Cuttack MP says it is an infringement on ‘powers of states’
New Delhi: Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahtab (BJD) Monday opposed the introduction of the Indian Forest (Amendment) Bill, 2017 which bats for doing away with the government nod for felling and transport of bamboo across state.
The proposed bill, which was finally introduced in the Lower House besides the opposition of BJD, will replace the ordinance on the matter passed November 23 this year which aims at amending the Indian Forest Act, 1972. As per the bill, bamboo would be deleted from the list of trees under the act which would obviate the need of an official permission for its felling and transportation.
Raising the objection on behalf of the party in the Lok Sabha, Mahtab said, “In the North East and even in Orissa we have paper producing plants. There are certain states which do not have bamboo at all, for that the respective state government needs to give permissions. How can you withdraw the permissions from the states?”
He also added, “Whom are you protecting? You are protecting the interests of the traders where the interests of the state are put into difficulty. That is why we are opposed to the introduction of the bill.”
In response to the concerns raised, Union Minister for Environment and Forest Harsh Vardhan said, “This is one of the major reforms. This is going to help the farmers and everyone in a big way. After China we are the largest producers of Bamboo in the world. There is nothing anti-people in the bill, it is pro-people and pro-farmer.”
“The main objection in this case was that this bill was an infringement on the powers of the states in the matter and was drafted to help traders more than the farmers as the bill. That is why we opposed the bill at the time of introduction itself,” Mahtab told Orissa POST after the session.
PNN
