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J&K tribal population to get their due

  • Integrity Education, Delhi
  • 15, Sep 2021
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  • After a long delay, the Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to implement the Forest Rights Act, 2006
  • This will elevate the socio-economic status of a sizeable section of the 14 lakh population of tribals and nomadic communities, including Gujjar-Bakerwals and Gaddi-Sippis in the Union Territory.
  • It will help in ensuring a dignified life to the tribal population.
  • Tribal people have close ties with forests and sadly there was no legal framework.
  • The move will address the prolonged suffering of tribal people and also ensure forest conservation.

Context

  • In the past few years, there were growing cases of eviction of tribals from forest land in parts of the Kashmir Valley and Jammu region.
  • The government termed them “illegal encroachers” but the regional parties accused the Forest Department of acting above the law in these cases.
  • Union Territory saw the arbitrary demolition of Gujjar and Bakerwal houses during a forest reclamation drive in contravention of the Forest Rights Act of 2006.
  • In the latest drive in Shopian on August 3, around 30 FIRs were lodged against encroachers, and seven booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA) in south Kashmir.