MLA Sundernagar Roop Singh Thakur said the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 was causing a lot of problem in the development of this hill state. Thakur said it at the inauguration of the 17th Forest Games and Sports meet. He said due to the implementation of the Act, work of numerous roads, developmental schemes and projects could not be executed.
Roop Singh said officials of the Forest Department were facing an embarrassing situation regarding the implementation of the Act. On the one hand, the public and the government pressurised them to execute work in violation of the Act, on the other hand, when the matter came to the limelight, forest officials were made the scapegoat.
