PIL seeks implementation of forest rights law

AHMEDABAD: A PIL in Gujarat high court on Wednesday demanded full implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) for the benefit of tribal families in the Narmada district.
The PIL has been filed by an NGO – Action Research in Community Health and Development (ARCH) complaining that the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 has not been fully implemented leaving the tribals in Narmada district “disenchanted”.
The petitioner has highlighted that the decade-old law as well as orders issued by the HC five years ago have not bee followed in proper manner by the authorities and the tribal families have not received their full right to cultivate land parcels available in the area even after the findings of GEER Foundation.
The PIL has sought directions to authorities to revise the area of cultivation for 2,094 partially approved claims of forest rights in 66 villages and to issue revised approval orders to applicants so that they can cultivate land properly. The PIL has demanded approval of 2,505 claims that are still pending. Moreover, the petitioner has demanded quick Geo referencing verification in 3,091 claims of tribal applicants in 82 villages of the district, and to process their claims expeditiously.