SHILLONG: The first meeting on the draft amendment to the Indian Forest Act, 1927 held on Monday has decided to meet again on August 27.
In the meantime, the members of the Draft Amendment Committee of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) make an in-depth study of the existing Act and the proposed amendment.
The meeting was attended by MDCs, MLA of Nongstoin, Macmillan Byrsat who is also the chairman of Meghalaya Law Commission, Executive Member (EM) in charge of Forest, Vincent Ranee, John Kharshiing (advisor of Meghalaya Land and Forest Owners Association) and many others attended the meeting.
Speaking to reporters after the end of the meeting, KHADC Chief Forest Officer cum secretary of the committee, R. Kylla said the committee would study the necessary documents in which proposals and views will be sent to the state government and the committee will ensure that the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution is not affected by the amendment of the Act.
Kharshiing said the proposed amendment to the Indian Forest Act, 1927 should not come in conflict with the land tenure system of the indigenous communities.
It may be recalled that concerns were raised on resolving the long pending issues relating to conflict with central legislation for the last 39 years since passing the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.
The committee has been given two months to submit their views to the state government.
Later, in a statement issued here, Kharshiing has requested the Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the KHADC to recommend for an All Party State Committee on Central Legislation at the State Level to seek constitutional remedies to resolve the exemptions from Central Legislation in Conflict with various Customary and Social Land Laws prevailing in Meghalaya through an official Assembly Resolutions for time bound exemptions/modifications of Central Laws under para 12A(b) of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India vis-à-vis para 2 (2) of Annexed Agreement of Instrument of Accession 17 August 1948.