Study flags mixed implementation of Forest Rights Act
A factfinding committee formed by Call for Justice, a Delhibased organisation, has found “mixed” implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) of 2006 in five States across the country.
The States studied by an eightmember committee, led by Justice S.N. Dhingra (retd), over eight months are Assam, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Karnataka.
The team assessed two districts in Assam – Dima Hasao and Hailakandi – and found that the FRA in its current form does not address the unique situation existing in the northeastern States concerning shifting or jhum cultivation. This form of cultivation involving slashing and burning plants on hill slopes needs to be recognised as a practice adapted to the ecological and cultural needs of the forestdwelling communities, the team’s status report made public on Thursday said.
In Chhattisgarh, the decisionmaking process was significantly delayed in Kanker and Korba, the two districts where the team conducted the study.
The FRA implementa
Delhi-based group Call for Justice says that jhum cultivation should be recognised in the northeast
tion in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli was found to be satisfactory while the process was not completed in Nashik.
The team found “substantial advancement” in the implementation of FRA in Kandhamal and Sundargarh districts of Odisha.
However, it was observed that a significant gap existed in the districts between individual forest rights (IFR) and community forest rights (CFR) claims submitted and recognised.
In Karnataka, the team visited Ramnagara and Mysuru districts.
According to Ministry of Tribal Affairs data, only 5.17% of the claims filed for IFR were recognised, which showed Karnataka had the highest rate of IFR claims rejection among the States surveyed.
“Overall, there was inadequate focus on community rights. Various agencies were unclear about the distinction between the two,” the report said.