Opposition term Forest Conservation Amendment Act a ‘serious threat’ to Mizoram

Opposition parties and several organisations in Mizoram have strongly opposed the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act (FCAA), 2023, terming it a “serious threat” to the state and demanding immediate repeal of the resolution that endorsed its extension.

During the recent monsoon session, the Mizoram Assembly adopted a fresh resolution to extend the FCAA, 2023, to the state with effect from this year. The resolution was moved by Environment, Forests and Climate Change Minister Lalthansanga on August 27 and subsequently adopted by the House.

The main opposition Mizo National Front (MNF), the Congress, the Zo Re-Unification Organisation (ZORO), and the Joint Civil Society Mizoram (CJM) have sharply criticised the government for backing the Act. They argue that it undermines the rights of indigenous communities and grants excessive power to the Centre over land and forest resources in the state.

MNF media cell secretary Lallianmawia Jongte said on Friday that the party had recently petitioned Assembly Speaker Lalbiakzama, urging him to convene a special session to rescind the resolution. He further appealed that the resolution passed on August 27 should not be forwarded to the Lok Sabha Secretariat as it goes “against the interest of the Mizo people.”

“The MNF has consistently opposed the FCAA, 2023, because it gives excessive power to the Centre over land, which is not safe for the Mizo people,” Jongte said, recalling that when the party was in power, the Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution on August 22, 2023, opposing the law after consulting political parties, churches, and civil society organisations.

ZORO and CJM echoed the concern, warning of agitations if the government failed to withdraw the resolution. ZORO vice president Ramdinliana Renthlei argued that the law would have severe implications for indigenous communities as it allows the central government to take up strategic linear projects of national importance within 100 kilometres of international borders without seeking forest clearance.

Renthlei stressed that the adoption of FCAA, 2023, would violate Article 371G of the Constitution, which protects the rights of the Mizo people by ensuring that no Act of Parliament relating to land ownership and transfer applies to Mizoram unless endorsed by the Assembly. He also claimed the law contravenes Article 244, which safeguards the authority of Autonomous District Councils (ADCs), Union Territories, and states under the Fifth and Sixth Schedules.

Chief Minister Lalduhoma, however, defended the government’s decision, stating during the Assembly discussion that since the original Forest Conservation Act, 1960, was already in force in Mizoram, the amendment also required adoption. A Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) leader, who declined to be named, added that the resolution was passed with development in mind.

The CJM countered this argument, saying that while the amendment may be intended to facilitate development, it posed serious risks to the people of Mizoram and neighbouring areas. “The state’s lands should not be compromised for development, as development can continue in many ways under existing laws,” the organisation stated.

As opposition grows, the controversy over the FCAA, 2023, is emerging as a significant political and social issue in Mizoram, with calls for a rollback of the Assembly’s endorsement gaining momentum.