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Land rights bodies question Supreme Court order on tribal eviction

The organisation also asked the Tribal Affairs Ministry to "immediately" intervene in the matter to prevent harassment of the poor and deprived

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Several land rights organisations have urged the Supreme Court to withdraw its order directing 17 states to evict an estimated 1.1 million tribal and other communities living in forests till the time a proper rehabilitation policy is drawn up.

Expressing shock at the SC order, the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) said they were "outraged" at the order as its implementation would result in a situation similar to what happened in 2002 when homes of forest dwellers were burnt following directions by the inspector general of forests to evict them.

Urging the court to withdraw the order, National Dalit Movement For Justice sought to know why the order was issued without a proper relocation plan for the poor forest dwellers. The organisation also asked the Tribal Affairs Ministry to "immediately" intervene in the matter to prevent harassment of the poor and deprived.

Another land rights network Bhumi Adhikar Andolan in a statement said that the recent Supreme Court verdict on Forest Rights Act (FRA) is a continuation of historic Injustices over Adivasis and other forest dwelling communities, insisting, if implemented, FRA 2006 would become "dysfunctional".

"The order will definitely see more unrest in various parts across India which will be leading to the impoverishment of the tribals and other forest dwelling communities," it warned.

Coming in defence of the tribal rights, CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi questioned the absence of Centre's counsel during the final hearing and demanded an ordinance to protect all Adivasis and traditional forest dwellers from eviction.

"If this is not done, it will be virtual declaration of war against adivasis,"she warned.

The Supreme Court order came as a result of a petition filed by the Wildlife Trust of India, Nature Conservation Society and Tiger Research and Conservation Trust who argued that the forest law was putting wildlife conservation and fragile environment at risk by fragmenting the forest land.

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