Scheduled Tribes Commission of India Chairperson of India Rameshwar Oraon has sent a letter to President on the proposed ordinances to amend the CNT and SPT Acts describing in details how it would affect the Scheduled Tribes in Jharkhand. Expressing his concerns on the nature of land Bills and their impact on the tribal population Dr Oraon has requested the President not to give his assent to the Bill.
“Given the sensitive nature of protection of land rights of tribals in Fifth Schedule areas, and the complex architecture of Constitutional and legislative provisions as well as judicial precedent on the subject, the commission has recommended that assent of the President may not be accorded to the proposed Ordinances till they are revised thoroughly in order to bring these in conformity to the letter and spirit of Constitution and the laws made thereof,” stated Dr Oraon in his letter.
The ST Commission Chairman is on a three-day visit with his team to HEC displaced villages that begins from Saturday. He will hold jan adalat in the villages, listen to the problems of the people.
"I want to find out what is the condition of the people who have been displaced by HEC. Many villagers had given me letters and requisition telling the commission that their situation is bad and said that the Government is yet to give them the ownership document of the small pieces of allotted land after they were displaced by HEC in 1960s. Now, the state is again planning to displace them from the place where they settled after displacement by HEC in 1960s. My team will fund out the matter in detail and give a detailed report to the Centre," Oraon said.