Assam: Forest Rights Act Review Meeting Held in Dhemaji’s Suwansiri Eco Camp

DHEMAJI: In a significant event, a meeting was held on Saturday, March 29, at Suwansiri Eco Camp in Gogamukh, Dhemaji district, in the presence of MP Pradan Baruah and MLA Shri Bhubon Pegu to review the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006.

Officials from the Forest Department, Revenue Circle, Development Block, ITDP Board, and Autonomous Councils participated in the meeting. The meeting reviewed the various steps taken to grant land rights to indigenous people under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, in Dhemaji district and also discussed the possible future steps to be taken in this regard.

Meanwhile, the Coordination Committee of the Tribal Organizations of Assam (CCTOA) held an office-bearers' meeting at Bodoland House last year in May, with a primary focus on the full implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.

Chief Coordinator Aditya Khakhlari highlighted that while the Act has been implemented in other states, it remains inadequately enforced in Assam.

Despite 1,764 ST forest dwellers in Kamrup district receiving land rights on March 7, distributed by Minister of Welfare of Plain Tribe and Backward Classes (non-BTC) Ranoj Pegu, the CCTOA expressed concern over incomplete support from the forest department. Consequently, many forest dwellers have not received their full land rights, particularly for the orchard of betel nuts and plaintain groves.

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