4.1.2 National Forest Policy
The first policy resolution of the Indian government
dates back to 1894. The broad objectives of were the following.
1. To maintain forest cover.
2. To set up a system of commercial logging.
The basic idea behind the charter was to commercially exploit the vast forest
reserves of India. However a few well-intentioned sentences like 'preservation
of climatic and physical conditions' and 'fulfilling the forest based needs
of the local people' were sprinkled in the policy document.
The first forest policy of independent India was enunciated on the 12th of
May 1952. The policy was intended for better management of State Forests in
the country. The stated principal objectives of the policy included the following:
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1. A functional classification of the forests (viz. Protected Forests, National
Forests, Village Forests etc);
2. Regulation of uncontrolled and excessive on forest land;
3. Evolution of a system of balanced and complementary land use to strike
a balance between forest produce level and forest depletion;
4. Discouragement of conversion of forest land to agricultural land;
The 1952 policy recognised the importance of forests in soil conservation
(through moisture conservation, erosion prevention, etc.) and economic development
(e.g. agricultural and industrial development). As a follow up to this policy
some measures were taken in successive five-year plans. Although the measures
were partly successful it was observed that, over the years, forests in the
country have suffered serious depletion. Attributable causes for the depletion
were identified to be the following (GOI 1988): -
1. relentless pressures arising from ever-increasing demand for fuel-wood,
fodder and timber;
2. inadequacy of protection measures;
3. diversion of forest lands to non-forest uses without ensuring compensatory
afforestation and essential environmental safeguards; and,
4. tendency to look upon forests as revenue earning resource.
A situation thus became imperative 'to review the situation and to evolve,
for the future, a new strategy of forest conservation', - including preservation,
maintenance, sustainable utilisation, restoration, and enhancement of the
natural environment. This necessitated adoption of a new-look and environment-focused
National Forest Policy in 1988 (MOEF Resolution No.3-1/86-FP dated the 7th
December 1988).
4.1.2.1 Indian National Forest Policy 1988
BASIC OBJECTIVES
The basic objectives of the National Forest Policy (NFP) 1988 are the following
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1. Maintenance of environmental stability through preservation and, where
necessary, restoration of the ecological balance that has been adversely disturbed
by serious depletion of the forests of the country.
2. Conserving the natural heritage of the country by preserving the remaining
natural forests with the vast variety of flora and fauna, which represent
the remarkable biological diversity and genetic resources of the country.
3. Checking soil erosion and denudation in the catchment areas of rivers,
lakes, reservoirs in the interest of soil and water conservation, for mitigating
floods and droughts and for the retardation of siltation of reservoirs.
4. Checking the extension of sand-dunes in the desert of Rajasthan and along
the coastal tracts.
5. Increasing substantially the forest/tree cover in the country through massive
afforestation and social forestry programmes, especially on all denuded, degraded
and unproductive lands.
6. Meeting the requirements of fuelwood, fodder, minor forests produce and
small timber of the rural and tribal populations.
7. Increasing the productivity of forests to meet essential national needs.
8. Encouraging efficient utilisation of forest produce and maximising substitution
of wood.
9. Creating a massive people's movement with the involvement of women, for
achieving these objectives and to minimise pressure on existing forests.
An important feature of the NFP 1988 is that it identifies assurance of 'environmental
stability and maintenance of ecological balance' to be the principal policy
objective. NFP 1988 clearly asserts that 'the derivation of direct economic
benefit must be subordinated to this principal aim'.
The policy aims at complete protection of the existing forest land and rapid
increase in forest cover particularly on hill slopes, in catchment areas of
rivers, lakes and reservoirs and ocean shores and on semi-arid, arid and desert
tracts. While retaining the goal of the 1952 policy to have a minimum of one-third
of the total land area of the country under forest or tree cover, the NFP
1988 asserts on maintaining canopy cover over two-third of the hilly and mountainous
regions.
For management of state forests the policy stipulates, among other things,
the following: -
1. Discouragement of development projects on hilly, steep, erosion prone and
ecologically sensitive area, and complete protection of tropical rain/ moist
forests.
2. Requirement of government approval before any state forest land may be
permitted to be worked.
Taking cue from the failure of the 1952 policy to increase the forest cover
of the country to the desired level of 33%, the NFP 1988 has proposed stringent
measures for discouraging Diversion of forest lands for non-forest purposes.
Such measures, inter-alia, include the following: -
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.