Forest dwellers: They cast votes but have no benefits of schemes!

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: A contradiction of sorts! The State government gives voting rights to the forest dwellers, but not rights over benefits of various government schemes. State Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary put a question mark before the government on this vexed issue during the winter session.

Thousands of indigenous people have been living on forest lands in the state for years without getting the benefits of various government schemes.

"They take part in elections and become stakeholders in electing their representatives. The irony, however, is that they cannot avail any benefits of government schemes as they live on forest land," the Speaker said.

The Speaker appealed to the government to do something tangible on this front.

Since the Forest Act does allow the construction of any structures on forest land, the indigenous people living on forest land cannot avail any benefits of government schemes like PMGAY etc. They are out of the grid (without a power connection and water supply).

According to the Forest Rights Act- 2006, tribal people living on forest land before May 2005 are eligible for land rights, so also for availing benefits of various government schemes. However, a non-tribal forest dweller will have to show documents of living on that land for 75 years before 2005. The Act has no provision for giving land rights to encroachers living on forest land. However, implementation of this Act is slow in the state. It affects the indigenous forest dwellers.

Official sources said that many indigenous families got land rights under this Act. The process is slow as the authorities have to verify documents, besides spot visits. These are time-taking exercises, the sources said. "We are taking time to ensure that no encroacher gets land rights in forest areas," a source said. The documents of the villagers of four villages – Jagori, Namphai, Pavoi and Makumkilla – in Buridehing mouza under Digboi Forest Division are under scrutiny to provide them land rights.

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