People's Democracy

‘Notify Forest Rights Act Now’

Karat Seeks PM’s Intervention

CPI(M) general secretary, Prakash Karat, has addressed a letter to the prime minister on September 11 expressing concern over the delay in notification of the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill 2006.

Text of the letter is as follows:

THIS is to draw your urgent attention to the delay in notification of the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill 2006. The Bill was passed in both Houses of Parliament in December 2006. The Committee for Drafting Rules was formed in March 2007 and submitted the Draft Rules in May 2007. These were put up on the website for public comment on June 19, 2007. The last date decided by the ministry was July 31, 2007. It was expected that the Rules would be finalised and the Act notified. However more than 6 weeks later this has not been done.

The announcement of the Act without its notification has led to a serious situation for tribals in many areas. Forest officials who have been responsible for denial of tribal rights have taken advantage of the delay between the Act and its notification to evict tribals from many areas. Land cultivated by tribals for decades is being dug up for plantations by the forest department in some states in an obvious attempt to preempt the recognition of the tribal rights on that land. At the same time there are reports of connivance between land mafia and officials to take illegal possession of land. This is a most untenable situation.

The delay is inexplicable. I request you to urgently intervene on this issue so as to ensure that an important achievement of the UPA government is not weakened or even subverted by the non-notification of the Act. (INN)