Balance between environmental improvement, forest conservation and development necessary

Bhopal: Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that balance is necessary between environmental improvement, forest conservation and development. Madhya Pradesh still has 30 percent forest cover. States protecting forests should be awarded and encouraged. Positive results have been yielded by efforts to link forest dwellers and profits from forests in Madhya Pradesh.

Shri Chouhan was addressing a two-day brainstorming camp of Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change here today. He said that Indian philosophy is based on Ekatm-wad. Our philosophy believes that all including animals, birds, insects etc. have the same consciousness as in human beings. The world is discussing global warming, environmental improvement etc. now, but our saints and seers paid attention to water, air, moon, sun, rivers, hills, vegetation and animals and worshipped them thousands of years ago. Gist of this is that mankind cannot survive if these things suffer damage. Water table is sinking these days due to wanton exploitation of nature and rivers are drying. Destruction has been wrought in the name of development. Space for wildlife has also not been spared. Forests have been cut indiscriminately. Its ill effect is that nature is changing its cycle in the form of untimely rains, cold and heat. Natural disasters are occurring. Shri Chouhan said that Rs. 3200 crore was distributed to natural calamity-affected farmers in the state last year.

The Chief Minister said that nature should be tapped in balanced manner and should not be exploited. Mindset needs to be changed for this. He called for balanced approach so that environment is not affected, forest dwellers do not face difficulty and development is also not affected.

Shri Chouhan drew attention of experts and participants of brainstorming camp towards his important suggestions. He stressed the need for revolutionary thinking for upgradation of degraded forests. He said that forests can be upgraded by ensuring public participation through share in forest produce and other benefits. Safe forests can also be augmented through public participation. Bushland forests devoid of large trees where there is no afforestation hope in future can be used for other development works. Concrete efforts should be made to protect and densify remaining forests and degraded forests should be upgraded.

Shri Chouhan informed that these experiments have been successful in Madhya Pradesh. He lauded positive cooperation of forest officers in this success. Shri Chouhan said that tribals form 21 percent of state’s population. They have been dwelling in forests from time immemorial without being influenced by metropolis glitter. They never destroy forests, but others do. Minimum price of achaar, mahua, niboli, karanj, lakh etc. has been fixed in Madhya Pradesh. Forests have been linked with employment. It has been decided to provide entire profit from bamboo to local tribals.

Shri Chouhan said that anti-human laws also need to be changed. Why roads built in forests hundreds of years ago can not be improved? Why new dams can not be constructed to irrigate lands of people dwelling there? Why power can not be supplied there? Why is it that people of only urban or non-forest areas should use these facilities and forest dwellers remain deprived? Mindsets need to be changed through contemplation of such issues, he added.

The Chief Minister said that number of wildlife is increasing. Now, tigers roar even in Kolar area of Bhopal. It is necessary that animals are safe, but it is also necessary that the human beings remain safe from them. Making special reference about destruction of crops by increasing number of Neelgais, he called for arrangements either to repulse these wild animals back to jungles or make such efforts that wildlife-human struggle does not occur.

Shri Prakash Javadekar

Union Minister of State for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Shri Prakash Javadekar (Independent Charge) said that Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s address has paved way for contemplation during this 2-day camp. He directed Central government officers to immediately make available information and circulars about decisions of the Central government properly to states. He informed that now roads passing through forest can be repaired without permission from Forest Ministry. Permission has also been granted to Jabalpur-Nagpur four-lane road. Degraded forests will be upgraded and balanced development will also be considered, he added.

At the outset, Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated the camp by lighting a lamp. Officers of Union Minister of Forests, Environment and Climate Change, departments and states including Jammu-Kashmir, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Dadra-Nagar Haveli, Gujarat, Punjab etc will have open discussions on concerning issues.