Forest Rights Acts Implementation: 15 Mar 2024

Assam

• Two districts in Assam, Dima Hasao and Hailakandi, were assessed.
• Current form of Forest Rights Act (FRA) does not address unique aspects of shifting or jhum cultivation in northeast.
• Recognition of Cultivation Practices:Shifting cultivation should be recognized as a practice suited to ecological and cultural needs of forest-dwelling communities.
• Challenges and Ambiguities:

•  FRA not implemented in Dima Hasao district as per authorities.
• Ambiguity over categories like hill tribes in plains and plains tribes in hills affecting Scheduled Tribe communities in Hailakandi district (Khasi, Naga, Hmar, Reang).     

Chhattisgarh

• Decision-making process delayed in Kanker and Korba districts.
• Recommendations of gram sabhas pending at sub-divisional level committee for nearly seven years.

Maharashtra

• FRA implementation satisfactory in Gadchiroli district.
• Process not completed in Nashik.
• Gadchiroli is a model district for community forest rights (CFR).
• Concerns over diversion of CFR land for non-forest purposes in Gadchiroli.

Odisha

• “Substantial advancement” in FRA implementation in Kandhamal and Sundargarh districts.
• Significant gap between  individual forest rights (IFR) and community forest rights (CFR) claims submitted and recognized.
• No set time frame for decisions on gram sabha recommendations.
• Fencing of reserved and protected forests for compensatory afforestation needs attention.

Karnataka

• Only 5.17% of IFR claims recognized in Ramnagara and Mysuru districts.
• Karnataka has the highest rate of IFR claims rejection among surveyed States.