Natural resources in forests should not be exploited at the cost of tribals living there, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday, warning those who “snatch” their rights of stringent action. He said natural resources are mostly in forested areas which are inhabited by tribals and, while pursuing development goals, mineral resources should not be extracted in a way which are detrimental to their interests. He was addressing the inaugural function of the first-ever national tribal carnival.
The Prime minister said, in the past, while iron ore and coal were extracted, tribal people of mineral bearing areas never benefited from it. He said following the introduction of a scheme to impose cess, the money so collected is now being utilised to expand facilities, including infrastructure, to benefit the tribals. According to Modi, the government, is now pushing for advanced technology which ensures that the environment is not severely affected in the process of mining.