Hand Book for Gaon Burahs and Panchayati Raj Leader

95A BRIEF NOTE ON ENCROACHMENT, ILLEGAL TIMBER OPERATIONAND DEPARTMENTAL TIMBER OPERATION UNDER NAMSAI FORESTDIVISION, VIS- A –VIS ROLE OF G.Bs/PRI IN HELPING THEDEPARTMENT IN CONTAINING THE PROBLEMS.1. ENCROACHMENT:-Encroachment of forest land for cultivation and other purposes continuesto be the most pernicious practice endangering forests resources throughoutthe country. Encroachments are also seriously threatening the continuity ofthe wildlife corridors between the various National Parks and Sanctuaries.Encroachment in various Reserve Forests have been noticed to be increasingday by day owing to population explosion as well as for developmentalactivities as a result lost of forest resources such as timbers, NFTPs, wildlifeetc. occurs. The Govt. of India in one of its effort to solve some of theproblems of the encroachment in various states, it has categorizedencroachment into two types.(i)(ii)Eligible encroachersIneligible encroachersEligible encroachers – Pre-1980 encroachment where the state governmenthas taken a decision before enactment of the FC Act, 1980 to regulate eligiblecategory of encroachment. Such cases are those where the state governmenthave evolved certain eligibility criteria in accordance with local needs andconditions and had taken a decision to regularise such encroachments, butcould not implement either wholly or partially before the enactment of the FCAct,1980 (25.10.1980). That means in short, the encroachments which havetaken place prior to FC Act, 1980.Ineligible encroachers – The encroachments which have taken place afterthe enactment of FC Act, 1980 (25/10/1980). For identifying eligibleencroachers in the Division, the government has formed District LevelCommittee (DLC), Sub-Divisional Committee. Recently the Ministry ofEnvironment & Forests, Govt. of India; New Delhi has issued fresh guidelinesfor verification/recognisation of rights of the tribal and forests dwellers onforest land through 3 tier committee at Village level, Block level and Districtlevel committee.The role of the G.Bs and Panchayat leaders to help the department insolving this vexing problem is immensely important in many aspects.i. By helping the department in identifying the eligible encroachers andineligible encroachers through village level and block level committee.ii.To help the department in checking fresh encroachment by informing thedepartment about incidence of fresh encroachment in remote areas.