Maha Governor modifies FRA, says 'Tribal can build houses areas near forests areas'

Mumbai, Sept 30: Bringing a major relief to forest-dwelling families, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has issued a notification modifying the Forest Rights Act, 2006 that will enable forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwelling families to build houses in the neighborhood forest areas.

 

 

The amendment seeks to "prevent the migration of forest-dwelling families outside their native villages and provide them housing areas by extending the village site into forest land in their neighborhood". The decision will provide a major relief to Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwelling families living in the scheduled areas of the state.

 

The notification has been issued by the Governor using his powers under subparagraph (1) of paragraph 5 of the Schedule V of the Constitution. "During his visits to Palghar, Nandurbar, Gadchiroli and other districts having scheduled areas, it had come to the notice of the Governor that certain Scheduled Tribes and forest-dwelling families in the Scheduled Areas were moving outside their native villages and migrating elsewhere in absence of housing areas for their growing families," the statement read.

 

 

Earlier, in May, the Governor had issued a notification under which tribal persons whose individual or community forest rights have been rejected by district-level committees constituted under special Act could appeal against the decision. The notification provides relief to tribal persons whose individual or community forest rights have been rejected under the Forest Rights Act.