PANAJI
Goa is likely to draft its first State Forest Policy in line with the new National Forest Policy of India, which is currently being formulated.
India’s forests are currently governed by the National Forest Policy of 1988, an update to which has been in the offing.
A senior forest official told The Goan that currently State forests are governed as per the National Forest Policy in force and the Rules and Regulations that are drafted by the State for effective forest management.
“The process to formulate a new National Forest Policy has commenced and once that is finalized, the State will draft its own policy to blend with the basic principles of national policy,” a official said.
State had drafted a forest policy in 2009, however it never got implemented.
“Currently there is no provision to have a separate State policy and we have to go as per the national policy. But the State has its own Rules and Regulations in place towards forest conservation and management,” official said.
The National Forest Policy aims to ensure the ecological security and stability of the country, protect the environment, and meet the basic needs of the people living in and around forests.
The policy emphasizes the need for the conservation and management of forests, the protection of wildlife, and the involvement of local communities in forest management.
