Bhubaneswar: Implement the land rights and forest rights of Adivasis, Dalits and other marginalised communities, demanded forest right activist Prafulla Samantara and Lingaraj Azad at the state conference of National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) at Lohia Bhawan here, Sunday. The new government headed by an Adivasi chief minister must put an end to the mindless exploitation of natural resources carried out by the previous government and provide marginalised communities with their rights.
Many leaders and representatives of various people’s movements in the state joined the conference. They were urged to protect the social and cultural identity of Adivasis and forest dwellers. “Land must be given to landless Dalits and peasantry instead of transferring them to land banks. All Adivasis and traditional forest dwellers must be provided pattas and recognition as per the Forest Rights Act,” they demanded. “There is a need to cancel all mining leases that have been auctioned to companies without the consent of Gram Sabhas. Also, the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (2006) is required, through which the verdicts of the people and communities will be given full respect and recognition,” Samantara said. “The previous government has violated the Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2015, Article 244 and the Fifth Schedule in the Constitution of India. In the last 24 years, Adivasis have been forcefully displaced, faced fabricated cases and suffered brutal violence by the police for protecting forest, land and water,” he added.
