The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has sent a brief titled “Reconciling Conservation and Community Rights: A Policy Framework for Relocation and Co-existence in India’s Tiger Reserves” to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Key Recommendations
- Relocation must be voluntary, based on free, prior, and informed consent, without pressure or inducement.
- Forest Right Act (FRA) provides safeguards against forced eviction.
- According to FRA, no member of a forest dwelling Scheduled Tribe or other traditional forest dwellers shall be evicted or removed from the forest land under his occupation till the recognition and verification procedure is complete.
- FRA is applicable in National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Tiger Reserves.
- Forest Right Act (FRA) provides safeguards against forced eviction.
- Establish a National Framework for Community-Centred Conservation and Relocation (NFCCR) jointly by the Environment and Tribal Affairs Ministries.
Key Challenges in relocation of forest dwellers
- Rights vs protection models: Traditional forest conservation treats local peoples as threats rather than partners, undermining FRA’s inclusive vision.
- Livelihood disruption: Restriction of customary forest access and relocation from protected areas cut off income for many Indigenous groups.
- Uneven development & regional disparity: Forest-dependent tribal regions often lag in infrastructure, skills and access compared to high-income states focused on modern services.
- Sustainable Development Goals: Creating a balance between SDG-1 (No Poverty) and SDG-13 (Climate Action).
Path Forward
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