Indian Express 03.08.2010
Govt gives Shimla forests back to MC
Hemlata Verma Tags : forests, corporation Posted: Tue Aug 03 2010, 04:55 hrs
Shimla: The state government’s forest department has finally tossed back 843.91 hectares of the nearly 1,800 hectares of forest area in the Shimla town (urban area) to the municipal body, after a long battle stretched over two years. The forest area of Craignano and Seog catchments — once rated as the thickest forest in Asia — has been retained by the department.In a communique sent to Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner A N Sharma on Tuesday, the department confirmed transfer of the forest areas to the MC, said Conservator of Forest S K Sharma. “Only the forest area with the main Shimla town and its newly merged areas of Kasumpti, Totu and Dhalli have been transferred to the Shimla MC,” said Sharma.
The development, however, leaves a question mark on the MC’s vision and plan for conservation and propagation of new plantation in Shimla’s deodar forests, which have already outgrown their life. Though the Shimla MC has the administrative set-up of the Divisional Forest Office in place, it does not have forestry experts or a dedicated body to take care of forest issues.
In 2006, the previous Congress government had transferred the forests out of Shimla MC’s control, quoting the absence of funds and expertise with the local body for scientific conservation of the forests and their protection from encroachments as one of the strongest reasons.
During the last four years, a special plantation drive for the revival of deodar forests was launched and a plan to ensure high survival rate of new plantations framed.
The forest department had initially resisted the proposal to transfer the forests, as MC had pleaded two years ago that according to the 74th Constitutional amendment, urban forest management is required to be in control of the local body. A special committee was formed under former chief secretary Asha Swaroop to look into the matter. The committee finally decided to transfer the forests to Shimla MC. The civic body required control over forests also because this is one of the conditions under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.
