Bhopal: Non-tribal Bhopal gets highest land allotment under Forest Rights Act

Bhopal: Non-tribal Bhopal gets highest land allotment under Forest Rights Act

FPJ BureauUpdated: Wednesday, May 29, 2019, 08:13 AM IST
article-image

Bhopal: The implementation of The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, in Madhya Pradesh comes with several anomalies. While claims for the rights were rejected in abnormally high numbers in tribal dominated areas, non-tribal Bhopal surprised many with highest approvals.

The data of the state government demonstrates that land right on 7391.46 hectares of land was given in Bhopal that is not a tribal dominated area. Overall applications accepted in the Bhopal district were 1026 which means that an average of 7.2 hectares of land was allotted per application against 1.4 hectare average in other tribal dominated districts.

Another interesting fact is that in Bhopal district applications of 210 tribal people were approved while 816 applicants were not tribal and belonged to ‘Other’ category which raises questions on the overall process.

The preface of the Forest Rights Act (2006) clarifies that the rights of tribal and other traditional forest dwellers is not present in a written form. This law has been made to recognise their rights on forest and the land they use. They have been given the responsibility to save the forests along with provisions of providing them land for individual and community use.

Experts feel that the FRA has not been implemented in the spirit the Act was constituted. Cases of its misuse and non-implementation are more than its benefits. According to state government data tribal constitute 20% of the total population that is around 1.5316 crore. This also makes Madhya Pradesh state with largest number of tribal people in India. Moreover, MP has 85 lakh ‘other traditional forest dwellers’.

According to government data 4,22,403 tribal people applied for land lease under FRA in Madhya Pradesh till the end of 2017. Out of this 47.7% of the applications ie 2,91,393 applications were rejected.

In Kol and Mawasi dominated Satna district 6398 applications out of total 8466 (75.6%) were rejected. The rate of rejection of applications in Sidhi district was 78.8%, in Umaira 63.9%, Seoni 67.4%, Panna 66.8%, Damoh 61.7% Jhabua 65.5% and 76.9% in Ashoknagar.

Worst sufferers under this Act are the ‘Other Traditional Forest Dwellers’. Under this category 97.9% of the applications were rejected. According to state government’s figures 1,54,130 applied while 1,50,970 applications were rejected. According to the Act, under this category the applicant has to prove his presence in the area for past three generations. This particular clause in the Act was misused by the officials of the forest department to reject the claims.

Most astonishing fact is that in 42 districts, state government rejected all (100%) applications which mean that state government believes that in these districts not a single family from Other Traditional Forest Dweller category had been cultivating land in forest area there.

The other fact that the data of the state government reveals is that the state government has given an average of 1.4 hectare land rights. Out of total 224170 accepted claims government provided land rights on 323857.4 hectare of land.

In 42 districts, government rejected all (100%) applications

Rate of rejection of applications:  Sidhi district 78.8%,  Ashoknagar 76.9%,  Satna 75.6 %, Seoni 67.4%, Panna 66.8%,  Jhabua 65.5%,  Umaira 63.9% and Damoh 61.7% and  ‘Other Traditional Forest Dwellers’ worst suffers, 97.9% of the applications rejected.

RECENT STORIES

Bhopal Power Cut March 29: Power To Remain Disrupted In BDA Colony, Pebbles Bay & More; Check Full...

Bhopal Power Cut March 29: Power To Remain Disrupted In BDA Colony, Pebbles Bay & More; Check Full...

MP Weather Update: Heatwave Hits Bhopal, Rain Likely In Indore, Chhatarpur & More

MP Weather Update: Heatwave Hits Bhopal, Rain Likely In Indore,  Chhatarpur & More

MP: Cops Demand Sexual Favours From Women Working At Spa Centre In Gwalior, Booked

MP: Cops Demand Sexual Favours From Women Working At Spa Centre In Gwalior, Booked

Lok Sabha Elections: Digvijaya & Son Jaivardhan In Congress’ Star Campaigners List From MP; Nakul...

Lok Sabha Elections: Digvijaya & Son Jaivardhan In Congress’ Star Campaigners List From MP; Nakul...

Bhopal: CM Mohan Yadav Should Apologise To People Of Chhindwara, Says Kamal Nath

Bhopal: CM Mohan Yadav Should Apologise To People Of Chhindwara, Says Kamal Nath