<p>Karnataka’s dismal record in implementing the Forest Rights Act (FRA) for the rehabilitation of tribals displaced from forests reveals a systemic failure to uphold their rights and dignity. Of the 2.94 lakh applications submitted, a staggering 86 per cent have been rejected, while another 24,894 remain in limbo. </p>.<p>Forest Department officers admit that most claims are unlikely to be approved. The reasons are purely bureaucratic: the absence of elected representatives at the panchayat level to validate claims and unrealistic demands for century-old documents proving residence for three generations. Most of the 2.53 lakh claims were rejected twice, following the Supreme Court’s directive for “re-verification”. </p>.<p>The state has so far approved only 14,981 individual claims and 1,345 community rights claims. Activists argue that this mass rejection denies livelihoods to the families, many displaced decades ago, under the FRA, without compensation or documentation of eviction.</p>.<p>The United Nations has long condemned such forced evictions, calling them a violation of fundamental rights under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The UN mandates that tribals cannot be evicted without their free, prior, and informed consent, as their land, culture, and survival are inextricably tied to the forests. </p>.<p>Evictions not only destroy livelihoods but also erase entire ways of life. While the Centre’s FRA guidelines emphasise legal recognition of rights, prevention of eviction, consent-based rehabilitation, and fair compensation, Karnataka’s implementation tells a different story, marked by bureaucratic apathy and poor coordination.</p>.<p>The irony is that tribals are not forest encroachers; they are its natural guardians. Their traditional practices sustain biodiversity, preserve sacred groves, and prevent over-exploitation of resources. They serve as the first line of defence against poaching and ecological degradation. </p>.<p>Yet, instead of integrating them into conservation efforts, the government sees them as adversaries. The solution requires reimagining governance: expecting illiterate tribals to produce archaic documents is unjust. In the absence of elected panchayat representatives, revenue officers should be empowered to certify claims. </p>.<p>A committee headed by local MLAs should be formed to ensure seamless coordination between departments, cutting through red tape. Today, tribals are caught in a legal void, neither accepted as forest dwellers nor rehabilitated fairly. Karnataka must urgently align itself with the spirit of the FRA and the constitutional values of justice and human dignity. </p>.<p>The government’s rigidity should give way to empathy, ensuring that tribal rights are not just acknowledged but actively protected. This ambiguity must end without further delay.</p>
<p>Karnataka’s dismal record in implementing the Forest Rights Act (FRA) for the rehabilitation of tribals displaced from forests reveals a systemic failure to uphold their rights and dignity. Of the 2.94 lakh applications submitted, a staggering 86 per cent have been rejected, while another 24,894 remain in limbo. </p>.<p>Forest Department officers admit that most claims are unlikely to be approved. The reasons are purely bureaucratic: the absence of elected representatives at the panchayat level to validate claims and unrealistic demands for century-old documents proving residence for three generations. Most of the 2.53 lakh claims were rejected twice, following the Supreme Court’s directive for “re-verification”. </p>.<p>The state has so far approved only 14,981 individual claims and 1,345 community rights claims. Activists argue that this mass rejection denies livelihoods to the families, many displaced decades ago, under the FRA, without compensation or documentation of eviction.</p>.<p>The United Nations has long condemned such forced evictions, calling them a violation of fundamental rights under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The UN mandates that tribals cannot be evicted without their free, prior, and informed consent, as their land, culture, and survival are inextricably tied to the forests. </p>.<p>Evictions not only destroy livelihoods but also erase entire ways of life. While the Centre’s FRA guidelines emphasise legal recognition of rights, prevention of eviction, consent-based rehabilitation, and fair compensation, Karnataka’s implementation tells a different story, marked by bureaucratic apathy and poor coordination.</p>.<p>The irony is that tribals are not forest encroachers; they are its natural guardians. Their traditional practices sustain biodiversity, preserve sacred groves, and prevent over-exploitation of resources. They serve as the first line of defence against poaching and ecological degradation. </p>.<p>Yet, instead of integrating them into conservation efforts, the government sees them as adversaries. The solution requires reimagining governance: expecting illiterate tribals to produce archaic documents is unjust. In the absence of elected panchayat representatives, revenue officers should be empowered to certify claims. </p>.<p>A committee headed by local MLAs should be formed to ensure seamless coordination between departments, cutting through red tape. Today, tribals are caught in a legal void, neither accepted as forest dwellers nor rehabilitated fairly. Karnataka must urgently align itself with the spirit of the FRA and the constitutional values of justice and human dignity. </p>.<p>The government’s rigidity should give way to empathy, ensuring that tribal rights are not just acknowledged but actively protected. This ambiguity must end without further delay.</p>
