BANDIPORA: The Deputy Commissioner (DC) Bandipora, Dr Owais Ahmad on Thursday chaired a meeting of officers to discuss modalities for effective implementation of provisions of Forest Rights Act (FRA).
During the meeting, DFO Bandipora and ACR Bandipora presented a detailed overview of the Forest Rights Act and informed the audience about various aspects of the Act.
On the occasion, Dr Owais asked the concerned officers to get acquainted with the Act to have a better understanding of the provisions so that the objective of Act can be fulfilled.
He directed for finalizing all arrangements and modalities for smooth and hassle-free implementation of the FRA in the district as per the timelines and the directions issued by the government from time to time.
The DC directed DPO and all BDOs to ensure constitution of Panchayat level FRA Committees and called for imparting training to Panchayat secretaries for formulation of Forest Rights Committee (FRC) from amongst the Gram Sabha members.
It was given out that the Committee shall have not less than ten and not exceeding fifteen persons with two third members from scheduled tribes and not less than one third women members.
The DC directed the master trainers from Revenue, Forest and Rural department to immediately start training of frontline staff in scheduled manner for the effective implementation of provisions of Forest Rights Act.
The meeting decided to convene training at Subdivision level through master trainers. The revenue and forest departments were asked to put in all efforts for demarcation of forest land and accordingly reconciliation of forest records with revenue records before the settling of claims under the act are initiated.
The meeting was attended by Additional District Development Commissioner Afsar Ali Khan, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Zahoor Ahmad Mir, Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Assistant Commissioner Development, District Panchayat Officer, Divisional Forest Officer, Block Development Officers, Tehsildars of Bandipora, Aloosa, Hajin, Sumbal and other Revenue officers, Range officers and other senior officers of the district.