Gov’t endorses special, tougher law to stop encroachments on forest lands

AMMAN — The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the mandating reasons for an amended draft agriculture law  to be sent to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau for endorsement. 

The draft law is part of the government's measures to address violations against forest land, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

A total of 12,000 violations have been recorded on bare forestry lands, Agriculture Minister Akef Zu’bi said late last month, highlighting that 7,000-8,000 breaches occurred during the past 25 years.

Zu'bi also said the ministry has been looking into either to draft new regulations as part of the Agriculture Law that prohibits the issuance of commuted sentences for violators, or to add new articles to the Penal Code stipulating the same.

The Penal Code allows for commuted sentences for violations on bare forest land, the minister added, highlighting that the Agriculture Law stipulates stiffer penalties.

During the Cabinet session, chaired by Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, the Council of Ministers was briefed on the Ministry of Water and Irrigation monthly report on different violations against water sources and networks in May 2015. 

The ministry campaign, supported by security bodies, closed four illegal wells and ended 619 violations against water pipelines, according to Petra. 

Since its beginning in 2013, the campaign closed 648 illegal wells and ended 16,691 violations against water pipelines.