Policy Watch: Forest Rights Act and mass evictions of forest-dwellers
7.8m people could be evicted according to the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006.
Dear member,
India’s economic development is a bright spot in the global economy today, as China slows and a cost of living crisis bites in Europe and the US.
But the flip side of the development, infrastructure spending and industrial activity is a fierce battle over land rights.
According to Section 4(5) of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006:
“Save as otherwise provided, no member of a forest dwelling Scheduled Tribe or other traditional forest dweller shall be evicted or removed from forest land under his occupation till the recognition and verification procedure is complete.”
However, more than 1.6m tribal people and forest-dwelling families face the threat of eviction as their claims over forest land have been rejected across states.
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