The Hindu : National : Notify rules of Forest Act, says Brinda Karat

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Wednesday, Nov 28, 2007
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Notify rules of Forest Act, says Brinda Karat

Special Correspondent

Terms humiliation of a woman in Guwahati shameful
MPs express concern over plight of tribals

NEW DELHI: Terming the stripping and hounding of a woman by locals in Guwahati as “shameful,” Communist Party of India (Marxist) member Brinda Karat on Monday expressed shock at the failure of the United Progressive Alliance government to notify the rules pertaining to the Forest Rights Act meant for protection, rights and security of the tribals.

Raising the matter during zero hour in the Rajya Sabha, Ms. Karat said it was shocking that even after the passage of the legislation almost a year ago, the rules have still not been notified. What was even more shocking was that the Act was being implemented in portions. “The failure to notify the rules amounts to subversion of the will of Parliament. The government is changing the sequencing of the Act. The government should not delay anymore and notify the rules and implement the Act in letter and spirit,” she said.

Ms. Karat was joined by other members who expressed concern over non-implementation of the Forest Rights Act which, they said, had led to eviction of tribals from their homes and forests.

On the beating up of tribals in Assam, she said several protestors were in hospital and the condition of many was serious. The kind of support and compensation they should have been given had not been forthcoming. “We want the Assam government to take immediate action in this regard,” she said.

R. Chandrasekar Reddy (TDP) raised another issue pertaining to tribals and said the Andhra Pradesh government had failed to protect the lives of tribals. He demanded that the Centre send a medical team to tackle diarrhoea and fever among the tribals. Mr. Reddy ridiculed the State government for its suggestion that tribals should produce more children to compensate the death of the children.

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