Imphal, December 23: Noting that the community forest in the North East region which is referred to as �unclassed State forests� under the Indian Forest Act of 1927 comes under the control of Forest Department which is undermining the right of community ownership over these forests, the Raphei Katamnao Long (RKL) has appealed to the Governor for immediate intervention against the Forest Act.

In a memorandum submitted to the Governor, a copy of which is made available to the press, the RKL observed that the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 and other central laws relating to forests and conservation are also applied to community owned forest in the North East.

This would mean that any non-forest activity, such as jhum cultivation would need permission from New Delhi and all activities would need payment of money for compensatory afforestation, noted the RKL.

Stating that the Joint Forest Management Schemes have been extended in all the hill areas of the North East including Manipur, it construed that such schemes are being used to bring community forests under the Forest Department�s management through the JFM committees.

Citing clause 5 of the MoU (of the JFM in Ukhrul district) which states that �the Joint Forest Management Committee should ensure protection of forest and plantation areas, checking encroachment, illicit cutting of trees, unauthorised grazing and other destructive activities like fire, thefts of forest production etc�, the RKL observed that all these Acts and MoU amount to forfeiting the right of community ownership over these forests.

The legislation is tantamount to robbing a large number of people of their livelihood resources and means of survival, it asserted.

Further citing an affidavit filed by the Forest Dept in the Supreme Court, the RKL remarked that State owned forest has jumped from a mere 9 percent to 78 percent.

Putting forth their view that all these policies are illegal since the community�s right to control, manage and protect forests is enshrined in customary laws, the RKL appealed to Governor Dr SS Sidhu to take up the matter at the State as well as Central levels.

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