https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Forest Rights Act Is Being Misused, Retired IFS Officers Write To Centre

Indian Masterminds Stories

Retired Indian Forest Officers are concerned over the misuse of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006. Expressing this concern, 63 retired IFS officers from different States have written letters to the top officials at the Centre, including the Prime Minister, Union Ministers of the MoEF&CC and Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

They have alleged that in the recent past, some states have granted title for lakhs of acres of forest lands by misusing loopholes in the rules and ambiguous guidelines issued from Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA). They wrote in the letter, “Under the directions of political executives, district level committees are misusing FRA/Rules especially that relate to the oral evidence of village elders, by not taking satellite imagery-based evidence into consideration, and by avoiding to take cognizance of gram sabhas conducted for the purpose repeatedly without following the provision regarding extension of time limits for claim submission.” As a result occupational/cultivation rights/titles (generally called patta) are being recognised in favour of ineligible claimants who occupied forest land even after the cut-off date of 13.12.2005. They pointed out that as per the Forest Rights Act, claimants who were in possession of forest land as on December 13, 2005, are eligible for grant of title over forest land and not after that.

This is not only a violation of FRA, but is also violative of Forest Conservation Act, 1980, and Indian Forest Act, 1927, they pointed out.

With ineligible communities being granted rights without specifying “extent” along with “nature” of the community rights, the “uncontrolled extractions” possible under such grants has started jeopardising the sustainability of forest resources, including minor forest produce, they wrote.

“Not just on all other forest lands, but the right of management is being granted even inside Tiger Reserve areas with gross contempt towards the letter and spirit of the Act; some glaring examples existing in the states of Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka,” the letter said.

The IFS officers also submitted a list of suggestions to plug loopholes in implementation of FRA, including giving instructions to all states to direct forest field officials to present satellite imagery showing status of forest encroachment as on December 13, 2005.


Indian Masterminds Stories
Related Stories
NEWS
RailTel Corporation of India Limited 2
RailTel and Prasar Bharati Introduce WAVES, Offering Archives, Live TV, and Hyperlocal Services
Powergrid (resized)
Power Grid Joins Hands with Haryana Government to Upgrade Rural Crematoriums
NLC-INDIA-resized-neyvili
NLC India Donates 1 Crore to Kerala Disaster Mitigation Fund
NLC-INDIA-resized-neyvili
Five Companies Secure Coal Mines in Tenth Round of Commercial Auction
psuwatch_2024-11-21_23wnyu82_Bharat-Earth-Movers-Limited-Cover-Image
IPS Dr. Sajid Farid Shapoo Joins as Chief Vigilance Officer of BEML
Prasar Bharati OTT App
Prasar Bharati Launches OTT Platform 'WAVES' at 55th IFFI to Showcase Indian Culture with Global Appeal
Viksit Bharat
India Launches Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue to Empower Youth Leadership
psuwatch_import_wp-content_uploads_2022_12_Shreya-Bhardwaj-IOFS
IAS Sanjay Kumar Takes Additional Charge as Secretary of Higher Education
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2024-11-20 at 18.06
Hyderabad's Transformation From The City of Pearls to Cyberabad
IMG-20241118-WA0002
The Journey Behind Kathakar Ki Diary | Video Interview 
GP Singh
They Aren’t Criminals, But IPS Officers, Standing Up To Political Pressure
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
WhatsApp Image 2024-11-22 at 15.36
Dhudmaras: The Hidden Gem of Bastar That’s Turning Heads Globally
WhatsApp Image 2024-11-22 at 13.02
CARTOON OF THE WEEK
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2024-11-20 at 18.06
IMG-20241118-WA0002
GP Singh
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT