Cannot individually comment on FC Act Amendment: Nagaland Forest Minister

Ineffective ban on single-use plastic has to be reviewed 

Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 5

A Bill for amending the Forest Conservation (FC) Act, 1980, is in the Parliament pending scrutiny by a Joint Parliamentary Committee. Billed as the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, it was introduced in the Parliament on March 29, 2023.  

According to conservationists, the Bill, if passed, would negate the Constitutional safeguards conferred to forest conservation across the country. It is projected to have sweeping consequences in the north-east, in particular, a region known for but fragile forest bio-diversity.  

On June 5, Nagaland Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, CL John, was asked to comment on the Central government’s proposal. It was on the sidelines of a World Environment Day event at the Nagaland Zoological Park. 

The Minister said that the Bill, even it is passed in Delhi, cannot be implemented in Nagaland without first being deliberated in the state Assembly. According to him, Nagaland has “Article 371 (A).

”Nevertheless," he added, “We will know when it gets discussed in the Assembly. Individually I cannot comment on it, at this stage.” 

He was further asked on the commitment of the state government towards plastic waste management or the lack thereof. He said, “There is already a government directive banning single use plastic. But the society, our own people are not cooperating. It is difficult to implement as a result. If we are to really stop using single-use plastic, government ban alone would not work. It requires community participation.”

Statewide ban on single-use plastics came into force on September 18, 2019 in Nagaland.

He added that the prevailing ban on single-use plastic has to be reviewed.