Description

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Context:

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) has instructed states to gather data on villages and families residing within India’s tiger reserves, including information on relocated villages and the status of claims under the Forest Rights Act, 2006.

Background

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs emphasized the importance of protecting forest communities from illegal evictions as mandated by the Forest Rights Act.
The ministry's move comes in response to numerous complaints from villages located in tiger reserves in states like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal.
Residents alleged that they were being pressured to leave their traditional lands without proper recognition of their rights under the FRA and the Conservation Act.
- Madhya Pradesh: In December, 52 gram sabhas of the Durgavati Tiger Reserve submitted a statement, prompting the ministry to ask the state tribal development department to address the issues.
- Maharashtra: Similar complaints were raised by residents of Rantalodhi village in the Tadoba Tiger Reserve.
These complaints highlighted the need for greater accountability and compliance with legal provisions in relocation efforts.

Ministry directive to states

To address these concerns, the ministry directed the state tribal development department and forest department to submit detailed reports on:

Villages in Tiger Reserves: Names and numbers of villages located in Tiger Reserves.
Demographic Information: Tribes and forest communities living in these villages.
Forest Rights Claims: Data on claims received, granted, and denied under the FRA.
Consent and compensation: Processes for obtaining free and informed consent of gram sabhas and compensation plans for relocation.

The Ministry reiterated that Section 4(2) of the FRA expressly protects forest-dwelling communities by legally recognizing their rights, prohibiting illegal evictions, and ensuring that resettlement is voluntary and with informed consent.

About Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006

The Forest Rights Act, 2006 (officially known as the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act) is a landmark piece of legislation aimed at recognizing and securing the rights of forest-dwelling communities in India.

Key objectives:

Recognition of historic rights of Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs) to the forests on which their livelihoods depend.
Ensuring sustainable use of forest resources by local communities.
Granting legal rights to forest land and resources to these communities.

Types of recognized rights:

Individual rights: Ownership and access to forest land for cultivation and housing.
Community rights: Use of minor forest crops (e.g. bamboo, honey, lacquer). Grazing rights and access to water bodies.
Forest management and protection by local communities.
Rights to Community Forest Resources: Rights to Conservation, Restoration and Sustainable Forest Management.

Key Features:

Aspect	Key Provisions
Land Ownership	Grants up to 4 hectares of land per family for cultivation.
Protection from Eviction	Prevents eviction of forest dwellers without proper recognition and settlement of rights.
Role of the Gram Sabha	Empower the Gram Sabha (village assembly) to determine the rights of individuals and communities.
Conservation Focus	Promotes sustainable forest management while protecting biodiversity.

Issues:

Slow progress in recognizing rights across states.
Difficulties in securing documentary evidence by forest-dwelling communities.
Balancing rights with nature and forest conservation
Opposition from industries dependent on forest resources.

About National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

Constitutional Status	It is a Statutory Body.
Ministry	Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
Established	The Prime Minister of India established the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to streamline the management of Project Tiger and numerous Tiger Reserves in India in 2005.
Legislation	Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
Objectives	· Providing statutory authority to Project Tiger for legal compliance. · Promoting Center-State accountability in Tiger Reserve management through MoU within a federal structure. · Oversight by Parliament. · Addressing livelihood interests of local people around Tiger Reserves.
Composition	· Chairperson: Minister in charge of MoEFCC · Vice-Chairperson: Minister of State in MoEFCC · Members: Three Members of Parliament, the Secretary (MoEFCC), and other designated members.
Key Initiative	· Project Tiger, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for in-situ conservation of tigers, launched on April 1, 1973.

READ ABOUT FOREST RIGHTS ACT

https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/forest-rights-act-5

https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/forest-conservation-rules-2022-vs-forest-rights-act-20064

READ ABOUT Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972

https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/section-49m-of-the-wild-life-protection-act-1972

TIGER RESERVES- https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/tiger-reserves-in-india

ALSO READ ABOUT

Village Relocations in Tiger Reserves

Source:

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/village-relocation-tiger-reserves-9780191/

PRACTICE QUESTION

Examine the challenges and ethical concerns associated with relocating villages from tiger reserves in India. How can a balance be achieved between wildlife conservation and the rights of local communities? (250 words)