An RTI query has brought to the fore the misleading information disseminated in the website of the Kandhamal district administration on implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA).
The RTI application was filed by Gopinath Kanhar, a member of Kui Samaj of Phulbani.
Though the website claimed that 1,848 community forest rights titles were distributed in Kandhamal, the only district in the country where highest number of such titles distributed, but it was found to be false and misleading as per the information of ITDA, Phulbani.
The surprising part is Bhubaneswar-based NGO Vasundhara prepared the website, uploaded the information and operated the same from Bhubaneswar office without a letter of sanction from Kandhamal district administration, alleged the Kui Samaj.
The Kui Samaj also alleged that the information disseminated regarding distribution of Community Forest Rights titles in the website in no way matches with the ground realities as confirmed after discussion with members of Gram Sabhas, PRI members. So the NGO did it with the sole intention to use the website for vested interest, the Kui Samaj said.
Meanwhile, Kui Samaj president Achut Kanhar has sent a letter to the NGO to reply to its specific questions pertaining to the matter and threatened to take legal course against the NGO for working against the dignity, rights and interest of the tribals of Kandhamal.