Collector B. Murugesh has issued forest title rights to 1,021 tribals and other traditional forest dwellers in the Jawadhu Hills of Tiruvannamalai so far as part of the implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, which is also referred to as the Forest Rights Act (FRA).
Officials of the Department of Adi-Dravidar and Tribal Welfare said that a total of 39,522.23 hectares of forest land will be covered under the initiative, as beneficiaries can do farming and also collect minor forest produce on these forest lands. “Some of the minor forest produce that can be collected on allotted forest land includes Indian gooseberry, ‘haritaki’ (Kadukai), ‘soapnut’ (Pundhikottai), tamarind, and honey,” Mr. Murugesh said.
Mr. Murugesh had organised 25 district-level committee meetings to discuss forest title rights for tribals and other forest dwellers. Subsequently, beneficiaries were identified for forest title rights.
Alongside, those applications that are initially rejected for forest title rights will be scrutinised by an expert team formed by the Collector to provide title rights to genuine applicants. The team includes the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) Arani, District Tribal Welfare Officer (Tiruvannamalai), and Tahsildars for Adi-Dravidar, Tribal Welfare, and Jamanamarathur taluk.
Under FRA, tribals who have been residing in the forests prior to December 13, 2005, and non-tribals who have been residing in the forests for three generations, i.e., for 75 years as of December 13, 2005, should be given Title Rights. Implementation of this law is monitored by the committees headed by the Chief Secretary at the State-level, Collectors in the districts, and Revenue Divisional Officers at the sub-divisional level.
