Director general of ICFRE, Dehradun V K Bahuguna informed while addressing a press conference at Institute of Wood Science & Technology (IWST), Bangalore that a Comprehensive Environment Management Plan (CEMP) for the mining affected areas in the districts of Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumkur has been prepared which targets socio-economic and ecological development.
The emphasis is on ensuring sustainable maintenance and development of natural resources and manmade facilities essential for providing desired benefits to the various affected stakeholders. A share of approx. Rs 30,000 crores from the mining companies is expected from the e-auction of iron ores during the next 10 years, which will be used for the purpose. The funds will be distributed to 11 different sectors in each of the village.
He informed that the fund will be utilise through a special purpose vehicle formed by the Karnataka government to ensure timely decision-making, effective implementation and proper monitoring and evaluation. The SPV will be headed by the chief secretary of the state. In response to a query, DG informed that ICFRE has already submitted R&R plan for different mines which will be implemented by the individual mines to improve the conditions and environment in their zone. However, CEMP has a much larger scope where a part of the profit generated by the mining industry out of e-auction (20%) will be used for the overall social and ecological development of all the mining affected areas at district, village and local level. Emphasizing about the forest types of India, Bahuguna also that the previous classification given by Champion and Seth in 1968 does not suit the renewed role of forests today, thus calling for change in forest management.
Issues like livelihood, hydrology and climate change need to be incorporated into the management and, therefore, ICFRE has undertaken the study on ‘reassignment of Forest Type of India’ with the objectives to understand the impact of climate change on forest vegetation, to devise a forest classification from the perspective of forest management, to develop a forest classification system in line with international organizations like FAO.
The emphasis is on ensuring sustainable maintenance and development of natural resources and manmade facilities essential for providing desired benefits to the various affected stakeholders. A share of approx. Rs 30,000 crores from the mining companies is expected from the e-auction of iron ores during the next 10 years, which will be used for the purpose. The funds will be distributed to 11 different sectors in each of the village.
He informed that the fund will be utilise through a special purpose vehicle formed by the Karnataka government to ensure timely decision-making, effective implementation and proper monitoring and evaluation. The SPV will be headed by the chief secretary of the state. In response to a query, DG informed that ICFRE has already submitted R&R plan for different mines which will be implemented by the individual mines to improve the conditions and environment in their zone. However, CEMP has a much larger scope where a part of the profit generated by the mining industry out of e-auction (20%) will be used for the overall social and ecological development of all the mining affected areas at district, village and local level. Emphasizing about the forest types of India, Bahuguna also that the previous classification given by Champion and Seth in 1968 does not suit the renewed role of forests today, thus calling for change in forest management.
Issues like livelihood, hydrology and climate change need to be incorporated into the management and, therefore, ICFRE has undertaken the study on ‘reassignment of Forest Type of India’ with the objectives to understand the impact of climate change on forest vegetation, to devise a forest classification from the perspective of forest management, to develop a forest classification system in line with international organizations like FAO.