Afforestation Bill hits Cong hurdle

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 25

The government won’t have an easy run with the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill with the opposition Congress set to move amendments despite lack of numbers to carry them through.

The Bill, which seeks to distribute thousands of crores to states for afforestation, couldn’t be taken up in Rajya Sabha today due to Congress’ ruckus over non-implementation of special status for Andhra Pradesh.

The ruling BJP later alleged the Congress was making Andhra Pradesh issue an alibi to block yet another pending legislation in the Upper House where it has the majority.

The Congress for its part said it won’t tolerate neglect of gram sabhas in the current draft of the Bill.

The Bill provides for distribution of Rs 42,000 crore to states through Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).

Former environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh said: “The Bill as it exists does not recognise a vital part of the Forest Rights Act 2006 which mandated the consent of gram sabhas for any kind of diversion of land. The current draft of the CAMPA Bill fails to recognise this right of forest dwellers and though it will provide funds to states, these funds will be used to crush tribal interests. We won’t let that happen.”

After a failed meeting between the government and Congress to find common ground on the Bill, Jairam today said: “We will move amendments to the Bill whenever it comes up for passage. The JDU, DMK, and Left Parties are with us on this amendment, which seeks an acknowledgement that gram sabhas’ approval will be sought in respect of use of funds.”

In the meeting which was attended by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Environment Minister Anil Dave and Jairam Ramesh and Digvijaya Singh of the Congress, the government is learnt to have told the Opposition leaders that their amendment would be reflected in the rules and not the principal Act.

“This is not acceptable to us,” Jairam said, at a time when Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has announced his nationwide campaign on the alleged dilution of FRA Act by the BJP government. Rahul will attend the first seminar in a series of others on August 17 in tribal dominated Chittapalli in Vishakapatnam.

Back in Rajya Sabha, the Congress is adamant on moving amendments knowing they would be near impossible to carry after the Trinamool Congress abandoned the cause. A senior Congress leader said: “We will move amendments and perhaps not press them. It all depends on the numbers.”