インド•西ベンガル州西南地域における共同森林運営政策

抄録

Since the 1970's people in certain area of the south-west region of West Bengal, India have been involved in participatory forest management. People who live in rural and mountainous areas are economically backward. They earn their livelihood by agriculture and by gathering forest products for food, fodder and fuels. By protecting allotted forest land, people are given so-called usufruct rights to collect non-timber forest products (NTFP) without payment. It was also decided that people can get 25 per cent of the net profit of selling timbers.
In 1989 and 1990, participatory forest management was formally provided in the State Resolution of West Bengal Government. It was decided that Forest Protection Committee (FPC) should be constituted by adults of the decided area under supervision of Forest Department (FD) and local administrative institution called Panchayat Raj. FPC world organize executive committee custituted by the elected members. Executive committee has to keep records of activities and undertake rule-making on forest protection, NTFP collection and distribution of benefits among members. FPC members have to participate in patrolling by rotation. If rules are violated by particular member or plan made by FD was not appropriately conveyed, the member would be deprived of usufruct rights and FPC would be resolved without any compensation.
At present, there seems to be good results by FPC activities. Members are eager to protect forests for their uplifting. However, there are several difficulties to be overcome. First, there is no provision on the standard of selecting beneficiaries constituting FPC. This causes serious conflicts between FPC and non-FPC people. Second, executive committee would play an important role in decision-making of FPC members as well as in conflict-resolution among people people. It seems to be desirable to give authorized power to FPC executive committee on these issues by State Resolution.