Govts decision to reorganise forest dept criticised
Copyright 2001 The Statesman (India)
December 23, 2001
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE BHUBANESWAR, Dec. 22. The Opposition and treasury bench members today sharply criticised the state governments decision to abolish the afforestation divisions on the plea of reorganisation of forest department. In the Assembly the aggrieved members alleged that the proposal for reorganisation hadnt been approved by the state Cabinet though it involved policy decision.
As many as 56 State Assembly members members had submitted a petition to the chief minister Mr Navin Patnaik urging him to reconsider the decision. The plea went unheeded, rued the members.
Stating that massive afforestation was needed in the coastal belt, which was devastated in the 1999 super cyclone, several members regretted that the state government instead of creating new divisions was planning to abolish existing afforestation divisions. Ruling BJD member, Mr Damodar Rout, warned that the state government would not get international funding for afforestation if the concerned divisions were abolished and merged with territorial divisions.
Expressing concern over the fast depletion of forest cover in the state, the members flayed the forest department for its failure to protect forest.
Ironically the territorial division, that had failed to protect the forest, would now be entrusted with the afforestation work, they said. Castigating the government of pursuing with a policy of a top-heavy administration, the Opposition leader Mr Ramakanta Mishra alleged that the proposed reorganisation of forest department would result in over-centralisation and dearth of adequate manpower at the cutting edge level.