The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 was notified for operation with effect from December 2007. However, in Uttarakhand this act has not yet been fully implemented due to misconceptions and unawareness. This and other related aspects were ascertained in a study about 20 villages in disaster-affected Bhatwadi block of Uttarkashi district by the Social Work department, Delhi University under Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) project.
Addressing the media here at the Press Club on Tuesday, project advisor Soumya Dutta said that aspects including food security, disaster management and livelihood security are being studied in 20 villages of disaster-affected Bhatwadi block in Uttarkashi. He said, “The study ascertained that the communities in these villages have been traditionally dependent on forest. In addition to fuel, fodder and pastures, the livelihoods of the villagers are linked to the forests. In the interaction with village communities, they were informed about the legal provisions in the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. As per the law, the eligible people have the right to collect herbs for their livelihood from the jungles. While the act has also been implemented in various States, the people here are not well aware of this law.”
Dutta further said, “About seven years passed since this forest law was drafted with the communities concerned being awarded their traditional forest rights in Indian States including Odisha, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh but this law has not been implemented fully in Uttarakhand so far. There is confusion regarding this act here with many people misunderstanding it as being applicable only for tribals and not for general category.” According to Dutta, the Forest Department and Social Welfare Department are responsible for informing the community about this law and help them access their traditional rights. The forest rights committees formed in Uttarkashi need help from these two departments but the departments are considering the Van Panchayats to be the forest rights committee whereas both are separate bodies as the committee is formed with the help of Gram Samaj whereas Van Panchayats are formed through the department, he added.
Project director Dr Malathi Adusumalli from the DU social work department said that the implementation of the act had only started in Uttarkashi district with considerable work yet to be completed. She said, “Fifteen forest rights committees were formed here and this information was provided to the block and district level committees but they have not yet started the process of verification. The legal procedure has to be followed in order to access the forest rights. We appeal the nodal agency- Social Welfare department to facilitate the required measures without delay in the interests of the disaster affected people of Uttarakhand,” she added.