House panel may block green Bill in Rajya Sabha

The government finds itself on the backfoot in trying to bring the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2008, in the Rajya Sabha in the face of strong protests from some MPs, reports Saroj Nagi.

The government finds itself on the backfoot in trying to bring the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2008, in the Rajya Sabha in the face of strong protests from some MPs.

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Several members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Forests and Environment protested that despite their rejection of the Bill, the government had passed it in the Lok Sabha and was trying to push it through the Upper House.

Some members have written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari and Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to convey their disappointment.

The letter was sent by V. Maitreyan, the AIADMK member who heads the committee.

In its report tabled in both Houses on October 22, the committee had faulted the Bill on five counts — it was drafted without consulting states and UTs; it centralised financial powers, thereby infringing on federal structure; life and livelihood of tribals and forest dwellers could be affected; the Bill encouraged commercialisation; and, forest programmes were launched out of those collected for compensatory afforestation.