J&K to review rejected forest rights claims, warns officials of FIRs for violations

Following fresh eviction notices issued by the Jammu & Kashmir Forest Department to forest dwellers in the Valley, officials have announced a review of all cases rejected under the Forest Rights Act (FRA). J&K's Forests and Tribal Affairs Minister Javed Rana directed this review, urging officials to ensure no evictions occur without offering a reasonable opportunity for redressal.

Rana emphasized during a stakeholders meeting that the cases must be reviewed strictly in accordance with the provisions of the FRA and the rules framed under it to prevent any eligible forest dweller from losing their legitimate rights. This measure follows the department's eviction notices, particularly in Kupwara district. Rana called for greater awareness among field-level forest officials about the FRA and stressed the need for a sensitive, transparent, and legally compliant approach when dealing with forest-dwelling communities' concerns.

He also stated that each rejection should be reviewed, explaining the reasons behind the rejections and noting that an FIR would be registered against officials violating the Act. The Forest Rights Act stipulates that the Gram Sabha, not the department, should take the decision on rejection or otherwise. The Tribal Affairs Ministry has taken notice of the issue, especially after a demolition incident in Jammu's Sidhra.

A fortnight ago, the Tribal Affairs department issued a circular outlining a three-tier verification process, with the Gram Sabha deciding on case rejections, followed by a sub-divisional committee within 60 days and a district-level committee within two months, whose decision will be final. The circular also ensured no forest dweller, belonging to a scheduled tribe or other traditional forest dwellers, would be evicted before exhausting all options.