The main roads in the Visakhapatnam Agency area wore a deserted look on Tuesday as shops downed their shutters in response to the bandh call given by various organisations championing the cause of tribal rights. The bandh was peaceful as no untoward incident was reported till late in the evening.
However, tourists faced difficulties, with APSRTC buses going off the road owing to the protests in several areas. Many private transporters also voluntarily withdrew services in support of the bandh.
Protesters taken into custody
The police took into custody representatives of Andhra Pradesh Girijana Sangham (APGS) when they tried to enforce the bandh at some places, in protest of the draft Indian Forest (Amendment) Bill, 2019. As many as 20 tribal sanghams from across the country have been opposing the Centre’s move to introduce the Bill, saying that it would deprive tribal people of their rights on forest land.“Once the Bill becomes an act, private parties can be issued mining rights in tribal areas. The tribal people who were earlier enjoying the exclusive rights on the forest produce and podu lands would be left deprived,” said Girijana Sangham leader Killo Surendra.
Several retired forest officials and animal lovers moved the Supreme Court in February this year, alleging that tribal people were destroying forests and podu cultivation was resulting in ecological imbalance.
The Girijana Sangham leader said that the Centre, which was supposed to protect the tribal rights, has failed to appoint a lawyer to contest the case.
SC hearing on Nov. 26
The Supreme Court ordered the State governments to evict the tribal people who did not have land pattas. In response to the vehement opposition to the move, the Centre moved the Supreme Court ahead of the elections and obtained a temporary stay on the orders. The APGS moved the Supreme Court in this regard and the final hearing is slated for November 26.
“The bandh was aimed at warning the Centre of the repercussions of infringement of tribal rights and making the apex court aware of the genuine concerns of the people,” Mr. Surendra said .The draft Bill intends to deprive the tribal people who do not have land pattas of even collecting the forest produce or even grazing their animals without prior permission of the forest officials, he added.
