New Delhi, Jul 11 (IANS): The Congress on Sunday alleged that the Modi government was destroying the Forest Rights Act in the name of ease of doing business and the party will raise this in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.

Former Rural Development & Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said, "The Modi Government has allowed for forest rights to be settled after final approval for forest clearances has been granted by the Central Government. Obviously, this has been done in name of 'ease of doing business' for a chosen few. But it will end the 'ease of living' for the vast many."

He said that this will destroy the very purpose of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 and its meaningful use while considering proposals for diversion of the forest land. Once forest clearance is granted, everything else becomes a mere formality and almost inevitably no claims will be recognised and settled.

"The state governments will be under even greater pressure from the Centre to accelerate the process of diversion of forest land."

He alleged that the Modi government has abdicated the responsibility given to the Central government by Parliament to ensure that the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 is implemented in a manner consistent with the Forest Rights Act, 2006. "These new rules have been promulgated without any consultation and discussion with stakeholders including Parliament's Standing Committee on Science & Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change."

Jairam Ramesh said that they will challenge this in the forthcoming session of Parliament.

He said that the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, popularly known as the Forest Rights Act, 2006 is a historic and most progressive law passed unanimously and enthusiastically by Parliament after extensive debate and discussion. It confers land and livelihood rights -- both individual and community -- to Adivasi, Dalit and other families living in the forest areas of the country.

In August 2009, in order to ensure the fullest implementation of this law, the-then Ministry of Environment and Forests issued a circular that stipulated that no clearances for diversion of forest land under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 would even be considered by it unless rights provided under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 were first settled. This was done to protect and promote the interests of tribal and other communities traditionally living in forest areas.

As per this circular, the rights of tribal and other communities have to be settled before a decision can even be considered on forest and environmental clearance by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. The circular mandated that free, prior and informed consent of the families affected be obtained for such an exercise to be lawful.