Bhubaneswar: Villagers in Manitira in Jajpur district have protested against alleged construction works in forest areas without the approval of Gram Sabha.
The villagers residing under Jakhapura police limits claimed that the ongoing building activities are in violation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) to favour some private entrepreneur. The forest lands areas are being diverted without the consent of the Gram Sabha.
The aggrieved villagers have written to Union Forest and Environment Ministry, Odisha Chief Secretary, state Forest department and Jajpur Collector among others in this regard. The complainants state that 8.114 hectares of forest land have been diverted for rail tracks to be used by a private company without nod from Gram Sabha as mandated under the Forest Rights Act (FRA).
The villagers also said the state government is bound to enclose evidence relating to completion of formalities to settle forest rights claims under the FRA while formulating proposals for diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes.
The complaint said, “…there are many tribal families (Sabars) and other marginalised communities who depend on such forest land. As per FRA, all such rights over forest land need to be settled before the land is diverted for any other purpose.”
“It is further submitted that neither such proposal for diversion of Forest land has been placed before Palli Sabha nor such consent obtained for the diversion of forest land. No resolution has been passed in Gram Sabha indicating settlement of Forest Rights and no awareness meeting has been conducted as part of the obligation of the District Administration.”
The villagers have now sought the intervention of the local administration and state government to ensure rights of the tribals as secured under the FRA to safeguard their rights before the process of diversion of forest land is carried out with the consent of the villagers and the Gram Sabha.
