The Forest Rights Act

The AP High Court has rejected fearmongering and permitted issuing of titles under the Forest Rights Act.

 

Rejecting the repeated attempts by retired forest officers to delay a decision on the matter, the AP High Court today granted permission to the State government to go ahead with issuing final titles for all rights so far recognised in the State under the Forest Rights Act. 

Last August, the High Court had directed that implementation of the Act should continue, decisions should be made on claims and no evictions should take place, but the final issuing of title for rights should not be done without the court's permission.  Recently, the State government applied for permission to allow it to issue titles for the approximately 1,14,000 claims so far approved in the State.  The State's application was supported by members of the Adivasi Aikya Vedike, who have impleaded in the case. The Court rejected the attempt by the petitioners - retired forest officers - to delay the matter further and keep these rights holders hanging in limbo. 

You can find out more about this case and about the other court cases against the Forest Rights Act at "Court Cases" on the left.

This order comes as welcome news at a time when, even as they are largely ignored in the national debates, struggles around forest rights have been intensifying during the elections.  From party manifestoes against the illegal tiger reserve in Mudumalai to people's candidates for elections in Khandwa and Khargone, and from boycotts in Jalgaon (in response to a call by the Lok Sangharsh Morcha) through forest rights movements in Nagar Haveli, forest rights and the struggle against Forest Department autocracy are playing a more significant role than is usually realised.

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