About 500 tribals and forest-dwellers under the banner of the Campaign for Survival and Dignity (CSD) on Tuesday held a rally and protested against the alleged violation of the Forest Rights Act in the State.
The protesters shouted slogans in which they hailed gram sabha decisions and demanded cancellation of CAMPA Fund Act and announcement of villages in jungles as revenue villagers, etc.
CSD convenor Gopinath Majhi said, “The protest march is organised to protest against non-recognition of community forest rights by the Odisha Government during the last 10 years since the FRA implemented and also against the Central Government for bringing anti FRA CFA Act, 2016.”
To protect the interest of the tribals living in scheduled 5th areas, the CSD urged the State Government to implement the Central PESA Act, 1996 in its true spirit and to reform the Panchayatiraj system with the provision of FRA Gram Sabha in all villages and demanded to make every revenue village a gram panchayat.
Among others, Prafulla Samantara, Panchanan Kanungo, Rabi Dash, Biswapriya Knaugo, Radhakanta Sethi and Manas Jena addressed the gathering.
later, a CSD team submitted a18-point memorandum to the Governor Dr SC Jamir and requested him to direct the State and Central Governments to implement the FRA in its true spirit in the State.
