Maharashtra Forest department to bring important services under RTS Act

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar today said his department will bring many key services under the ambit of the Right to Services Act for the time-bound delivery of services to citizens.

A notification in this regard was issued by the state Revenue and Forests Department today.

"Considering the delay and hardships people have to face while obtaining various services of the forest department, we have decided to include important services under the ambit of the Right to Services Act to provide relief to common man," Mungantiwar said here.

The decision has assumed significance as it will reduce red-tapism with regard to important matters in the forest department, he said.

The offices of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) (Head of Forest Force (HoFF)) and Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) through their subordinate field offices provide various services of Forest Department to the public.

The Revenue and Forests Department has now appointed Designated Officers, First Appellate Officer and Second Appellate officers in all these field offices to provide these services in a stipulated time frame in accordance with the provisions of the Right to Services Act.

The prominent services to be brought under the purview of this Act would be registration of tendu leaves contractor and producers in ten days after submission of all the necessary documents, registration of new members of Burud (community) for supply of bamboos to be completed in 15 days, sanctioning of compensation for injury to the cattle by wild animals within 15 days.

Compensation for injury to or death of humans due to attack of wild animals within 15 days, compensation of damages to crops by wild animals to be paid within 30 days, communication of decision of Competent Authority about renewal of saw-mill licence within 30 days, communication of decision regarding permission to fell trees of Scheduled Tribe and non-ST occupants in 60 days, will also come under this Act.

The state government has approved an ordinance for the Maharashtra Guarantee of Public Services Act, popularly known as Right to Services, to improve transparency and delivery of services to citizens from the government machinery. As per the ordinance, about 160 services will be covered under the Act in the first phase.