Skip to main content

Ignoring land rights, forest dept 'harassing' tribal dwellers in the name of afforestation

Counterview Desk 

The civil rights group Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha (JJM) has regretted that despite the promises of the Chief Minister, deprivation of forest rights of Adivasis-Moolvasis of Jharkhand and the intimidation of the Forest Department continues unabated in the state. 
In a statement, JJM said, "It is sad to note that on one hand, Adivasis-Moolvasis are being alienated from their forest rights, while on the other hand, they are also being troubled constantly at the hands of the forest department."
Giving specific instances of how this is happening, JJM said, the state government should "stop the displacement of people from the Adivasis-Moolvasis land under the garb of afforestation", adding, not only should pending forest rights claims be cleared, the cases lodged against innocent persons by the Forest Department should be urgently withdrawn.

Text:

JMM and Congress in their election manifestoes had ensured the appropriate implementation of the Forest Rights Act. Additionally, the election manifesto also guaranteed the forest lease and comprehensive rights over the forests. After the current government came into power, there have been multiple announcements with respect to the same; however, the status of its implementation at the ground level is paradoxical.
According to the Schedules Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006, communities that are dependent on the forest have numerous rights. One of these rights provides that the forest dwellers who have been doing farming for livelihood can qualify as the claimant for ownership of that land (4 hectares).
Since the implementation of this Act in 2008, the Forest Department has been making countless efforts to alienate these rights from them. In the initial days, there were various instances of cases lodged against Adivasis and Moolvasis along with instance of displacement under the garb of afforestation initiatives. It is sad to note that on one hand, Adivasis-Moolvasis are being alienated from their forest rights, while on the other hand, they are also being troubled constantly at the hands of the forest department.
Recently two of such instances came up. In Gadgoma village in Bariyatu block located in the Latehar district, 25 traditional forest dwellers after completing the due legal process along with the necessary records, submitted the application for individual forest leases and community forest rights at the (Sub-divisional level) Forest Rights Committee. However, they have not received neither individual leases nor community forest rights.
On 7th December 2021, a few representatives from the Forest Department arrived at Gadgoma with the intention for afforestation for which the application for the forest lease had been made. On protesting against this, the people were intimidated by the threat of cases being lodged against them. In 2022, on the orders of the forest department, pits began to be dug. On 11th February 2022, a few women from the village filled the pits back with mud. On the same evening, the police arrested 2 young men- Dinesh Rana s/o Pravesh Rana and Ranjan Rana s/o America Rana. When the villagers went for police picketing at Bariyatu, the police mishandled them. Charges of filling the mud pit/ditch and obstructing government work have been filed against the two men and their fathers. The two men have also been sent to jail. At the FIR filed by the forest department, the fathers of the two men have been declared as absconding despite their presence at the police station. The two men stayed in the jail for a month and their fathers live in constant fear of incarceration.
Section 4(5) of the Forest Rights Act 2006 has clearly specified that “(5) Save as otherwise provided, no member of a forest dwelling Scheduled Tribe or other traditional forest dweller shall be evicted or removed from forest land under his occupation till the recognition and verification procedure is complete.” From the above instances, it is clear that the forest department is in violation of the law.
These similar situations prevail in the Beyang village of the Manika block. 40 other traditional forest dwellers had made applications for individual leases in 2018 and for community forest rights in 2021. However, they have not received them yet.
In December 2021, afforestation initiatives began in the above said land. On 4th January 2022, villagers submitted a written complaint to the Forest Divisional Officer at Latehar that the afforestation had begun without the consent of the Gram Sabha. They requested not to proceed with the plantation on their traditional land. As they received no response from the office, the villagers visited the DFO. However, they only got reassurances while the work continued in their villages.
At last, a claimant from the Schedule Caste community, Kundan K. Bhuiya made an application for an FIR against the Forest Divisional Officer, other forest department officers and a few bullies in the village under The Scheduled Caste and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and Section 166 of the Indian Penal Code. The station in charge refused to file an FIR. On 20th January 2022, the same was sent to the police station via registered post and with the help of the local MLA, the application was accepted on 23rd January 2022. Complaints regarding the same were also made to the police superintendent, but the FIR was never registered.
Similar instances have occurred at Shanti village in Baalumath block at Latehar district, Koyanjara and Chatakpur in Gumla, Bankheta and Sopahi in Ramna block of Garhwa district, Bishunia in Dhurki block, Ramar in Bhandaria block, Mahugain etc. These are only a handful of examples that depicts the situation of Adivasis-Moolvasis who are dependent on the forest and the working of the Forest Rights Act. Claims for lakhs of individual forest rights and thousands of acres of community forest land are pending. There is a huge gap between the promises of the Chief Minister and the proceedings of the Forest Department.
Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha has the following demands from the State Government:
  • Stop the displacement of people from the Adivasis-Moolvasis land under the garb of afforestation
  • Urgent addressal of the pending forest rights claims and issuing the Forest Rights Claim
  • Withdrawal of the cases lodged against innocent persons by the Forest Department. Legal actions to be taken against the officials of the Forest Department for the violation of the forest and human rights of Adivasis-Moolvasis
  • Stop the illegal interference of the forest department officials in the process of implementation of the forest rights

Comments

TRENDING

Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan raises concerns over Jharkhand Adivasis' plight in Assam, BJP policies

By Our Representative  The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan (Save Democracy Campaign) has issued a pressing call to protect Adivasi rights in Jharkhand, highlighting serious concerns over the treatment of Jharkhandi Adivasis in Assam. During a press conference in Ranchi on November 9, representatives from Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh criticized the current approach of BJP-led governments in these states, arguing it has exacerbated Adivasi struggles for rights, land, and cultural preservation.

Promoting love or instilling hate and fear: Why is RSS seeking a meeting with Rahul Gandhi?

By Ram Puniyani*  India's anti-colonial struggle was marked by a diverse range of social movements, one of the most significant being Hindu-Muslim unity and the emergence of a unified Indian identity among people of all religions. The nationalist, anti-colonial movement championed this unity, best embodied by Mahatma Gandhi, who ultimately gave his life for this cause. Gandhi once wrote, “The union that we want is not a patched-up thing but a union of hearts... Swaraj (self-rule) for India must be an impossible dream without an indissoluble union between the Hindus and Muslims of India. It must not be a mere truce... It must be a partnership between equals, each respecting the religion of the other.”

A Marxist intellectual who dwelt into complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape

By Harsh Thakor*  Professor Manoranjan Mohanty has been a dedicated advocate for human rights over five decades. His work as a scholar and activist has supported revolutionary democratic movements, navigating complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape. His balanced, non-partisan approach to human rights and social justice has made his books essential resources for advocates of democracy.

Four J&K MLAs visit Wular lake, pledge support to fisher community, environmental conservation

By Shamim Ahmed*   In a historic meeting that highlighted both environmental and social concerns, four Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) visited Wular Lake to meet with the fisherfolk community, signaling a significant step in addressing their longstanding issues. This gathering, organized with the support of dedicated advocates, marks a strengthening of efforts to both safeguard the lake’s ecosystem and support the community’s welfare.

Supreme Court’s dismissal of PIL on Covid vaccine safety is counter to known science and mathematics

By Bhaskaran Raman*  On 14 Oct 2024, the Supreme Court of India dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on the side-effects of the Covid vaccine. In 2021, the world saw the rollout of various Covid vaccine candidates. In India, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Serum Institute of India’s Covishield were rolled out. Covishield was nothing but Oxford’s AstraZeneca relabelled in India. The importance of open-minded and scientific probe of Covid vaccine safety In 2020/2021, all Covid vaccines were authorized for emergency use, which meant that the necessary efficacy and safety follow-up was incomplete at that time. The originally approved trials – called randomised controlled trials (RCT) had a “vaccine” group and a “placebo” group for comparison. Such experimental comparison/control is the cornerstone of the scientific method – which even children learn in photosynthesis experiments in class-1. The vaccine trials were scheduled to conclude in late 2022/early 2023. For instance, Covax...

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah  The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Right-arm fast bowler who helped West Indies shape arguably greatest Test team in cricket history

By Harsh Thakor*  Malcolm Marshall redefined what it meant to be a right-arm fast bowler, challenging the traditional laws of biomechanics with his unique skill. As we remember his 25th death anniversary on November 4th, we reflect on the legacy he left behind after his untimely death from colon cancer. For a significant part of his career, Marshall was considered one of the fastest and most formidable bowlers in the world, helping to shape the West Indies into arguably the greatest Test team in cricket history.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Will Left victory in Sri Lanka deliver economic sovereignty plan, go beyond 'tired' IMF agenda?

By Atul Chandra, Vijay Prashad*  On September 22, 2024, the Sri Lankan election authority announced that Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) alliance won the presidential election. Dissanayake, who has been the leader of the left-wing JVP since 2014, defeated 37 other candidates, including the incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP) and his closest challenger Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.