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Gairola, Suresh Chandra
- Urban Greening Regulations in India: Status and Future Approaches
Authors
Source
Indian Forester, Vol 139, No 5 (2013), Pagination: 391-398Abstract
People's increasing awareness about loss of green cover and its impact on climate change, human health and general well-being has brought the issue of urban greening regulations into prominence. This paper examines the evolution and effectiveness of existing regulatory framework related to urban greening issues in India. The limitations and reasons for only partial success of the existing regulations are studied. The role of various agencies like central government, state governments, municipal authorities, non-governmental organisations, voluntary agencies and civil societies in improvement of urban environment is focused. The limitations of the existing regulations related to planting, maintenance and cutting of trees as in existence in various prominent states is analysed. The study reveals that urban greening lacks coordination, focus and priority in planning and implementation at national and regional level. Town planning norms for greening are not followed. The emphasis is primarily on regulating tree cutting rather than involving the stakeholders and civil society in creation and maintenance of additional green cover.Keywords
Urban Greening, Regulations, Town Planning, Participatory Approaches
- Conservation of Wetlands in India: Critical Review of the Adequacy of Law Suresh Chandra Gairola
Authors
1 Maharashtra Forest Department Nagpur, IN
Source
Indian Forester, Vol 140, No 2 (2014), Pagination: 113-128Abstract
This paper discusses the status, various laws, regulations and policies, and legal perspective of wetlands conservation in India. The adequacy of existing wetlands conservation laws in India is analysed and suggestions for improvement in conservation initiatives are made. India has a robust framework of laws and policies governing wetlands conservation. High quality research has been done at various governmental and non-governmental institutions. However, considering the magnitude of the efforts needed to conserve wetlands due to ever increasing pressures and treats, the paper argues that existing legal and institutional framework is not adequate to conserve the vital wetlands resources in the country. A large extent of wetlands has been excluded from the existing regulation net exposing them to overexploitation and consequential degradation. Community participation in conservation initiatives at local and regional level need to be strengthened by developing a long term stake. Issues of fair and equitable sharing of resources through sustainable utilization hold the key for wetlands conservation in India.Keywords
Wetlands Conservation, Adequacy of Laws, Community Participation, Decentralized Management.References
- Anon. (2007). Conservation of Wetlands in India: A Profile (Approach and Guidelines). Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, New Delhi.
- Anon. (2009). National Wetland Conservation Programme: Guidelines for Conservation and Management of Wetlands in India. Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, New Delhi
- Anon. (2010a). Conservation and Management of Lakes-An Indian Perspective. Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, New Delhi
- Anon. (2010b). Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010. Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, New Delhi.
- Anon. (2011). Wetland Inventory and Assessment.Space Application Centre, Indian Space Research Organization, Ahmedabad.
- Anon. (2012a). Ramsar Convention Bureau, http://www.ramsar.org (Last accessed in January, 2013)
- Anon. (2012b). Protected Area Network in India. Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, New Delhi. http://moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/protected-area-network.pdf (accessed on 5 January 2013).
- Gopal, Brij (1995). Handbook of Wetland Management. World Wide Fund for Nature-India
- Gopal, B. (2009). Biodiversity in Wetlands, In : The Wetlands Handbook (E. Maltby and T. Barker Ed.), Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK.
- Prasad S.N., Ramachandra, T.V., Ahalya N., Sengupta T. ,Alok Kumar, Tiwari A.K., Vijayan V.S. and Vijayan Lalitha (2002). Conservation of Wetlands of India – A Review. Tropical Ecology 43(1): 173-186. International Society for Tropical Ecology.
- Ramachandra, T.V. (2011). Restoration and Management Strategies of Wetlands in Developing Countries. Electronic Green Journal, 1 (15). UCLA Library, UC Los Angeles, USA. Available at http://escholarship.org/uc/item/22f875tq (accessed on 6 January 2013).
- Stetson, Leah (2007). Wetlands and Global Climate Change. Wetland News, February 2007, Association of State Wetland Managers, Inc. Windham, ME, USA.
- Whitten, S. and Bennett, J. (2005). Managing Wetlands for Public and Social Good, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar New Horizon in Environmental Economics Series.
- Woistencroft, James A., Hussain, S.A. and C.K. Varshney, (1989). A Directory of Asian Wetlands. IUCN Publication. http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/wetlands/WetlandDir2.asp (accessed on 6 January, 2013)
- Zafar-ul Islam, M. and Rahmani, Asad, R. (2011). Potential of existing Ramsar sites in India, Bombay Natural History Society, Oxford University Press.
- Assessment of Job Performance of Forest Guards in India: Relationship With Job Motivation, Satisfaction, Stress and Other Critical Factors
Authors
1 Maharashtra Forest Department, Maharashtra State, Nagpur (Maharashtra), IN
Source
Indian Forester, Vol 141, No 3 (2015), Pagination: 235-246Abstract
The job performance of forest guards in India was empirically assessed in the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The study was to ascertain how the predictor variables of job motivation, job satisfaction, job stress, age, educational qualification, length of service, gender and body-mass index influence job performance. The study also explores the human resource management issues related to forest guards. The results suggest that job motivation, job satisfaction and educational qualification have positive influence on job performance. Job stress, age and length of service have negative relationship with job performance. Gender and body-mass index have no relationship. The impact of various attributes of predictor variables on job performance is also discussed. Preferences for various streams of activities within the forest establishment are explored.Keywords
Forest Guards, Job Performance, Human Resource Management.- A Perspective on Brazilian Forest Policies and Management:Are there some Lessons for India?
Authors
1 Maharashtra Forest Department, Nagpur (Maharashtra), IN
Source
Indian Forester, Vol 142, No 2 (2016), Pagination: 103-111Abstract
There are striking similarities in evolution of forest policies and management in India and Brazil. This paper deals with the analysis of Brazilian forest laws, policies, significant forest management practices, institutional arrangements and participation of communities and civil society with the objective of exploring the possibilities of adopting the same in Indian context.
The study reveals that Brazil has no single comprehensive national forest policy like India but it comprises of environmental, agricultural, industrial, indigenous, and timber related decrees, laws and mandates. It enacted Public Forest Management Law in 2006 which brought about far reaching changes in Brazilian forest policy including opening of public forests for the first time for timber harvest by private contractors through the process of forest concessions. Unlike India, there is a significantly higher level of participation of civil society and communities in policy formulation at the highest level and management of forests. The National Environmental System is a federal apex body for policy formulation comprising of multi-state and civil society representation. National Environmental Council is a consultative agency with a broad based representation. Sixty per cent (60%) of Brazilian public forests are community forests safeguarding the right of local communities to forest resources without encumbrances. Significant steps have now been taken to reduce deforestation. Brazilian Forest Service was created as late as in 2006 with the limited mandate of regulating and overseeing forest concessions, approval of management plans and imparting training, conducting research and providing technical assistance.
Brazil has initiated National Forest Development Fund to be primarily financed through forest concessions and to be used for scientific forest management. Brazil has embarked upon the task of preparing National Public Forest Registry. Brazilian protected area network is much more flexible with twelve categories having varying degree of protection. Brazil has developed its own program of forest certification called CERFLOR suited for national criteria and indicators formulated by Brazilian association of technical standards. No such national certification system exists in India. Adoption of similar initiatives in Indian context will significantly contribute towards improved conservation of forests.