FRA activists fume over state govt’s move to monitor CFRs

Nagpur: The Vidarbha Livelihood Forum, a consortium promoting Forest Rights Act (FRA), has opposed the state government’s decision to set up convergence committees to prepare management plans to effectively and transparently implement community forest rights (CFRs) offered under the FRA.
Till the end of August 2021, of the 11,842 CFR claims, the district level committees (DLCs) have approved 8,133 in Maharashtra. For better monitoring and effective implementation, the tribal development department issued a GR on November 22,
directing to set up convergence committees at gram panchayat, taluka and district levels.
These committees will prepare management plans of CFR villages and work will be done as per the plan. The plans will have to be approved by the taluka level and district level committees, which will include officials from the forest, revenue, irrigation, PWD, agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries departments.
“The idea is to strengthen grams sabhas and increase its member base, provide sustainable livelihood through the forest, boost wildlife and biodiversity conservation and maintain an ecological balance. We will also provide benefits of various state schemes and funds made available under MGNREGA, MP/MLA local area development schemes at the grassroots,” said tribal department officials.
However, talking to newsmen, VLF activists Dilip Gode, Purnima Upadhyay, Mahadev Gillurkar, Rajiv Thorat, Mohan Jadhav and Gunwant Vaidya said, “The government decision is like infringing upon gram sabhas rights and is also against the FRA, 2006. Such committees cannot run parallel to the gram sabhas. It will affect the smooth implementation of the FRA.”
“The FRA was brought to undo the historical injustice occurred to the forest-dwelling communities and to ensure land tenure, sustainable livelihood and food security of the forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes & Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (ST & OTFDs). The GR breaches gram sabhas rights,” they said.
The tribal department officials said the decision was taken in a meeting chaired by the tribal department secretary on August 5, 2021. It was under consideration since October 2016. Earlier, a steering committee too had taken a decision on March 5, 2014. Rule 4 (1) (F) provides a mechanism to monitor and control the committee constituted under clause (e) which shall prepare a conservation and management plan for community forest resources.
However, tribal department officials seeking anonymity said, “FRA activists are opposing the GR as they will lose the clout they have on these CFR villages. Few NGOs want to drive the entire process and especially run the business of tendu and bamboo under the name of gram sabhas. Opposing the GR means denial to the participation of other stakeholders who want to contribute to strengthening the communities.”