KOCHI: The Kerala Forest Amendment Bill -- notified by the government on November 1 -- has triggered an outrage among farmers, who allege that the bill giving unbridled power to forest officers will add to the misery of people living on forest fringes.
The Kerala Independent Farmers’ Association (KIFA) will launch a statewide protest on Friday demanding withdrawal of the bill, while the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) issued a statement expressing concern over the provisions giving unlimited powers to forest officers.
Besides proposing a fivefold hike on fines imposed for forest offences, the bill gives power to the forest beat officer to search a house and arrest a person without a warrant. Also, a forest section officer can arrest a person who obstructs him or his subordinates in the discharge of duties. The bill also proposes action against fishing in rivers flowing near the forest and against garbage dumping in such areas.
“As per the Wildlife Protection Act, only a divisional forest officer or an assistant conservator of forests has the power to issue a warrant. But the new bill empowers a beat forest officer to conduct a search in a house and to arrest a person without a warrant. Besides, a forest watcher, who is only a temporary staffer, has been given the power to stop and search vehicles. The bill also denies the right to catch fish from rivers flowing near forests. This will embolden forest officers to harass farmers living on forest fringes,” said KIFA chairman Alex Ozhukayil.
KCBC Commission for Social Harmony and Vigilance secretary Fr Michael Pulickal said there are chances of misuse of power to implicate innocents under the garb of suspicion or misunderstanding.
“We are not against forest protection. But the forest department should initiate steps to save people from the threat posed by wild animals straying into human habitations. The Forest Act should have provisions to make forest staff duty-bound to restrict wildlife within the forest,” he said.
Meanwhile, Forest Minister A K Saseendran said the bill has been introduced to simplify the rules. “The new amendment will come into force only after it is passed by the assembly,” he said.