Shillong July 16: The process of consultations on the draft amendments to the Indian Forest Act, 1927 has begun in Meghalaya.
Organized by the state forests department, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, M.B.K. Reddy chaired the meeting at the head office of the state forest department Sylvan House in the presence of divisional forests officer, T. Wanniang, who is in-charge of East Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi districts.
Officers from other departments and the district administration besides representatives of the Meghalaya Land and Forests Owners Association took part in the discussion.
Participants suggested that wider consultations should be organized not only by the government but by various associations and groups too to enlighten the people about the draft amendments besides the involvement of the three autonomous district councils in the state.
The Meghalaya Land Forests Owners Association also pointed out that various central laws related to land are in conflict with the customary land holding systems of the state, and this has also been recognized by the Supreme Court in its recent judgment in connection with the ban on coal mining in Meghalaya.
The Supreme Court on July 3 had observed that as per the land tenure system as applicable in the Hills Districts of Meghalaya, most of the land is either privately or community owned in which the state does not claim any right. “The private owners of the land as well as community owners have both the surface right as well as sub-soil rights,†the court said.
But the Apex court ruled that Meghalaya should enforce mining laws for carrying out mining activities. “There is nothing in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution which may indicate about the in-applicability of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 with regard to the hills districts of Meghalaya,†the court said.
In Meghalaya, most forests are privately-owned, while the government reserved forests constituted only around 5 per cent. There are also forest areas being managed by the three district councils.
“Lots of discussions will take place on the draft amendments and the state government will compile all views and suggestions received from various stakeholders and submit the same to the Centre,†Reddy said.
He also said that the amendments would not affect privately-owned forest land as well as provisions of the Sixth Schedule .
