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Tribals take out rally on forest rights

KORAPUT: Tribals under the banner of Koraput Zilla Banbasi Sangh (KZBS) took out a rally with their traditional arms at Koraput on Wednesday demanding proper implementation of the Scheduled Tribe and Other Forest Dwellers Act-2006 in the district. While the law directs the district administration to form village forest committees, it was not done with a true spirit leading to irregularities in their formation, Dharamananda Guntha, president of the sangh alleged. Koraput, being a district with 56.46 per cent of tribal population (according to 2001 census) living in forest fringe villages and depending on forest and forest lands for their livelihood since generations without any legitimate claims, will be immensely benefited if the Act and Rules are properly implemented.

But as the literacy rate is very low in the district and people in remote areas are not aware of the entitlements under the Act, they are not able to access the same though six months have already passed since the government made a declaration to implement the Act and Rules on January 1, 2008. It is the responsibility of the sub-divisional committee to ensure availability of claim forms free of cost to the claimants. But till date, claim forms are not adequately available either at village level or in panchayats, as a result of which people are unable to submit their claims, he said.

The Act further envisages that forest rights committees will be formed in each revenue village with 10 to 15 members through convening ‘palle sabhas.’

The sangh handed over a memorandum in this regard to the ADM at Koraput which was addressed to the Chief Minister of Orissa.

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