Sheer negligence on the part of authorities concerned in implementation of Forest Rights Act, 2006 has resulted in lakhs of forest-dwellers being deprived of their rights, alleged the officials of an International NGO while talking to reporters here on Wednesday.
The NGO, Oxfam India has been working in Chhattisgarh for providing the forest-dwellers their rights including titles of lands (patta), fair price of forest produce including Bamboo and their participation in the Forest Department’s action plans for forest conservation.“Most of the forest-dwellers are yet to be provided possession over the lands, which they have been using for farming and collection of minor forest produce for earning their livelihood from many decades,” said Vijendra Aznabi, Programme Officer with Oxfam India.
He claimed that with distribution of only 31,2250 title deeds (41.29 per cent) against 756062 claims received as on March 30, 2014, Chhattisgarh stands on number six position. Thus, there is still a room for improvement.“There is lack of awareness about the law among the beneficiaries. Besides, irresponsible and unsupportive attitude of the Forest Department has kept the forest-dwellers deprived of their rights,”he said.