DIMAPUR — The Naga People’s Front (NPF) has outrightly rejected The Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023, terming the bill as anti-tribal and anti-constitutional.
The regional party recommended that the state government, in exercise of Article 371(A), should immediately pass an act or resolution to flatly reject the bill, like in the past during Dr. SC Jamir’s government.
The NPF also insisted that the government must convene a special assembly session or take up the issue in the upcoming assembly session, which is scheduled on September 11, to deliberate and pass an act to counteract the bill.
Leader of NPF Legislature Party, Kuzholuzo Nienu, in a press release, stated that despite several objections from different corners of the country, the bill got clearance from both houses of parliament and has now become a law.
The NPF leader said that the central government apparently introduced the bill with the objective to ensure and promote sustainable forest development in order to meet the economic, environmental and social needs of present and future generations.
The objective seems laudable till one sees the exemption clause - the Act exempts projects related to economy and security of national importance within 100 km of international borders, Nienu said.
With the new Act in place, he said such projects would no longer require forest clearance as it removed the 1980 Act’s restrictions on creating infrastructure in the reserved forest areas.
In other words, under this new amendment, both protected and unclassified forest areas can be encroached on the pretext of aiding national security and creating livelihood opportunities for those living in proximity to the forest covers, he said.
"It is true that infrastructural and industrial developments are inevitable. However, by allowing such activities as the creation of check posts, fire lines, eco-tourism facilities, safaris, silviculture, exploration, dams, seismic surveys, etc., instead of preserving our precious forest lands concerning which we are so proud, they are just made more vulnerable for damage and destruction," the NPF leader maintained.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]Pointing out that prior to the amendment of the bill, Forest was a part of the Concurrent List, Nienu went on to say that with the present amendment, the state government cannot assign any forest area to any entity without the approval of the central government.
On the other hand, the central government can take away any portion of the forest land for their projects, he said.
"This Act undermines the power of the state government through and through since the central government has the first and the last say on everything related to forest," he said.
"This will definitely make a mockery of Article 371 (A). It directly comes into conflict with the constitutional safeguard guaranteed to Nagaland state through Article 371(A). Instead of the centre seeking the approval of the state to implement any of the bills/acts in Nagaland, now the Nagaland government will have to seek approval from the central government. The Act makes the whole of Nagaland vulnerable since a large stretch of the state is covered with greeneries," Nienu added.
The NPF leader went on to say that the Supreme Court order of February 2019 attempted the eviction of millions of tribals from the forest areas.
"The Forest Rights Act 2006 to protect the above category of people hardly succeeded in providing security of life and shelter against the capitalist-driven forces," he stated.
"Though it did not affect northeast India much, it has already set a tone that forest and wildlife concerns can be politicized for other national and commercial interests. The present Act substantiates the fear of the people, especially the stakeholders – the tribal lands in the NE which is surrounded by an international border," Nienu said.
"Instead of learning from tribal-dominated states like Nagaland on the preservation of forest and bio-diversity, it is trying to impose a blanket Act without any exception or exemption," he added.