OnlyKashmir.in News Desk
Srinagar, Aug 1: The Jammu and Kashmir Tribal Affairs Department has directed all Deputy Commissioners across the Union Territory to accelerate the verification and settlement of claims under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, reinforcing the government’s commitment to safeguarding the rights of eligible forest-dwelling communities.
The directive, issued through an official circular, instructs district administrations to complete the statutory process of receiving, verifying and deciding claims under the Act through its three-tier mechanism. Districts where the process has already been completed have also been asked to submit formal completion certificates to facilitate consolidation of implementation status across the Union Territory.
The Department reiterated that no eligible forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribe or other traditional forest dweller can be evicted from forest land under their occupation until the recognition and verification process is fully completed, as provided under Section 4(5) of the Forest Rights Act.
Officials have also reminded district authorities that the Gram Sabha remains the primary statutory body responsible for receiving, scrutinising and verifying individual and community forest rights claims before forwarding recommendations to the Sub-Divisional Level Committee (SDLC). The Act further provides an appellate mechanism, allowing appeals before the SDLC and subsequently the District Level Committee (DLC), whose decision is final.
The Department clarified that the provisions of the Forest Rights Act also extend to municipal and urban areas. In such locations, Ward Committees or assemblies of adult residents, including Mohalla Sabhas or similar local bodies, will perform functions ordinarily assigned to Gram Sabhas.
The latest directions reflect the government’s continued focus on ensuring lawful implementation of the Forest Rights Act while protecting the constitutional and legal rights of tribal communities. Minister for Tribal Affairs Javed Ahmed Rana has repeatedly stressed that the legislation is intended to secure the legitimate rights and livelihood of forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers. He has also maintained that any eviction proceedings, wherever legally necessary, must strictly adhere to the due process prescribed under the Act and relevant Supreme Court guidelines.
