AFTER over a year of deliberations and public debate on the proposed draft forest bill of the Union ministry of environment and forests (MEF), the National Campaign for People's Resources (NCPR) - a joint forum of voluntary organisations - has proposed a set of amend- ments to the bill. This alternative "people's bffl' seeks to recognise legally the "intrinsic relationship between forests and tribal and the poor people."

This MG0 initiative to make the legislative process transparent and open was aimed at stalling the MEF'S manoeuvres to push its original draft bill on the Conservation of Forest and the Natural Eco-systern Act, 1994, replacing the Indian Forest Act, 1927. This renaming has been criticised by the NGos as they feel it is too broad, and implies a wide gamut of natural resources including land, water, air and forests. Says Walter Fernandes, Indian Social Institute, New Delhi and national convenor, NCPR, "The official bill had ignored even the little official concern that ivas shown in the forest policy of 1988 towards the livelihood needs of the poor and the need for participatory management through joint forest management programmes."

While retaining the official bill's original structure, the suggested amendments have expanded the preamble to include the objectives of the National Forest Policy, 1988, focusing particularly on "meeting the basic needs of the people, especially fuelwood, fodder and small timber for the rural and tribal people, and maintaining the intrinsic relationship between the forests and people living in and around forests by protecting their customary rights and concession on forests."

While the official bill has conferred arbitrary powers on state agencies, the NGO bill has proposed "consultation with a village forest committee" to determine the rights of the people. Further, powers for management and conservation of forests not exercised by the government, may be assigned to village forest committees and state forest committees. Regarding the villages and forests in the vicinity of national parks and sanctuaries, it recommends that these be converted into village forests and managed by village forest committees.

The 'NGOS have cracised the attempt to extend the official bill's scope to include the whole of India. Fearing this might disturb the tribal lifestyle in the Northeast, they have sought exemption for the northeastern states under the sixth schedule of the Constitution, and subsequent adaptation of the forest act to local conditions.