Democratising joint forest management

It would not be the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) but the gram sabhas/panchayats (village committees) that would now control the Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMC) in the nine States of the country, falling under the provisions of the 73rd Amendment of 1993 and the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act of 1996.

Panchayats To Be Involved In Forest Management
Our Political Bureau NEW DELHI

THE Centre is working out ways to increase participation of tribals and their control over forest areas to counter Maoist insurgency.

A blueprint for the implementation of the Green India Mission, which seeks to enhance the forest cover of the country, will be available by August-end, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said Tuesday.

The Green India Mission that seeks to enhance forest cover in the country would be formulated after public consultations to make it participative, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said today.

The Joint Forest Management Committees in the State will observe Bamboo Plantation and Energy Conservation Week from Monday.

The year 2010 is being observed as Bamboo Year in the State. This year, five crore bamboo rhizomes will be planted in the State. The Joint Forest Committees have been formed for making the Bamboo Year successful.

In a small, hilly district of south Gujarat lies the story of a people moving out of the shadow of war and death, guns and bullets to embrace peace and prosperity. It is the story of bravery in the face of death, of battling armed Maoists who are slicing through India's tribal heartland, challenging the writ of the state.