They first corrected ‘historical injustice’ and have now moved to bring a real change in lives.
A pilot project has been started in Ranchi for forest dwellers, mostly tribals who have got ‘pattas’ under the Scheduled Tribes & Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, a sunshine law enacted by the Congress-led Centre in 2006.
The Ranchi forest division, in consultation with Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (ACCF) DK Srivastava, has inked a Rs 18-crore plan for some 900 lease holders covering around 419 acres in Ranchi district. It has the financial support of the welfare department, nodal agency for implementing the Centre’s flagship scheme.
According to an official, ‘pattas’ only grant legal recognition to rights of forest dwellers over land which they possessed earlier anyway. It did not have any major change in the quality of life of these people, he pointed out. “We have formulated a scheme, which is an attempt to reach out to the people …so the real fruits of implementation of the Act reach them. It will be the first such project to be tested in Ranchi following implementation of the Forest Rights Act, if we get the green signal,” he pointed out.
Forest dwellers will be involved in plantation of fruit trees like mango, creating soil and livelihood structures. Gully plugging, contours, recharge pits and wells will be taken up for soil and moisture conservation. Also, irrigation facilities, agro–forestry etc would be emphasised under livelihood support. Renewable energy sources for lighting, cooking or alternative energy to firewood would be emphasised.
According to the official, in case any beneficiary is unwilling, or land is not found to be suitable, work may be alternatively taken up on land of new beneficiaries, who will subsequently be given pattas. New beneficiaries will be replaced by those who are in Ranchi district but outside jurisdiction of the Ranchi forest division in this pilot phase, which is to be completed in three years, he added.
Ranchi Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Rajeev lochan Bakshi confirmed, “We have formulated a scheme targeted at FRA beneficiaries. This will ensure that the State Government not only gives pattas but also takes steps to effectively develop their cluster.” Implementation of the Act has been tardy in Jharkhand since it came into force in 2008. The welfare department had collaborated with Delhi-based Environmental law & Development Foundation (ElDF) in April to boost rate of distribution of forestland pattas.
Jharkhand has a high rate of rejection of land claims submitted under the Forest Rights Act, estimated at 53 per cent by the Centre. Sources said 42,003 claims had been filed till October 31, 2012, under the FRA and 15,296 titles were distributed. By March 31, 2013, the figure had increased to a meagre 17,151.