MUMBAI, Aug. 17 -- The state is chalking out a new forest conservation policy that will allow the government to lease private agricultural land for tree plantation, thereby increasing forest cover from 19% at present to a projected 33%, and to reduce man-animal conflict. The policy also allows farmers to lease agricultural land near forests for eco-tourism projects on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis. The proposal, moved by the state agriculture department, has sought synergies between the forest and revenue departments. The policy, known as 'Chief Minister Forest and Environment Conservation Scheme', proposes to increase the tiger corridor outside the forest buffer zone. It will also encourage changes in crop patterns to help environment conservation and get farmers an assured price for their produce. The policy aims to use agricultural and government land to create an animal-friendly environment outside the buffer zone, on the periphery of forests. There have been several instances of tigers attacking farmers near forests or leopards straying into farms and villages on the periphery of forests. It has proposed a survey and the mapping of forests adjacent areas and tiger corridors in coordination with the forest, revenue and agriculture departments. This includes hotels and guest houses on these lands, as they are free from forest-related restrictions unlike the core or buffer zones. "For such activities, the restriction-free artificial forest could be utilised on a PPP model by compartmentalising the plot of a size of 10 to 100 hectares. Plots taken on annual lease from farmers can be used for tourism to cater the rising demand for eco-tourism from domestic and international tourists. The tourism facility operator should be allowed to set up one residential hotel per 10-hectare area. The private operator should be allowed to operate the jungle safari under the regulation of the forest department. The land tracks could be given to private players on a 30-year lease," the policy stated. The policy also allows farmers from areas surrounding forests to opt for group farming, forming Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO) to collectively market their produce, if they do not want to explore the eco-tourism opportunity on the PPP model. It has given farmers an option to lease agricultural land to the state at Rs.65,000 a hectare per year, as subsidy. The forest development authority of Maharashtra will use the land for tree plantation to increase the forest cover. "This would help increase forest cover to 33% from the existing 19%, and also create corridors for wild animals resulting in reducing man-animal conflict, an agriculture department officer said. "Farmers who want to sell their land at the market rate will be free to sell it to the government for the land bank it proposes to create. Land from the bank will be utilised as a substitute for forest land used for private industrial projects," the proposal states. Also, the government would provide subsidies for polyhouse, greenhouse, protected and sustainable farming. It has also proposed a subsidy of Rs.25,000 to Rs.30,000 a hectare for crops recommended by the government. "The subsidy is to encourage farmers to grow crops that are in demand in the market and are environment friendly," said the agriculture department officer. Ashis Jaiswal, minister of state for agriculture said, "The policy has multiple options from farming to eco-tourism, forestation that will ultimately result in increasing forest cover and reducing man-animal conflict. Agricultural lands that are currently unutilised could be used for a noble cause and with incentives to farmers and locals. We have already held a meeting of all the departments concerned. We will soon invite suggestions and objections from the people before finalising the policy." Suresh Chopane, environmentalist and founder of Chandrapur-based NGO Green Planet Society, said, "The plan will help in raising the green cover, which is depleting rapidly, but the government will have to take farmers into confidence. It is not easy for farmers to give up their land as they do not get what is assured by the government. Secondly, too many commercial activities like tourism and construction of hotels, ultimately lead to more man-animal conflict and illegal encroachments due to a nexus of the forest officers. The government will have to ensure a perfect balance."...