the goan I network
MARGAO
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Subhash Chandra on Sunday said the Forest department will go by the decision of the government on the rejection of the report of the review committee on private forests, even as Forest Minister Vijai Sardesai said that the review panel will compile a report only after public consultations.
The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests told The Goan on Sunday during his visit to Sonsodo that the Forest department will go by the decision of the government and will prepare the report as per the government guidelines. “I do not want to go into the issue since the matter is sub judice. However, I want to say that the government’s decision is acceptable to the department and will go about the work as per the government guidelines”, he added.
Meanwhile, Forest Minister Vijai Sardesai on Sunday said he as well as Chief Minister Pramod Sawant are of the firm belief that any decision, which would have a huge impact on the local populace, cannot be rushed with without consulting the people. “The issue of private forest is one which has a fall out on the people. Hence, this cannot be allowed without public consultation”, he said, adding that his government is firm in involving the people of Goa through a consultative process to compile a report on private forests in the state.
Meanwhile, the United Goans Foundation has termed the decision of the Forest Minister to reject the report in toto of the review committee on private forests as highly unfortunate and condemnable.
UGF Secretary, Avinash Tavares said that several hundred forest trees in private land have been cut but the forest department has not taken any action even though complaints had been filed. “The fear today is that this delay in finalizing the report will lead to felling of whatever trees are remaining”, he added.
“One of the most disturbing statement is the one made by the Forest Minister in which he said that he had said any a times, the landowner was not even consulted or informed before his assets are marked as private forest depending on ocular survey. The Forest minister is clearly not able to dissociate his role as a TCP Minister from his job of protecting the forest or his business as a real estate agent”, he said.
Speaking further, he said, Vijai’s concern for the real estate lobby cannot and should not be allowed to undermine the importance of conserving the forests. Survey and Forest officials along with other experts have spent hundreds of hours, not to mention the taxpayers money, inspecting sites all across the State to identify the private forests. All this effort cannot be nullified because it doesn’t suit the real estate lobby”, he said, while urging CM, the Chief Secretary, and Forest officials to continue the exercise and sent the Private forest report to the gram sabhas for their inputs.
