Some in the Department of Forests may take it with a pinch of salt, but the news is that there is a comprehensive plan to restructure the department.
It is an unambiguous move of the government to fine-tune various wings of the department and bring in greater coordination between them for effective management of flora and fauna.
A committee comprising senior forest officials has been formed to study the issue in detail and report to the government, Minister for Forests B. Ramanatha Rai said in a conversation with The Hindu .
Excerpts:
Q. Why does the government want to restructure the department?
A. We want to bring in greater efficiency in the department. A State-level meeting involving senior forest officials was held recently to gather their opinions over the issue. The revamp would also include abolishing redundant posts in the department. It would do away with the feeling that only certain top posts are significant in the department. Counselling will be introduced to deal with the other tricky issue of transfer of officials, up to the level of range forest officers.
How about merging the two main wings — territorial and wildlife — for ushering in accountability?
It is not an easy task. There are, however, no plans at the moment to amalgamate the two wings.
People, especially plantation owners, are wary of the deemed forest issue. Your reaction?
Plantation areas will not be considered under the deemed forest category. A survey is going on to determine the deemed forest areas and the report will be out in six months. Further, lands in question such as Bane, Soppinabetta, Kan, Kumki and Poramboke, which have come under cultivation, too would not be classified as deemed forests.
Western Ghats inhabitants feel that the K. Kasturirangan committee report would be detrimental to their interests. Do you agree?
Not really. I want to dispel fears that the report will adversely impact the lives of people in the Western Ghats. A Cabinet subcommittee has decided to cut down 37 per cent of the extent of areas included in the committee report for conservation of the Western Ghats. The State government will submit a report to the Centre by December.
What about eco-sensitive zone regulations?
People need not be apprehensive of the ESZ too as the ongoing survey will determine the ESZ in tune with the realities to declare ‘no-activity zones’. After the demarcation of the forest boundaries, the proposed 10-km distance from the forest fringes (ESZ) could even come down to 500 metres in specific areas.
Why do you think Karnataka is lagging behind in the implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act?
Yes. We have certainly fallen behind in the process vis-a-vis Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh. A subcommittee formed to look into the issue has asked the concerned to review all rejected applications of tribal people and traditional forest dwellers, as also call for fresh applications by December 31.
