The Hindu : National : Tribals' land rights subverted: Brinda Karat

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Wednesday, May 30, 2007
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Tribals' land rights subverted: Brinda Karat

Staff Correspondent

Forest officials digging up holes in villages

BHOPAL: CPI (M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat on Tuesday accused the Ratlam district administration and Forest Department officials of subverting the tribals' land rights.

Ms. Karat, who attended a public hearing at Ratlam's Sailana Development Block on Monday and toured some villages in the block and the neighbouring Bajna block on Tuesday, told The Hindu that the Forest Department had dug up huge holes in all villages on the pretext of a plantation drive "anticipating that the tribals will get permanent settlement rights once the Tribal Act is implemented."

She said tribals from about 50 villages attended the public hearing at Sailana. Their grievance was that the Forest Department officials were going to tribal villages and digging up holes, saying they were required for plantations. It could be inferred from the public hearing that almost 3,000 to 3,500 tribals families were directly affected by the digging at a time when they should be engaged in preparing the land for cultivation.

Ms. Karat said the Collector told her that he was not directly involved. However, the forest officials, who were asked to accompany her to some villages on Tuesday, admitted that the holes had been dug up over those pieces of land that were already in the tribals' possession. "It is unfortunate that this is the state of affairs in a district represented by the State Forest Minister and a Minister of State at the Centre," she said.

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