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Social activist picks holes in forest land policy

KORAPUT: Much of the land in Koraput district is set to go into the hands of a few rich people, which, in turn, may lead to unrest in the region, fears Bimal Pattnaik, a social activist.

On one hand, the government is trying to handover ownership of forest land to communities, and on the other, the Orissa Forest Development Corporation (OFDC), in a recent announcement, has invited expression of interest from organisations, individuals, industry, NGOs and others to posses 1,216 hectares of land on lease in 20 villages of Machkund Tahsil in the district, he rues.

According to the letter issued by the corporation, the leased out land could be utilised for various activities, including charcoal trading, which could possibly lead to environmental problems.

In the recent times, communities have come forward to protect forests by forming Forest Protection Groups in their respective villages. Opening of trading points will promote tree felling more than preservation, Mr. Pattnaik feels.

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