Forest Department urged to not hinder development works for tribal communities
The Tribal People's Association has urged the Forest Department to not obstruct development works intended for tribal communities and to refrain from acting in violation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006.
The Association said the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, commonly known as the Forest Rights Act (FRA), that applied to tiger reserves, national parks, and wildlife sanctuaries across the country, recognised various rights of tribal communities.
As per Section 3(2) of the Act and related communications from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in 2008, provisions existed for 13 categories of development activities for tribal communities, provided they did not exceed one hectare in area and involved the removal of not more than 75 trees.
Based on these provisions, user agencies were previously allotted forest land for land-use conversion, and numerous development projects were executed within the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR). However, in a recent development, when user agencies sought land conversion to build a concrete path in the Mavanatham settlement (Thalamalai Panchayat, Thalavadi Panchayat Union) and a road to Pudukadu village (Hasanur Panchayat), the Forest Department denied the requests, citing legal concerns. As a result, essential development work for tribal communities within the STR came to a halt.
The Association urged the District Forest Officer of the Hasanur Forest Division to immediately facilitate construction of the road to Pudukadu village. Similarly, the Forest Range Officer of Sathyamangalam should process the land-use conversion needed for the construction of a concrete path in Mavanatham village.
Any violation of the FRA constituted a criminal offence under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, it said. A seminar on the FRA was recently organised by the Association in Sathyamangalam.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Physiotherapists in Kerala seek faster registration process to curb unauthorised practices
Physiotherapists in Kerala have flagged a disturbing trend of unauthorised persons entering their profession in the past two years. They claim that such people are bringing their job into disrepute by hiking the treatment costs and often being involved in sexual violence cases. According to functionaries of the Kerala Physiotherapists' Coordination (KAPC), those who reportedly practice alternative medicine or 'traditional medicine' such as hijama, acupuncture, and chiropractic (diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of musculoskeletal disorders) are also found to have been engaged in physiotherapy sessions as well after purchasing a couple of equipment for the purpose. P.S. Sreejith, president of the organisation, says that the main reason for such a situation is the delay in starting the registration process for physiotherapy professionals under the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021, in the State. The Act was brought in to ensure the regulation and maintenance of standards of education and services by allied and healthcare professionals. It also aims to assess the performance of institutions, maintain a Central Register and State Register, create a system to improve access, research and development, and adopt the latest scientific advancement. The KAPC functionaries point out that though a State-level commission was set up some time ago, its activities are going at a slow pace. Meanwhile, with some of the unauthorised practitioners getting involved in criminal cases, the profession is getting a bad press too. Mr. Sreejith says that only those who clear the Bachelor of Physiotherapy course are authorised to start the practice under the 2021 Act. One native of Idukki, who identified himself as a physiotherapist, was found to have been involved in a sexual violence case registered at the Nadakkavu police station in Kozhikode recently. Mr. Sreejith claims that the accused did not have any qualifications to work as a physiotherapist. He only had a diploma in chiropractic, that too is reported to be fake. In a complaint filed with the District Police Chief (Kozhikode City), the KAPC has sought an investigation into the professional identity of the Idukki native and initiation of legal action for impersonation and misrepresentation.
The Print
2 hours ago
- The Print
IndiGo trainee pilot says 3 seniors used casteist slurs against him, told him to ‘go stitch slippers'
According to the FIR, Sharan was summoned to a meeting at IndiGo's office in Sector 24, Gurugram, on 28 April 2025, between 3:30 PM and 4:00 PM. Before the meeting began, Tapas Dey allegedly instructed Sharan in a 'humiliating and derogatory manner' to leave his bag and phone outside, setting the tone for what followed. During the meeting, the three accused reportedly unleashed a barrage of casteist insults in the presence of others, targeting Sharan's Scheduled Caste identity. The FIR, registered at DLF Phase-1 police station on 22 June 2025, after being transferred as a Zero FIR ( an FIR that can be registered at any police station, regardless of the location of the crime) from Bengaluru's Sampigehalli police station, names Tapas Dey, Manish Sahani, and Captain Rahul Patil as the accused. Sharan, a member of the Adi Dravida community (Scheduled Caste), alleges that the trio subjected him to humiliating, casteist slurs. Gurugram: 'Go stitch slippers' is what an SC/ST Indigo trainee pilot alleges he was told by his seniors. Sharan A, a 35-year-old employee with IndiGo Airlines, has lodged a First Information Report (FIR) under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, against three senior colleagues, including a flight captain, for alleged caste-based verbal abuse and discrimination. The incident allegedly occurred during a meeting at IndiGo's office in Gurugram's Emaar Capital Tower 2 on 28 April 2025. These statements, Sharan alleges, were made with the intent to degrade his dignity and undermine his professional standing. 'The remarks were not just personal insults but deliberate attacks on my caste, meant to humiliate me in front of colleagues,' Sharan wrote in his complaint. The complainant further alleges ongoing harassment at IndiGo, including being forced to undergo corrective training without justification, unauthorised salary cuts, arbitrary sick leave deductions, revocation of staff travel privileges, and issuance of a warning letter without evidence. 'These actions were designed to pressure me into resigning,' Sharan told the police, adding that the lack of action from IndiGo's leadership exacerbated his mental distress. Sharan alleged he first approached IndiGo's internal mechanisms, lodging complaints with the CEO and Ethics Committee, but received no resolution. After giving the accused seven days to apologise, he sought assistance from a lawyer and the SC/ST Cell, eventually filing a complaint with Bengaluru's Sampigehalli police station on 21 May 2025. The Zero FIR, registered under Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the SC/ST (PoA) Act and Sections 3(5), 351(2), and 352 of the BNS, was transferred to Gurugram's DLF Phase-1 police station in view of the location of the incident. A police spokesperson told ThePrint on Monday that the accused, all senior employees at IndiGo, will be summoned for questioning on 24 June 2025. 'We have registered the case and initiated an investigation. The accused will be called to join the probe, and further action will be taken as per law,' he said. The FIR invokes serious charges, including intentional insult and intimidation to humiliate a Scheduled Caste member (Section 3(1)(r)), caste-based abuse (Section 3(1)(s)), criminal conspiracy (Section 3(5)), criminal intimidation (Section 351(2)), and intentional insult to provoke breach of peace (Section 352). If convicted, the accused could face up to seven years imprisonment under the SC/ST Act, with no anticipatory bail provision. ThePrint reached out to Dey, Sahani and Patil for their comments on the allegations. Dey and Patil responded to ThePrint's WhatsApp message, saying only their corporate communication head Rashmi Soni was authorised to speak on this issue. When contacted, Soni said Indigo Airlines has issued a media statement on this issue though they have not received any FIR so far. The statement says: 'IndiGo upholds a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of discrimination, harassment, or bias and remains firmly committed to being an inclusive and respectful workplace. IndiGo strongly refutes these baseless claims and stands by its values of fairness, integrity, and accountability and will extend its support to the law enforcement agencies as required.' (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also read: Over 6.5 lakh calls received on SC/ST atrocities helpline since 2021; highest from UP
United News of India
3 hours ago
- United News of India
SC declines urgent listing for clarification plea by Bhima Koregaon accused Hany Babu
New Delhi, June 23 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant an urgent hearing to a plea filed by former Delhi University professor Hany Babu, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, seeking a clarification that he could approach the High Court for bail after withdrawing his earlier plea in the top court. A vacation bench comprising justices KV Viswanathan and NK Singh directed that the matter be listed after the court reopens following the summer break, and declined to entertain the application during the limited working days of the vacation. During the mentioning, the counsel for Babu argued that several co-accused in the case had been granted bail by the Supreme Court either on merits or due to prolonged incarceration. The application was filed seeking a clarification following a May 2 observation by the Bombay High Court, which stated that Babu should seek clarity from the Supreme Court about his liberty to approach the High Court for bail after withdrawing his special leave petition. Justice Viswanathan questioned the delay in filing the application. 'The order was passed on May 2. The court was fully functional till May 23. Why was the application not moved earlier?' he asked. In response, the counsel submitted that obtaining certified copies of the court's orders took time. However, Justice Viswanathan remarked, 'Even in urgent matters, we have filed and got cases listed without certified copies.' Babu was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in July 2020 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for alleged Maoist links in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence. His bail plea was rejected by the Bombay High Court in September 2022. In May 2024, he withdrew his bail petition from the Supreme Court stating a change in circumstances, intending to move the High Court afresh. However, the High Court noted that the Supreme Court's order did not explicitly grant him liberty to re-approach the lower court, prompting the present application for clarification. The Supreme Court's refusal to list the matter urgently means the issue will now be heard only after the court's summer recess concludes. UNI SNG PRS
