and for the retardation of siltation of reservoirs, checking the extension of sand-dunes in the desert areas of Rajasthan and along the coastal tracts,
increasing substantially the forest/tree cover in the country through massive
afforestation and social forestry programmes, especially on all denuded, degraded
and unproductive lands, meeting the requirements of fuel-wood, fodder, minor
forest produce and small timber of the rural and tribal populations, increasing the
productivity of forests to meet essential national needs, encouraging efficient utilisation of forest produce and maximising substitution of wood and creating a
massive people’s movement with the involvement of women, for achieving these
objectives and to minimise pressure on existing forests”.
The principal aim of Forest Policy must be to ensure environmental stability and
maintenance of ecological balance including atmospheric equilibrium which are
vital for sustenance of all life forms, human, animal and plant.
In 2002, India set up a National Forest Commission to review and assess India’s
policy and law, its effect on India’s forests, its impact of local forest communities,
and to make recommendations to achieve sustainable forest and ecological security
in India. Its major recommendation consisted destruction of local forest cover;
128
S.V. Nadagoudar
to be valid, to allow them to continue or to extinguish them by paying compensation.
The Act has the potential to recognize the diversity of use, access, and conservation
practices and traditional knowledge of forest communities that have contributed to
the conservation of forests and biodiversity.
4.6 Central and State Policy on Environment and Forest
The mandates of National Forest Policy and National Environment Policy were to
recognize the importance of biodiversity and increasing forest productivity by
restoring degraded areas. Over the period, a variety of policy measures has been
developed. Many of these measures provide opportunities for strengthening documentation and data collection; empowering local communities by recognizing
responsibilities, ownerships, rights, and concessions; and creating suitable institutions. India launched its National Forest Policy in 1988. This led to a programme
named Joint Forest Management, which proposed that specific villages in association with the forest department will manage specific forest blocks. In particular, the
protection of the forests would be the responsibility of the people. The basic
objectives that should govern the National Forest Policy are the following: maintenance of environmental stability through preservation and, where necessary,
restoration of the ecological balance that has been adversely disturbed by serious
depletion of the forests of the country, conserving the natural heritage of the country
by preserving the remaining natural forests with the vast variety of flora and fauna,
which represent the remarkable biological diversity and genetic resources of the
country, checking soil erosion and denudation in the catchment areas of rivers,
lakes, reservoirs in the “interest of soil and water conservation, for mitigating floods
and droughts and for the retardation of siltation of reservoirs, checking the extension of sand-dunes in the desert areas of Rajasthan and along the coastal tracts,
increasing substantially the forest/tree cover in the country through massive
afforestation and social forestry programmes, especially on all denuded, degraded
and unproductive lands, meeting the requirements of fuel-wood, fodder, minor
forest produce and small timber of the rural and tribal populations, increasing the
productivity of forests to meet essential national needs, encouraging efficient utilisation of forest produce and maximising substitution of wood and creating a
massive people’s movement with the involvement of women, for achieving these
objectives and to minimise pressure on existing forests”.
The principal aim of Forest Policy must be to ensure environmental stability and
maintenance of ecological balance including atmospheric equilibrium which are
vital for sustenance of all life forms, human, animal and plant.
In 2002, India set up a National Forest Commission to review and assess India’s
policy and law, its effect on India’s forests, its impact of local forest communities,
and to make recommendations to achieve sustainable forest and ecological security
in India. Its major recommendation consisted destruction of local forest cover;
128
S.V. Nadagoudar