HP rejects demand for changes in timber distribution policy

As the Opposition raised the issue in the Assembly on Wednesday,alleging serious problems in the availability of timber to the right holders,Forest Minister J P Nadda said the government had only tried to curb the misuse of timber by framing a new policy on the directions of the Himachal Pradesh High Court.

Nadda said the new policy was notified in January 2010,after incorporating the suggestions given by court’s amicus curiae Jyotsana Rewal Dua and also inviting public views. “The old policy was 130 years old and there have been misuse of timber,a fact also known to the Opposition from the time it was in power,” he added.

The forest minister rejected the demand put forth by Congress president Kaul Singh Thakur to make changes in the policy for an easy access of timber to the right holders. “It has led to more problems and the procedure to grant distribution rights has become complicated. People are agitated over the changes in the old policy,” he complained.

Thakur was joined by Gangu Ram Musafir,a former speaker,who assailed the policy and alleged that the government had done grave injustice with the people by denying them timber from the forests. He,however,agreed to the need for effectively checking the misuse of timber.

At this point,Nadda read out silent features of the policy to deny the charges of denying timber to the right holders. “Only the deserving will get the timber at subsidised rates,not those indulging in plunder of the forests. Only fallen and dry trees will be allotted from the forests. Timber conversion charges will be borne by the government and only one right-holder in the family will get timber,” he explained,agreeing to remove bottlenecks in the implementation of the policy.

Nadda said only agriculturists and those who help in the protection of forests will get timber.

In 2005-06 alone,timber worth Rs 116 crore was granted under the earlier policy and more 19 lakh trees were axed by the right holders. This attracted intervention of the high court on a PIL and the grant of rights was stayed.