Neri assures not to divert forests for now
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, AUG 2
Faced with severe criticism from the Opposition in the House, Minister for Forests Filipe Neri Rodrigues today assured that no fresh forest areas would be permitted to be used for non-forest purpose until a State policy for such usages is put in place.
He said he would consult the Union Minister for Environment & Forests (MoEF), Jairam Ramesh on withdrawing the recommendations for diversion of forest area forwarded to him (the Union Minister). However, the Opposition stuck to their demands that whatever proposals sent for diversion should be immediately withdrawn.
Opposition Leader Manohar Parrikar even mocked the forest minister by calling him “deforestation minister” during Question Hour for allowing diversion of forest areas for non-forest use.
The question was posed by Mandrem MLA Laxmikant Parsekar seeking information on quantum of area, originally classified as forest, which has been diverted for non-forest use during last three years.
Rodrigues came under heavy fire from the Opposition as well as ex-finance minister and Aldona MLA, Dayanand Narvekar over the issue.
In his written reply Rodrigues informed the House that a total of 21,17,571 sq mts were approved by his department for diversion in the last three years. Totally twenty-three permissions were granted with areas ranging from 0-57 hectors.
Some of the biggest beneficiaries of this diversion include M/s Sociedade Timblo, Irmaos Limitata, M/s Ajit V M Kadnekar, M/s V S Dempo, Shabbir Kassim Khan and Atmaram T C Palonkar.
Parrikar sought to know why Shabbir Kassim Khan was granted such large area admeasuring 5,69,000 sq mts for conversion?
“I can understand if five or six hectors of forest area is granted for conversion but 5,69,000 sq mts is too large an area to be allowed for conversion,” he said demanding immediate withdraw of all recommendations for diversion sent to the MoEF.
Narvekar also joined Parrikar in demanding that no fresh forest land should be allowed for non-forest use. “We can’t go on destroying forests,” he asserted.
The forest minister said it would not be possible for him to make any statement without consulting the Union minister on the issue.
Rodrigues also faced an awaked situation when it became clear that the amount collected for compensatory afforestation from user agencies was transferred to Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management & Planning Authority (CAMPA) but no afforestation was taken up during the last five years, as funds were not released by MoEF.
When Parsekar persisted on knowing how much areas have been covered by afforestation, the forest minister said no afforestation work has been taken up so far, as funds were not released by the Centre from CAMPA.
At which point Parrikar thundered, “Did you take permission of the legislature before transferring the funds?” The minister replied, “It was done as per directive of the Supreme Court and other States too transfer their funds to CAMPA.”
“I’m not bothered about what other States are doing, you should have explained to the Apex Court that permission of the government was necessary before transferring funds,” said the Opposition leader.
It’s only this year some afforestation and other works are being taken up after MoEF released Rs 12.12 crore from CAMPA, the minister said.
