Company Name : Generic Source : Deccan Chronicle

Jan. 3: Responding to the increasing threat of Naxal menace in central India, the minister of environment and forests, Mr Jairam Ramesh, is pushing for an early amendment to the Indian Forest Act, 1927 in order to allow for greater democratisation of forest management. “Over 250 million people depend on forests for their livelihood and a major amendment of the IFA will prevent the harassment of tribals by local forest officials,” he stated in a joint press conference organised between the MoEF and the ministry of tribal affairs.

 

He hoped to introduce these amendments in the Budget session of Parliament after receiving a report by the National Committee on Forest Rights Act headed by Dr N.C. Saxena. “We are bringing about amendments to Indian Forest Act in order to ensure that these large numbers of cases are not foisted on tribal people who are go into the forest daily for picking up their daily requirements.

 

“In Naxal-affected areas, a large number of cases are registered against the tribals and so we are amending the Forest Act,” the minister said.