Summary:
Attention KeshavFebruary 21, 2019Guwahati: Over 27,000 forest dwellers of Assam faces eviction following Supreme Court’s order after their claims under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006 or the Forests Rights Act (FRA) were rejected by the forest department.In an order of February 13, the apex court has directed Assam along with Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telengana,Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal to ensure eviction of those people from forest areas whose claims under the FRA were rejected.According to the affidavit filed by the Assam government, out of the total 74,364 scheduled tribe and 1,9,966 other traditional forest dwellers (OTFD) claims submitted under FRA, the government rejected the claims of 22,398 scheduled tribe and 5,136 OTFD.Total extent of land claimed by the scheduled tribe is 10, 128 hectares and by OTFD is 561.4 hectares.“It is stated that steps are already been taken for eviction of all the encroachers/claimants whose claims have been rejected. The total extent of area to be evicted is accessed and will be submitted within a short time of period,” the state government submitted to the Supreme Court.The government stated that divisional forest officers within their jurisdictions have submitted proposals to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Head of the Forest (PCCF&HOF) to carry out eviction in respect of claims rejected by district-level committees.The Supreme Court in its order directed the chief secretary to file an affidavit stating “whether the incumbents in respect of whom the rejection orders have been passed, have been evicted or not and if not, the reasons for the same.”The apex court further directed that in case the “eviction orders have attained finality, we direct the concerned authority including the chief secretary to ensure that the eviction is made on or before the next date of hearing.”The court has fixed July 24 as the next date of hearing.A senior forest official refused to comment on the eviction, stating that the matter is being heard in the court..