Union environment and forests minister Jairam Ramesh, along with Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, on Wednesday launched a programme giving tribals right to harvest bamboo as a forest produce in a tribal village here.
Ramesh and Chavan handed over transit passes to tribals of Lekha Mendha village thus according them the right of harvesting and managing bamboo as a forest produce.
The Lekha Mendha Gram Sabha in Dhanora tehsil of the Naxal-affected Gadchiroli district thus became the first in the country to have such a right.
Terming the initiative revolutionary, Ramesh said it will bring about a change in the life of tribals and other forest dwellers.
Forest and the tribals cannot live separately. They are interdependent and this relation needs to be strengthened. The 1927 Forest Act is not supportive to the people and some of its provisions need to be changed as they cannot protect the forests, he said.
As many as 25 crore people of the country depend upon forests and their interests cannot be ignored. Unless the tribals are given their rights over forests, it cannot be protected, Ramesh said.
The minister also stressed on the need to give the villagers more community rights under the Forest Rights Act.
Ramesh said the Central government will soon take a decision on a minimum support price for minor forest produces so that people could be benefited.
He also announced that the limit of forest land to be given under community rights will be increased to five hectares from the present two hectares in the Naxal affected districts of Maharashtra.
"Now the state government will be able to take decisions at their level for such a forest land required for public purposes," he said adding that an amendment is being made in the Forest Act which will make it necessary to have the consent of the Gram Sabha to book any person under the Forest Act.
Terming the event historic, chief minister Chavan said following the initiative villagers would get real benefit of the minor forest produces.
Similar rights will soon be given for the tendu leaves produce as well, he said adding that the minimum support price will also be given to minor forest produces.
Chavan said a centre of the bamboo mission will be opened at Gadchiroli and a minor forest produces processing unit will be opened at Chamorshi town in the district.
