Nagpur: Vidarbha livelihood forum, a consortium that promotes forest rights law (FRA), has opposed the state government’s decision to form the Convergence Committee to prepare management plans to effectively and transparently implement community forest rights (CFR) offered at Under FRA.
Until the end of August 2021, of 11,842 CFR claimed, the District Level Committee (DLC) has approved 8,133 in Maharashtra.
For better monitoring and effective implementation, the Tribal Development Department issued a gr on November 22, directed to establish a convergence committee at Gram Panchayat, Taluka and district level.
These committees will prepare the CFR village management plan and work will be carried out according to plan.
The plan must be approved by the Taluka and District level committees, which will include officials from forests, income, irrigation, PWD, Agriculture, Department of Fisheries and Fisheries.
“The idea is to strengthen Sabhas Grams and increase its member base, providing sustainable livelihoods through forests, improving conservation of wildlife and biodiversity and maintaining ecological balance.
We will also benefit from various state schemes and funds provided under MGNREGA, Development Scheme MP / MLA area at grassroots, “said the Department of Tribe officials.
However, talking to newspapers, VLF activists Dilip Gode, Purnima Upadhyay, Mahadev Gillurkar, Rajiv Thorat, Mohan Jadhav and Gunwant Vaidya said, “Government decisions such as violating the rights of Sabhas and also opposed the FRA Committee, 2006.
Run parallel with Gram Sabhas.
This will affect the smooth implementation of FRA.
“” Fra was brought to cancel the historical injustice that occurred in the community of forest residents and to ensure the term of office of land, sustainable livelihoods and food security from the Traditional Tribes & Other Traditional Forest Residents (ST & OTFD).
GR violates the Right Gram Sabhas, “they said.
The tribal department officials said the decision was taken at a meeting chaired by the tribal department secretary on August 5, 2021.
It was being considered since October 2016.
Previously, a referring committee also made a decision on March 5, 2014.
Rule 4 (1) (F ) Providing a mechanism for monitoring and controlling the committee suffered under clause (e) which will prepare conservation and management programs for community forest resources.
However, officials of the Department of Tribal whoe seek anonymity said, “FRA activists opposed the GR because they would lose the influence they had in the CFR villages.
Some NGOs want to direct the entire process and especially run a tendu and bamboo business with the name gram Sabhas.
Opposite gram means rejection of other stakeholder participation that wants to contribute to strengthen the community.
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