By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Planning department is examining the proposed amendment of the Meghalaya Protection of Catchment Areas, Act 1990.
Informing this here, Forest and Environment Minister Prestone Tynsong said, “We want to complete the process (of amending the Act) at the earliest to enable the Government to have a better say in the protection of the catchment areas across the State.”
While admitting that the matter has been lingering for the past several months, the Forest and Environment Minister said, “It is out of my control since we have to wait for views from various departments following which the proposed amendment would be tabled before the Cabinet.”
According to Tynsong, the proposed amendment will lay stress on the basic objective of having a better say in the protection of catchment areas, including those owned by private parties.
A clause in the existing Act says that the government can exercise control over the catchment areas subject to agreement with land owners.
“We intend to remove this clause from the Act,” the Forest and Environment Minister said adding that the government is looking to insert a new clause in the Act to assign more power to the concerned officers of the Forest and Environment Department for protection of the catchment areas.
