Srinagar: After drawing sharp criticism over actions against tribals and demolition of temporary structures on forest land, the government on Tuesday geared up the process of implementing the Forest Rights Act by constituting three major committees to formulate and overlook its implementation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Last month, the Jammu and Kashmir government had said that it will implement the Forest Rights Act of 2006, which was not implemented in the erstwhile state of J&K for the past 14 years. However, the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganisation of the state into a UT last year paved the way for the implementation of this Act for the first time in J&K, which provides the grant of certain rights to forest dwellers.
The government on Tuesday granted sanction for the constitution of three committees – UT Level Monitoring Committee, District Level Committee, and Sub-Divisional Level Committee – in Jammu and Kashmir for the implementation of Forest Rights Act.
According to the order issued by J&K government, the UT Level Monitoring Committee will consist of eight members, headed by the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir. The committee has been tasked to devise the criteria and indicators for monitoring the process of recognition and vesting of forest rights.
“The committee shall monitor the process of recognition, verification, and vesting of forest rights in the UT,” says the order.
The committee, as per the order, will meet once in three months to monitor the process of recognition and verification of such people which will be entitled under the Act, by considering and addressing the field level problems. After which, the committee will furnish a quarterly report towards the central government on their assessment regarding the status of claims.
Besides this, the committee will also furnish the report of “compliances with the steps required under the Act, details of claims approved, reasons of rejection, if any and status of pending claims”.
The committee will take appropriate actions on the receipt of notices against the concerned authorities, and also monitor the resettlement status of the people entitled under the Forest Rights Act.
The District Level Committee, as per the order, has been constituted of four members headed by the Deputy Commissioner. This committee, at the district level, will look after the redressal of all claims pertaining to primitive tribal groups, pastoralists and nomadic tribes according to the objectives of the Forest Act.
Besides coordinating with other districts regarding inter-district claims, it will also issue directions for incorporation of the forest rights in the relevant government records and ensure publication of the record of forest rights upon finalisation, says the order.
“This committee will ensure that a certified copy of the record of forest rights and title under the Act, as specified in II & III to these rules, is provided to the concerned claimant and the Gram Sabha respectively. It will also ensure that a certified copy of the record of right to community forest resource and title under the Act, as specified in Annexure IV to these rules, is provided to the concerned Gram Sabha or the community whose rights over community forest resource have been recognized under clause (i) of sub- section (1) of Section 3”, says the order further.
Similarly, the Sub Divisional Level Committee will also consist of four members, headed by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate. This committee, at sub-district level, will provide details about forest and revenue maps, along with the electoral rolls to the Gram Sabha, and after that, examine all such details to ascertain their veracity.
“It will collate the resolutions of the concerned Gram Sabhas and consolidate maps and details provided by the Gram Sabhas. It will also consolidate maps and details provided by them,” says the order.
Besides raising awareness among the forest dwellers about objectives and procedures of the Forest Act, the committee will also sensitise each Gram Sabha about their duties and of forest right holders about the protection of wildlife, forest and biodiversity.
The committee, as per the order, will prepare block or tehsil wise draft record of proposed forest rights after reconciliation of records, and also coordinate with other sub-divisional level committees for any issues. “The committee shall hear the petitions from persons, including UT agencies, aggrieved by the resolutions of the Gram Sabhas,” the order added.
Pertinently, the implementation of Forest Rights Act and the constitution of three committees has come after the Jammu and Kashmir administration faced strong backlash over the demolition of temporary structures of tribals in certain forest lands, and the eviction drives conducted last month.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti visited Pahalgam area of south Kashmir after reports of several hutments belonging to tribals demolished and razed to ground began surfacing, which attracted the attention of local political leaders as well as common people, especially after videos went viral on social media. The move of the government created a sense of fear and insecurity in the tribal community who had been left homeless with the demolition of their makeshift structures in forest lands.

KALEEM GEELANI