The Hindu : `Move for regularisation of tribals rights on land'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 14, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

`Move for regularisation of tribals rights on land'

By Our Staff Reporter

KARIMNAGAR, FEB. 13. The Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Ch Vidyasagar Rao, has said that the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests had issued a circular for the regularisation of rights of tribals on forest land.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, he said that the Union Government had issued the `historic' circular on February 5 this year benefiting the tribals who are in possession of the forest land. The circular reads: "In respect of these recognised rights of tribal forest dwellers on the forest land, the Central Government on receipt of complete proposals from the State governments and Union Territories concerned shall consider these proposals for diversion of continuously occupied forest land under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 so that these tribals can get unfettered legal rights over such land.

The tribals shall have heritable but inalienable rights over such land. This decision shall apply for those tribal dwellers who are in continuous occupation of such forest land at least since December 31, 1993.'' He said that in respect of any fresh occupation of the forest land by the tribals and non-tribals in forest areas, the State governments would hold the concerned District Magistrates/Collectors, the Superintendents of Police and the Divisional Forest Officers personally responsible for such encroachment and they would be liable for disciplinary action in respect of any such encroachment.

He attributed the issuance of the circular for the regularisation of forest land to tribals as a success to the campaign of `Land to the capable tiller' launched by the State BJP. He also called upon the district Collectors to distribute land to all the people. He also said that the State Government had constituted the Godavari River Valley Authority for the utilisation of surplus Godavari waters after the BJP launched a statewide movement.

With regard to the People's War naxalites putting up posters warning the BJP and TDP leaders of dire consequences if they fail to resign their posts, the Union Minister condemned the `undemocratic' act of naxalites of threatening and killing the TDP and BJP leaders.

"The PW, in spite of being a banned outfit had been utilising all facilities including the media services,'' he noted and found fault with naxalites for suppressing the rights of political leaders in a democratic set-up.

Appealing to the naxalites to rethink about their act of specifically attacking the TDP and BJP leaders, he urged the naxalites to shun violence, join the mainstream of society and participate in the democratic set-up. He urged the naxalites to watch the developmental works taken up during their five-year regime. The BJP district president, P Sugunakar Rao, was also present.

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