Jammu, Aug 12 : The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday issued a fresh set of guidelines to streamline the processing of forest rights claims while simultaneously cracking down on unauthorised occupation of forest land, officials said.
The circular, issued by the Forest, Ecology and Environment Department, reiterates that all actions concerning forest land must strictly comply with the Indian Forest Act, 1927, and the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
“It is imperative to maintain an appropriate balance between the protection, conservation and sustainable management of forests and the recognition and settlement of legitimate forest rights,” the circular stated.
The directive comes in the wake of a separate communication from the Tribal Affairs Department on July 30, which had already laid down the mechanism for settling pending claims under the Forest Rights Act.
Deputy Commissioners, who chair the District Level Committees, have been directed to expedite the processing of all pending claims strictly in accordance with the prescribed procedure, officials said.
The circular further mandates that forest and revenue records be reconciled and areas properly demarcated to avoid erroneous identification of land and overlapping claims. However, it clarifies that such reconciliation shall not prejudice any claim pending under the Forest Rights Act.
Where occupation of forest land is found to be unauthorised and not covered by a recognised right, the concerned Forest authorities have been directed to initiate action for removal as per law, while ensuring due regard to Section 4(5) of the Forest Rights Act.
Pending determination of any claim, the existing forest character and ecological integrity of the area shall be protected, and no activity causing degradation of forest resources shall be permitted, the circular said.
The Forest Department has also been asked to extend all necessary assistance to Gram Sabhas, Sub-Divisional Level Committees, and District Level Committees in the verification and settlement of claims.
Territorial Forest Divisions have been directed to maintain updated records of claims recognised, rejected, or pending, in coordination with the Revenue Department.
Any claim or proposed activity concerning protected or ecologically sensitive areas shall be examined within the framework of the Forest Rights Act, the Indian Forest Act, the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, and applicable environmental laws and judicial directions, the order added.
The circular has been marked to all Administrative Secretaries, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, all Deputy Commissioners, and the Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir, among others.
