Latest news with #FRA2006
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
After widespread protests, forest dept blinks, withdraws advisory on CFRR
Raipur: Succumbing to widespread protests and reports over an advisory issued about a month back over Forest Rights Act (FRA 2006) that limited the constitutional powers of Gram sabhas. Chhattisgarh Forest Department on Thursday clarified that the letter was only intended as a temporary procedural advisory due to the absence of a model management plan for Community Forest Resource Rights (CFRR) areas. "Our intention was never to curtail community rights," Principal Chief Conservation of Forest (PCCF) & Head of Forest Force (HoFF) Srinivas Rao told TOI. "The advisory aimed to ensure ecological safeguards and scientific consistency in forest management." The May 15 letter has now been formally corrected through a corrigendum issued on June 23, and both documents — the original and its clarification — have been withdrawn on the directions of Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap. HoFF Srinivas Rao in a detailed letter issued on Thursday, cited growing confusion at the field level regarding integration of community-prepared plans with the National Working Plan Code (2023), approved by the Environment Ministry. The statement adds that the department's letter was misinterpreted as a move to centralize control over CFR lands, and that opposition from NGOs and community groups likely stemmed from this misunderstanding. The clarification comes a day after TOI reported on massive protests across the state on July 1 and 2 by thousands of people, against forest department's order and Gram Sabhas, tribal organizations, and social activists, took place in multiple places including tribal districts. HoFF Rao reiterated that the department had formally withdrawn its letter dated May 15, 2025, which had mistakenly referred to the department as the "nodal agency" for implementing CFRR. He clarified that this was a typographical error, and that it serves only as a facilitator, not the decision-maker, in the CFRR process. The original advisory, now officially withdrawn through office letter no. 536 dated July 3, 2025, had sparked outrage among tribal groups and activists who viewed it as an attempt to undermine the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, and override the authority of Gram Sabhas, the rightful custodians of forest resources under the law. Corrected Course and Future Steps The Forest Department has written to the Ministries of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) and Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) requesting for a model community forest resource management plan aligned with national forestry codes, then detailed implementation guidelines for tribal welfare and forest officials and a standardized training module for local stakeholders including Gram Sabha representatives. The state currently leads the country with 4,349 CFRR titles, covering over 20,062 sq km, and over 4.78 lakh individual titles under FRA. These efforts, the department noted, were achieved through a "facilitative and inclusive" approach. While the department's latest clarification may help ease tensions, activists and community leaders say it's now time for transparent collaboration, not just damage control. "This retraction is a step in the right direction," said an activist who has been working with CFRR-recognized villages. "But the state must remember: CFR rights are not to be facilitated on paper — they are lived realities in our forests."
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Chhattisgarh forest department withdraws CFRR advisory after widespread protest over FRA
RAIPUR: In response to widespread protests and reports over an advisory issued about a month back over Forest Rights Act (FRA 2006) that limited the constitutional powers of Gram sabhas. Chhattisgarh Forest Department on Thursday clarified that the letter was only intended as a temporary procedural advisory due to the absence of a model management plan for Community Forest Resource Rights (CFRR) areas. 'Our intention was never to curtail community rights,' Principal Chief Conservation of Forest (PCCF) & Head of Forest Force (HoFF) Srinivas Rao told TOI. 'The advisory aimed to ensure ecological safeguards and scientific consistency in forest management.' The May 15 letter has now been formally corrected through a corrigendum issued on June 23, and both documents — the original and its clarification — have been withdrawn on the directions of Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap. HoFF Srinivas Rao in a detailed letter issued on Thursday, cited growing confusion at the field level regarding integration of community-prepared plans with the National Working Plan Code (2023), approved by the Environment Ministry. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The statement adds that the department's letter was misinterpreted as a move to centralize control over CFR lands, and that opposition from NGOs and community groups likely stemmed from this misunderstanding. The clarification comes a day after TOI reported on massive protests across the state on July 1 and 2 by thousands of people, against an forest department's order and Gram Sabhas, tribal organizations, and social activists, took place in multiple places including tribal districts. HoFF Rao reiterated that the department had formally withdrawn its letter dated May 15, 2025, which had mistakenly referred to the department as the "nodal agency" for implementing CFRR. He clarified that this was a typographical error, and that it serves only as a facilitator, not the decision-maker, in the CFRR process. The original advisory, now officially withdrawn through office letter no. 536 dated July 3, 2025, had sparked outrage among tribal groups and activists who viewed it as an attempt to undermine the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, and override the authority of Gram Sabhas, the rightful custodians of forest resources under the law. Corrected Course and Future Steps Going forward the Forest Department has written to the Ministries of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) and Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) requesting for a model community forest resource management plan aligned with national forestry codes, then detailed implementation guidelines for tribal welfare and forest officials and a standardized training module for local stakeholders including Gram Sabha representatives. The state currently leads the country with 4,349 CFRR titles, covering over 20,062 sq km, and over 4.78 lakh individual titles under FRA. These efforts, the department noted, were achieved through a 'facilitative and inclusive' approach. While the department's latest clarification may help ease tensions, activists and community leaders say it's now time for transparent collaboration, not just damage control. 'This retraction is a step in the right direction,' said an activist who has been working with CFRR-recognized villages. 'But the state must remember: CFR rights are not to be facilitated on paper — they are lived realities in our forests.'
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Tribals across CG protest forest dept ‘undermining FRA act, gram sabhas'
Raipur: A massive wave of protests has erupted across Chhattisgarh as thousands of people rallied against the forest department's move of 'claiming control over community forest lands', resisting it in letter and spirit on July 1 and 2 in the state. They say the order blatantly undermines the Forest Rights Act (FRA 2006) and the constitutional powers of Gram Sabhas. The demonstrations, supported by local Gram Sabhas, tribal organizations, and social activists, took place in multiple districts including Nagari (Dhamtari), Narayanpur, Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi, Ambikapur in Surguja, Kanker, Gariaband, Pithora in Mahasamund, Balod, and Bastar. Condemning the forest department's May 15, 2025 letter, Alok Shukla, convenor of Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan (CBA), who prominently works on forest and tribal rights said, "The order illegally declares the department itself as the nodal authority under the FRA, which is a direct violation of the tribal development department's jurisdiction. Furthermore, under the guise of the National Working Plan Code 2023 promoting scientific forest management, the department threatened to curtail community forest resource management supported by gram sabhas and other departments." He referred to a letter issued by principal chief conservator of forests V Sreenivasa Rao citing a withdrawn 2020 order that had incorrectly made the forest department the nodal agency for implementing community forest resource (CFR) rights—a move strongly opposed by tribal rights groups. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Chhattisgarh's forest department said it will decide on managing CFR lands only after receiving it. Until then, only forest working plans approved by the environment ministry should be followed, even in community rights areas. The letter strictly prohibits any other departments, NGOs, or private entities from working within CFR areas until the model plan is received. However, ministry of tribal affairs, 2015 guidelines allow gram sabhas to create their own simple conservation and management plans for CFR lands. The Forest Rights Act (2006) grants tribals and forest-dependent communities rights over lands they have protected for generations, empowering gram sabhas to manage and conserve community forest resources and prevent harmful activities. At the national level, MoTA is the nodal authority, while tribal welfare departments handle this at the state level. The forest department's role is supportive—verifying claims, providing maps, and assisting in land demarcation—but not decisive. In Chhattisgarh, 4.78 lakh individual land titles have been granted over 3.82 lakh hectares, and CFR rights cover over 20,000 square kilometers in 4,349 cases. Forest and tribal rights activist Alok Shukla noted that the previous state government faced backlash over the 2020 order and had to amend it. He emphasized that the forest department is not the nodal agency for implementing the Forest Rights Act, and any state order claiming otherwise is illegal and undermines the act's goal of democratizing forest governance and empowering communities. Though the department later issued another letter stating that the forest department would act as a convenor but it also stated that no other department other than forest department will manage forest land given to tribal communities under FRA until the centre govt provides a plan for how the forests should be managed. This move puts community control of over 20,000 square kilometers of forest land at serious risk, protestors said. In response, thousands of people in tribal areas and districts staged spontaneous rallies and submitted memorandums to district officials addressed to CM Vishnu Deo Sai. The memorandums stressed that the department's order not only violates the spirit of the Forest Rights Act but also contravenes constitutional provisions granted to scheduled areas, such as the PESA Act, the Fifth Schedule, and the supreme authority of Gram Sabha decisions. Activists warned that if the forest department continues to overstep and deprive gram sabhas of their rights, it will disrupt the democratic forest management process. Protestors warned that if the govt does not immediately revoke the order and officially designate the tribal development department as the FRA nodal agency, they will escalate their campaign through mass awareness drives, peaceful satyagrahas, and assembly sit-ins.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Chhattisgarh Forest Rights Under Threat? Protestors demand reversal of forest department's move undermining Gram Sabha powers
RAIPUR: A massive wave of protests erupted across Chhattisgarh on July 1 and 2 by thousands of people, against an order issued by the dorest department that undermines the Forest Rights Act (FRA 2006) and the constitutional powers of Gram Sabhas. The demonstrations, supported by local Gram Sabhas, tribal organizations, and social activists, took place in multiple districts including Nagari (Dhamtari), Narayanpur, Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi, Ambikapur in Surguja, Kanker, Gariaband, Pithora in Mahasamund, Balod, and Bastar. Condemning the Forest Department's May 15, 2025 letter, Alok Shukla, convenor of Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan (CBA) who prominently works on forest and tribal rights said, 'The order illegally declares the department itself as the nodal authority under the FRA, which is a direct violation of the tribal development department's jurisdiction. Furthermore, under the guise of the National Working Plan Code 2023 promoting scientific forest management, the department threatened to curtail community forest resource management supported by Gram Sabhas and other departments. ' He referred to a letter issued by Principal Chief Conservator of Forests V Sreenivasa Rao citing a withdrawn 2020 order that had incorrectly made the Forest Department the nodal agency for implementing community forest resource (CFR) rights—a move strongly opposed by tribal rights groups. Chhattisgarh's forest department said it will decide on managing CFR lands only after receiving it. Until then, only forest working plans approved by the Environment Ministry should be followed, even in community rights areas. The letter strictly prohibits any other departments, NGOs, or private entities from working within CFR areas until the model plan is received. However, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, 2015 guidelines allow Gram Sabhas to create their own simple conservation and management plans for CFR lands. The Forest Rights Act (2006) grants tribals and forest-dependent communities rights over lands they have protected for generations, empowering Gram Sabhas to manage and conserve community forest resources and prevent harmful activities. At the national level, MoTA is the nodal authority, while tribal welfare departments handle this at the state level. The forest department's role is supportive—verifying claims, providing maps, and assisting in land demarcation—but not decisive. In Chhattisgarh, 4.78 lakh individual land titles have been granted over 3.82 lakh hectares, and CFR rights cover over 20,000 square kilometers in 4,349 cases. Forest and tribal rights activist Alok Shukla noted that the previous state government faced backlash over the 2020 order and had to amend it. He emphasized that the forest department is not the nodal agency for implementing the Forest Rights Act, and any state order claiming otherwise is illegal and undermines the Act's goal of democratizing forest governance and empowering communities. Though the department later issued another letter stating that the forest department would act as a convenor but also stated that no other department other than forest department will manage forest land given to tribal communities under FRA until the Centre govt provides a plan for how the forests should be managed. This move puts community control over 20,000 square kilometers of forest land at serious risk. In response, thousands of people in tribal areas and districts staged spontaneous rallies and submitted memorandums to district officials addressed to Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. The memorandums stressed that the department's order not only violates the spirit of the Forest Rights Act but also contravenes constitutional provisions granted to Scheduled areas, such as the PESA Act, the Fifth Schedule, and the supreme authority of Gram Sabha decisions. Activists warned that if the Forest Department continues to overstep and deprive Gram Sabhas of their rights, it will disrupt the democratic forest management process. Protestors warned, if the government does not immediately revoke the order and officially designate the Tribal Development Department as the FRA nodal agency, they will escalate their campaign through mass awareness drives, peaceful satyagrahas, and assembly sit-ins.
