PANAJI
The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) has considered Goa’s request as a special case and has recommended that one-time permission may be given for construction of only residential houses of up to 250 sq mtrs by owners of private forest area (deemed forest).
Goa has been considered as a special case as that of Mussoorie (Uttarakhand) to give relaxation in forest laws. The FAC has categorically stated that no commercial activity may be permitted in a
private forest.
As per special guidelines issued by MoEF&CC to deal with specific cases pertaining to private forest area of Mussoorie (Uttarakhand), usage of upto 250 sq mtrs area is permitted for residential purposes by homestead owners for bona fide use and not for any commercial ventures.
A total of 46 sq kms has been identified as private forests in Goa. Further, approximately 32 sq kms of area is under process for identification and demarcation of remaining private forest, as per directions of the National
Green Tribunal.
“FAC after thorough deliberation and discussion on the issue, recommended that one-time permission for construction of homestead/residential houses up to 250 sq mtrs by owners of the private area (deemed forest) in Goa may be given on similar conditions as specified in the guidelines dated 27.09.2018 issued for Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA),” states the minutes of meeting of FAC on October 28.
Though the FAC has taken the decision in its meeting held on October 28, the state forest department has not received any official correspondence from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and climate Change (MOECC) in this regard.
“Many proposals regarding relaxation in Forest Conservation Act with regards to private forests have been sent to MOECC, but till date we have not received any official reply,” said a senior forest official.
It may be noted that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant through a letter dated April 16 to the MOECC has put forth a proposal of relaxation in forest act so that people living in private forests get some relief.
“Similar to other project proponents, they are also required to pay the applicable cost of net present value, land and cost for compensatory afforestation. In view of the above, it was requested that appropriate policy interventions and relaxation in the relevant Acts/rules may be considered by the Ministry to provide appropriate relief and financial incentives to people of Goa, whose land have been identified as private forests,” stated CM in his letter.
