Lecture-6
4.3.4 Rights and Concessions
4.3.4.1 The rights and concessions, including grazing, should always remain
related to the carrying capacity of forests. The capacity itself should be
optimised by increased investment, silvicultural research and development of
the area. Stall-feeding of cattle should be encouraged'. The requirements of the
community, which cannot be met by the rights and concessions so determined,
should be met by development of social forestry outside the reserved forests.
4.3.4.2 The holders of customary rights and concessions in forest areas should
be motivated to identify themselves with the protection and development of
forests from which they derive benefits. The rights and concessions from forests
should primarily be for the bonafide use of the communities living within and
around forest areas, specially the tribal’s.
4.3.4.3 The life of tribals and other poor living within and near forests revolves
around forests. The rights and concessions enjoyed by them should be fully
protected. Their domestic requirements of fuel wood, fodder, minor forest
produce and construction timber should be the first charge on forest produce.
4.3.4.4 Similar consideration should be given to scheduled castes and other poor
living near forests. However, the area, which such consideration should cover,
would be determined by the carrying capacity of the forests.
4.3.5 Wood is in short supply. The long-term solution for meeting the existing
gap lies in increasing the productivity of forests, but to relieve the existing
pressure on forests for the demands of railway sleepers, construction industry
(particularly in the public sector),furniture and paneling, mine-pit props, paper
and paper board etc. substitution of wood needs to be taken recourse to.
Similarly, on the front of domestic energy, fuelwood needs to be substituted as
far as practicable with alternate sources like bio-gas, LPG and solar energy.
, Fuel-efficient "Chulhas" as a measure of conservation of fuelwood need to be
popularised in rural areas.
4.4 Diversion of Forest Lands for Non-forest purposes
4.4.1 Forest land or land with tree cover should not be -treated merely as a
resource readily available to be utilised for various projects and programmes,
but as a national asset which requires to be properly safeguarded for providing
sustained benefits to the entire community. Diversion of forest land for any non-
forest purpose should be subject to the most careful examinations by specialists
from the standpoint of social and environmental costs and benefits.
Construction of dams and reservoirs, mining and industrial development and
expansion of agriculture should be consistent with the needs for conservation of
trees and forests. Projects which involve such diversion should at least provide
in their investment budget, funds for regeneration/compensatory afforestation.
4.4.2 Beneficiaries who are allowed mining and quarrying in forest land and in
land covered by trees should' be required to repair and re-vegetate the area in
accordance with established forestry practices. No mining lease should be
granted to any party, private or public, without a proper mine management plan
appraised from the environmental angle and enforced by adequate machinery.
4.5 Wildlife Conservation
Forest Management should take special care of the needs of wildlife
conservation, and forest management plans should include prescriptions for this
purpose. It is specially essential to provide for "corridors" linking the protected
areas in order to maintain genetic continuity between artificially separated sub-
sections of wildlife.
4.3.4 Rights and Concessions
4.3.4.1 The rights and concessions, including grazing, should always remain
related to the carrying capacity of forests. The capacity itself should be
optimised by increased investment, silvicultural research and development of
the area. Stall-feeding of cattle should be encouraged'. The requirements of the
community, which cannot be met by the rights and concessions so determined,
should be met by development of social forestry outside the reserved forests.
4.3.4.2 The holders of customary rights and concessions in forest areas should
be motivated to identify themselves with the protection and development of
forests from which they derive benefits. The rights and concessions from forests
should primarily be for the bonafide use of the communities living within and
around forest areas, specially the tribal’s.
4.3.4.3 The life of tribals and other poor living within and near forests revolves
around forests. The rights and concessions enjoyed by them should be fully
protected. Their domestic requirements of fuel wood, fodder, minor forest
produce and construction timber should be the first charge on forest produce.
4.3.4.4 Similar consideration should be given to scheduled castes and other poor
living near forests. However, the area, which such consideration should cover,
would be determined by the carrying capacity of the forests.
4.3.5 Wood is in short supply. The long-term solution for meeting the existing
gap lies in increasing the productivity of forests, but to relieve the existing
pressure on forests for the demands of railway sleepers, construction industry
(particularly in the public sector),furniture and paneling, mine-pit props, paper
and paper board etc. substitution of wood needs to be taken recourse to.
Similarly, on the front of domestic energy, fuelwood needs to be substituted as
far as practicable with alternate sources like bio-gas, LPG and solar energy.
, Fuel-efficient "Chulhas" as a measure of conservation of fuelwood need to be
popularised in rural areas.
4.4 Diversion of Forest Lands for Non-forest purposes
4.4.1 Forest land or land with tree cover should not be -treated merely as a
resource readily available to be utilised for various projects and programmes,
but as a national asset which requires to be properly safeguarded for providing
sustained benefits to the entire community. Diversion of forest land for any non-
forest purpose should be subject to the most careful examinations by specialists
from the standpoint of social and environmental costs and benefits.
Construction of dams and reservoirs, mining and industrial development and
expansion of agriculture should be consistent with the needs for conservation of
trees and forests. Projects which involve such diversion should at least provide
in their investment budget, funds for regeneration/compensatory afforestation.
4.4.2 Beneficiaries who are allowed mining and quarrying in forest land and in
land covered by trees should' be required to repair and re-vegetate the area in
accordance with established forestry practices. No mining lease should be
granted to any party, private or public, without a proper mine management plan
appraised from the environmental angle and enforced by adequate machinery.
4.5 Wildlife Conservation
Forest Management should take special care of the needs of wildlife
conservation, and forest management plans should include prescriptions for this
purpose. It is specially essential to provide for "corridors" linking the protected
areas in order to maintain genetic continuity between artificially separated sub-
sections of wildlife.
