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Joint Forest Management Resolution
HIMACHAL
PRADESH
Notification No. Forest (C) 3-4/80 V of
12.5.93 constituting village forest development committees for participatory forest
management.
"Whereas certain areas in the protected forests as also
some areas vested in the government under the H.P. ceiling on Land Holding Act. 1972, and
village common lands (vesting and utilization) Act. 1974 and transferred or to be
transferred to the Forest Department are barren or have degraded in the past these areas
need conservation, etc. so as to arrest their further environmental degradation and to
augment fuelwood, fodder and small timber production for use by local people and whereas
active participation of the local people is vital for planning, protection, afforestation
and judicious use for ecodevelopment of aforesaid areas.
Now, therefore, in pursuance of the government of India’s
letter (No. 6-21/89-FP) dated 1st June, 1990 from the then Secretary
(Environment and Forests) to Village Forest Development Committees for Joint forest
Management in the villages of Himachal Pradesh for planning, protection, afforestation,
judicious use for eco-development of aforesaid areas thereby bringing 50 per cent of the
feasible area under forest cover by 2000 AD in accordance with the policy of JFPM,
detailed rules/guidelines will be notified.
Procedure for constitution of Forest Development Committee:
Name of committee : Village Forest Development Committee (VFDC)
Definition : A village forest development committee is a
registered, non-political body representing all families of a tikka/village.
Area Selection : there shall be only one village forest
development committee (VDFC) in each tikka/village.
Constitution : One adult male and female member of each family
will be enrolled as a member of the general house of VFDC of the village. President,
Mahila Mandal, President, Yuvak Mandal, Members of Panchayat representing tikka/village
will be nominated as member of the general house of VFDC by DFO concerned.
Executive Body : The executive body will have 9 to 12 members
including nominated once. It will have President, Vice President, Treasurer, etc. who will
be elected by the executive body itself. Two auditors will be elected in the general
house.
A uniform representation shall be given to each group of 10 to
20 families and the executive body will have a minimum of 5 members from the tikka/village
of which 50 percent will be women.
Forest guard will be ex-officio member-secretary of the
executive body.
One member of Gram Panchayat, one member from Antyodaya family;
one woman either from Mahila Mandal or otherwise will also be nominated members of the
body.
Meetings : There will be two meetings of the general house and
four of the executive body in a year. DFO will convene the meeting with the president of
the executive body of VFDC and the Range Officer concerned twice in a year to review the
progress of the work. Quorum will be 50 percent for these meetings.
Registration of the committee : VDFC will formally be registered
by the territorial divisional forest officer.
Management Plan : The range officer concerned will prepare
integrated resource management plan with the help of executive body which will be
discussed with general house of VFDC and finally approved by the DFO.
Duties of VFDC :
To persuade the villagers to give available areas for plantation
To assist the forest development in planning, protection,
afforestation, judicious use, of all existing rights and equitable sharing of usufructs
and eco-development of the area as per approved management plan.
Responsibilities : it will be the responsibility of the
committee to ensure (1) just and fair distribution of the usufructs derived ; (2) ensure
its management as per prescribed norms; (3) settlement of all disputes between villages,
and (4) to honor all commitments.
Power of the committee : the committee will make its own
bye-laws with the concurrence of concerned DFO. The committee can recommended punishment
of the offenders including collection of membership and forfeit their share in usufructs
to the DFO concerned.
Duties and responsibilities of forest department :
to explain joint management plan to the villagers.
To recognise the VDFC in letter and sprit and give weightage to
its recommendations.
To provide technical knowledge ; administrative and managerial
skills, in order to assist the executive body to carry out the responsibilities.
Power of the forest department : membership of any individual
from the general house / executive body can be dissolved by the general house in
consultation with the DFO. DFO can be dissolved by the general house in fails to fulfil
its duties and responsibilities.
Dispute / Arbitration Termination of Agreement :appeal of the
aggrieved / executive body will lie with the conservator of forest who will communicate
his decision within a month’s time and will be final.
Usufruct sharing : the entire quantity of usufructs will be
distributed to the villagers under the supervision of forest guard (member secretary). 25
per cent of the net sale proceeds of final harvest will be given to the VDFC out of the
plantation/coppice so raised and kept in a common fund of the committee known as village
development fund which can be utilised for village development works with the approval of
general house and in consultation with the concerned DFO. The exercise of other rights
viz. Timber, fuelwood, etc. will be exercisable as per provisions of settlements.
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