Adivasi organisation protests in Delhi, opposes implementation of Forest Conservation Amendment Act

An organisation working for Adivasi rights on Friday opposed implementation of the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, alleging that it will have an adverse impact on the lives of tribals.

The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, was passed by the Lok Sabha on July 26. The Rajya Sabha passed the bill on August 2 and it received the president's assent on August 4.

The legislation seeks to exempt land within 100 kilometres of the country's borders from the purview of conservation laws and permit setting up zoos, safaris and ecotourism facilities in forest areas.

Dev Kumar Dhan, coordinator of Ranchi-based Adivasi Samanvay Samiti Bharat, said its members 'held a protest at Jantar Mantar' to raise awareness about issues related to the Adivasi community.

The Samiti also issued a statement in which it raised issues related to the Uniform Civil Code and expressed concern over the situation in Manipur and the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act.

The provisions of the act should not be implemented, Dhan said and alleged that it will have an adverse impact on the lives of tribals.

The Samiti has offices in Jharkhand's Ranchi. Its members include tribal people from states such as Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur and Odisha.

On September 18, the Mulniwasi Samajsevak Sangh, an organisation working for the rights of Dalits and Adivasis, had demanded the act be repealed, claiming that it posed an 'existential threat' to the lives and livelihoods of indigenous communities of southern and western Odisha.