THIS SECTION CONTAINS INFORMATION ON :
The principal activities undertaken by Ministry of Environment & Forests, consist of conservation & survey of flora, fauna, forests and Wildlife, prevention & control of pollution, afforestation & regeneration of degraded areas and protection of environment, in the frame work of legislations.
The main tools utilized for this include surveys, impact assessment, control of pollution, regeneration programmes, support to organizations, research to solve solutions and training to augment the requisite manpower, collection and dissemination of environmental information and creation of environmental awareness among all sectors of the country's population.
To know more about the Ministry of Environment and Forest, the officials, Divisions, Board and Subordinate offices, Autonomous Institutions visit their website http://envfor.nic.in
- As a Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs known as Tribal Division
since after independence upto September 1985.
- Ministry of Welfare: From September 1985 to May 1998.
The Ministry started functioning in October 1999 with the Schemes/Programmes dealt by the erstwhile Tribal Division of the Ministry of Social Justice Empowerment and continued with these schemes in the year 1999-2000.
1.. Tribal Welfare-Planning, Policy formulation, Research and Training.
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is the Nodal Ministry for overall policy, planning and coordination of programmes of development for Scheduled Tribes.
(a) in respect of deforestation,
encroachments, working of the wood based industries, Working Plans, compensatory
afforestation, plantations, regeneration, illegal felling and transportation
of timber, illegal mining in forest area, and any other conservation issues;
and
(b) the implementation of the
Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, Indian Forest Act, 1927, Wild Life (Protection)
Act, 1972 including the respective Rules, Regulations and Guidelines framed
thereunder on which the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India has passed orders
in Writ Petitions no. 202/ 95 and 171/96.
Three officials from the Ministry of Environment and Forests and two NGO representatives who have concern and pronounced inclination towards wildlife protection is the criteria for the constitution of this committee. The members of the CEC are:
Shri P.V.Jayakrishnan, presently Secretary to the Government of India,
MoEF - Chairman
Shri. M. K Jiwrajka, Inspector General of Forests, MoEF - Member Secretary
of the Committee
Shri N.K.Joshi, Additional Director General of Forests, MoEF - Member
Shri Valmik Thapar, Ranthambore Foundation - Member (NGO)
Shri Mahendra Vyas, Advocate Supreme Court - Member (NGO)
The CEC, today, behaves like an extra-judicial authority and has become omnipotent by its functions, going far beyond its brief and powers conferred by the Supreme Court.
For complete Rules and Procedure of the CEC click
here.
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TIGER TASK FORCE
To review the management of Tiger Reserves
A] Central level:
Ministry of Environment & Forest
Director General of Forests (DGF)
B] State level:
Ministry of forest and environment headed by a cabinet minister.
Principal secretary of Forest
C] Field level (State):
1.. Principal Chief conservator of Forest (PCCF)
2.. Chief conservator of Forest (CCF)
2a.. CCF (Wildlife)
2b.. CCF (Conservation of land)
2c.. CCF ( Jungle protection)
2d.. CCF ( Production of forest based Industries)
2e.. CCF ( Development schemes)
2f.. CCF (Policy and Technology)
3.. Conservator of Forest (CF)
4.. Deputy conservator of Forest (DCF) – District level
5.. Assistant conservator of forest (ACF)
6.. Range forest officers (RFOs)
7.. Forest Round officers (FROs)
8.. Forest guards.
Also read: Ethnography of the forest guard
The forest guard is the ultimate implementer of forest policy in India.
He is the frontline of the forest bureaucracy, and the primary link between
state and society in forest management.
Forest guards are the representatives of the forest department in rural
society, who interpret and explain forest policies to local people. Yet,
little literature exists on their perceptions of forest policy and administration,
social context in which they function, or their perceptions of policy.
To read the full paper click here.
Mismanagement of forests is the main reason for the spread of Naxalism
from just one village in West Bengal to 7,000 villages in the last 38 years.
Different Naxal groups now control 19 percent of India's forests over an
area two and a half times the size of Bangladesh.
To read more click here.
National Forest Commission
The Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee while Chairing XXI meeting of the Indian Board of Wildlife on 21st January 2002 recommended that a Forest Commission be set up to look into restructuring, reform and strengthening of the entire forest setup and affiliated institutions in the country.
In the fulfillment of the said recommendation a National Forest Commission to review working of Forest and Wildlife sector was set up in 2003 with following terms of reference:
a) Review and assess the existing policy and legal framework and their
impact in a holistic manner from the ecological, scientific, economic,
social and cultural viewpoint.
b) Examine the current status of forest administration and the forestry
institutions both on all India and State level to meet the emerging needs
of the civil society.
c) Make recommendations indicating policy options for achieving sustainable
forest and wildlife management and development, bio-diversity conservation
and ecological security.
d) Suggest ways and means to make forest administration more effective
with a view to help to achieve the above policy options.
e) Establish meaningful partnership and interface between forestry
management and local communities including tribals.
The composition of the Commission is as follows:
1 Shri Justice B.N.Kirpal
Ex-Chief Justice of India Chairman (Part-time)
2 Director General of Forests and Special Secretary
in the MoEF (Member-ex-officio)
3 Prof. J.S.Singh, Banaras Hindu University
Member-Part-time
4 Shri Chandi Prasad Bhatt
Member-Part-time
5 Dr. M.K.Ranjitsinh
Member-Part-time
6 Shri A.P.Muthuswami
Member-Part-time
7 Additional Director General of Forests,
MoEF Member- Secretary (ex-officio)
The tenure of the Commission will be two years. The Commission shall function under the administrative control of the Central Government in the Ministry of Environment and Forests with headquarters at New Delhi.
Source: Forest Policy Division : http://envfor.nic.in/divisions/forpol.html
Email : secy@menf.delhi.nic.in
Also read:
National Forest Commission - A Hoax
This commission is set up to give more and more suggestions for opening
new sanctuaries and national park and for more plantations in reserved
forests to benefit the MNCs.
Why do I conclude this?
Before coming to such conclusion I had three aspects in mind.
First, the background of the commission.....
Second, who heads the commission?......
Third, the language of the public notice......
To read further click here.
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National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board
The National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board (NAEB), set up in August 1992,is responsible for promoting afforestation,tree planting, ecological restoration and eco-development activities in the country, with special attention to the degraded forest areas and lands adjoining the forest areas, national parks, sanctuaries and other protected areas as well as the ecologically fragile areas like the Western Himalayas, Aravallis, Western Ghats, etc. The detailed role and functions of the NAEB are given below.
1.. Evolve mechanisms for ecological restoration of degraded forest areas and adjoining lands through systematic planning and implementation, in a cost effective manner;
2.. Restore through natural regeneration or appropriate intervention the forest cover in the country for ecological security and to meet the fuelwood, fodder and other needs of the rural communities;
3.. Restore fuelwood, fodder, timber and other forest produce on the degraded forest and adjoining lands in order to meet the demands for these items;
4.. Sponsor research and extension of research findings to disseminate new and proper technologies for the regeneration and development of degraded forest areas and adjoining lands;
5.. Create general awareness and help foster people's movement for promoting afforestation and eco-development with the assistance of voluntary agencies, non-government organisations, Panchayati Raj institutions and others and promote participatory and sustainable management of degraded forest areas and adjoining lands;
6.. Coordinate and monitor the Action Plans for afforestation, tree planting, ecological restoration and eco-development;and
7.. Undertake all other measures necessary for promoting afforestation, tree planting, ecological restoration and eco-development activities in the country.
For more info contact naeb@envfor.delhi.nic.in