GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA
PRADESH
FOREST DEPARTMENT
Rc.No.24606/2004/PMU-I/2
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Office of the Principal Chief Conservator
of Forests
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Date:
14-12-2004.
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Tuljaguda Complex, M.J. Market Road, Hyderabad.
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SRI S.K. DAS, I.F.S.,
PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS
****
CIRCULAR No.
8 / 2004 / PMU-I/2
Sub: - Forest Department - Convergence of CFM and Velugu – Collection of
NTFP
items not covered by GCC
Agreement - Issue of permits
– Certain guidelines –
Issued - Regarding.
Ref: - G.O. Ms. No. 78, Environment, Forests, Science & Technology
(For.III) Dept.,
Dt. 17-10-2003
*****
Market support has been provided for certain NTFP and
medicinal plans under Velugu Project. In terms of Government Order
above this activity is to be taken up only by the NTFP collectors
who are also members of VSSs.
But
it is observed more often that despite this prescription, collection
of these items is done virtually by every one who may or may not
have a stake over forest resources.
This is likely to lead to unsustainable harvest apart from
conflicts between VSS and non-VSS villages.
But, the Forest Department is being brought into picture
only for issue of transit permits. Sharing of information in this regard is grossly
inadequate. These issues
were discussed with the officers of Society for Elimination of
Rural Poverty (SERP) recently and the following arrangement has
been agreed to accordingly : -
1.
Collection of these NTFP items
including medicinal plants is to be confined to only those villagers
of the villages where VSS exist.
2.
For each item of NTFP to be collected
from the forests, a suitable date for commencement of collection
and date for closure of collection have to be decided through
involved in collections/procurement of these items duly involving
officials of the Forest Department and of VSSs.
This has to be notified in the respective villages.
3.
Training programmes shall be
conducted in all the villages by SERP in Collaboration with Forest
Department on sustainable
harvest practices.
4.
Before commencement of collection,
species wise quantities being collected and number of permits
required will be assessed by SEPP, or its nominees and concerned
Divisional Forest Officer informed for giving VSS wise required
number of permits.
5.
Accordingly Divisional Forest
Officers will keep the required number of permits with the concerned
VSSs before commencement of collection duly authorizing the chairperson
of the respective VSSs to issue permits when needed.
As and when required, VSSs will in turn issue these permits
for transporting the NTFP and medicinal plant products collected
in favour of those who have purchased these products.
6.
VSS wise details of collection
will be recorded in the books of VSSs to document the harvest
and sale of the NTFP items.
7.
Divisional Forest Officers are
requested to contact the District Collectors and the Project
Officers ITDA to discuss the subject to operationalise the
modalities.
Sd/-
S.K. Das,
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests.
To
All
the Conservators of Forests (Territorial & Wildlife)
All
the Divisional Forest Officers (Territorial & Wildlife)
Copy
to the All the Additional Principal Chief Conservators of Forests/
Chief Conservators of Forests in Prl.CCF’s office.
Copy
to Circular stock file.
// t.c.b.o. //
Superintendent