Editorial
Warning to forest grabbers
Agencies concerned should follow it up by appropriate action
THE chief adviser's voicing of resolve that zero tolerance has been ensured in all spheres of forest administration to curb corruption, mismanagement and malpractice is reassuring. Evidently, it is set against the revealing tales of plunder of forest resources by officials of the forest department denying the national exchequer millions in revenue. Their misdeeds exemplified the classic aberration of the gateman becoming poacher.
The weeding out of corrupt elements in the forest department may have breathed fresh air into the department. The right message must have been drawn by people with propensity towards corruption to hang their gloves. But there is no room for complacency where taking and giving bribe had become institutional pastime much to the attrition of national wealth.
The cases against corrupt elements must be pursued in a way that yields conviction, albeit through due process of law.
Now comes the question of government khas land grabbers, encroachers of lakes and rivers and other public property expropriators. Seasonal raids against them should be converted into sustained drives for land recovery. It's a massive undertaking in which law enforcement and eviction should be blended with appropriate legal action so that land reclamation and recovery become legally fortified and unquestionable. In this context, the root of all evils which is fake land documentation will have to be eliminated.
All these questions crop up in the context of the deplorable state of deforestation in the country reducing the forest cover which is dreadfully less than even one-third of the stipulated 25 percent for the total land area. Given the 7-8 percent of the prevailing forest cover, a massive and sustained tree plantation campaign needs to be undertaken. It is noteworthy that the tree plantation campaign period has been trebled from its earlier one-month version. We would like the tree plantation drive extended from three months to a year-long exercise. Every household and parcel of land in the country should be suffused with social forestry, kitchen gardening and rooftop horticulture.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments