Cutting down bamboo grown on designated non-forest areas will not require any official permission. The Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave approval for the amendment of Section 2(7) of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, which will exempt bamboo grown on non-forest areas from the requirement of felling/transit permit.
“This will encourage bamboo plantation by farmers which will contribute to achieving the noble objective of doubling the farmers’ income by 2022,” an official said.
Incidentally, bamboo grown in the forest areas will continue to be governed by the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. “ It will therefore, provide the desired equilibrium for enhancing farmers’ income on one hand and protecting the environment by maintaining the area under the forests on the other hand,” the official said.
India is home to a wide variety of flora including bamboo which provides ecological, economical and livelihood opportunity to a large number of farmers. India has the largest area under bamboo in the world and is second richest country after China in terms ofbamboo genetic resource. Bamboo has traditionally been used by the people and farmers living in and around the forests for housing needs, food security, handicrafts and various tools and implements. In recent year’s Trees Outside Forest (TOF) particularlyAgroforestry has contributed significantly in meeting the timber demand of the country.
However, over the years the full potential of the sector has not been utilised due to the problems being faced by the cultivators like restrictive regulatory regime, requirement of permission for felling, transit and processing, export restrictions, royalty and transit fee on the products etc.
There were constraints on the forward linkages as well like restriction on setting of the processing units also. As a result India is currently importing timber and allied products such as pulp, paper and furniture etc.
After active persuasion by Union Government many states have exempted transit and felling regime for various species of bamboo within their States giving partial relief to the farmers. However, the inter-state movement of bamboo still required permit when being in transit through different States. This has been identified as a major impediment for the cultivation of bamboo by farmers on private land.
The Amendment as approved on Wednesday will allow for the free movement of bamboo and ensure that the production and the consumption centres are seamlessly integrated. This would generate the demand for raw material leading to planting of bamboo trees on non-forest land, provide employment and encourage growth of small and medium industries in the villages and smaller towns also and reduce our dependence on imports.