Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs) organised a two-day lok Sammilani here on Wednesday and Thursdaydemanding recognition of their individual forest rights (IFR).
More than 500 OTFDs from districts like Kandhamal, Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Bargarh, Balangir, Nuapada, Ganjam, Puri and Mayurbhanj participated in the conference and demanded implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006.
The Act provides that any tribal or OTFD occupying forest land prior to Dec 13, 2005 is eligible to get both individual and community rights over forest land and forest subject to submission of require evidences. Ironically, the State Government has shown step-motherly attitude towards the OTFDs while recognising Individual Forest Rights(IFR) in the State, alleged the participants.
They alleged that the OTFDs have not been allowed to file their IFR claims in many districts.
They demanded that all OTFDs be given IFR rights under FRA, steps be taken for recognition of community rights over Community Forest resources (CFR) and habitat rights of the PVTGs and accept Gram Sabha decisions as final.