Thuamul Rampur: After struggling for more than three decades, 63 tribal families from Semelpadar village in Kalahandi district have received individual forest land titles under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, marking a partial victory in their long-standing fight for legal ownership of their homesteads and farmland.
OrissaPOST had earlier reported on the villagers’ long-pending demand May 7, 2026. Following the report, the administration moved ahead with granting forest land titles to the beneficiaries.
Years after FRA, Kalahandi tribal families still await land rights
Semelpadar, an unsurveyed forest village under Karlapat gram panchayat in Thuamul Rampur block, has 69 families. Residents had pursued legal recognition of their land rights for more than 30 years, but repeated claims filed after the Forest Rights Act, 2006, came into force remained pending due to administrative delays.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari handed over title deeds to the beneficiaries during a special programme held at the Zilla Parishad conference hall.
Local voluntary organisation ‘Antodaya’, which has been supporting the villagers since 1995, played a key role by helping them file claims, providing legal assistance and conducting capacity-building programmes. Villagers thanked district administration and the organisation for facilitating the distribution of land titles.
With the titles, 63 tribal families will now be able to cultivate and reside on their land with legal protection.
Although the gram sabha approved the claims of all 69 families, six ‘Lohara’ families are still awaiting clearance from the district-level committee, as they fall under the category of Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs).
The village’s community forest rights claim has also been approved, but could not be implemented due to technical issues and administrative lapses.
However, Semelpadar is yet to receive revenue village status.
Calling the development only a partial victory, Antodaya president Dilip Kumar Das said the struggle would continue until community forest rights are granted, the remaining families receive land titles, and the village is accorded revenue village status.
