Gadchiroli administration cleared record 3/4 community forest rights applications followed by Nagpur which approved half of the cases taking state at the top
Maharashtra has emerged as the leading state in the country in implementing Forest Rights Act, having met 15 % its potential since the enforcement of law in 2008, with the naxal-hit district Gadchiroli being a major contributor in the state’s success story.
The Gadchiroli district has approved Community Forest Rights (CFRs) to 3/4 of its villages till November last year, highest in Maharashtra and perhaps across India, states a report submitted to the Fadnavis government and the Governor office recently.
The CFRs provide for social, ecological and economic self-empowerment to the Gram-sabhas by giving them the ownership of minor forest produce (tendu, bamboo, mahua etc), the right to conserve and develop the forests, right to mandatory consultation in land acquisition and lease for mining projects.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis home turf Nagpur has recognised almost half of its CFRs, the second highest in the state which is followed by Nanded (47%), Nandurbar (32%) Gondiya (29%) and Yavatmal (16%). Over 20 districts have zero implementation of CFR, claims the report.
The 80-page report titled as “Maharashtra: Promises and Performance: 10 years of the Forest Right Act in India” is prepared by the CFR learning and advocacy group of Maharashtra, a part of National Community for Forest Rights Learning and Advocacy.
“Maharashtra’s record goes up from 15% to 20% if we consider recognition of rights other than minor forest produce also, such as access to forests and resources,” Geetanjoy Sahoo, one of the contributors of the report and the professor at School of Habitat, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, told DNA.
“If Gadchiroli is taken out, Maharashtra’s performance in CFR drops to meager 10%,” cites the report attributing the district’s performance to the civil society and Adivasi Sanghatana who formed pressure groups forcing the administration to implement the Forest Right Act 2006.
Out of 1,688 villages, nearly 1,350 villages have obtained community forest rights over hundreds of hectares of land in Gadchiroli, one of the 35 districts in the country under the Red-Corridor.
Mendha Lekha village, the first in Gadchiroli to acquire community forest rights in 2011 with efforts of enthusiastic sarpanch Devaji Tofa, has obtained rights on total 1,800 hectare of forest land.
“Several gram-sabhas, including those known for left wing extremism, now earn Rs50 lakh to one crore annually by auctioning tendu leaves and bamboos. Over 30,000 villagers have got individual farming rights also. The financial and political empowerment of forest dwelling communities has changed the socio-economic dynamics of this area which has in turn helped to curb the naxal activities also,” said a district administration official.
The Adivasi groups in Maharashtra had an important role to play in the processes related to drafting and enactment of the FRA, also ensured that the push for its implementation came very soon after the enactment of the Rules in January 2008.
Interestingly, Madia Gond tribes in Gadchiroli, one of the three primitive tribes in the state, have now sought “ habitat right” from the government, a step ahead of CFRs where several gram-sabhas have come together seeking rights spread over several villages. Report says, “But the administrative support is lacking so far.”
These proposals have come from the villages which include some proposed and sanctioned mines, points out the study.
Researchers also noted some negative trends owing to FRAs such as rising power tussle and conflicts between forest department and gram-sabhas in many districts over land acquisition and forest rights, mining projects, felling of timber trees and compensatory afforestation fund Act (CAMPA) 2016.
Report says
*Over 200 villages in Palghar district, known for high malnutrition deaths, have obtained CFRs. With the help of organizations and CSR funds, some villages are establishing Community Forest Produce Processing center which includes oil expeller (for mahua), solar dryers (for drying forest fruit and veg), pulverizer (for making powder of dried products), and patrawali (leaf-plate) machine.
*In Thane district, CFR rights have been approved for nearly 230 hamlets which have undertaken plantation of their choice under the Forest Department’s tree plantation campaign.
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