Govt lifts ban on tree felling

JANUARY 24: In a controversial move, the Himachal Pradesh government has decided to lift the 16-year-old ban on green felling in dense for...

JANUARY 24: In a controversial move, the Himachal Pradesh government has decided to lift the 16-year-old ban on green felling in dense forests. The Himachal Pradesh government is expected to earn an additional revenue of Rupees 40 crore from this move.

The decision taken by the state Cabinet in December, 1999 was so far kept secret, apparently to avoid any adverse criticism from environmental groups. The process, to be first taken up in pine forests, is expected to begin next month in February. Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, S K Pandey, when contacted, confirmed that silviculture felling would be resumed in forests in order to allow better regeneration of forest trees. He claimed that it would be done by the State Forest Corporation which would be employing scientific methods. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest claimed that the Supreme Court had given the State Government the go-ahead for the move and that the Central Government had also approved it.

Environmental groups, however, have reacted angrily to the move by the Himachal Pradesh Government. B S Malahans, an Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage INTACH activist, pointed out, 8220;It will lead to large-scale destruction, soil erosion and loss of old trees from forests.8221;He felt that no amount of new plantation could replace the existing trees as there was always the fear of losing valuable green forest cover.

Commenting on the government8217;s move, former chief minister Virbhadra Singh said in silviculture felling, scientific methods had never been adhered to, and because of the past experiences, his Government had imposed a moratorium on tree-felling, exempting timber distribution rights.

The former chief minister also said that the State Forest Corporation was getting two lakh cubic metres of timber from the forests by removing dead trees. He added that another at least 1.10 lakh cubic metres of timber was allotted under timber distribution rights. The latter had become a major source of illicit felling and smuggling, he claimed. Forest fires were another nuisance, the former chief minister Virbhadra Singh added. During the President8217;s Rule in the state in 1993, the Government had decided to allow green felling, but when the Congress government returned to power in December 1993, the ban had been reimposed. The issue had figured in the State Assembly in December, and the members, cutting across party lines, emphasised on protecting the forest cover and the need to check illicit felling.

The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest S K Pandey, however, said the apprehensions about a spurt in illicit felling were unfounded.