Regime of National Forest Policy and the North East India

Franky Varah; C. Pamreishang; Tuisem Shimrah

doi:10.36808/if/2019/v145i5/145684

Regime of National Forest Policy and the North East India

Authors

Franky Varah Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Science Sector 2, Dwarka, University of Delhi, New Delhi
C. Pamreishang LMS Law College, Dhanamanjuri University, Chingmeirong, Dewlahland, Imphal West, Manipur
Tuisem Shimrah School of Environment Management, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University New Delhi

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36808/if/2019/v145i5/145684

Keywords:

Forest Cover, North East India, Forest Policy, Tribal, Community Rights.

Abstract

The present Forest Policy of India is derived from the National Forest Policy of 1952. It targeted 33% forest cover throughout India, and 60% forest cover in mountainous and hill regions of the country. This objective was reiterated in the National Forest Policy of 1988 and confirmed in the National Forestry Commission Report of 2006. The North East India is rich in biological and cultural diversity, and as such the majority of the states in the region met the prescribed policy norms. In fact, the North Eastern states of India have the potential for more afforestation. However, according to the recent Forest Survey of India Report, the North Eastern states have had the highest loss of forest in India in recent times. This paper argues that the reason for forest loss is most likely just a tip of the iceberg. In the ground reality, there are a lot of reasons for the loss of forest that include among other issues; the questions of ownership rights, forest policies, poverty, and development activities. The study has shown that forest policy not only infringed upon the peoples' rights but also contributed to forest degradation.

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