Green justice: Fell a tree, plant 100.
From Sandeep Bhaskar.

DH News Service RANCHI, Sept 30

With nearly half of the work already done in last three days, a couple in Jharkhand's Simdega district will plant 200 saplings in a week's time - nothing great one would say. But then the fact they are doing this not of their own accord is probably good enough for the people to sit up and take notice.

Identified as Baraku and his wife Dhania, residents of Giriajore village in Kurdeg block of the district, are reportedly subjected to the punishment pronounced by the jury of Van Raksh Samiti (VRS) operational in this part of the State. Their fault' Causing damage to the forests near Giriajore area of the block by felling two trees recently.

Planting saplings 100 times more than the damage caused by the culprit has come to become a rule in Giriajore Panchayat in Kurdega block of Simdega district after the VRS a green team of the area, has imposed a blanket ban on tree-felling in the area since February this year.

'Our main objective is not only to protect the forest cover from getting depleted further but at the same time we also aim at the augmentation of vegetation in our work area. And with the support from the local villagers we are confident of turning our block into a lush green landscape in the time to come,' said Ravindra Bara, the President of Van Raksha Samiti (Simdega).

Speaking on the operation of VRS, Mr R L Panna, District Forest Officer (Simdega) told Deccan Herald that it is a joint forest management of villagers and the forest officials, which the Jharkhand government aims at running all across the State for the protection of forests.

'Under this management the forest department involves the local villagers in the protection of forests. While the villagers elect the president of the committee, the secretary happens to be a forest officer. The other members of the committee are drawn from the villagers, who control the forest in their respective area,' Mr R L Panna said.

He further said 'when it comes to selling the forest produce, the committee's sanction is formally required by the forest officials. As per the arrangement, the Van Raksha Samiti is also entitled to 30 per cent total income,' he said.

According to Mr Bara the committee has been instrumental in the plantation of about two lakh saplings in Kurdeg block this year. 'We have as many as 126 members in our committee who are entrusted with the task of controlling the forest areas like Dhania Kona, Garaja and Kaho. This apart, the three guards appointed by the committee keep vigil in their respective area,' Mr Bara said.

On its own brand of instant justice, Mr Bara said the VRS has imposed a blanket ban on tree felling in forest areas. 'Anybody found guilty is also liable to be dealt sternly. For this we do not involve the personnel of forest and police and instead the committee hold the durbar in open and announces the penalty and get them executed immediately,' he said.

The committee, however, ensures a lenient treatment to poor villagers in case found guilty. 'We do not expect anything more than the physical labour from the poor people and so when such persons are found guilty we provide them saplings from the nearby nurseries and the culprits are asked to only plant them,' Ravindra Bara said.

The VRS does not bother to involve the government machinery. 'But there are also the occasions when the culprits do not abide by the committee's directives. In that event we register FIRs through Forest officials,' he said.

Source: http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/oct01/n6.asp
Deccan Herald Tuesday, September 30, 2003