DNP seeks Bt50m for five-month operation to destroy illegal rubber farms
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The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) will ask the government for Bt50 million to finance the tearing down of 14,000 rai of illegal rubber plantations based in headwater areas in 13 provinces in the South.
Under this plan, more than 750 forestry officials from the North and Northeast will be deployed to destroy the illegal plantations, DNP deputy director-general Rerngchai Prayoonwej said yesterday.
“It will take five months to clear all the plantations in the 13 provinces, starting from Prachuap Khiri Khan to the border along the deep South,” he said.
DNP will be submitting its request at the mobile Cabinet meeting being held tomorrow and Monday in Kanchanaburi province.
“We will only destroy plots that have already been deemed illegal by a court verdict,” Rerngchai said, adding that only residents waiting for their land title deeds as per a June 30, 1998 Cabinet resolution would be allowed to continue their activities.
According to the department, illegal rubber plantations have been extensively encroaching into national forest reserves and wildlife parks because parawood has been going for a higher price.
Widespread deforestation and illegal rubber plantations in sloping areas are said to be a major cause of frequent landslides in the South.
The DNP found that illegal rubber plantations, financed by businesspeople and corrupt politicians, have taken over more than 700,000 rai in restricted areas.
“We found that business people hired local people to cut trees in national parks and replace them with rubber seedlings,” he said, adding that everybody, be they rich or poor, will be equally punished if they are found guilty.
Chote Trachoo, permanent secretary of the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, said he supported the department’s plan to seek funding to clear out illegal rubber plantations because this would help resolve the chronic forest-encroachment problem.
He said that he would also propose that landless farmers be allowed to occupy forestland that has been encroached upon by rich people.
“We should just give them the right to occupy the land, not own it,” he said, adding that this should stop people from encroaching upon reserves and help state agencies protect forests.
Hannarong Yaowalert, an environmental activist, said the DNP should release a list of illegal rubber plantations so people know whether their land is located in restricted areas.
“The DNP has never explained why it has only destroyed illegal rubber plantations occupied by poor people. It’s good for the department to come with a list of people who own illegal plantations in restricted areas. This should help resolve conflicts among the rich and poor,” he added.
