3 hrs ago
Madhya Pradesh Pauses Forest Rights Directive After Union Minister Intervention
Madhya Pradesh temporarily stopped a forest-rights instruction issued in August.
The instruction told forest officials to receive claims from communities seeking rights over forests.
The Forest Rights Act says Gram Sabhas, or village assemblies, should receive these claims.
Union Minister Durgadas Uikey asked the state’s chief minister to pause or change the instruction.
He said the instruction did not match the law.
Civil society groups and members of a state task force also criticized it.
They said communities can claim rights in reserved forests and protected areas.
The Forest Department later placed the instruction in abeyance.
It said new instructions would be given later if needed.
Madhya Pradesh’s Forest Department suspended its August 6 directive on community forest resource claims.
The directive instructed forest officials to receive claims during meetings scheduled for August 15.
The Forest Rights Act assigns Gram Sabhas responsibility for receiving, verifying and processing such claims.
Union Minister of State Durgadas Uikey said the directive conflicted with the 2006 law.
The department said future instructions on community forest resources would be issued as needed.
- Who
- The Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, Union Minister of State Durgadas Uikey, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, task-force members and civil society groups.
- What
- The Forest Department placed an August 6 directive on community forest resource claims in abeyance.
- Where
- Madhya Pradesh, including forests, sanctuaries and national parks covered by community forest resource claims.
- When
- The directive was issued on August 6, and the suspension order was issued on September 30.
- Why
- The directive was criticized as inconsistent with the Forest Rights Act, which gives Gram Sabhas the authority to receive and process claims.
Forest Department Directive
Forest Rights Act Critics
Who should receive claims?
Forest Department Directive
The August 6 directive instructed forest officials, including divisional forest officers and protected-area field directors, to receive community forest resource claims.
Forest Rights Act Critics
The Forest Rights Act says the Gram Sabha is the competent authority to receive, consolidate and verify claims.
Areas covered by rights
Forest Department Directive
The directive was criticized for appearing to narrow the forest areas where community forest resource rights could be claimed.
Forest Rights Act Critics
Durgadas Uikey and critics said the law includes customary community forest land, reserved forests and protected areas such as sanctuaries and national parks.
Role of officials and communities
Forest Department Directive
The directive placed forest officials at the center of receiving claims during scheduled meetings.
Forest Rights Act Critics
Critics said officials should perform verification and other prescribed tasks without replacing the Gram Sabha, and rejected claims that communities must prove continuous management and conservation of reserved or protected forests.
Key facts
- Suspended directive
- An August 6 instruction issued by Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Manoj Kumar Agarwal.
- Suspension date
- September 30.
- Scheduled meetings
- The directive asked officials to receive claims during meetings planned for August 15.
- Relevant law
- The Forest Rights Act, 2006.
- Statutory authority
- Gram Sabhas initiate the process, receive claims, verify them, map claimed areas and pass resolutions.
- Government intervention
- Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Durgadas Uikey wrote to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.
- Future instructions
- The department said instructions on community forest resources would be issued by the government as required.
Quotes
Subharanjan Sen
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force in Madhya Pradesh
“instructions regarding community forest resources will be issued by the government in the future as required.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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