Private Forests Nationalization Act, 2013

What does it do?

• From the day the Act came into force (1957), ownership of all private forests in Nepal passed to the Government of Nepal. Any law, decree, deed or document giving someone a monopoly over such a forest was cancelled, and the laws that apply to government forests apply to the nationalised forests as well. Contracts that former owners had properly made through the government continue as if made with the government.ऐन लागू भएको दिनदेखि (२०१३ साल) नेपालभरका सबै निजी वन जङ्गलको स्वामित्व नेपाल सरकारमा सर्‍यो। त्यस्तो वनमा कसैको एकाधिकार हुने गरी भएका ऐन, सवाल, सनद वा अन्य लिखत खारेज भए, र सरकारी वन जङ्गलसम्बन्धी कानून राष्ट्रियकरण भएका वनमा पनि लागू हुन्छ। पुराना मालिकसँग सरकारमार्फत रीतपूर्वक भएका ठेक्का सरकारसँगै भएसरह मानिन्छन्। Nepal Law Commission Sections 3–4, p. 2
• A 'private forest' means forest, and the barren land within it, on any land that someone held through a revenue exemption or by any other claim before the Act began. Scattered trees on cultivated land, trees inside house compounds, orchards, and trees a person planted and raised through their own effort on up to 25 ropani in the Kathmandu Valley and hills or up to 5 bigha in the Terai are not treated as forest.ऐन प्रारम्भ हुनुअघि राजस्व माफी वा अन्य कुनै तवरले कसैले भोग गर्दै आएको जग्गामा रहेको वन जङ्गल र त्यसको सिमानाभित्रको पर्ती जमिनलाई 'निजी वन जङ्गल' भनिन्छ। आबादी जग्गामा छरिएर रहेका रुख, घर कम्पाउन्डभित्रका वा फलफूल बगैँचाका रुख, तथा उपत्यका र पहाडमा २५ रोपनी वा तराईमा ५ बिगाहासम्मको जग्गामा आफ्नै मेहनतले लगाई हुर्काएका रुखलाई वन जङ्गल मानिँदैन। Nepal Law Commission Section 2(1), pp. 1–2
• Disputes over whether land is private forest, or over its boundaries or area, are decided by an officer appointed by the Government of Nepal. An aggrieved person (or the forest officer) may appeal to the government within 35 days; the government then forms a three-member tribunal chaired by a Supreme Court judge or a person qualified to be one, whose decision is final. No court may hear a case against these decisions, and no compensation can be claimed for rights lost under the Act.कुनै जग्गा निजी वन हो वा होइन, वा त्यसको सिमाना र क्षेत्रफलबारे विवाद उठे नेपाल सरकारले तोकेको अधिकृतले निर्णय गर्छ। चित्त नबुझ्ने व्यक्ति (वा वन अधिकृत) ले ३५ दिनभित्र नेपाल सरकारसमक्ष पुनरावेदन दिन सक्छ; सरकारले सर्वोच्च अदालतका न्यायाधीश वा न्यायाधीश हुन योग्य व्यक्तिको अध्यक्षतामा तीन सदस्यीय न्यायाधिकरण गठन गर्छ, जसको निर्णय अन्तिम हुन्छ। यी निर्णयउपर कुनै अदालतमा उजुर लाग्दैन, र यस ऐनबमोजिम गुमेको हकबापत क्षतिपूर्ति दाबी गर्न पाइँदैन। Nepal Law Commission Section 2(2)–(5), p. 2; Section 5, p. 2
• The Act is short (seven sections). The government may make rules and issue gazette orders to remove obstacles in implementing it. Its only amendment is the Republic Strengthening and Some Nepal Laws Amendment Act, 2066, which removed references to the monarchy.ऐन छोटो (सात दफाको) छ। यसको कार्यान्वयनका लागि नेपाल सरकारले नियम बनाउन र बाधा अड्काउ फुकाउन राजपत्रमा आदेश जारी गर्न सक्छ। गणतन्त्र सुदृढीकरण तथा केही नेपाल कानून संशोधन गर्ने ऐन, २०६६ ले राजतन्त्रसम्बन्धी शब्द हटाउने संशोधन गरेको मात्र छ। Nepal Law Commission Title page, p. 1; Sections 6–7, pp. 2–3

Where does it conflict with other laws?

• वन ऐन, २०७६
  The High-Level Economic Reform Suggestion Commission contrasted the two laws: Section 36 of the Forest Act, 2076 allows private forest owners to develop, manage, use and sell produce from their forests, while Sections 2–3 of this Act still define larger privately planted woodlands as forest that passes to the state. The Commission concluded the older Act is irrelevant in light of current policy and the Forest Act.उच्चस्तरीय आर्थिक सुधार सुझाव आयोगले दुई कानूनबीचको भिन्नता देखाएको छ: वन ऐन, २०७६ को दफा ३६ ले निजी वनका धनीलाई वनको विकास, व्यवस्थापन, उपयोग र पैदावार बिक्री गर्न दिन्छ, जबकि यस ऐनको दफा २–३ ले ठूलो क्षेत्रमा निजी रूपमा लगाइएको वनलाई अझै राज्यमा सर्ने वन मान्छ। आयोगले वर्तमान नीति र वन ऐनको सन्दर्भमा पुरानो ऐन असान्दर्भिक भएको निष्कर्ष निकालेको छ। High-Level Economic Reform Commission (उच्चस्तरीय आर्थिक सुधार सुझाव आयोग), submitted to the Ministry of Finance Analysis item 7, printed p. 85 (PDF p. 152)

Open questions for lawmakers

Research candidates on possible conflicts, gaps or loopholes involving this law. Not legal findings: each awaits qualified legal review.

• Private forests: a 1957 nationalisation Act remains on the books while the Forest Act 2076 protects private forests