Saket Lal
Port Blair, Mar 19: The Small Scale Industries Association (SSIA) today cried foul over the new regulations introduced by the Forest Department which makes all SSI units to register with Forest Department to get wood.
Addressing a press conference at Hotel Grand, Mr. Abhijit Agarwal the Joint Secretary of SSIA today said that the SSI Units are being practically forced to register with Forest Department separately to enable them to continue their livelihood means as any operation of wood working units not expressly registered with Forest Department is actually being connoted as illegal.
“This is one of its kind in the Country and a direct infringement on basic Constitutional Rights of an Indian Citizen,” he said.
Mr. Agarwal added that as per new regulation, units not so registered are not entitled to buy timber from Government Saw Mill.
“This has been openly conveyed to us by empowered Mill officials whose attitude is nothing short of dictatorial. As per Forest Department regulations even buyers who buy wooden furniture from Manufacturers not registered with the Department for such activity are liable to be penalized,” he said.
He further added that the Promulgamation and Adoption of the Forest Transit Rules 1966 which have grossly outlived its Life is being taken up as a basis by the Forest Department to impose such restrictions on the already overburdened SSI Wood Working Industry.
The Joint Secretary of SSIA said that on one hand the Prime Minister of India has given a clarion call to all the government departments to review laws, rules and regulations and scrap irrelevant, anti development and regressive enactments to bring forth an environment of trust and mutual compatibility and as such good government and on the other hand the Forest Department is imposing dictatorial rules.
“The Forest Transit Rules 1966 with all its amendments is detrimental to the smooth functioning of the Tiny SSI Wood Working Furniture Units of the Islands and needs to be done away with to ensure existence of the Industry at all,” he said.
