| FOREST OPERATION
Timber Operation
1. The Forest Department is
realising revenue on timber, the one originating from private plantation (Tree Farms) as
per actual measurement and the other which is being seized and released at notified timber
depots in accordance with Para 7 of the 7th July 2000 notification issued by
the Govt. called ‘‘Nagaland Tree Farm and Timber Regulations, 2000”.
The Govt allows felling of trees from
trees farms after ascertaining the volume of trees to be felled by the field officers. The
owners of felled trees can transport the timber after getting transit passes from the
Forest Range Officer of the area by paying forest royalty as per actual measurement.
In cases of timber
felled by the villagers in their Jhum-land to facilitate cultivation, the Govt. allows the
concerned owner to transport the felled timber up to the nearest notified timber depot
without any documents. The Forest Range officer of the jurisdiction of the depot issues
transit passes after measuring the timber and realising royalty for transportation of the
timber.
2. Ban on export of round logs
below 4 (four) ft. in girth on the pretext of firewood or otherwise to any place outside
the State continued.
3. Operation of Forest Produce other
than timber -such as cane, agar, etc. continued to be regulated by ‘Mahal’
system, on outright sale basis as per the provisions of Mahal settlement rules contained
in the Nagaland Forest Act 1968. The system continued without any change. The Govt. has
ordered operation of sand and stone through permit system.
4. Ban on issue of ‘FREE
PERMITS’ on Timber continued in order to plug leakage of Government revenue.
5. On 12. 12. 96. The Supreme Court vide order
No.597/95/PIL/WRIT dated. 17. 12. 96, New Delhi has passed order banning the felling of
trees including transportation of logs, veneers / plywood and timbers, and has ordered the
closure of all mills (saw/ veneer / plywood) with immediate effect. As per the direction
of this order, the State Government / Department has followed Supreme Court orders
accordingly. Pursuant to the Supreme Court Orders dated 4.3.97 the MOEF, New Delhi has
constituted a High Power Committee. As per the instruction of the Committee, inventories
of timber and timber products in all forms lying in various parts of the State was
prepared and taken into stock. The State Government vide Notification No.FOR/GEN-1/97,
dated 06. 06. 97 have constituted a State Level Committee as well as the District Level
Committee to verify and check the inventory of stocks of timber. These inventories have
since then been submitted to the HPC for obtaining the clearance. Till now, the HPC has
given the clearance for quite a number of mills in the state for operation and those mills
cleared by the HPC have been given the final clearance by the PCCF, Kohima. In compliance
with Supreme Court order dated 15.1.98, the State Government has constituted Committees
for (i) pricing, (ii) preparation of Working Plans and (iii) notification of industrial
estates and action has already taken to increase the royalty rates. The department has
already established industrial estates as per recommendation of committee. Working schemes
have already prepared/being prepared and some working schemes were approved by MOEF. |
