Explained | Why is the tribal panel upset with Environment Ministry over forest rights?
1 year, 9 months ago

Explained | Why is the tribal panel upset with Environment Ministry over forest rights?

The Hindu  

The story so far: After the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes invoked its constitutional power to requisition detailed Forest Rights Act implementation reports from the Supreme Court, the Registrar has ordered the release of documents to the NCST. Within two months of the FCR, 2022 coming into force, the NCST constituted a “Working Group on the Forest Rights Act 2006 & other issues related to the Forest and Scheduled Tribes” to monitor the implementation of the FRA and “make recommendations to the Union government and State governments”. The ST panel argued that the previous versions of the Rules provided a legal space for “ensuring completion of the processes for recognition and vesting of rights under the FRA in areas where forests are being diverted.” The ST Commission noted that it made little sense to take the consent of tribals and forest dwellers after an applicant had got Stage 1 clearance. In order to access “authentic FRA reports”, the NCST approached the Supreme Court with a letter, invoking powers under Clause 8 of Article 338A of the Constitution, seeking all documents filed in Writ Petition 109/2008.

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History of this topic

Form panel to visit forest diverted on Assam-Nagaland border: NGT to Environment Ministry
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Form panel to visit forest diverted on Assam-Nagaland border: NGT to Environment Ministry

The Hindu  

GUWAHATI The National Green Tribunal has asked the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to constitute a three-member committee to survey a part of a reserve forest on the Assam-Nagaland border allegedly diverted for the establishment of an Assam police commando battalion. The NGT also issued notices to the Environment Ministry, the Assam government, the Assam Forest Department, and …

Ahead of Polls, Demand for Forest Rights Emerges as Key Electoral Issue in 153 Lok Sabha Constituencies
8 months, 1 week ago

Ahead of Polls, Demand for Forest Rights Emerges as Key Electoral Issue in 153 Lok Sabha Constituencies

News 18  

When the polling for Lok Sabha starts on April 19, the long-drawn-out land conflicts covering several lakh hectares of forest land — arising out of violations of the Forest Rights Act 2006 — are expected to become a key electoral issue in as many as 153 parliamentary constituencies across states. In some cases, the process has been stuck in the …

Forest Rights recognition major issue in 153 LS constituencies, says analysis
8 months, 1 week ago

Forest Rights recognition major issue in 153 LS constituencies, says analysis

Hindustan Times  

There are around 153 parliamentary constituencies where recognition of individual and community forest rights is among the major issues facing voters, a new analysis has found. Building upon a similar exercise conducted in 2019, independent forest rights researchers released an analysis on Friday which assess the potential of the Forest Rights Act 2006 in advancing the rights of tribal and …

Forest rights concerns could influence electoral results in nearly a third of constituencies, says study
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Forest rights concerns could influence electoral results in nearly a third of constituencies, says study

The Hindu  

The electoral outcome in nearly three in ten of India’s Parliamentary constituencies could be influenced by issues surrounding the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, says an analysis by independent researchers. The Forest Rights Act, officially known as the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act, 2006, is a piece of legislation that enables tribal communities and forest-dwelling citizens …

Seventeen years of Forest Rights Act: ATREE brings out resource materials for laypersons
1 year ago

Seventeen years of Forest Rights Act: ATREE brings out resource materials for laypersons

The Hindu  

Earlier this week on December 18, the landmark Forest Rights Act enacted by parliament in 2006 marked its 17th anniversary. On the occasion, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and The Environment, a Bengaluru-based research institution, released a bunch of resources including four videos on FRA, a documentary on the team’s work in Bastar, a webGIS mapping tool and a …

An uphill struggle to grow the Forest Rights Act
1 year ago

An uphill struggle to grow the Forest Rights Act

The Hindu  

December 18, 2023 12:56 am | Updated 10:02 am IST On December 18, 2006, the Rajya Sabha endorsed the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act, enacted by the Lok Sabha. This Act, commonly known as the Forest Rights Act, or FRA, marks a watershed in India’s socio-environmental legislation, as it attempts to put an end to the long-drawn …

Community rights and forest conservation | Explained
1 year, 1 month ago

Community rights and forest conservation | Explained

The Hindu  

The story so far: The Forest Conservation Amendment Act of 2023 has received limited attention and little discussion about its impact on forests and its inhabitants. From the colonial forest law in 1865 to the Forest Conservation Amendment Act, 2023, more than fifteen laws, Acts, and policies have been formulated interlinking forests with legal and policy frameworks. It is in …

Former Civil Servants Challenge 2023 Amendments To Forest Conservation Act; Supreme Court Seeks Centre's Response
1 year, 2 months ago

Former Civil Servants Challenge 2023 Amendments To Forest Conservation Act; Supreme Court Seeks Centre's Response

Live Law  

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice on a plea challenging the constitutionality of the recent amendments to the Forest Act. The petitioners have contested the constitutionality of the Forest Amendment Act, 2023, citing concerns that the new law would significantly undermine the country’s long-standing forest governance framework. The petition states – “In the order, the court held that the …

Explained | How the amended Forest (Conservation) Act imperils the Northeast
1 year, 3 months ago

Explained | How the amended Forest (Conservation) Act imperils the Northeast

The Hindu  

On August 22, the Mizoram Assembly unanimously passed a resolution opposing the Forest Amendment Act, 2023, “to protect the rights and interest of the people of Mizoram”. FCA exists to deforest the forest, under the Indian Forest Act 1927 or its State versions.In 1996, the Supreme Court expanded the term “forest land” in the FCA in the Godavarman case to …

63 retired IFS officers from across India write to Centre on misuse of Forest Rights Act
1 year, 4 months ago

63 retired IFS officers from across India write to Centre on misuse of Forest Rights Act

The Hindu  

A group of 63 retired IFS officers from different States have written letters to the top brass at the Centre, including the Prime Minister, Union Ministers of the MoEF&CC and Ministry of Tribal Affairs, expressing concern over the alleged misuse of the Forest Rights Act 2006. The IFS officers submitted a list of suggestions to plug loopholes in implementation of …

Ecologists fear Amendments to Forest Conservation Act will leave it a hollow shell
1 year, 4 months ago

Ecologists fear Amendments to Forest Conservation Act will leave it a hollow shell

The Hindu  

The recent Forest Conservation Amendment Bill will leave the Forest Act a hollowed-out shell, said Dr. Sharachchandra Lele, distinguished fellow at Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Bengaluru. The much-diluted bill also removes the need for clearance permissions and consent of the local community to strip forest lands alongside railway tracks or public roads, or for the …

Parliament Passes Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023
1 year, 4 months ago

Parliament Passes Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023

Live Law  

After the judgment, the Act was applied to recorded forest areas, including those already used for non-forestry purposes. Godavarman vs. Union of India and others, the Forest Act only applied to notified forest lands, not revenue forest areas and non-forestry use in the revenue forest areas was allowed through government's permissions. These include land notified as a forest under the …

Facing the axe: new ‘forest’ definition makes large tracts vulnerable
1 year, 4 months ago

Facing the axe: new ‘forest’ definition makes large tracts vulnerable

The Hindu  

The Dongria Kondh tribe, one of 13 particularly vulnerable tribal groups in Odisha, fought a historic winning battle to save its ecology from bauxite mining operations in the Niyamgiri hill range from 2004 to 2013. The new legislation may open a window for government agencies to divert land not classified as ‘forest’ in government records to other purposes. The amendment …

Facing the axe: new ‘forest’ definition makes large tracts vulnerable
1 year, 4 months ago

Facing the axe: new ‘forest’ definition makes large tracts vulnerable

The Hindu  

The Dongria Kondh tribe, one of 13 particularly vulnerable tribal groups in Odisha, fought a historic winning battle to save its ecology from bauxite mining operations in the Niyamgiri hill range from 2004 to 2013. The new legislation may open a window for government agencies to divert land not classified as ‘forest’ in government records to other purposes. The amendment …

Adding green cover or a threat? The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, explained
1 year, 4 months ago

Adding green cover or a threat? The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, explained

Firstpost  

The Lok Sabha has passed the Forest Amendment Bill-2023. Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, “The primary objective of this Bill is to increase the forest area of the country to meet our goals of conservation of forests, conservation of biodiversity and the challenges posed by climate change… That is why we have decided to drop …

Science-wise: Govt’s Proposed Environment Bill, Threat to India’s Natural Forest Cover or Need of the Hour?
1 year, 4 months ago

Science-wise: Govt’s Proposed Environment Bill, Threat to India’s Natural Forest Cover or Need of the Hour?

News 18  

Even as the country grapples with fast-disappearing green cover, a new draft legislation could pave the way for more such diversions of forest land for other activities. In line with that objective, the draft bill may open up the country’s forest land for diversion as it exempts forest land within 100 kms of India’s national borders from the purview of …

A Look At The Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023
1 year, 5 months ago

A Look At The Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023

Live Law  

The Forest Conservation Bill, 2023 will be presented during the Monsoon session of the Parliament which is likely to begin today. The Forest Act, 1980 came into force on 25th October 1980 which was enacted for the conservation of forests by restricting de-reservation of forest and forest land for non-forest purposes. Section 2 and 3 of the act states that …

Podu Pattas from Today, Approved Claims Include FC Act Violations
1 year, 5 months ago

Podu Pattas from Today, Approved Claims Include FC Act Violations

Deccan Chronicle  

Hyderabad: The distribution of podu pattas for forest land in Telangana state set to begin on Friday, could end up creating trouble for the state forest department with sources indicating that around a third of the 1,50,415 claims that have been recently approved are for forest land patches cleared after the December 2005 cut-off date imposed by the Scheduled Tribes …

Bhatti slams KCR govt for not implementing law to protect tribal land rights
1 year, 5 months ago

Bhatti slams KCR govt for not implementing law to protect tribal land rights

Deccan Chronicle  

HYDERABAD: Senior Congress leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Monday condemned the Chandrashekar Rao government for not implementing the Forest Rights Act brought in by the Congress-led UPA government, in a bid to protect the rights of tribals over forest lands. But the BRS government has been systematically oppressing Adivasis and scheduled tribes, and conspired to deny them rights over podu …

Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023 | Jungle book vs rule book
1 year, 6 months ago

Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023 | Jungle book vs rule book

The Hindu  

In the preamble to the Forest Amendment Bill, 2023, introduced by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in the Lok Sabha on March 29, it is stated that the importance of forests must be realised to achieve India’s target of Net Zero Emission by 2070 and to maintain or enhance the forest carbon stocks through ecologically balanced sustainable …

National Commission for Scheduled Tribes flags alleged discrepancies in Forest Rights Act compliance for Great Nicobar Project
1 year, 7 months ago

National Commission for Scheduled Tribes flags alleged discrepancies in Forest Rights Act compliance for Great Nicobar Project

The Hindu  

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes has now flagged alleged discrepancies with respect to the forest clearance granted for the ₹72,000-crore Great Nicobar Island Project. Citing alleged violations under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, among others, it has issued a notice to district authorities in Andaman and Nicobar islands on grounds that the project will significantly affect the rights of …

National Commission for Scheduled Tribes’ position on new Forest Conservation Rules ‘will be same’
1 year, 11 months ago

National Commission for Scheduled Tribes’ position on new Forest Conservation Rules ‘will be same’

The Hindu  

In a sign of escalating conflict between the government and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes over the Forest Rules 2022, NCST Chairperson Harsh Chouhan on Monday said that the ST body’s position on the new rules being violative of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 “will be the same” even as the Environment Ministry has dismissed these concerns. In response, …

Forest conservation rules encroachment of tribals’ rights, says Soren at eastern council meet
2 years ago

Forest conservation rules encroachment of tribals’ rights, says Soren at eastern council meet

Hindustan Times  

RANCHI: The Forest Conservation Rules 2022 brought in by the Centre which diluted the powers of the gram sabha was an encroachment of the rights of the tribals, Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren said on Saturday. Speaking at the eastern zonal council meeting chaired by union home minister Amit Shah, Soren also put forth a host of demands, including those …

A conservation Bill that endangers forest rights
2 years ago

A conservation Bill that endangers forest rights

The Hindu  

The expeditious passage of the Wild Life Amendment Bill, 2021 in the Rajya Sabha this winter session — this followed its passing in the Lok Sabha during the monsoon session — needs comment. The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 has safeguarded numerous species of wild animals and plants by prohibiting all forms of hunting and, more importantly, creating inviolate areas where …

Podu pattas promise puts forest, tribal officials in a quandary
2 years ago

Podu pattas promise puts forest, tribal officials in a quandary

Deccan Chronicle  

HYDERABAD: With a self-imposed deadline of declaring beneficiaries under the pattas for podu land programme of the state government, officials involved with the exercise of vetting lakhs of applications with claims over forest land are learnt to be grappling on how to go about the task. Sources in the government, involved with the current exercise, said enormous pressure was being …

Rightful claims under Forest Rights Act should not be rejected on frivolous grounds: Arjun Munda
2 years, 2 months ago

Rightful claims under Forest Rights Act should not be rejected on frivolous grounds: Arjun Munda

The Hindu  

Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda on Friday chaired a meeting to review the implementation status of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, calling for expeditiously clearing of pending cases of forest land claims, especially those pending at the sub-divisional and district levels. The review meeting comes in the wake of fresh allegations from the Congress party that the Union …

Forest Conservation Rules infringe upon land rights of tribespeople: ST panel chief
2 years, 2 months ago

Forest Conservation Rules infringe upon land rights of tribespeople: ST panel chief

The Hindu  

It is the duty of the commission to “caution the government” when its policies have the potential to affect the well-being and rights of tribal people, Harsh Chouhan, Chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, told The Hindu on Thursday. He said this would amount to infringing upon the land rights of tribespeople under the Forest Rights Act, an …

Centre overhauls process to grant clearances for projects on forest land
2 years, 3 months ago

Centre overhauls process to grant clearances for projects on forest land

Hindustan Times  

The Union environment ministry has overhauled the process to grant clearances to projects requiring forest diversions under the Forest Conservation Rules 2022, officials familiar with the matter said. The Forest Conservation Rules 2022, which was notified in June 28, seeks to replace forest conservation rules 2003 and make the process of granting forest clearance efficient. In a letter to all …

2006: Forest Rights Act
2 years, 4 months ago

2006: Forest Rights Act

The Hindu  

Published : Aug 15, 2022 06:00 IST The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act, 2006, commonly called the Forest Rights Act, addressed a long-pending need but also threw up hurdles for forest and wildlife conservation. The Scheduled Tribes and forest dwellers, who are among India’s most marginalised communities, number around 250 million and many of them continue to …

The proposed Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022 might be disastrous for forest dwellers
2 years, 5 months ago

The proposed Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022 might be disastrous for forest dwellers

The Hindu  

Published : Jul 24, 2022 18:00 IST Existing forest laws in India largely put the state in charge of environmental protection, which tends to create an imbalance of power between vulnerable forest-dwelling communities and the authorities. The new rules will allow private developers to clear forest land for compensatory afforestation and development and infrastructure projects without the prior consent of …

Withdraw new forest rules: Congress
2 years, 5 months ago

Withdraw new forest rules: Congress

The Hindu  

Alleging that the new forest conservation rules “violate” the Forest Rights Act, 2006, the Congress on Wednesday wrote to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes to urge the Centre to withdraw them in public interest. In a letter to NCST chairperson Harsh Chouhan, All India Congress Committee national coordinator for SC, ST, OBC and Minority departments, K. Raju, said the …

Congress urges Scheduled Tribe's body to direct Centre to withdraw new forest conservation rules
2 years, 5 months ago

Congress urges Scheduled Tribe's body to direct Centre to withdraw new forest conservation rules

Firstpost  

The party alleged that the new forest conservation rules will lead to disempowerment, dispossession, and displacement of STs and other traditional forest dwellers, and fuel conflict in tribal areas New Delhi: The Congress has urged the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes to take note of the alleged “violation” of the Forest Rights Act 2006 and ask the Centre to withdraw …

New forest rules aimed at corporatisation: Brinda Karat
2 years, 5 months ago

New forest rules aimed at corporatisation: Brinda Karat

The Hindu  

Opposing the amended Forest Rules, 2022, CPI Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat, in a letter to Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav, has said the amended rules were aimed at corporatisation and not conservation. Ms. Karat said “it is objectionable, condemnable and unacceptable how the amended rules have totally eliminated the rights of gram sabhas and of tribal communities and others living …

Explained: The government's new forest rules and Congress' reservation about them
2 years, 5 months ago

Explained: The government's new forest rules and Congress' reservation about them

Firstpost  

The Congress has alleged that the Centre’s new rules will infringe upon the provisions of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, which will allow cutting of trees without the consent of forest-dwellers. Senior party leaders alleged that the Narendra Modi government is abdicating its responsibility towards protecting tribal rights and diluting the rules for the “ease of snatching forest land”. If …

Forest (Conservation) Rules consistent with Forest Rights Act: Bhupender Yadav
2 years, 5 months ago

Forest (Conservation) Rules consistent with Forest Rights Act: Bhupender Yadav

Hindustan Times  

Forest Rules, 2022, do not dilute or infringe upon provisions of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav has clarified. “It is actually the State Government diversion order issued subsequently which authorises use of forest land for intended purposes and hand over the land to the user agency.” Yadav said the process envisaged in FRA and new …

Congress, BJP spar over new forest conservation rules
2 years, 5 months ago

Congress, BJP spar over new forest conservation rules

The Hindu  

Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav and Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh on Sunday engaged in war of words on Twitter on provisions of the Forest Rules, 2022. The Forest Rights Act, 2006, along with a 2009 government order, makes it mandatory to seek “free, prior and informed consent” of families who would be affected by such diversion of forest land, Mr. …

Looking beyond the Forest Rights Act
3 years ago

Looking beyond the Forest Rights Act

The Hindu  

The Forest Rights Act has been in existence for 15 years. Further, various welfare and developmental schemes of the Rural Department were not extended everywhere to the tribal people who received documents of land possession under the FRA despite the directives issued by the Ministry to treat them on a par with others. In these places, most Central and State …

NGT rules against diversion of forest land in central Bhubaneswar
3 years, 11 months ago

NGT rules against diversion of forest land in central Bhubaneswar

The Hindu  

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to take appropriate action on the diversion of over 430 acres of forest category land in the centre of Bhubaneswar. One Subash Mohapatra had moved the NGT stating that large tracts of forest land had been diverted for non-forest activities by various institutions without obtaining …

The BJP’s diatribe against the Roshni scheme and the Manoj Sinha administration’s eviction of nomads from forest dwellings signal that the party fears a setback in the DDC elections
4 years ago

The BJP’s diatribe against the Roshni scheme and the Manoj Sinha administration’s eviction of nomads from forest dwellings signal that the party fears a setback in the DDC elections

The Hindu  

THE ongoing District Development Council elections in Jammu and Kashmir which have been marred by the detention of political leaders, the onslaught on nomads, and the unidimensional discourse on the Roshni scheme have shed light on the tactics the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre is employing to eliminate any chance of a resurgence of its opponents in the …

#DakshaMasterclass: Forest Rights Legislation [9th Aug]
4 years, 4 months ago

#DakshaMasterclass: Forest Rights Legislation [9th Aug]

Live Law  

On the International Day of Indigenous People, Daksha Fellowship is organizing a session of #DakshaMasterclass on 'Forest Rights Legislation: Stocktaking of Human Rights of Indigenous People in India'. Date: Sunday, 9 August 2020 Time: 5:00 PM IST Indigenous people share a special bond with their land and have a distinctive culture, tradition and knowledge system. The Scheduled Tribes and Other …

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