<p>After a struggle of over 60 years, forest dwellers and tribals in Chamarajanagar may finally get ownership rights over the lands they have been cultivating for decades. A thickly forested area, Chamarajanagar has a high population of forest dwelling people, including Soligas, Jenu Kurubas and Betta Kurubas. Most of these tribes are found in the forests of B R Hills, Male Mahadeswara Hills and Bandipur National Park, all protected areas.</p><p> Though the communities were issued release orders and ‘saaguvali cheetis’ (authorisation to take up farming) even before the implementation of the Forest (Conservation) Act in 1980, official records still show their land as forest area.</p>.<p>There is now a glimmer of hope as the revenue and forest departments have taken up a joint survey to delineate agricultural land from forests. According to the communities, the lands under their possession were denotified way back in 1960 as they were under cultivation for a long time. However, farmers could not claim ownership over their lands as the denotification was not reflected in government records. The survey is crucial not just for local people but also for the government. </p><p>Ownership will help the community obtain loans from banks and get government amenities like schools, roads and drinking water. In one village denied drinking water supply, the inhabitants were also refused access to a nearby water source which was fenced off by the forest department. Marking of boundaries will enable the government to protect forest land from encroachment. The district, which has nearly 50% of forest cover, has for long been a haven for smugglers and poachers. It was the also the hunting ground of forest brigand Veerappan, who felled thousands of sandalwood trees and killed over a hundred elephants for their tusks. Due to the confusion over the boundaries, the district is also witnessing rampant stone quarrying in forest areas.</p>.Jharkhand CM Champai Soren gives go-ahead for caste-based survey.<p>The Forest Rights Act (FRA) of 2006 recognises the rights of tribal communities and other traditional forest dwellers to forest resources, on which these communities were dependent for a variety of needs, including livelihood, habitation and socio-cultural activities. </p><p>The Act also recognises the important role played by traditional forest dwellers in the protection and conservation of forests. Thus, the Karnataka government has taken a step in the right direction. This problem is not limited to Chamarajanagar alone, and the government should extend the survey to the entire state so that the forest boundaries are clearly marked. This will not only come as a succour to other forest dwellers who do not posses land records, but also help check encroachments.</p>
<p>After a struggle of over 60 years, forest dwellers and tribals in Chamarajanagar may finally get ownership rights over the lands they have been cultivating for decades. A thickly forested area, Chamarajanagar has a high population of forest dwelling people, including Soligas, Jenu Kurubas and Betta Kurubas. Most of these tribes are found in the forests of B R Hills, Male Mahadeswara Hills and Bandipur National Park, all protected areas.</p><p> Though the communities were issued release orders and ‘saaguvali cheetis’ (authorisation to take up farming) even before the implementation of the Forest (Conservation) Act in 1980, official records still show their land as forest area.</p>.<p>There is now a glimmer of hope as the revenue and forest departments have taken up a joint survey to delineate agricultural land from forests. According to the communities, the lands under their possession were denotified way back in 1960 as they were under cultivation for a long time. However, farmers could not claim ownership over their lands as the denotification was not reflected in government records. The survey is crucial not just for local people but also for the government. </p><p>Ownership will help the community obtain loans from banks and get government amenities like schools, roads and drinking water. In one village denied drinking water supply, the inhabitants were also refused access to a nearby water source which was fenced off by the forest department. Marking of boundaries will enable the government to protect forest land from encroachment. The district, which has nearly 50% of forest cover, has for long been a haven for smugglers and poachers. It was the also the hunting ground of forest brigand Veerappan, who felled thousands of sandalwood trees and killed over a hundred elephants for their tusks. Due to the confusion over the boundaries, the district is also witnessing rampant stone quarrying in forest areas.</p>.Jharkhand CM Champai Soren gives go-ahead for caste-based survey.<p>The Forest Rights Act (FRA) of 2006 recognises the rights of tribal communities and other traditional forest dwellers to forest resources, on which these communities were dependent for a variety of needs, including livelihood, habitation and socio-cultural activities. </p><p>The Act also recognises the important role played by traditional forest dwellers in the protection and conservation of forests. Thus, the Karnataka government has taken a step in the right direction. This problem is not limited to Chamarajanagar alone, and the government should extend the survey to the entire state so that the forest boundaries are clearly marked. This will not only come as a succour to other forest dwellers who do not posses land records, but also help check encroachments.</p>