Section 3 (1) (i) of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 gives –
- the right to protect, regenerate or conserve or manage any community forest resource that the people from tribal communities have been traditionally protecting and conserving for sustainable use.
- It encompasses Rights of Self-cultivation and Habitation which are usually regarded as Individual rights; and Community Rights such as Grazing, Fishing, and access to water bodies in forests, Habitat Rights for PVTGs, Traditional Seasonal Resource access of Nomadic and Pastoral communities, and tribes, access to biodiversity, community right to intellectual property and traditional knowledge, recognition of traditional customary rights and right to protect, regenerate or conserve or manage any community forest resource for sustainable use.
- It also provides rights to the allocation of forest land for developmental purposes to fulfill the basic infrastructural needs of the community.
- For recognition of community forest resource rights, the traditional boundary of a tribal village is recognized, empowering a Gram Sabha to make decisions about the conservation and protection of biodiversity, wildlife, forests, adjoining catchment areas, water sources, and other ecologically sensitive areas as well as to stop any destructive practices affecting these resources or cultural and natural heritage of the tribals.
Objective:
- To undo the historical injustice that occurred to the forest-dwelling communities.
- To ensure land tenure, livelihood, and food security of the forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers
- To strengthen the conservation regime of the forests by including the responsibilities and authority of Forest Rights holders for sustainable use, conservation of biodiversity, and maintenance of ecological balance.
In Chattisgarh, core areas of tiger reserve were out of bounds for villagers — they were not even allowed to pick tendu leaves, which a forest produces. Now, with the recognition of their rights, the gram sabha has a say on access allowed in the forest that falls within their traditional boundaries.
