Forest department restricted Korba tribe of Chhattisgarh to plough their land. They had been practicing paddy cultivation in the forest land since last 3 generations but now are threatened by the Collector in the Dhamtari district.

Non adherence to the Schedule Tribe and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Right) Act (FRA) 2006 is widely seen in the state of Chhattisgarh by the district officials.
Tribal representatives from 10 districts of Chhattisgarh raised the issue of non-adherence of FRA in Chhattisgarh during the state network meeting held on July 17, 2016 at Red Cross Hall, Collectorate premises, Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

The meeting was organised by Caritas India and XISA, Raipur under the guidance of well-known social activist, Mr. Gautam Bandopadhyay.

Congress MLA and leader of the opposition party, Mr. Bhupesh Baghel along with the Spokesperson Mr. Silender Nitin heard the struggles of the tribals of the region, assuring to flag the issues in the ongoing legislative assembly session.

The meeting laid emphasis on the habitat rights of the Tribals in the forest land along with right to access to Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP) as recognized under community forest right. The meeting also decided to share the biodiversity management right and work plan with the Forest department.
The Baiga community from Gaurela, Kota, from Bilaspur district were displaced from their villages, endangering their identity and habitat right, recognized in the FRA 2006. However, the state government and departments showed sheer insensitivity to these provisions of the FRA, and subsistence issues of the Tribal community which traditionally has depended on local forest produce.

Narrating his case, a Korba Tribal from Surguja shared that he was cultivating five acres of forest land but was given the patta for only 2.5 acre under FRA. Off late, the forest department had laid restrictions on him on using the forest, and also went ahead with plantation on his piece of land, destroying the paddy seedlings he has sown. Such being the case for many forest dwellers, the community members visited the Collector to only be de-recognised of having any right over the forest, thereby going to extent of cancelling the patta, which is illegal.

This serious violation of the FRA is set to be taken up with the People’s Monitoring Committee at the district level, which is supported by the former Government officials, MLA, Civil Society Organization and community cadre.

The campaign is set to be steered at three levels viz., the aggrieved tribals and other forest dwellers, district level committee, and state level committee. The network had resolved to share the memorandum with testimonials and signatures on violation of their rights under the FRA with the Governor with an appeal for the holistic implementation of the Act in the State.

The meeting was steered by Prof. Balchandra Kachwaha, IAS Officer (Retd.) G.S. Dhananjai and B.P.S. Netam along with Mr. Gautam Bandopadyay.

Caritas India being a part of the state network and partner organisation for PESA ‘Hamara Haq’ programme in the state stands in solidarity with the concerns and demands of the aggrieved community.